He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty.
All names are pseudonyms. “Praise Him! Praise Him! All you little children; God is love; God is love.” Eight toddlers vigorously shake their jingle bells, shouting things unintelligible, while Dawn and I sing an off-key rendition of this classic Sunday school song. “Shall we do it again?” Dawn asks. Two year old Trevor is trying... Continue Reading →
Franklin Roosevelt said, "Courage is not the absence of fear." Faith, too, is not the absence of fear. I heard a medical missionary once encourage her audience to "Do it afraid!" She said if God is calling you to a soup kitchen, a nursery, a classroom, a place of service out of your comfort zone,... Continue Reading →
The light turned green but the car in front of me didn't budge. "Must be on the phone" I grumbled. If I missed this light, I would be late for work. I envisioned having to rush up the stairs of my elementary school amid the throngs of students, only to see the principal at the... Continue Reading →
God is in the business of moving mountains.
Brene Brown's Ted Talks and books advocate that we admit our vulnerability and brokenness, as well as our need for connection. We are in a crisis of disconnection, she says, cut off from each another, denying our vulnerability, wearing masks of competency and independence. Why the masks? In a word, says Brown, FEAR. "Fear of vulnerability.... Continue Reading →
Florence (pseudonym) is caring for her husband who is battling cancer. She said to me, "God has a she-shack waiting for me in heaven." "What's a she-shack?" I asked. "Jesus said that he is preparing a mansion for us. I told God to forget the mansion, that I wanted the equivalent of a man-cave....a she... Continue Reading →
I am more a Gideon than an Isaiah. When God called Gideon to defeat the Mideonites, Gideon pleaded for God to find someone else. (In fact he was in hiding when God's angel approached him, calling him, ironically, "a mighty man of valor.") Then Gideon requested confirmation from God that he would be successful. He... Continue Reading →
I think of myself as open, loving, accepting, forgiving, and of course...humble. Oozing with humility. Never prone to judging. Well, a mere glimpse into my thought life and this image is dispelled. I make instant judgements regarding others based on a car driven, clothes worn, an accent perceived. And my petty thoughts do not stop... Continue Reading →
Depressed? Anxious? Fearful? In need of wisdom or discernment? Struggling with a relationship? A job? A diagnosis? The Bible App has reading plans to address whatever you're going through. I just started a 7-day plan entitled "The End of Me" by Kyle Idleman - based on his book of the same title. On day 1... Continue Reading →
It's a spiritual discipline. And it's not my strong suit. Truth is, I hate criticism, constructive though it may be. Truth is, I am not fond of being told what to do. A lack of teachability is a subtle sin, but a sin nonetheless. It is a form of pride, about which the Bible... Continue Reading →
I knew what she was going to say. I had sniffled through our conversation. Now Barclay, have you taken your vitamin C? You really must do that if you want to prevent these colds of yours." Truth is, I loved that my mom cared about my stuffy nose. Never mind that other sentences that began with... Continue Reading →
In the Beatitudes, Jesus tells us how to live a happy life. This is not the stuff you will find on the bookshelf of best sellers at O'Hare airport. The Beatitudes challenge the current self-help mega industry offering counter-cultural concepts that may take you by surprise. Blessed are the poor in spirit. Blessed are the... Continue Reading →
At my Community Bible Study yesterday we read about Jesus retreating to a "desolate place" to pray. He was deeply saddened at the death of John the Baptist and we can infer He needed time with His Father to grieve and recharge. The CBS leader shared she has a friend who is fond of asking,... Continue Reading →
They hijack our joy - they rob our contentment. You know them. They go by the acronym, WASTE. Because that's their outcome. A big fat WASTE of time. Worry, Anger, Stress, Trepidation, EnvyI just came home from a delightful yoga class where Brian our teacher quoted an intention for our practice. Brian said when negative thoughts... Continue Reading →
I can still see the white pillowcase stuffed with rocks and ragged squares of torn sheets. She would carry it over her shoulder in Santa Clause fashion and plop it on the classroom table. "This is SO heavy!" my mom would exclaim. "What on earth is inside?!" She would take out the first rock and unwrap... Continue Reading →
Shadows and Shelters 