Paul tells us to “abstain from all appearance of evil” (1 Thess. 5:22). His choice of words conveys the sense that even in this world of righteousness and evil, it’s the place in-between that we need the most guidance. I could have delicately danced my way through the intricacies of the new job, but I would never have been able to hold my head up high, be honest with my kids, or look my mother in the eye. Read more
For just a few moments the laughter and conversation from the others stopped and I was struck by the silence. A bird chirped a distant cliff. A rock tumbled down into a pile. The sand buffered the heavy hooves and the only sound was the swaying of the saddle. But for the most part it was completely serene. Is that you God? Read more
I yelled at the Galilean, telling him him to go back, but he never even looked at me. He moved forward with a resilient love. We were all so afraid of these men, but Jesus' face had none of that fear – just compassion. So I stopped – and for a moment, I understood what others were saying. There was something about him. Read more
I was an intruder. I didn’t belong. Someone will surely figure it out. What was I thinking? I walked up to the simple concrete building with the illuminated cross on the roof. As I looked out across the skyline, I spotted two other buildings, adorned with crescent moons on their ridges. I heard calls to prayers echoing across the city. Like a children’s book, it didn’t take long to see what wasn’t the same. I walked into the Melkite Greek... Read more
I couldn’t sleep. Maybe it was adrenaline. Maybe it was nerves. Maybe it was God, trying to get through my thick skull. Mile after mile of nothing but water and an inky sky out my window, with only the moonlight separating the two dark bodies. The lights had been dimmed in the cabin with only a few glowing at floor level to guide the occasional person to the cramped bathroom. I looked around, heads by the hundreds were nodded off... Read more
And so it begins. Today is the start of a very long day — to New York, then to Amman, Jordan. I start at 7 this morning and will land at 3 PM Friday. I have no idea how long the trip is. There are about 11 of us who part of the the Jordan Tourism Board-sponsored Journalist/Writer trip There are plenty of thoughts running through my head. The last two weeks have been a whirlwind as God has placed amazing... Read more
Well friends, I have some great news to share. Later this week, I’ll leave on a long flight to the country of Jordan. I’m going at the request and a guest of the nation’s Ministry of Tourism and Cultural Affairs. As part of a group of 12 writers, we are encouraged to reflect on the country’s claim to be the other Holy Land. They want us to write on not just the landscape, but the people and the culture. In... Read more
I'm not always looking for a way out. I'm fully awake for worship. How could I possibly miss that joy and energy? I'm never asleep for the awards ceremony, when others dish out praise for my deeds or my words. And when the soldiers rush the garden, I'm up and awake for a good fight. But most of the time, I just check out. Read more
Now, five decades later, I’m pretty certain I’ve heard just about every kind of sermon on tithing. I can recite the Scripture verses, retell the illustrations, and rehearse the main points. I know that it’s a Christian imperative, something necessary for the growth of the church. It’s good for my soul. And yes, I need to be a cheerful giver. Read more
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