Jamie Janosz

What does it mean to live out the gospel? For Jeremy Writebol, in his book, everPresent: How the Gospel Relocates Us in the Present , living out the Gospel is not about a new technique. Instead, he recommends letting our relationship with God seep into every place in our life. Writebol explores God’s attribute of omnipresence, challenging believers to live in the same way – letting the gospel and our faith touch every place in our life: home, school, office, third places and the cities. Where we are should be affected by who we are. I appreciate the rich descriptive details he uses to begin each chapter. He grounds us with who he is as a pastor and writer and husband. He lets us see his personal surroundings and then shows us how God’s Word transforms them. Writebol comments, “The place you are right now is God’s place. This ought to be a transforming perspective for us.” He comments on the restlessness of our souls, arguing that this sense of spiritual dislocatio

I’ll admit it. I feel a bit overwhelmed by the whole “market yourself as a writer thing.” I’ve nervously watched as my ratings on Amazon climbed up and then rocketed down again. I’ve nervously anticipated my first book reviews, hoping they would be positive or at least fair. I’ve rejoiced with each endorsement and celebrated each tweet. As a first-time author, I've learned that launching a book requires hard work – and you put excessive amounts of time and energy into writing letters and leveraging every bit of public access you have. One author told me that the work only begins when the book is published. It’s so true. The first part is the writing, the second part is this steep-to-climb Mount Kilimanjaro of marketing. Then it hits you. Or, at least, it hit me. I was in danger of becoming completely and utterly self-obsessed. When I started to write this book, I was following a single story. It was the story of a woman who wanted to serve God with her life.

This week, we attended a special dinner at Asparagus, one of our favorite dining spots in northwest Indiana (7876 Broadway, Merrillville, IN). Asparagus has a warm, dark, classy and romantic atmosphere. The decor is a mix of French and Thai - with the most gorgeous cut bamboo wall in the entryway. We like to go to Asparagus the 1st and 3rd Saturdays of the month, because they host some of the best jazz combos in the Chicagoland area - and (pssst) there's no charge for the music. We have paid quite a bit to listen to the same groups in Chicago - but they travel all the way to Merrillville just for us! Tammy (the owner, executive chef and hostess) and her husband Sam (who oversees all the details of the business) are hard-working and dedicated to their craft. They put the ultimate amount of care into the quality of the food, inventive drinks, and warm hospitality. They always make us feel like family. The meal was a five-course special presentation featuring the Trim

Okay - there were snowflakes falling as I commuted to work this morning. No flowers anywhere.  Yes, SNOWFLAKES, on the first day of spring. Sigh...  But, it's coming. Spring is just around the corner - I know it! I unabashedly stole this blog post idea from my friend, former student, and fabulous blogger Ilene Gamboa of much love, illy ,  But, this is what I've been up to lately: dreaming:  about wearing a colorful, cotton skirt, sandals, and NO down coat, tights or boots reading:  young adult novels by John Green  remembering : two years ago, when we went to the beach in March with 80-degree weather! re-watching : Downton Abbey with my husband thinking about:  what it will be like to actually move to Florida eating:  a fabulous five-course Thai meal at our favorite NWI restaurant, Asparagus drinking:  tall Starbucks brew in a grande cup with lots of room for cream prepping:  for our pop-up vintage show at the Crown Point Hunt &am

When my daughter was little, I purchased a set of Resurrection Eggs at the Bible bookstore to help her understand the Easter season. The set contains twelve plastic eggs – like the ones used for Easter Egg hunts – that crack apart to reveal a prize inside. The set is unique though in that it helps visually illustrate the Easter story for young children. My daughter loved it. Day by day we would read the Bible passage and section of the devotional. At the end, she would crack open the colorful egg to reveal what was inside. One day it was a tiny palm leaf, symbolizing Jesus’ triumphal entrance. A miniature crown of thorns made her wince as I explained that the wicked men hurt Jesus by pushing this torturous device onto his head. I saw the gospel come alive for her as we cracked open each of the eggs. The last day – Easter Sunday – was celebrated with church and Easter baskets. But my daughter was also excited to open that last egg. That afternoon, we read the passage and the

At five years old, I was a girly girl. I loved patent leather shoes and ruffled socks. My toys were the domestic sort – I had the cutest little pretend vacuum cleaner, a make-believe, well-stocked grocery store, and a baby doll with cradle and high chair. I was the perfect mother at 5-years-old, cleaning my messy home with a baby on my hip. Yet, in later years I never felt that domesticity was my sole destination. My mom was my hero and my example. She worked as a teacher. She was also a leader at church and in the community, yet she cooked and decorated with flair. Even with all these responsibilities, she was a wonderful mom and homemaker. She did it all. And, I wanted that too. I wanted everything: home, work, and Christian service. In that sense, I was (and still am) a feminist. While “doing it all” may be an impossible dream, I refuse to be labeled or limited by those who say I can’t or I shouldn’t. I want to be everything I can be, all that God calls me to be.

My husband and I have been married for almost 22 years - not a huge stretch of road - but enough to know that we are in this for the long haul. I honestly can't imagine being married to anybody else but him.  I work with college students. I see a lot of oohing and aaahhhing over engagement rings. I also see the worried glances of those who are not "in love" by spring. And, I can't help thinking how little they know. I wish I knew then, in my 20s, what I know now.  So, here's my short list of advice for couples just saying, "I do": 1. You sometimes should go to bed angry When we were first married, I remembered the Bible verse that said the sun should not go down upon our wrath. I worried about that one. You see, we were wrathful. Actually, sometimes we were furious. I don't know about those couples who never fight. My husband and I can get stubborn and vengeful and exchange words we don't mean; words meant to hurt. Throughout the yea

Our families, in part, make us who we are. We have good characteristics, positive traits that our moms, dads, grandparents, and aunts left pressed upon us. And we have some not-so-great traits that we may wish had been left behind. From my grandma, "Honey," and my mom, I received my thin body type. In my grandma's wedding picture, she stands in a 1940's era suit, tall and willowy. My daughter complains, sometimes, that she received the "not-so-great" parts of her parents. From me, I'm afraid, she received awkwardness - my complete lack of athletic ability. She and I cannot run a mile to save our lives. From our families, we also inherit good and bad stories. When we would write narratives in my college writing class, I urge students to think through both the positive and the negative stories of their life. Both types of stories, I tell them, are your inheritance. All of it - the good and the bad. Both types of stories have shaped who you are to

It is surprising to hear quotes by author C.S. Lewis and comedian Louie C.K. in the same book. Perhaps this is why I found Mark Eckel’s new book , I Just Need Time to Think , so provocative. Mark was a colleague of mine on the faculty of Moody Bible Institute. He is an avid film-buff, a reader, and an insightful commentator on culture. He values words and abhors unthinking censorship. A provocative line in the book states: “Kill the words. Kill the words’ meanings. Kill the wordsmiths...Why are authors, playwrights, cartoonists, and intellectuals the first to be killed in totalitarian takeovers? Because words are power.” His book is divided into sections on the intellectual and spiritual disciplines, exploring concepts like: study, retreat, discipline, holiday, reading, reflection, obstacles, walking, path, and place. Each chapter provides an opportunity to sink in and ponder these ideas. As I read, it pushed me to think about the way I live. Am I rushing headlong in