Advent Week 1: Hope
HOPE. Hope can be a fragile entity. We all have hopes and dreams that motivate and inspire us to get through today, but we have also had our hopes dashed. There is no guarantee that any of our hopes on earth will become fully realized. We hope for good health but sickness still comes. We […]
A Practice that Protects the Heart
Thanksgiving is here. As we head into Thanksgiving week, I want to share a years-long practice that has protected my mental health and contributed greatly to the preservation of my spiritual life. This practice helps me see God’s goodness even when the swirl of life is particularly complicated, chaotic, or weighty. Keep track of God’s […]
What we have in common with Walt Disney
Walt Disney passed away just before Disney World opened. He never walked through it. On the day it opened, a reporter said to Roy Disney, Walt’s brother, “This must be a bittersweet day for you. It’s really sad that Walt never got to see Disney World. Roy responded, “If Walt didn’t see it, we wouldn’t […]
How our Imperfect Lives are Perfect
And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. (Romans 8:28) Many of us are banking on this promise, but how does God accomplish good amidst all the chaos? Our limitations keep us seeking His power. But he said […]
Cast all your cares on Him
Cast all your cares on him because He cares for you. (1 Peter 5:7) Lately, I have had so many things coming at me from so many directions that I become overwhelmed by not only the sheer number, but also the complexity of each situation. When I imagine praying about them, I don’t even know […]
You are debt free!
Oh, I know. You probably have debt. I do too. My name is currently on a mortgage. At different times in my life, I have had car loans, parent plus loans, and credit card debt as well. I have a heart for so many of our society’s young adults who are straddled with college loans. […]
Grief and Healing in a Time Warp
But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. (2 Peter 3:8) Anniversary of the phone call. On October 18, 1986 at 1:00, I received a phone call that my brother Dan had been in a motorcycle […]
1,000 minutes in the hands of God
You and I have lived 1,000 minutes over and over again. In his book, The 1000 Minute Principle HERE , Tom Evershed writes: Let’s start by supposing that you wake up in the morning at 0630 and go to sleep at 2310 [11 p.m.]. Looking at those times it’s not immediately obvious how much time […]
You may be suffering more than you think!
I was listening to a podcast With the Perrys and Preston Perry allowed my eyes to see something in a new way. Let me present two separate thoughts and then join them together. First, we are to share in the sufferings of Christ. Dear friends, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that has […]
What does Sabbath-rest really mean?
There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God; (Hebrews 4:9) A few weeks ago I witnessed a discussion between adults about the concept of the spiritual discipline of rest. People shared ideas about going fishing every Friday, and crafting, and knitting. One person shared he and his wife were leaving that afternoon […]