Prisoner of Hopes

Tag: faith

  • Dove of the Desert: Rural Road Trips Arizona

    Dove of the Desert: Rural Road Trips Arizona

    A beautiful church in the desert provides refuge for an Indian nation. I am moved by its elegance and authenticity.

  • Becoming

    Becoming

    Yesterday was my birthday. It was a day much like any other. I went to work and took care of the tasks that needed attention. But my husband bought beautiful flowers reminding me of his love. My son called multiple times to talk and let me know he loved me. I got dozens of texts…

  • Pilgrimage: Travel Goals Ireland

    Pilgrimage: Travel Goals Ireland

    From a modern perspective, it is hard to envision a time when religion completely dominated the landscape. Yet in Ireland the past is everywhere. It is hard to cross a field without noticing some remnant of religious life. From Neolithic tombs to abandoned monasteries, religious architecture is hard to miss. As a historian, I understand…

  • Traipsing through Tromso: Travel Goals Norway

    Traipsing through Tromso: Travel Goals Norway

    I am up early, charting our course. The sun is shining and the snow has stopped, at least for now. It is a beautiful day for exploring the arctic town of Tromso. We start our day at Polaria aquarium, solely based on the fact that it was one of the few places open earlier in…

  • Trondheim Pilgrimage to Nidaros: Travel Goals

    Trondheim Pilgrimage to Nidaros: Travel Goals

    We dock in the cold, cold rain. Coming down the gangway, the wind blows water into our faces. My husband struggles into his rain suit while I wrestle with my umbrella. We try to follow directions to exit the docks into the town. In the blowing rain, it is unclear which way to go, so…

  • It Is Messy Sometimes

    It Is Messy Sometimes

    Today, while waiting for a Dr.’s appointment, I saw a funeral notice and tribute for a former professor/ church leader. As I saw the texts of support and accolades, I was instead taken back to a major life lesson he delivered. I was a freshman in college and enrolled in a psychology with professor “b”.…

  • Another Christmas….

    Another Christmas….

    I am up early this morning. Another Christmas when I can’t sleep. Waiting in the glow of Christmas tree lights, I give thanks for the family sleeping under my roof this morning. Another Christmas Eve is in the books. Everyone gathered and all the cars in the driveway, I finally relax. My version is to…

  • Last Day Is Always Bittersweet: Travel Goals Italy

    Last Day Is Always Bittersweet: Travel Goals Italy

    Our last day in Italy. Where did the time go? We decide to stay fairly close to home as we need to pack and prepare for a morning flight. Although we had connected trains in the town of Domodossola, we have yet to properly visit. It seems like a great destination. The town sits next…

  • Pavia, A Study In Honoring Tradition: Travel Goals Italy

    Pavia, A Study In Honoring Tradition: Travel Goals Italy

    Today we venture to the Italian city of Pavia. Home to one of the world’s oldest universities, final resting place of St. Augustine, the Southern seat of the Dukes of Milan; Pavia has a long and interesting history. The Castello Visconteo di Pavia is our first stop. Built in 1360 by the Lord of Milan,…

  • In search of the Shroud: Travel Goals Italy

    In search of the Shroud: Travel Goals Italy

    You can’t visit Turin without wondering about the mysterious shroud of Turin. The shroud first appeared in France in the 1300’s and was claimed to be the shroud that wrapped the body of Jesus after his crucifixion. While a bishop in the late 1300’s and dozens of scientists have called it a fake, the faithful…