This exchange between Jesus and the disciples, found in Mark 8:27-33 grabbed my attention tonight. In this era when “ministry” often consists of platform-building and brand-creating, I noticed how Jesus chose to respond during one of those time-stands-still moments when he could have told his disciples to use the planks of his ministry to build him a really snazzy Messiah-sized platform… The group was walking, talking, perhaps, in clusters of two and three as they hiked the Galilean hills toward... Read more

At first glance, you might think that Carol Rottman’s All Nature Sings: A Spiritual Journey of Place (Credo House, 2010) is a pretty coffee table book. Leaf through the 160 pages, and you’ll see dozens of arresting images of the flora and fauna (and occasional critter) surrounding her rural western Michigan property. But settle into a cozy chair, and read a chapter or two of this lovely book. It is both exploration and reminiscence, written by someone deeply rooted in... Read more

When I was in sixth grade, a teacher divided the three or four classes by gender. One of the teachers came into the girls’ room and gave us a talk about our changing bodies and a sample box of mattress-sized Kotex sanitary napkins. It wasn’t quite the rite of passage at which other cultures seem to excel. In fact, it wouldn’t have qualified as a celebration of any kind. It was simply an awkward info dump with a lovely parting... Read more

My dad Harry Marks, circa mid-1950’s or so, with his mom (my grandma), Leah Marks. She was generous and loved my sister and I with an intensity I understand now that I’m a grandma. The last time I saw her alive, she had taken a bus all over Peoria, IL in search of ingredients to make me strudel. She never learned to drive, but she wasn’t going to let that stop her from searching out golden raisins for her oldest... Read more

I hadn’t seen her in about fifteen years, but last Saturday morning, we picked up right where we’d left off. Our family’s departure from the church we’d both attended and our subsequent move to WI pushed our once-active friendship into a dormant state. I was so surprised to click on an e-mail from her a couple of months ago. “I found this old e-mail address from you and thought I’d try it,” she’d written. I could hardly believe it when... Read more

Has something like this ever happened to you? – My Bible reading plan just started me reading the Gospel of Mark.– They’ve just begun preaching through the Gospel of Mark at church.– I’ve just begun a freelance writing assignment that has me working through the Gospel of Mark. Some would dismiss this confluence of Scripture study focus in my life as a coincidence, but I think that by doing so, they silence the whisper of God. There’s a materialistic, pragmatic... Read more

We’ve been to Israel three times in the last two years. Bill has been there because he’s serving a three-year term on the board of the Caspari Center located in Jerusalem. And I have been there because there’s no way that I’d miss going to the Promised Land. While Bill’s been in his meetings, I’ve put together my own freelance small serving opportunities, prayed at a couple of prayer ministries based in Jerusalem, visited with a friend who lives in... Read more

Yes, Israel was amazing. And yes, I’ll have more to share about this trip in weeks to come. But after yesterday’s grueling trip back to Chicago, all I have to offer you today are some random observations penned while sitting in Terminal 3 at Heathrow: (1) Anyone who complains about O’Hare has never been to Heathrow.(2) European news channels (France24 and BBC) appear to use news stories as filler between the really important story – the upcoming World Cup competition.(3)... Read more

Ben and his best man Jacob waiting at the altar. Rachel escorting her ringbearer sons. Do you? I do! Famile Van Loon, May 22, 2010 version We’re so grateful for Sarah – she’s a gift to Ben! Jacob sandwiched between Tom and Bubba, some friends from Boston. It was a blessed, beautiful day – and I am grateful that my children, grandchildren, sister and life-long friends Scott and Karen were there to share it. Read more

Go. Be. Christ’s. Church. Those four words sum up Felicity Dale’s An Army Of Ordinary People: Stories Of Real-Life Men And Women Simply Being The Church (Tyndale/Barna, 2010). Dale and her husband have been involved in the simple church/house church movement for many years, planting organic faith gatherings in neighborhoods and workplaces in the U.S. and U.K., then coaching people hungry to be the church without the institutional constrictions of “legacy churches”, as Dale calls institutional, building-and-denominational congregations.  There have... Read more