Programs for Happiness: Safety (Fear)

 A couple of years back, we took the kids to Mackinac Island with my whole family (an almost-yearly tradition). We anticipated that both kids would love the boat ride. On Sophie's first Mackinac trip at age 3, the boat ride was a huge highlight - she delighted in every wave and bump, and she stared …

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On the Seventh Day God Rested

I was reminded recently of how much our American culture pushes against Sabbath. I don’t necessarily mean Sabbath, the day (maybe that’s another article), but Sabbath the practice. When I read the creation narrative in Genesis with fresh eyes, I can’t help but notice that God rests. God creates. And then God rests. And then …

“The Meaning of Holiness” Philippians 1:27-2:11

Perhaps one of the most "taken for granted" things we, as Christians, believe about God is that God is Trinity. The Father, the Son, and Spirit together, in perfect relationship, give us an important way to understand the very nature of God as well as what it means to be fully human. This Philippians text provides …

10 Minutes of Nothing

Brad Brisco and Lance Ford wrote a book called, Next Door as it is in Heaven. It’s about our call to love our neighbors, and I appreciate that they give several suggestions throughout the book of ways to practice loving our neighbors. Not only that, they point out ways in which our lives have become …

Greater Than Our Fear

"Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. The disciples woke him and said to him, “Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?” He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Quiet! Be still!” Then the wind died down and it was completely calm. He said to his disciples, “Why are …

Walking With Jesus

I am reading an excellent book by Barbara Brown Taylor called “An Altar in the World,” and in one particular chapter she talks a lot about walking. My ears perk up when the subject is walking or hiking. Additionally, I am taking a spiritual formation class centered around the Christian calendar, a subject new to …

Messiness & Godliness

"A man with leprosy came to him and begged him on his knees, “If you are willing, you can make me clean.” Jesus was indignant. He reached out his hand and touched the man. “I am willing,” he said. “Be clean!” Immediately the leprosy left him and he was cleansed. Jesus sent him away at once with a strong warning: “See that you …

The Gift of Joy

"Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice. Let your gentleness be known to everyone. The Lord is near. Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your …

Reconciling All Things

I’ve been spending a lot of time in II Corinthians 5:17-20. It says this: “So if anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation: everything old has passed away; see, everything has become new! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation; …

Ends and Means

After this, Jesus went out and saw a tax collector by the name of Levi sitting at his tax booth. “Follow me,” Jesus said to him, 28 and Levi got up, left everything and followed him.29 Then Levi held a great banquet for Jesus at his house, and a large crowd of tax collectors and others were eating with them. 30 But the …