Thrift Store Treasures Have you ever heard a story about a very valuable item somehow ending up in a thrift store inventory? Paintings worth thousands, a vase, a record album, a historical document, a piece of clothing that was owned by someone famous? Such as this sweater, once worn by…

The Pattern It’s a familiar prayer, one that I prayed hundreds of times in my religious upbringing. The “Lord’s Prayer” or the “Our Father”, includes a petition for God’s will to be done here on earth, as it is in heaven. This is the “bull’s eye” right? If we hit…

Imprints on the Soul Considering the vast, human emotional map, that makes up the content of our souls, we know there are deep-seated beliefs, and values, stored in our brains, that influence our lives in a significant way. Imprints on the soul, especially in the younger years, have an entrenched…

Dark Night The "dark night of the soul" is a term made popular by St. John of the Cross, in the 1500"s. It is used to describe a spiritual crisis in the journey toward union with God. I recently read a book on this topic, written by Christian psychiatrist Gerald…

Long Obedience in the Same Direction It's the title of a book that I'm just finishing up. A Long Obedience in the Same Direction: Discipleship in an Instant Society by Eugene Peterson. Many of you know him as the author of The Message Bible. Peterson presents a solid exegesis of…

An Attractive Gospel If you are a follower of Christ, what first made the gospel attractive to you? I've heard it said that desperation and revelation are two primary forces that draw a person to God. In my case, it was desperation. My life as a twenty one year old…

A Love That Never Dies Something that will never die is imperishable; not liable to corruption. As I was concluding my reading of Ephesians this week, I was struck by the last verse: "Grace to all who love our Lord Jesus Christ with an undying love." Eph. 6:24 (emphasis mine)…

As I approach the forty-five year mark of walking as a disciple of Christ, I've been pondering the importance of building a storehouse. Celebrating my spiritual birthday, is even more enjoyable than celebrating my natural one. Being "born again" was more exciting than being born the first time! In retrospect,…

"Then the word of the Lord came to Elijah: 'Leave here, turn eastward and hide in the Kerith Ravine, east of the Jordan. You will drink from the brook, and I have directed the ravens to supply you with food there.'” 1 Kgs. 17:2-4 Elijah had just completed an intense…