Happy New Year! Or as some might say, Shanah tovah! As we continue to follow the Biblical feasts through the year, we’re now at Rosh Hashanah. Also known as the Jewish New Year. This isn’t the same champagne popping, firework blasting holiday celebrated globally at midnight on 01/01, and I think I love it all the more for that, not being one for loud parties any way. This isn’t so much about time passing, as it is... Read more
Being a Creative and a Christian is the most natural pairing in the world. Unfortunately I’ve heard a few, dare I say unscriptural persons caution against such “worldly” things as song, music, painting, writing. This breaks my heart. Our God is a creative Himself! He is in fact the Master Creator! In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. (Genesis 1:1 NIV) So regardless of what you may have heard before as to whether being an artist... Read more
There is a wonderful app I use for Christian meditation called Live from Rest. Isn’t that just the greatest name? I think it’s actually the most essential ingredient for how we should live our lives. Rest is defined as ceasing work or movement in order to relax, refresh oneself, or recover strength. Not to be confused with sloth – reluctance to work or make an effort; laziness. Frequently in our hustle and go-go-go culture these two get confused... Read more
Each year I like to host a mid-year spiritual check-up with myself. We all know how crazy busy life is, just keeping up with the day-to-day, and it seems to go by just a little more quickly each year. How is it July already?! It feels like the snow just melted last month! I find the mid-year spiritual check-up a great time to press pause, reflect on the last 6 months, prep for the remainder of the year, and... Read more
Last week we talked about time as a struggle for consistent Bible reading. This week it’s all about what I call internal resistance. We label it many different things. I’m afraid of what it’ll say. It’s boring. I don’t understand it. It’s not relevant today. The long and short of it really is, I don’t want to do it. It’s the age-old battle between flesh and spirit. Paul, one of the most well-traveled, prolific of the apostles knew... Read more
I’m going to say something that might make some gasp in horror and, hopefully, others sigh in relief that they are not alone. I struggle to read my Bible consistently. There, I said it. But wait, there’s more that might get mixed reactions. My day has no greater peace than when I read my Bible. You too? So if we know it brings us peace, we know it’s good for us in our faith walks... Read more
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! (2 Corinthians 5:17 NIV) Today is a special post because it is a very special day for me. Today I woke before sunrise, went out onto my porch to stand in the misty, foggy morning listening to the birds singing and thanking God for my eighth Re-Birthday. Today, eight years ago, surrounded by most of my dearest I... Read more
Am I where I’m supposed to be? The question that plagues nearly everyone at some point in their life. Second-guessing and worrying about past choices and our current place in the world are attention thieves and downright exhausting. And when it grows so big as to overshadow our future, it’s easy to develop “analysis paralysis” (I didn’t come up with the clever colloquialism.), becoming stuck and unable to move forward. This is why so many people doom-scroll hours... Read more
One of the greatest joys of my Christian walk is getting to share tips that might encourage you in your own journey. With that, the most powerful gut-check exercise passed to me has to be the Godly ABCs. Queue the flashback scene. My life boiled down to two things, working and sleeping. Oh, I had other goals and priorities in life, hundreds actually, but work always edged everything else out. Most days I didn’t even get a full... Read more
Tithing. It’s one of those – shift-in-the-pew, stare down at the Bible in your hand, slide your eyes carefully over to your spouse’s face without turning, do not, whatever you do, do not look at the Pastor who just uttered the word – words. Why does tithing make so many people uncomfortable? I like to think it’s because it’s one of the smaller rings on a target. You know the kind, the concentric circles that get smaller... Read more
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