Good morning... I heard myself say an interesting thing: "I pray that the LORD melts me all the way down, so that I grow really thin and God grows very thick." When I am afraid, LORD, thin me out. When I am angry, LORD, thin me out. When I am anxious, LORD, thin me out. Within me, please grow [...]
Good morning... "I love the last paragraph of today's post," she wrote after reading yesterday's morning message Shocked Grievers Have No Words. Given each breath, we inch our way into moment by moment. Hour by hour. Day by day. Week by week. Month by month. Season by season. Year by year. "That is exactly how we proceed after a tragic [...]
Good morning... "Many voices ask for our attention," whispers Henri Nouwen's 1.13.18 morning meditation. "There is a voice that says, 'Prove that you are a good person.' Another voice says, 'You'd better be ashamed of yourself.' There is also a voice that says, 'Nobody really cares about you,' and one that says, 'Be sure to become successful, popular, and [...]
Good morning... Today, I could write about football, yesterday's rainy day off school, or our daughter's safe return from Australia with her tattered, three-wheeled suitcase. This morning, I could write about our finicky coffee pot, this week's beginning of our new class semester, or the strengthening pull of God's call upon my life. Right now, I could write about [...]
Good morning... "Amen and amen," she wrote after yesterday's post, God's Peace Is Louder Than Bombs. She continued: "After a year of what has felt like bombs in our world order, I’m wondering if God’s faithful are digging in closer to Him (breathing deeply) and exhaling more of His goodness, grace, peace, and light. Let’s make this the year [...]
Good morning… I accidentally ran into a Bible verse I have never before met. This blessing is tucked away in Jude, the easily-missed, two-page book of the Bible appearing just before Revelation. This sentence sums up my deep prayer for each of us, as we tiptoe slowly into a brand new year. May mercy and peace and love be [...]
Good morning... Life dishes out tons of trouble and some of us are served a high, heaping helping. Troubles come in many forms: short-lived or long-lasting, self-inflicted or unexpected, collectively experienced or randomly singled out. For some of us, troubles are fueled by our inner critic: "I can't believe you said that. Did that. Messed up. Again." For others, troubles [...]
Good morning... "Many years ago I was a part of a church in which an upcoming vote would decide the church's future," writes Jan Johnson on page 153 in When the Soul Listens. "I asked God to show me the wiser choice, but no insight came. All I seemed to hear was 'Don't forget to love." "I replied, 'And?'" "I [...]
Good morning... As we ate our traditional egg-sausage-cheese casserole before opening gifts, my husband and I played for our sixteen and eighteen year olds our favorite Christmas song from 1998. Though some of the pictures are a bit hokey in this music video, God's-grand-plan put to music gives me tingles every time. Watch and be moved to a deeper [...]
Good morning... I just experienced a surprise blessing. In the midst of my quiet time, God coaxed me to read the beginning of each of the four gospels (Matthew 1:18-25, Mark 1:1-11, Luke 2:1-7, John 1:1-18). Melting together all of these accounts, these words shimmer for me this Christmas morning. What is conceived is from the Holy Spirit. Give [...]
