The Things We don’t Pray About

There are things I don’t pray about. It’s not as if I don’t believe they’re matters important enough for prayer.  They are simply situations that escape the attention of my prayers. I find myself frequently asking, “Why didn’t I pray … Continue reading →

Finding What You Didn’t Know Was Missing {For When Life is Pushing Us to Hurry}

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There are times when we discover lost things we didn’t know we were missing.  We all know the sinking; panicked feeling of realizing something we treasure is missing.  I’ll never forget the feeling I had when I discovered a treasured … Continue reading →

Don’t Be a Performance Model {Resisting the Praise of Man}

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She’s not a performance model.   Although she thinks she is.  Our little Dachshund, Sophie, is no model pup.  She is everything her breed should not be.  Instead of dainty and thin, she is bullish and large.  She knows it; … Continue reading →

Summer’s New Thing

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So long, Spring! The calendar declares your days are done.  They shall be locked behind us; memories–some faint, others bright. Hello, Summer!  Tomorrow you shall be welcomed with all your predictions and surprises.  May you be filled with time for … Continue reading →

Too Big for Your Own Britches {A Leadership Antidote for Pride}

“And when he sits on the throne of his kingdom, he shall write for himself in a book a copy of this law, approved by the Levitical priests. And it shall be with him, and he shall read in it all the days of his life, that he may learn to fear the Lord his God by keeping all the words of this law and these statutes, and doing them, that his heart may not be lifted up above his brothers, and that he may not turn aside from the commandment,either to the right hand or to the left, so that he may continue long in his kingdom, he and his children, in Israel.” ~Deuteronomy16:18-20 Someone’s got to be in charge, right?  I’ve watched this unfold thousands of times with children at play.  Put three children in a room and the leadership vacuum … Continue reading →

When Two Plus Two Doesn’t Equal Four {Trusting When Life Isn’t Making Sense}

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I’ve been having a frequent conversation with myself.  It goes something like this: Self: “There’s this problem and it looks like…” Other Self (that’s a problem, huh?), responding to Self: “I don’t understand.” So many conversations, so many sleepless nights, … Continue reading →

Trying to Manage God {Quotable}

Consider the following quote:

“The holy God of Scripture will not be managed by religion: he demands everything from us.  Perhaps the holy could be managed if it were merely a matter of difference and distance.  But the holy God is love.  He will not be satisfied with an occasional sacrifice or prayer.  He will not give in to our request for holy indifferences, for some space to be ourselves, for a little spot of ground to call ‘mine.’  He will not leave us alone.  He will give us no space and no time to experiment with corruption, slavery, injustice, sin, falsehood, and death.  He loves us, and therefore he will not be satisfied with anything but our total, free, receiving, and returning love.  God is holy; God is love; God is holy love–those are terrible and wonderful words.”  (Ron Highfield, Great is the Lord: A Theology for the Praise of God, 2008)

Agree or Disagree?  How does religion–or religious individuals–attempt to manage God?

Courageous Living {A Thought for Pentecost Sunday}

The word Comforter as applied to the Holy Spirit needs to be translated by some vigorous term. Literally, it means with strength. Jesus promised His followers that The Strengthener would be with them forever. This promise is no lullaby for … Continue reading →

Backwards {Five Minute Friday}

He was always getting it backwards. Choosing fishermen and misfits for his ministry cabinet. Serving the best wine last. Sabbath healings. Embracing untouchables—women, lepers, children. Washing feet. Loving enemies. Speaking truth to lying hearts. So backwards.  Dying to bring life. … Continue reading →

Fighting {On the Graduation of the Boy}

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He entered the world six weeks early on the gentle scales of 5 pounds 6 ounces.  Small, but mighty. Averting crisis twice with the near miscarriage at twelve weeks and the premature labor at twenty weeks, it might be said … Continue reading →