“Repent and believe the gospel.” — Mark 1:15 These are Jesus’ words that stood out from this morning’s lectio Divina, the ancient Christian tradition of soaking in a short passage of scripture and allowing God’s Spirit to focus one’s attention on a portion of it. Processing what He means resulted Read more…
The gospel according to Hallmark says this is the season for sleigh-ride snuggling, jolly holly-ing, and rockin’ around the Christmas tree, but what if you are alone in a desert where snow is once-in-a-lifetime, can’t remember the last time you felt anything close to jolly, or are fresh out of Read more…
Reading in Jeremiah, it can seem like God’s responses to Jerusalem and Judah are harsh and punitive; the truth is that God has faithfully kept all his promises and covenant commitments to them for centuries, lavishing on them gifts and blessings, and His whole-hearted devotion. The response of almost the Read more…
So you shall keep the commandments of the LORD your God by walking in his ways and by fearing him. — Deuteronomy 8:6 Navigation used to be by landmarks: Left at the boulder that looks like a praying monk, near the cave with all the bats, just upstream of the Read more…
Wow. It’s been a month since I posted anything! Here are some bits and pieces from my conversations with Papa-God over the last few weeks: …(While visiting someone in their new home.) I welcome You to this home – this elegant, spacious, clever, well-appointed house-but-not-quite-home. I release the presence of Read more…
It has been pretty tough around here trying to walk in the footsteps of Jesus when the everyday stuff of life includes: — Physical challenges: Near 100° temperatures at the time when trees need the hard ground around them tilled up so they can receive precious, fruit-producing nutrients; minor surgeries Read more…
Why do I follow Jesus every day in the everyday? Jesus, You are my treasure. In You I have all I need; Without You, nothing is supplied. Through You I have peace; Apart from You nothing rests. Near You I am safe, protected; Far from You, everything threatens destruction. Read more…
Some humans are innately organized…and then there’s me. And my life is full of things that change, shift and move without consulting me. The nerve! My weekly calendar is a large presentation board populated with sticky notes…because they often need to be rearranged. Family emergencies, household disasters, memory failures, car Read more…
Last week I wrote about taking hold of our thoughts so that we are in calm, joyful agreement with what God tells us in James 1: that difficulties are what is needed to shape us to be like Jesus. But why does it take hard things to make that happen? Read more…
It has been an almost unendurably hot summer! Many trees in my neighborhood are brown and crispy. Even the heat-loving vegetables in my garden have struggled to produce. It was even too hot for my okra! The temperature has exposed weakness in the care we give the plants that don’t Read more…