Ellen Rosenberger

This month started with death and that theme has continued throughout. We awoke on September first to a message that our brother-in-law’s sister had taken her life. And just like that our hearts sank to the floor. The pain and heartache and shock and anger her family was feeling seemed to physically weigh on our shoulders as we prayed without ceasing. Crying out to God for mercy and comfort and peace for this broken and hurting family. As we processed death and what’s more, suicide, our spirits were heavy. Our minds were constantly thinking of our loved ones walking this road of grief. Saying goodbye to a beloved sister in no way, shape or form anyone ever imagined they would have to. Then, the next day we heard word from a family in our church that their son, Joshua, was put on hospice care. This family, so hospitable, caring, loving, and giving - now facing the imminent death of their beloved son. His sister is in our young adult’s group and is so very close to him. Our kids got ...

As my Facebook news feed continues to fill up with more and more shares about the chaos unfolding in Nicaragua right now as I type, my heart is saddened. And burdened. With each new link spelling out more bloodshed and unrest and violence, the beats of my heart quicken. Is this really happening? I’m not there so I’m not experiencing it first hand. But the pictures and the videos horrify me. Fires and gunshots and screams and looting. Anger over injustice. Rage at corruption. And I feel it within me sitting here in a quiet library miles away. The silence here is peaceful and yet I know that peace is not a place. It’s a Person. Jesus. The only peace-giver and peace-sustainer. My heart cries out with the people of Nicaragua. Sadness over senseless bloodshed and mass chaos. Worry and fear over what will develop in the next hours and days in a country ruled by power-hungry and resource-confiscating leaders. What solution will come? What will calm the unrest? Our family moved aw...

I'm thinking about life today. My daughter, Elizabeth Kate, turned one yesterday. She's my fourth. Another milestone birthday come and gone. How does it happen? How does a tiny newborn grow into a tooth-showing, giggly, crawling one year old? Somehow it feels like the time flies even faster with each kid.  I remember waking up on the morning of my eldest's first birthday. All of the sudden my baby didn't feel like a baby anymore and I tried to hold back tears. But then I remind myself that though that first year seems to go by so fast, there were long nights, those times when I'd hear a little cry in the dead of night - time to feed again. Yes, we did have long stretches of exhaustion mingled with joy so real it hurt - giggles and tickles and laughter and smiles.  On my daughter's birthday yesterday I couldn't help but think about how this day of celebration would be starkly different had she not made it to one year. How would our day have been spent ...