How to find hope in the most hopeless of situations? The letters that South African freedom fighter Nelson Mandela sent during his 27 years in prison have recently been published, and they offer extraordinary insights into the soul of a … Continue reading →
So often I think of prayer as something I do with my eyes closed but recently I was reminded that it was easy to do with my head up, eyes wide open and my gaze directed at a painting. I … Continue reading →
Think all prayers should be lofty? Think prayers should be just praise and thanksgiving? Think your prayers should only contain positive thoughts? Think again. A complaint can be a prayer. Take a look at the Psalms. There are 150 of … Continue reading →
At a church committee meeting we were asking ourselves, what brings about spiritual growth? Various theories were floated about. But then Brian, a very thoughtful 30-something, said, “Suffering.” I hated to admit it, but in many ways he’s right. Those … Continue reading →
I had a boss who once asked me to compile a list of all the people who had helped me in my job in the past year. Not only that, he wanted me to write down exactly how and what … Continue reading →
My dad always did this and it brought no end of embarrassment to my adolescent self. He waved good-morning to the neighbor across the street, he said good-morning to the stranger in the elevator at the parking garage, he almost … Continue reading →
Fear sells. It’s worth remembering when you pick up the newspaper and gaze at the headlines or scroll down an article on a news site or hear the drumbeat of the upcoming news story on TV. It always sounds terrible … Continue reading →
You expect the phone to ring any moment. Something happens and you can hear yourself saying the same phrase they did. You pull on a sweater and notice that it’s exactly the color they wore. You haven’t celebrated their birthday … Continue reading →
Nobody should ever be turned away from a church. I’ve always said that and have believed it, but I had to put it in practice the other night. It was my birthday, and we had a party at church, upstairs … Continue reading →
My cell phone buzzed first thing this morning with a message. “Who’s texting me now?” I wondered. Turned out it was God. Or at least one of God’s minions. There on the screen was a prayer: Give us, who are … Continue reading →
