What will it take to break out — to be all that God has called me to be? Will it mean a change in profession, even mission work or full-time ministry? How about some great ideas or leadership or “stunts for Jesus?” Will it require intensive study, deep mediation, or lessons in theology? The answer is much, much simpler.“So here’s what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and... Read more
There it is again. It hits you in the middle of the day. That feeling that you don’t belong. That undeniable sensation that this a play — and you are just a bit actor. They might find me out. That I am an imposter. In our heart of hearts, we do not want to be left alone, without a God. We don’t the crowds to see that we have been faking this confidence our entire lives. Having looked everywhere else... Read more
Have you ever stood in front of the mirror – and you look into your eyes and you see the hollowness. You see the emptiness. You see deep into your heart — into the deepest of all your insecurities and fears. The razor is frozen in your hand. The eyeliner pen hovers above your brow. You cannot ever let anyone else see what you see. “Is this all?” You’ve been working hard at your job to get ahead. Long hours.... Read more
We are a lonely people. While money buys automobiles, homes, and clothes it ultimately buys isolation. If we were without this wealth, we would once again learn interdependence on each other. We would learn the meaning of borrowing a cup of sugar, of helping a neighbor out of a predicament, of community. This isolation has lead to problems untold. We have built fences around our castles, avoiding any neighborly contact with the push of a garage door opener. We enter... Read more
Image via Wikipedia Materialism is such a false lover. It leaves us empty and cold. Still, we buy and we charge and we consume. And in the end we swallow the bitter pill of rejection. Our toys stand lifeless, unable to meet out deepest needs. Loneliness transcends all classes of people. I’ve lived in one of the most affluent communities in the nation. Parties. Purchases. Plans. These people substituted busyness for importance. And at night, like the rest of us,... Read more
Image by Michelle Brea via Flickr We are a lonely people. Even in a crowded room of people we have all heard the cry and ache of our souls. It is pervasive and deep as our whole society is entangled in it’s grip. Just listen to the frivolous talk and hollow laughter. Thomas Wolfe said that “loneliness is and always has been the central and inevitable experience of every man.” It surrounds our thoughts. Loneliness robs our passion. It strangles... Read more
Our friends over at “Think Christian” have a fascinating post on work and how it molds the way we view humanity at large. Nathan, the author, suggests that “that our line of work…shapes our view of human nature.” For example: A judge might see all humans as prone to wrong-doing. Someone working in a nursery section of a hardware store might see humans as loving and caring A counselor might see humans as needy A social worker might see people... Read more
Image by vinduhl via Flickr The bite of fall is in the air. It snuck in while we weren’t watching.Suddenly the leaves in the trees are slightly off-color, the mornings are a little crisper, and the evenings a little darker.It won’t be long, now.And then there’s the tomatoes. They hang in bunches in the back yard. Their crop has been full of promise. Thick and rich with round living ornaments, the plants bow deeply, kissing the ground with heaviness. There... Read more
Do you feel trapped? At work, are you chained to a desk you despise, doing work you dislike, working for a boss who doesn’t care? Likely, the rest of your life is simliarly imprisoned…and you are serving concurrent sentences. If you are unsettled at work, you are probably unsettled outside of work. You may feel trapped in your marriage, in your home, or in your church. You can’t get out. Perhaps you have tried to make your escape by quitting... Read more
Image via Wikipedia Talk to almost any working person and they’ll tell you that Labor Day is the bookend to summer — a sad closure to an already too-short summer. The day may be filled with family, travel or BBQs. It almost always entails a holiday, a day off from work — which seems ironic that we would rest in honor of labor. But thats exactly the point. Congress established the day in honor of the working man and woman... Read more
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