I didn’t complete the 50,000 words for the National Novel Writing Month challenge, but I wrote more fiction than I ever have before, and I learned a lot about novel writing, discovered some interesting plotlines, and even wrote a few good scenes. It was a great experience and I am ready to try again next year. I will be sure to start at the the […]
Last night, a band of dangerous thunderstorms moved through our area and brought with them high winds and tornados. It was a harrowing time for some people and the damage while isolated, was significant. As is typical of these times of natural destruction, the pain and destruction were deemed, “an act of God,” by media and others. It is interesting that God gets the blame […]
When I lead mission trips, one of the key tools I take with me are journals. I encourage each member of the team to keep a personal journal where they can write memories and insights then reflect upon them in prayer to see if they can sense the Holy Spirit leading them to a deeper understanding of themselves, of God and of their experience. I […]
We exercised our right to vote and now we face an even bigger responsibility: supporting our leaders and becoming a part of the solution. Our commitment to God and country reaches far beyond a day here or there when we cast an informed ballot. We are called to build community, work together for the common good and seek God’s direction on how to lift up […]
“In the coming days, I will be sharing some suggestions to help encourage and empower your study.” I remember writing those words, surprisingly weeks ago. I would love to tell you that my time was filled with study; digging into great spiritual depth, but that would be a lie. In the days that followed my last post, church life, family life, even community life became amazingly […]
Why do we find it so hard to be nice to each other? I have been driving more than usual lately and all that time on the road gave me an opportunity to see a multitude of campaign signs. Many of them were typical “Vote for me!” advertisements, but some were just plain mean, with rude and nasty comments about opponents. This type of campaigning […]
Throughout the Scripture we find places where the people of God built altars. Sometimes, these were directly connected to houses of worship, but often, they were places of remembrance. When individuals and communities experienced unique encounters with God, an altar would be set up to remember that experience and honor God in the future. Occasionally, people would erect standing stones, large stones placed in an […]
Sometimes, I think that the proper greeting during the passing of the peace should be, “Peace be with you. Now, try not to lose it.” Peace can be far easier to find than it is to keep. We know moments of peace, but we also know the moments that steal that peace away. The first part of John 10:10 says, “The thief comes only to […]
I got to hold my new grandson for the first time last night. What a wonderful gift! Looking down as he rested in my arms, his sweet eyes looking back through his desire to go back to sleep, was one of the more precious moments of my life. Looking at each detail of his face, his hands, and his feet filled me with awe and […]
“Don’t be afraid,” it is an easy thing to say, but how do you conquer the fear welling up inside you? What do you do when life brings circumstances that shake your world? Is there something you can do that is more than wishing you were not afraid? The answer is, undeniably, “Yes!” The first step to overcoming fear in our lives is to recognize […]