We mentioned in part one that storms come in many shapes and sizes. Again, whether yours feel minor or soul-destroying, I hope that one or more of these remaining insights from the relational storms that I’ve gone through recently will be healing and helpful. Forgive. Some hurts are unintentional and come from people who really do love us. Moreover, even … Read More
Going Through Storms, 1 of 2
One standout memory from the global pandemic was hearing Brittany Howard’s powerful, bluesy voice reimagine the classic “You’ll Never Walk Alone”: “When you walk through the storm hold your head up high and don’t be afraid of the dark… Why? Well… in the song it has something to do with “the golden sky” at the end of the storm and … Read More
Making the Leap to a Better Place
Journeying home from a walk in the woods, I took an alternate route and came to a place where I had to cross a stream. Too wide to jump, I found a spot where others had made a bridge. There were broken branches, pieces of full trees, all now mostly rotted. I put my foot lightly on one log but … Read More
God’s Normal M.O.
When we go through pain and difficulty often our default is to think God doesn’t love us or that we don’t have enough faith. Nonsense like this is associated with the Accuser of our souls and popular heresies like the “health and wealth,” or prosperity gospel. Contrary to these intrusive lies, here is what the Bible teaches: 1Therefore, since we … Read More
Why We Don’t Talk About Bruno or Money
You may or may not have seen it but “the Disney movie Encanto took the world by storm with its visually stunning animations and emotional music. The visual aspects of the movie propped up a powerful story of generational trauma… the movie features songs written by Hamilton genius, Lin-Manuel Miranda. One of those songs, ‘We Don’t Talk About Bruno,’ quickly … Read More
New Resource on Genesis 1 and Science!
Hey Friends, I just published a new “constructive conversation” booklet this week called Genesis 1 & Science: A Constructive Conversation. It’s available as a paperback and eBook. The first in this series, you may remember, was Baptism and Its Significance. My thanks to Connie Molitor for the great new covers that connect this series with this blog (notice the mustard-colored … Read More
Finding Forgiveness
January marks my sixth year at Care Net and our Church Engagement team is now in the process of revisioning our strategy for a new season. In synch with this, I’ve been thinking a lot about the church’s role in championing the forgiveness of sins. The below—something sent to me personally about a year ago—is one of the heaviest emails … Read More
Human Life is Sacred and Full of Wonder
“Just as you cannot understand the path of the wind or the mystery of a tiny baby growing in its mother’s womb, so you cannot understand the activity of God, who does all things.” Ecclesiastes 11:5, NLT It’s no secret that I work for a pro-life organization– one that, albeit, is on the care side of the issue rather than … Read More
How to Maximize Your Joy in the New Year
Go, eat your bread with joy, and drink your wine with a merry heart, for God has already approved what you do. Let your garments be always white. Let not oil be lacking on your head. Enjoy life with the wife whom you love, all the days of your vain life that he has given you under the sun, because that … Read More
Christmas Truth
Hi friends, I wrote the following poem 20 years ago the day after Christmas. It’s called “Christmas Truth” and I’ve packaged it here between two great verses of Scripture. “Jesus said to him, ‘I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.’” John 14:6, ESV Wise men left their homes … Read More