Small children are good at joy. When we toss a child into the air and catch him, what will he say as soon as he stops giggling? “Do it again!” And again! And again! G.K. Chesterton writes about how this joy points to God’s joy: “Because children have abounding vitality, because they are in spirit... Continue Reading →
What do you think God feels when he looks at you? Would your life be different if you knew in your bones that when he turns his thoughts toward you his heart fills with joy? The Joy of the Lord is Your Strength Nehemiah contains a mysterious verse: "The joy of the LORD is your... Continue Reading →
Since my last post about suffering and grace, I have encountered two people testifying to Jesus filling empty places and wounded hearts until 'cavernous places' glisten with hope. I heard from an old woman in Washington State and a young man in Rwanda. Their stories of suffering are different: early widowhood and aging vs. genocide horror. But... Continue Reading →
When those we love suffer, our helplessness and compassion overflow in small expressions of care. We know our gift is nothing in the face of what our loved ones are going through - it cannot answer excruciating questions or heal wounds. But we bring these gifts anyway; we stand on the porch with a pot of... Continue Reading →
I had a wrestling match with an old enemy last week. It was shame, but at first I mistook it for conviction - a toxic mistake. So I am newly aware how vital it is for us to discern between the voice of shame and the voice of the Lord speaking conviction. Can you tell... Continue Reading →
I have two images colliding in my mind today - the cosmos and the crèche. The sparks from this collision sear my heart with Jesus' words: "I judge no one," (John 8:15). Last Sunday our pastor displayed Hubble space telescope images. I gazed at swirls and bursts of infinite colorful stars, the beauty and glory splashed around the... Continue Reading →
I saw a picture of an Ethiopian "Bleeding Heart Baboon" and cringed to see the center of its chest open and red, the sides curving inward around the hole leading to his heart. Perhaps the picture is disturbing because it depicts a part of being human - the vulnerability of our hearts. Harsh words, failure, and rejection pierce our... Continue Reading →
I will be speaking at a small, quiet healing service this Sunday night; friends will come with broken hearts and broken bodies, hoping for a touch from Jesus. Why can we hold a healing service with hope that Jesus will heal? I will try to bless my friends in their hope by reminding them about the larger story we live. Our story began... Continue Reading →
The Deepest Love 