Author Archives: K.Aalseth

It’s graduation season. I love seeing the celebratory photos of kindergarten and college diplomas. I love telling students they are upperclassmen now and are being entrusted with greater leadership in the ministry. Father’s Day got me thinking about one of my biggest transitions in leadership. Unbeknownst to any of us, during my first year ofContinue reading “The 3 best leadership gifts my dad gave me before he died”

“We let our expectations die and embrace expectancy.” James Choung and Ryan Pfeiffer, Longing for Revival: From Holy Discontent to Breakthrough Faith (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2020), 52. 3 years, 75 hours at a fertility clinic, $4000 of copays, 3 surgeries and 9 procedures later, and still no baby to show for it all.Continue reading “How to keep hoping when you aren’t getting what you want”

The day finally arrived: two weeks after vaccination! I envisioned fireworks, chocolate fountains, a giant party . . . instead I celebrated my end of isolation with a quiet walk through Hobby Lobby. With so much of the world still in crisis, and half of my community unvaccinated, it wasn’t the climactic ending to aContinue reading “Having social anxiety after isolation?”

When my seventeen-month-old nephew, Zachary, is having trouble sleeping at night, my brother pats him on his back gently and says, “I know, I know.” The other day, Zachary was awake and alone in his crib saying to himself, “I know, I know.” From a very young age, kids learn how to soothe themselves. TheyContinue reading “Loving Yourself through Affectionate Presence”

“I have no profound pastoral words, but I have fish tacos,” I said to a few friends as we gathered in a park to be together after receiving some distressing news. I have found myself, as one who keeps a pen and paper on me at all times, often wordless these days. So much death,Continue reading “The Gift of Presence”

Eight people, six of whom were Asian American women (Soon C. Park, Suncha Kim, Yong A. Yue, Hyun Jeong Park Grant, Paul Andre Michels, Xiaojie Tan, Daoyou Feng, and Delaina Ashley Yaun) were murdered this week by the hands of a white terrorist. (image from @therealphilliplim) It was evil, racist, sexist, and another one ofContinue reading “What to do with your white guilt when you want to dismantle white supremacy”

A couple years ago, I was sitting in a church pew thinking about what I would eat for lunch as the service was ending. The stage was lined with prayer ministers ready to pray for people, as was the case every week. Somewhat out of the blue, I heard a voice deep in my soulContinue reading “Have you ever had a God moment?”

“It’s a good thing he has an element of mystery to you, otherwise you would try to manipulate him.” My spiritual director said this to me when I was deciding if I should marry Mike. My director’s words were wise. My constant need for more knowledge was actually a dangerous hunger for control. I wantedContinue reading “Your life begins with mystery”

Security is not dependent upon the certainty of fulfilled desires. True security is found when we know we are heard. The greatest feeling of safety comes not when we can predict our own future, but in our process of longing. I remember driving up to Ventura for a day away to pray. I was 30Continue reading “Wishing you could see the future?”

In my last post, I wrote about how God cares about us as whole people, not disembodied souls. God’s plan for humanity is “thriving wholeness” or “shalom.” This thriving wholeness is for all of creation and community, and is dependent on the protection and care for the most vulnerable. In this post, I will zoomContinue reading “Whole: Healing for the Fractured Self”