It was a defining moment when I faced my fear of failing and looking foolish in the most important purpose of my life. Before I tell you that story let’s chat a bit about success and failure. We all want to be a success. We want to make a positive difference for God and for…
Probably you read the Bible often, but you may not know how to draw life from it. Most people who read the Bible, just read it like any other book. “The Bible is the book of your life,” Ray Ortlund, Sr. said to me. “You need to find yourself and your calling in God’s Word.”…
Eight years ago today on July 22, 2007 Ray Ortlund, Sr. passed through the veil into the eternal world of the Father. Ray was the most enthusiastic, and devoted disciple of Jesus I’ve known. He was a dear friend and spiritual father to me. I miss him. One day when Ray was in his eighties…
Ray and Anne Ortlund have been an inspiration to Kristi and I. They showed us what it looks like for busy pastors, busy ministry leaders, and busy Christian parents to live a romance with Jesus at the center! Recently I came across the sad statistic that 95% of pastors do not pray regularly with their…
Ten years ago at the end of one of my monthly spiritual direction meetings with Ray Ortlund Sr. he smiled brightly and urged me, as he so often did, “Bill, be all and only for Jesus!” Then Ray encouraged me to read Life Together by Dietrich Bonhoeffer. I should tell you that whenever Ray made a suggestion…
When I met with Ray Ortlund Sr. for spiritual direction I often talked with him about the difficulties of ministry and being discouraged that I hadn’t experienced more success. He listened with compassion and he was so affirming of me. With a smile Ray told me how in his ministry struggles he had been helped…
Our lives today are cluttered and crowded. The list of responsibilities that we feel we must accomplish grows overnight like Jack’s beanstalk! We keep taking on more and more until before we know it we are bowed down with burdens, panting through a never-ending program of projects to complete, people to meet, and places to…
Much of who I am comes from my spiritual mentors. The same is true for you. The men or women who you have looked to as Christ’s Ambassadors are used by God to shape you and your ministry to others (2 Corinthians 5:20). Nurturing those relationships and memories is vital. Ray Ortlund Sr. was a…
I was restless and discouraged, so I turned to some words by Ray Ortlund Sr., the father of my spiritual renewal in Christ. These reflections became a prayer of consecration to Jesus Christ that blessed my soul! I believe they’ll give your spirit a lift too. But first, let me explain why we need this…
We all feel left out at times. We may feel unwanted and alone. Maybe there’s conflict in our family or our friends are busy. What to do? At times like this it’s easy to feel sorry for yourself. Or to complain. Or to distract yourself by getting busy. I’ve done these things. But it’s so…