This summer, you may have experienced the relief of coming home from a holiday trip. You breathed a sigh when you crossed the threshold into your familiar abode. You could relax and merge into familiar surroundings. You were home at last. … Read more
"Left" versus "right" — these two ideological sides are splitting apart our world with increasing intensity. I find this unsettling. Perhaps it's because there's no actual midpoint, no fixed place where a plumb line of truth can rest and … Read more
A friend shared how she had once asked God to stop sending trials because she couldn't handle any more. She confessed, "God did grant me a trial-free year; but it was a spiritually dry year." She missed the warm presence of the Lord. She … Read more
I'm susceptible to guilt trips. The more I care about people and issues, the more vulnerable I am. I hear a multitude of voices urging me to do something. It's too much, and I feel badly for failing so many people. The pile-up of guilt … Read more
This heading might not remind you of the Lord's Prayer, which is normally associated with corporate worship. But today, I present the Lord's Prayer as a personal prayer — and, I'd say, the best "closet" prayer ever. You'll see. Jesus … Read more
The story of Jonah spending three days and three nights in the belly of the fish is one which many people find hard to swallow. For them, it seems like the biggest fish story ever. Today, I'd like to highlight an element in the story that … Read more
In this claim, Jesus summarizes the epitome of all promises. We proclaim it through countless songs, testimonies, sermons, poems, plaques, cards, and much more. Yet, there's that ever-present risk: over-familiarity can dull us to the … Read more
"Come and see! Come and see!" pleads the child as he tugs on your sleeve. You see the floor where he's pointing; it's a clutter of scattered Lego®. You keep looking because he insists. Finally, you see it. Why, there's an entire Lego® … Read more
"Judge carefully" … "Do not judge" … "Judge for yourself" … "Stop judging" – the Bible Well, is it okay to judge or not? The above texts aren't helpful, are they? It's no wonder: They're extracted from their contexts! Furthermore, … Read more
One morning, while I was at my computer, my 15-year-old son interrupted my thoughts with these words: "Mom, do you know what the biggest problem in society is? It is loneliness!" He had no idea that at that very moment my fingers were … Read more