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 [...]
Good morning... "This is a small matter," instantly filled my mind as my half-full coffee mug just fell to the floor, staining our rug. God gave me immediate perspective as my heart, soul, and mind nipped mixed emotions in the bud, "This is a small matter." Larger matters are now free to receive my prayers. Our 20 year old [...]
Good morning... "I used to think that God's gifts were on shelves one above the other and that the taller we grew in Christian character, the more easily we should reach them," a friend from our peer supervision group read to us over the phone an F.B. Meyer quote. "I find now that God's gifts are on shelves one [...]
Good morning... On the first Christmas morn, what was born? Our personal adoption into the family of God. "Think of it this way," explains Galatians 4:1-7 (NLT). "If a father dies and leaves an inheritance for his young children, those children are not much better off than slaves until they grow up, even though they actually own everything their [...]
Good morning... "I guide you in the way of wisdom and lead you along straight paths," begins the devotional my friend texted me in a screenshot on the day she received her difficult news. "I know how confused you sometimes feel - and how you long to find your way forward. You have tried many different things; you have [...]
Good morning... In our final Listening Group of the semester, I intended to unwrap Chapter 3, but by "mistake" I read aloud excerpts from Chapter 4, a chapter entitled "God's Compassion for the Rebellious." I shared aloud these introductory words before we slowly read, reread, and reflected on the parable of the prodigal son found in Luke 15:11-24. "You [...]
Good morning... Inside the funeral bulletin silently rested a powerful insert. I have returned to the words again and again, intrigued by their challenge. ****** Excerpt from The Tree of Life by Terrance Malick Job imagined he might build his nest on high - that the integrity of his behavior would protect him against misfortune. And his friends thought, [...]
