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I’m Not Antisocial; I’m Just Wired Differently
Animals of the Bible, Spiritual Growth, encouragement, identity, Life's Journey Dana Rongione Animals of the Bible, Spiritual Growth, encouragement, identity, Life's Journey Dana Rongione

I’m Not Antisocial; I’m Just Wired Differently

I need to confess something right up front: I love people... in small, carefully rationed doses. Put me in a quiet room with my dog, a book, and a cup of tea, and I am the sweetest, most pleasant version of myself you will ever meet. But stick me in a crowded family reunion for six hours straight, and something happens. My smile tightens. My patience evaporates. By the time I finally climb into the car to go home, I am basically Mr. Hyde in a denim skirt.

For years, I thought something was wrong with me. Good Christians are supposed to love being around people all the time, right? Shouldn't fellowship fill me up instead of wearing me down? I quietly filed myself under the label of "flawed" or “broken” and moved on, feeling guilty every time I turned down an invitation just so I could recharge alone.

Then I learned about grasshoppers, or more specifically, locusts. Stay with me here! This gets good.

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Exhausted and Withering? Stop Producing, Start Digging
Encouragement, comfort, Weary, Spiritual Growth Dana Rongione Encouragement, comfort, Weary, Spiritual Growth Dana Rongione

Exhausted and Withering? Stop Producing, Start Digging

I've never been much of a gardener, but I've become a bit of an accidental tree-watcher since moving to Wales. Between our hikes through the countryside and my endless fascination with anything that grows without complaining, I've picked up a few strange little facts that have stopped me in my tracks. For example, when drought hits, a healthy tree doesn't just stand there and wilt dramatically as I would. It has an ingrained survival strategy.

The tree stops producing new leaves. It pulls back from growth mode and turns its energy inward. And then, rather than throwing a fit about the lack of rain, it sends its roots down deeper into the soil, searching for whatever moisture is still hiding beneath the surface. The tree essentially says, "Fine. If it's not coming from above right now, I'll go find it below." No drama. No dying. Just digging.

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Is Biblical Meditation Really Just Wasting Time?
Thoughts, Meditation, Spiritual Growth, The Word of God Dana Rongione Thoughts, Meditation, Spiritual Growth, The Word of God Dana Rongione

Is Biblical Meditation Really Just Wasting Time?

Some mornings, if you peeked into the quiet corner of my office, you might think I was doing nothing at all. My Bible would be open beside me, my mug of tea growing cold, and I would just be staring out the window.

From the outside, it looks suspiciously like laziness. But inside, my mind is bustling. I'm turning a verse over and over, like a jeweler turning a diamond in the light. I've read it, studied it, maybe even looked up a few words, but the real work begins when I stop "doing" and start meditating.

The world says meditation is about emptying the mind, clearing out thoughts like you're sweeping a cluttered floor. But the Bible paints a completely different picture. The blessed man "delight[s] in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night." That is not an empty mind. That is a very full one.

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When You're Trying to Tune In to God (But the World Won't Turn Down)
Weary, The Word of God, Spiritual Growth, Bible Study Dana Rongione Weary, The Word of God, Spiritual Growth, Bible Study Dana Rongione

When You're Trying to Tune In to God (But the World Won't Turn Down)

There I was, Bible open, pen in hand. With Tess snoring in her bed beside me, I was minding my own business and reading about the importance of tuning out the world to tune in to God. Very spiritual. Very focused. Very... interrupted.

Before the ink was dry on that thought, Tess launched off the floor like a furry little missile. She pressed her nose against the window and barked at some unsuspecting soul walking down the road as if the fate of the free world depended on it. Then, as if that weren't enough, she bolted from the office. Unfortunately, she pushed the office door wide open in her dramatic exit, which meant I could now enjoy the full orchestra of household chaos. Both the washing machine and the dishwasher roared directly across the hall. And Jason was happily clanging around in the kitchen.

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Where Do You Think You’re Going?
Spiritual Growth, Inspiration, Bible Study Dana Rongione Spiritual Growth, Inspiration, Bible Study Dana Rongione

Where Do You Think You’re Going?

I have a confession to make: my dog is more socially determined than I am.

Let me set the scene. Jason's parents were visiting, and we were all gathered in the living room, food trays in front of us, enjoying dinner together. Meanwhile, Tess had been served her meal in the adjoining room, close enough to hear the laughter and smell the good food, but not quite with us. Well, apparently, Tess had a thing or two to say about that.

That crazy dog picked up her food bowl (without spilling a single bite, mind you), carried it across the floor, and set it down right in the middle of the living room. Then she looked up at us as if to say, "There. That's better," and went right back to eating. No drama. No apology. Just a dog who knew exactly where she wanted to be and did what it took to get there.

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