I have been sitting in the post-resurrection passages during this time of year known as Eastertide. (Thanks to the folks at Lectio365.) Today we were in John 21:15-19. One of the things that caught my eye was the way John see-saws between the two identities of the fearful, forceful, flaky Read more…
Leafing through my journal, I found nothing deep or even noteworthy to write about, but this was never meant to be a showplace for glorious victories, just the exploration of what happens to an everyday Jesus follower…and how she responds. So, here goes… Good morning, Papa, thank you for bringing Read more…
No, I am not dead. I have, however, been buried! Directing the drama portion of our church’s vacation Bible school meant two weeks of 14-hour days, then another week of 10 hour days, followed in less than a week by a long-weekend camping trip with a dozen teens. Whew! Great Read more…
So…It’s kind of like crabgrass. It starts out soft and bright green. It feels good on bare feet, the chickens enjoy grazing on it and it is a welcome sight after the brown of winter. And then it happens: Seed stalks begin to grow. Not just upright, they lay down Read more…
One very everyday thing is the news. The headlines are alarming. The trends are disheartening. The need for prayer is great, the list long. It can be overwhelming, and anxiety-producing. Jesus says not to fear nor be anxious, but to take heart and never stop praying. Good luck with that…I Read more…
(A shared journal entry) O Papa-God, so many things and people to pray for! The girls in my small group – those who come and those who don’t. My failures in following up with those girls. The young men I disciple to lead worship. My failure to contact a potential Read more…
Lest you think following Jesus every day in the everyday is just a catchy hashtag, here is a glimpse into what it looked like for me a month ago… My mind an heart are a bit weighted this morning. I don’t understand. Please examine me and show me what I Read more…
Yes, again… So, I finished the hügelkultur pit; the brush pile has been reduced to a flat patch of ground covered with twigs and grass. Not a thing of beauty by any means, but at least unobtrusive and less obnoxious. It no longer looks out of control or dangerous. I Read more…
Do the works you did at first. –Revelation 3:5b What does that mean? How are those different from what I am doing not? How do I define “first love?” First in importance or in order? Both, probably. First in importance was the love I had for Jesus after my encounter Read more…
Not neat and tidy. Nope. This following-Jesus stuff is messy! Questions come up that don’t have any neat solutions. Or even straight-forward ones. Conflicts arise for which there is no resolution. Depression hits and won’t let up. Disease and death still affect and afflict us, cheating and robbing us of Read more…