In my last post, I talked about finding strength for the task that God gives us. This post will touch on the subject of finding meaning through suffering. The verses that made such an impression on me regarding these two subjects are found in Matthew 17: But Jesus came and touched them, saying, "Rise, and have no …
Category: Hearing God
Jesus Only
Matthew 17 tells the story of Jesus taking Peter, James, and John to a mountain, where they witnessed His transfiguration. The Bible says, "his face shone as the sun, and his clothes became white as light." For a moment, Moses and Elijah were also present. The disciples responded by falling on their faces and worshiping Jesus. I'm not …
To leave or not to leave? A perspective.
From time to time, I walk alongside someone wrestling through the question of whether they should start attending a different church group. I sympathize, because I have been there myself, and know that it can be a difficult decision. Staying can be hard, and leaving can be hard. I'd like to share some thoughts from my own …
Unpacking the Treasure
I posted a quote from Arthur Burk in my post titled Misfit. Here's the quote again: "Are you going to fit the culture and be small inside, or are you going to be a misfit and unpack the treasure within you?" All of us are immersed in culture--in a certain way of doing and looking …
To my band of question-askers
You asked so many wonderful questions! Will you please come sit around my table for a piece of pie and a long talk? It's hard to describe the longing I felt as I read the questions as they came in. I kept thinking, who WOULDN'T want to discuss such great questions? Too many of us …
On a Sunday Afternoon
My Sunday afternoon siesta was rudely interrupted by a persistent, buzzing fly. Keane was sleeping peacefully, his warm, soft skin pressed against me when the fly landed one too many times. Keane's jerk woke me up, and I laid there for a bit, wishing I could zap that evil fly with a stare. Summer is here with its …
A Morning Exercise
1. Quiet your heart and bring your thoughts toward God. In the stillness, tell Him that you are listening. Sit in silence for a few minutes. 2. Ask God to bring a Biblical character to your mind. Write down the name of the first person who comes to your mind. 3. Ask God, "What part of this person's …
Hearing God’s Voice (Part 7 of 7): Hearing Within God’s Family
Some speak of the church as an institution, but I think of God's church as a family. When I refer to "God's family," I am not talking about your physical family, or even about your local church group, although I hope that those things are included in your Christian family. God's family is much bigger than …
Continue reading Hearing God’s Voice (Part 7 of 7): Hearing Within God’s Family
Hearing God’s Voice (Part 6 of 7): Telling Others What I Hear
Knowing when and how to share what we hear can be a tough part to navigate in our journey to hearing God. In this post, I would like to focus on three things that have helped me greatly. First of all, hearing God is not equivalent to having the permission to share what I hear. …
Continue reading Hearing God’s Voice (Part 6 of 7): Telling Others What I Hear
Hearing God’s Voice (Part 5 of 7): Cultivating a Hearing Lifestyle
A key to cultivating a life of hearing God is to think about when you hear Him and make an effort to listen at those times. Not everyone will be the same, so this is not intended as a formula, but I am going to describe the times I hear Him best. -When I am …
Continue reading Hearing God’s Voice (Part 5 of 7): Cultivating a Hearing Lifestyle
arabah rejoice 