Her comment rocked me to my foundations. Money was tight and the church leadership was considering a loan to cover some long-desired projects. We were running numbers, making plans, hemming and hawing when, out of frustration, she spoke. “Have we asked God about any of this?” The room fell silent. We all knew the answer, […]
Have you noticed that just about everything wrong with the world today is a “crisis?” If an influential person wants to elevate their issue, it is instantly cast as some sort of existential threat. It’s a crisis! Since the crisis stokes fear, we’re also more likely to buy whatever people are selling. If it’s really […]
I can remember it like it was yesterday. As a little boy, I spent hours on end playing with my toys. I could be a little rough with my toys, but I loved them dearly. Sometimes my rough play ended up destroying the things I loved. In one fell crunch, blissful play gave way to […]
At some time, we have all found ourselves in this situation. A friend or family member is sharing something important, sensitive, or even tragic with you. After listening openly and compassionately, the time comes for the conversation to end. Awkwardness ensues. You may think to yourself, “How do I end this conversation the right way? […]
The Bible is chock-full of irony. You know that moment when the same brothers who sold Joseph into slavery are standing before him begging for food, unaware it is their brother? It’s a great moment, especially when Joseph forgives his brothers. The irony of the moment intensifies the message. The same is true of Jesus’ […]
If I were to take a guess, I would say that most of us are not fond of waiting. I don’t think that is a shock to anyone. In so many ways, our modern life delivers what we want when we want it. If I want strawberries in the winter, I just go to the […]
We say these words every time we pray the Lord’s Prayer. “Give us this day our daily bread.” The phrase ushers us back into the story of the Exodus and how God sustained the lives of the Israelites in the desert with daily manna from heaven. However, it’s not just a story from the Bible. […]
“I know how you feel.” We say this when we want to relate to someone else and the emotions of their experience. Its usefulness is largely dependent on its truthfulness. If said carelessly, it serves to belittle someone’s true feelings through a false sense of empathy. However, when this statement is spoken from a place […]
We have all done it. You’re visiting a young family that you haven’t seen in years. When you finally lay eyes on the children your shocked exclamation sounds something like this, “Look at how you’ve grown!” The funny thing is how truly surprised we are when we say it. It’s as if the children were […]
Have you ever felt alone? Even for those of us who seem to be surrounded by people, the answer is often yes. Why is that? I believe it’s because so many of our interactions and conversations are superficial in nature. Rarely do we feel welcome to open up to the hurts, the challenges or even […]
