Open the Flow
I may be late to the party but I have lived my whole life without an irrigation system for my yard. I have lived in lots of places in lots of houses, but none of them required a dedicated irrigation system. A move to sunny Florida changed all that. You can imagine my surprise when […]
When Truth Turns Into a Tripwire
We are living in tricksy days. People use phrases about “my truth,” or “what feels true to you.” And while I freely acknowledge that it comes from a heart of compassion, I still want to either vomit or hit a loud, warning buzzer. My truth? Your truth? What even… Truth is to be discovered and […]
Redeeming the Generations
Chad, a dear friend and spiritual son, texted me some photos the other day. One prompted a mixed-emotion smile. When the second photo came through, I immediately began to cry. The imagery too confronting, too powerful, and too tender. He had been asked to make a cross for the Resurrection Sunday Celebration at New Wine […]
How Much Love Is Enough?
I seem to have a hard time loving. Even after all this time, some conflict or some person slams up against a brick wall inside my heart. On this wall is a big neon sign that flashes “THAT’S IT! I’m done with you.” To add insult to injury after the said collision, I then somehow […]
Hot to Cold
God is always leading us forward into freedom. Past the sin, the stuck places, the disappointment, and the heartache of living. Forward. Always forward into hope, into more of Him, into deep change. He does transformative work with this double-edged sword called Spirit and Truth. With this sword, two things are happening at the same […]
Under New Management
Chuck and I enjoy eating out. We have our favorite go-to spots and a list of got-to-try places. As we left Corner 16 the other night, we recalled this memory of eating there when the girls were little. Only then it was a Ruby Tuesday. We watched that Ruby Tuesday slowly die. Declining food quality, […]
Why Miracles Today
To be frank, I am not sure how the church ever stumbled over the miracle question. How we dropped the training and expectation of miracles is disturbing. Let’s break this down with the old math adage: Milk comes from cows. Butter comes from milk. Therefore butter comes from cows. Salvation comes from Jesus. Salvation is […]
Advent Reflections Week 4: The God Who Is With Us
I am enamored by The Chosen series, for many reasons. It’s startling to “hear” Jesus speak the words of scripture I know so well. It makes me weep to see the heroes of our faith in their humble beginnings. Matthew the hated tax collector. Mary the possessed woman. Simon the cheating, angry man. What beautiful transformations— just like you and me. We are not who we used to be.
Advent Reflections Week 3: The God Who is to Come
I went on a crazy rabbit trail with the Lord the other day. About swaddling cloths. Really? Yeah.
Turns out the details matter to God and ultimately to us when He reveals them. I have been deep diving into Garments (which will come later). One thing led to another and the swaddling cloths came into focus where I learned two important distinctions for our Advent meditations.
An Advent Reflection 1st Week: The God Who Was
We live in a world of multi-layered confusion. “Like the blind we grope along the wall, feeling our way like people without eyes.” (Isaiah 59:10) So many in and out of church ask questions about our origins, identities, purpose, and calling.
And yet a greater Truth proceeds the resounding “what about me” question.
It is the eternal matter of I Am—the God who was.