(The Spiritual Passion Edition)
What happens when senioritis and spring fever hit at the same time? That all depends, I guess, on whether you’re the student who’s writing or the one who’s grading.
But even if you’re neither – if you’re the poor soul who must trudge off to work, there is something to be learned and something to be challenged by.
So while I’m plowing through papers in search of the next little nuggets of profound writing, I thought I would share some insights from former students. These aren’t about spring fever, but spiritual passion. And they’re very well put. It’s a quick read, but I think you’ll be blessed and challenged. And if you’d like to see more of these, click here and here.
So slow down a minute, enjoy these seven nuggets of great writing, but also take your spiritual pulse while you’re at it. You’ll be glad you did. [click to continue…]
Then there was that time I burned a hole in the back of my bathrobe.
Fortunately, I wasn’t wearing it at the time.
For reasons I can’t remember, but that made perfectly good sense back then, I was up in the middle of the night and trying to read. For some reason the light wasn’t quite right, so I threw my robe over the lampshade.
A few minutes later I was interrupted by the unmistakable fragrance of stupid. [click to continue…]
I don’t think I’d have to argue long to convince you we’re living in a dark world. Tune in your favorite news source and it seems that it’s a daily reminder that whatever was dark yesterday has only gotten darker today, and – get this – the only “fix” for it is to change the rules and make yesterday’s “dark” today’s “light.”
Pardon my cynicism, but pay attention to what everybody is calling “evil” today. All other things being equal, a decade from now people will openly declare it as “good” or “right” or necessary.
I’m pretty sure you wouldn’t be surprised that the world has its own answers to the messes it’s in. Even now, in the United States of Iowa, one Democrat and 72 Republicans are mixing it up with the locals, presenting themselves as the light of the world.
I think you know better. [click to continue…]
Seventy miles above the earth’s surface, a satellite captures the image of a single majestic sequoia tree, rising 300 feet above the barren wasteland that once was California.
Okay, just kidding.
About California, anyway.
It really is a sequoia tree.
Not 300 feet tall, yet.
More like 3 inches. [click to continue…]
Update: You can see the video here:https://vimeo.com/124875667
Love where you live.
That’s the theme at our church for the next few weeks.
There are lots of planned ways to do that over the next few weeks, and it’s fun to be a part of that. But the goal, as Pastor Alan explained yesterday, is to help us get to the point where we do it in the moment. Don’t just plan to love where you live sometime next week. Love where you live in this moment.
His inspiration, in part: Jesus’ story of the Good Samaritan.
Alan said he’d been reading that story over and over, and was impressed by the fact that the Samaritan loved his neighbor in the immediate. He didn’t say, “Hey, if you’re still in the ditch when I come back through I’ll stop and help you.” He helped him as soon as he encountered the need.
I loved it. He said it kinda funny, so I laughed, but totally agreed with the point.
Then came the curve ball. [click to continue…]
Hop on the Hypothetical Bus with me for just a minute. Let’s take a ride.
Let’s assume that as far as you know you’ve been doing everything you know to do correctly.
- You brush and floss 2-3 times a day.
- You have your daily devotions.
- You exercise devotedly.
- You give your money regularly to your church and other places.
- You do a really good job at whatever you call work.
- You only eat organic Cheetos.
- You get your milk from a Christian cow.
Yet despite all the good things you’re doing and the faith and expectations you’ve been exercising, you just checked the scoreboard and,
Uh oh…
Your life is something like that mean football cheer:
Watermelon, watermelon, watermelon rind!
Look at the scoreboard and see who’s behind…
You!
What do you do when the news should be good, but it’s discouraging instead? [click to continue…]
This is an epic photographic failure.
A tight shot of these delightful flowers on a sunny spring day became anything but.
The shutter fired way too fast; the results were embarrassing.
Dark.
Dreary.
A disaster.
Hello “delete” button.
But then my photo failure, in the domain of editing software, became something completely different. [click to continue…]
When was the last time you literally felt the tension or stress melt off of you?
How long has it been since you were so relaxed, breathing felt optional?
Where do you go to remember who you are, or reconnect – not just spiritually, but emotionally and physically also?
What would it look like for you if you suddenly found yourself surprised by peace?
All that and more has a single answer for me: Friday. That was the day we interrupted our regularly-schedule life and made the two-hour drive to the farm. Know why? Don’t laugh…
I wanted to see the flowers. [click to continue…]
19 For it was the Father’s good pleasure for all the fullness to dwell in Him, 20 and through Him to reconcile all things to Himself, having made peace through the blood of His cross; through Him, I say, whether things on earth or things in heaven (Colossians 1:19-20).
It pleased God to reconcile me to Himself through the blood of Christ’s cross.
This was His initiative.
The blood Jesus shed satisfied God’s righteous wrath, aimed against me because of my sin.
Now He takes pleasure in the reconciliation of all things in heaven and earth. [click to continue…]
Oh, how I could sing forever of the amazing display of the way of His heart, His truth in your eyes, and the life of His Spirit, freely given and beautifully displayed in you, who have tasted and seen that He is good! I pray for you, that He would:
Hold you in the palm of His hand as He brings restoration and healing to the broken places in your life – so that you sing His praises from a heart of peace…
Take you to the mountains of testimony to announce His peace and bring good news of happiness – so that your life declares that our God reigns… [click to continue…]