The longer I walk with God, the smaller I recognize myself to be—small power, small thinking, small faith, small resistance to sin. I am not great. Surprisingly, this has not discouraged me. The more I see my smallness, the more my comprehension of and wonder at God’s magnificence grows. Continue Reading →
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Circumstances in recent years have changed our experience of church. Suddenly almost every church in North America learned how to have online services, and members learned how convenient it was to “attend” church in pajamas while eating breakfast with kids playing in the next room. And then the need was gone—but the desire for casual comfort lingered. Continue Reading →
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One of the great misunderstandings about the human experience in our era is the idea that our emotional state is something that happens to us; that we are powerless to impact it. The truth is we make choices throughout our day that profoundly impact our emotional and mental well-being. Continue Reading →
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It’s been a trying season relationally. Issues have touched us in tender places, having a personal impact and eliciting deep emotions. As we are prone to, we have often responded out of those deep emotions, and the relational fallout has been significant. Reparation is needed; new pathways of trust and love and grace will need to be forged. But this is not all bad. God has gifts for us in these realities if we are willing to receive them. Continue Reading →
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On a dark night in Jerusalem a couple thousand years ago, a doubter looking for answers made arrangements for a clandestine meeting with Jesus. “It seems like you are from God, but it’s hard to believe.” Jesus answered that doubter with these words: “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God” (John 3:3). As is often the case, Jesus’ words did not bring clarity but more questions. “How can this be?” Jesus replied, “Are you the teacher of Israel and yet you do not understand these things? Truly, truly, I say to you, we speak of what we know, and bear witness to what we have seen, but you do not receive our testimony” (John 3:10-11). I can imagine Nicodemus thinking, I’m trying, but it’s really hard to understand. Continue Reading →
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