Good morning... Amid life's complexity, I choose a mug each morning. Black coffee is warm and welcoming, a half-caff companion. Here's a perfect mug choice for this very day. Misshapen and made by a stranger named Jillian, this Goodwill treasure understands the patchiness of our lives, our one-of-a-kind fragments oddly molded together. Naked. Stained crimson. Random parts form [...]
Good morning... "God in stereo!" she emailed me after yesterday's post, What's The True Purpose Of Prayer?" She shared with me a devotional message she had just read, a message amplifying the process of metamorphosis, God's Spirit gradually transforming ordinary people, like you and like me, into the very image of Christ. ****** "Truth For Life Daily: Alistair [...]
Good morning... I love meeting short poems who, very simply, speak God's truth. ****** Sympathetic Resonance by Rosemerry Wahtola Trommer All day, I feel the throbbing of other lives, other pain, as if I’m a string on the piano that goes unplayed, and yet vibrates when the hammer strikes other strings, and then— your ache, my ache, two [...]
Good morning... I revisited. I reworked. I reimagined yesterday's blog post. I revisited, reworked, reimagined with God for a very long time. (If you feel drawn, please check out the new version of The Fence Around My Heart). Then I opened up the Wednesday blessing from author Kate Bowler, a prayerful email waiting for my time and attention. [...]
Good morning... "Sue," she emailed me from miles away. "I know that you follow Nouwen and sometimes I think his words are too wordy and more philosophical, but this one is direct and to the point of God’s saving love. It’s one for the come-back-to list. With Nouwen dying in 1996, these words weren't written last week, obviously, [...]
Good morning... Last month I was joyfully reunited in Jacksonville, Florida with friends and family of Betty Skinner to honor the memory of our beloved spiritual mentor. Betty is the down to earth Christian mystic at the center of The Hidden Life Awakened by authors Dr. Cathy Snapp (in the UGA hat) and Kitty Crenshaw (pictured above Cathy). [...]
Good morning... I just happened upon a music video expressing the love of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and his wife, recorded on March 15th, 2022. It is touching to consider how the endless love of this young couple pours into the lives of so many who are losing their loved ones in this ugly war. Lord, your faithful [...]
Good morning... "So, when you pray in your private prayer language, don't hoard the experience for yourself," says the Scripture verse at the end of yesterday's blog post. "Pray for the insight and ability to bring others into that intimacy" (1 Corinthians 14:13, MSG). Intimacy. Sent at 3:54 am, our morning message ended in the word "intimacy." Then [...]
Good morning... "I am happy to hear that your mom is progressing," texted my friend from across the street. "One thing that could be really great for her is music. Music is the only thing that we use both sides of our brain for." She sent the music video below as a form of encouragement. This morning, I [...]
Good morning... Luke 3:4 whispers, “Prepare the way of the Lord.” In his chaplain's devotional message this week, my husband Steve remembers with us the focus of this Advent season. May we practice the presence of the living Christ born in and through us today. ****** "Prepare the Way of the Lord" by Rev. Steve Allen - December [...]
