We can easily miss what is happening in our midst. Caught up in our daily routine and distracted by the flurry of activity around us, we become too occupied to see the valuable things surrounding us. The Christmas season seems to amplify this struggle. In the weeks leading up to Christmas Day, we are busy wrapping up year end reports, shopping for family and friends, […]
I’ve never been a fan of my mistakes. I know I am not perfect, but I think I often expect that of myself. John Wesley, founder of the Methodist movement said we were, “going on to perfection.” It is both a destination and a journey, and likely, a journey that lasts a lifetime. At times, we can expect too much from others, but hopefully, we […]
Yesterday was challenging. Mid-afternoon, we received a call from my wife’s new doctor informing us that that her recent tests showed that she was in serious condition and that we needed to go to the emergency room right away. It was a life-threatening situation. You can imagine the fear, and a host of other emotions, that flooded us in that moment. Things can turn upside-down […]
“Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.” – Ephesians 4:31-32 Clutter, it accumulates easily, and as it does, it becomes a bigger impediment to our lives. Spiritual clutter, restricts our growth and hampers our faith. One person […]
“My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry.” – James 1:19 Have you ever been in the midst of a conversation only to find yourself waiting for the other person to stop talking, in order to say what you are thinking? Have you realized that you don’t remember what the […]
I love the smell of rain, especially when mixed with the ionized air of a thunderstorm. I enjoy the sound of the falling sheets of water, and the raindrops on the roof. Watching them dance on the road, or falling on the leaves, pausing only a moment before continuing their descent to the ground inspires awe at the vast simplicity of nature’s beauty, and God’s […]
“Now fear the Lord and serve him with all faithfulness. Throw away the gods your ancestors worshiped beyond the Euphrates River and in Egypt, and serve the Lord. But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land […]
When we see God, the awe and wonder of the experience changes us, and we slowly become windows through which other people have their own God sightings. Another year passed without seeing the Perseid meteor shower. Every year, I make an effort to see this cosmic display, and cloud cover obscures my view. It was over two decades ago that I saw them while working […]
Going deeper with God naturally involves soaking in the Scripture. In these precious texts, we find the revelation of God’s heart and design for our lives, and the world. As we listen deeply to the word of God resonating within our spirit, we deepen our relationship with the Author and we receive greater revelation for our lives. In Colossians 3:16 we read, “Let the […]
We are half-way there! Today is the sixth day of Christmas, the one with the six geese a laying. Our culture has been selling Christmas so long this season that it already feels like it should be over. In fact, most of the stores I’ve been in have already shifted their merchandise and sales to Valentines Day. It is easy to feel like there has […]