Michelle Van Loon

Some have asked how this week’s news about Osama bin Laden has impacted life in Israel. It has been front-page news, but there is so much happening here that the event doesn’t have the same impact that I’m sure it’s…

I’ve been here in Jerusalem for 24 hours or so, and here’s what I’ve experienced so far: I didn’t take this picture, but this is pretty much the scene that greeted me. – An angry mob of about 80-100 ultra-Orthodox…

You’re probably aware that Oprah is broadcasting the final few shows of her program’s last season. The ABC affiliate in Chicago rebroadcasts her show at 11:05 p.m. each night, and because of my ongoing midlife sleep battles, I have seen…

The disciples experienced all kinds of amazing weeks with Jesus, but none of them were anything like the week they headed into Jerusalem just before Passover. The crowds up north, in Galilee, clamored to get near Jesus because they hoping…

When I got married, my parents walked me up the aisle to the song Sunrise, Sunset from the movie Fiddler On The Roof. We selected the song as a way to honor my family’s heritage. Since I’ve become a parent,…

Last weekend, my dear friend Meg and I facilitated a directed silent retreat. One of the passages of Scripture on which we focused was possibly the most familiar of them all – Psalm 23. Familiarity does not equal true understanding.…