A primary way God nourishes our souls with his loving presence is through the beauty of nature. The face of the Lord shines on his in the sun. The moon and stars remind us that God’s light and love shine to us even in the dark. The Lord is speaking to us and warming us…
Advent is a celebration of the coming of Christ — and the whole Trinity! I wonder if you’ve ever meditated on the Trinity? This has been one of the most important practices in my life. What a blessing to see the way the Father, Son and Spirit love and honor one another — and us.…
“My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has been mindful of the humble state of his servant… The Mighty One has done great things for me — holy is his name.” — Luke 1:46-49 Have you ever been so overjoyed that you burst out in song? Perhaps…
Each year during the Advent season I pick a character from the nativity scene to spend some time reading about in scripture while praying and listening to the Lord.
When I was in grade school we played ball games at recess. Two captains would stand looking at a group of about fifteen of us deciding who they wanted to be on their team. They each took turns picking who they thought was the best player (or who they liked best). “Not you… Not you……
Recently Kristi and I were walking through a grove of ancient cedar trees in Montana. I stood next to this GIANT tree. Wow! For hundreds of years it’s been stretching higher and higher into the heavens! I felt so small next to this huge and magnificent creation of God and yet at the same time…
Do you feel that you need to perform well to be loved? Do you feel the pressure of living up to an ideal self? For Pastors the pressure of people’s expectations can be crushing. Other leaders, caregivers, and all kinds of people may feel the pressure to perform. Many of us “know” that God’s grace…
What does it really mean to know Christ today? Knowing Christ is not mere head knowledge about the Bible and Christian doctrine. Nor is it just having emotions. To know the Lord Jesus Christ certainly includes intelligent thinking and having feelings, but it is primarily a spiritual experience with the reality of the living God.…
I lead a retreat called “A Walk with Good Shepherd.” I developed this in 2004 and have used it many times since then, most recently with a group at the Prince of Peace Abbey. You can use this handout to guide you in a time of Scripture meditation and prayer for a personal retreat or…
As a girl Lela sang praises to God while her mother played the church organ and her father played the viola. But the music stopped for Lela the day her mother was committed to a state hospital as a schizophrenic. Of course, Lela was very sad. She hated being alone. Fear gripped her heart. What…