“We have been warned that ordinary is less than, a sign of inferiority, an indicator that so much more awaits if we could just get the mix right. But the truth is, most of life is pretty ordinary, so it is precisely inside the ordinary elements…—career, parenting, change, marriage, community, suffering, the rhythms of faith, disappointment, being a good neighbor, being a good human—that an extraordinary life exists.” I had just finished giving the start of my speech about finding beauty in the ordinary by putting down your iPhone when this quote from Jen Hatmaker’s book, Of Mess and Moxie, popped up on my screen. I was looking at Facebook in my office, the same place I was delivering my speech to a crowd of one—myself. There’s something oddly cathartic about hearing your thoughts spoken. But it should be noted: I could never be a public speaker. I need backspace too much. Read more