(warning: graphic language alert) Context: Global COVID-19 Pandemic. Several states in the US are under a “shelter-in-place” mandate to mitigate the spread of the virus. We are currently on day 9 with expectations that we will be under this mandate an additional 2-wks. I’m currently reading from Christian Teachings on the Practice of Prayer for…
4th Sunday of Lent: A Personal Reflection on Psalm 23 One of the texts for this Sunday (Revised Common Lectionary) is Psalm 23. As I read through this text slowly, listening for what God, the Holy Spirit, would bring to my attention, the words, “I shall not want” (Psalm 23:1) stick with me. I pause…
The rule of Sabbath and its practice has been a long and continuing study for many years for me. Recently, it has been a near obsession as I have helped with presenting a study to my local church and our network of small groups. The past few days found me reading a gospel narrative from…
Prayer is an education; prayer is the study of God. Prayer is the purest form of theology. Prayer is the classroom of the soul. I desire to be a student of God, a student of Jesus, a student of the Holy Spirit. “I give myself as a holy sacrifice…” –Jesus (John 17:19) I desire to…
I’m giving some thought today to spiritual formation; specifically, the practices that are part of the process of formation. It is important for me to remind myself that formation, especially spiritual formation (in the image of Christ) is multi-faceted. There is no one device that God uses in the process of his creation being restored…
A note I wrote to myself a year ago today. Every atom of my being is continually being changed, transformed, and conformed to Him and by Him who has created me. There IS power in the Name, in the teaching, in the life, in the way of the man-God who is Jesus. The more I…
Talmidim (Hebrew) & Mathetes (Greek) “Believing in Jesus and discipleship to Jesus are part of the same action.” –Richard Foster “A disciple is a person who has decided that the most important thing iin their life is to learn how to do what Jesus said to do… Disciples simply are people who are constantly revising…
Terraforming and Transforming “Whoever says, ‘I abide in him,’ ought to walk just as he walked.” (1 John 2:6 NSRV) In a previous post, I shared some details regarding my Christian journey over the past (2019) year. I wrote that part of my discipline was the practice of being fully present with others, as well…
Epiphany: The Revealing of Christ Jesus “Christ is revealed; The voice of the LORD echoes above the sea. The God of glory thunders. The voice of the Lord is powerful; the voice of the Lord is majestic. Honor the Lord, you heavenly beings; honor the Lord for his glory and strength. Honor the Lord for…
11Jan2020 “O Lord, deliver me from all ignorance and heedlessness, from pettiness of the soul and hardness of heart.” Today, I lean in; Today, I begin again. Jesus said, “I am the vine, you are the branches. Those who abide in me and I in them bear much fruit, because apart from me you can…
