How many verbal tricks and persuasive maneuvers do we use to try to influence people?  We try over emotionality, half truths, and flowery language to impress people and to get them to do what we want. People who have a gift for language, speaking, or writing can have a tremendous power over people. It is... Continue Reading →

The other day, I was spending time with God and started to think about how my prayers are nothing special, that there are parts of the Bible that I have never read, that I do a lot of talking to God but very little listening, and that my worship is often full of distraction and... Continue Reading →

I have been an introvert my entire life. The Pandemic has been everything introverts have dreamed of. They can attend church and not have to shake anyone’s hand, keep their distance from the nearest hugger, or better yet, never have to leave their house. But, even the truest introverted homebody has to admit that their... Continue Reading →

Why do we read our Bibles? What comes out of our prayer times? Is it important to commit to daily listening to God? Is worship just a chance to sing decent melodies? Will that Bible Study be little more than information and knowledge? What is the goal of an act of service? Many years ago,... Continue Reading →

There is one sure fire first step in making a change in your life. It is the most important step but the one that most people overlook or ignore.  In this season of resolutions and renewed commitments, you must choose this step before you do anything else. What step is it?  You have to cut... Continue Reading →

Jesus refuses to put limits on forgiveness, compassion, and prayer. Many times, Jesus’ followers and detractors want to find a way to do what Jesus says but on their own terms and conditions. They think they have done enough and to require more is asking too much. For example, Peter asks Jesus how many times... Continue Reading →

A Burning in My Bones - I pray that Eugene Peterson’s life is still studied and revered 100 years from now. His life has so much to teach us. I was inspired, challenged, and encouraged throughout this book.  Prayer in the Night - This book probably showed up in my blog posts more than any... Continue Reading →

I needed to forgive God. This was an important third step in my forgiveness journey. It started with forgiving others. I worked hard on this. I read Desmond Tutu’s book on forgiveness. I consulted a psychologist’s online steps to forgiveness. I put into practice the welcoming exercise I learned from Richard Rohr. It was a... Continue Reading →

Few people actually understand the word soul.  Even though it is used with great frequency and confidence in our culture I bet if you asked people on the street to define the word few people could give an accurate explanation. I looked back on the archives of my blog to see if I had ever... Continue Reading →