Embracing Sabbath: A Practical Journey
The world will never invite us to sabbath. We will never be or do or give enough for the world.
But Jesus says “Come to me… recover your life… take a real rest.” Continue reading Embracing Sabbath: A Practical Journey
Decluttering the Heart
Our lives get filled with junk and it weighs us down. Bad habits. Hurtful words. Judgmental thoughts. Toxic beliefs. Some of it we collect. Some of it gets dumped in our laps. Some of it we have pushed so far to the back of the cabinet that we don’t even know it’s there anymore. But it is taking up space in our lives; physical, emotional or spiritual space that God wants to fill with himself. Continue reading Decluttering the Heart
Fasting from Words with Friends
Like any spiritual discipline, fasting creates room for us to let God in. When the door is shut and we keep God on the outside with our busyness and our preoccupation and our frenetic activity, we don’t realize what we’re missing. But when we stop and open the door, even a crack, even for no longer than it takes to play a simple game on a phone, we catch a glimpse of God’s silhouette in the doorway and allow ourselves to feel how much we long for him to come near; to come inside and sit for a while and speak a word just to us. Continue reading Fasting from Words with Friends
Billy Graham & Spiritual Disciplines
“Unless the soul is fed and exercised daily, it becomes weak and shriveled. It remains discontented, confused, restless.” – Rev. Billy Graham In an interview for his book, Writing for the Soul: Instruction and Advice from an Extraordinary Writing Life, author Jerry Jenkins asked the Rev. Billy Graham how he maintained spiritual disciplines in his own life. “His eyes lit up,” Jenkins wrote. “There’s no … Continue reading Billy Graham & Spiritual Disciplines
Are You Being Transformed?
If only there were a “Couch to 5K” plan for the soul!
Short of that, for those who would like to commit themselves to ‘Training’ rather than simply ‘Trying’ and would like some support and encouragement along the way, we will take this season of Lent to focus each week on a different spiritual discipline and learn to practice it together. Continue reading Are You Being Transformed?
RE:Lent in a Relentless World
“Love from the center of who you are; don’t fake it. Run for dear life from evil; hold on for dear life to good.” – Romans 12:9-21 (MSG) I love that Lent begins on Valentine’s Day this year. It makes it a bit challenging for those giving up chocolate for Lent, I suppose, but it’s appropriate, nonetheless. At the heart of it, the reflection and … Continue reading RE:Lent in a Relentless World
No Ashes for Wednesday
This column originally appeared on baptistnews.com on February 5, 2016. What can you offer on Ash Wednesday if your jar of ashes is empty? What do you give when you’re feeling empty? When the thought well is dry, when compassion is spent? I opened the box that had been sitting on the pastor’s desk for weeks. “Ashes for 500” was scrawled on the top in … Continue reading No Ashes for Wednesday
Open Doors of Mercy
“This is the time for mercy. It is the favorable time to heal wounds, a time not to be weary of meeting all those who are waiting to see and to touch with their hands the signs of the closeness of God, a time to offer everyone, everyone, the way of forgiveness and reconciliation.” – Pope Francis Continue reading Open Doors of Mercy
What Spills Out of Your Cup?
Taming the tongue is not just a matter of biting our tongue, of not saying what we want to say. That’s hard enough, most days. Taming the tongue is not wanting to say it at all. Continue reading What Spills Out of Your Cup?
Remember to Love
There is one resolution for 2018 that I pray will be at the top of your list and mine, for without it none of the others really amount to much in the end. It is simply this – “Remember to Love.” Continue reading Remember to Love
18 Habits for 2018
The new year is just around the corner! I love new year’s resolutions! They have a bad rap, I know. But, honestly, if we are not intentional about life and how we live it, it tends to just flitter by… and we find ourselves with the same goals year after year, without making very much progress. The key is to choose goals that matter – … Continue reading 18 Habits for 2018
Something Bigger Than Ourselves
Be still – today. Yes, I know what day it is. If your Christmas to do list is like mine, there may still be more unchecked than checked. Stocking stuffers have yet to be wrapped, batteries not included have yet to be bought, the sudden leak in the downstairs toilet has got to be fixed, and that carrot cake is not going to frost itself. Continue reading Something Bigger Than Ourselves
