living in light of eternity
"His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us..." (II Peter 1:3) Everything I need. Every little blessed thing I ever needed, or ever will-- that's what God gives me? Then hiding behind what I think I need there must be a deeper... Continue Reading →
They are still small, mini-people, with that baby fine hair and the imperfect use of pronouns. But every single one already has strong opinions, big plans. "Mine," says one. "I want purple." She snatches a block, fierce and determined. Her tower is prodigious (maybe six inches tall). She guards it with a look that means trouble... Continue Reading →
Grisham, Hemingway, Melville, U2, The Byrds, Dave Matthews, and debatably, Pink Floyd. What do they all have in common? They’ve all borrowed (stolen?) from Ecclesiastes. Who can blame them? What is not to love? This is the book for our times: from drinking to free love to despondent fatalism, it’s like the lyric sheet of our... Continue Reading →
It is a beautiful phrase, rolls over the tongue like a dessert at Macaroni Grill: sola gratia. By grace alone we are saved, undeserving sinners though we are. By the kindness of God, by the compassion of Jesus. Grace is our highest doctrine, our most precious inheritance. For 500 years we have repeated, sola gratia. ... Continue Reading →
Our church has been focusing on the importance of building joyful, passionate disciples of Jesus. The ladies were challenged at the If:Gathering to step up our discipleship relationships. The whole congregation has walked through a “core commitments” sermon series focusing on… yep, discipleship. And at our recent kick-off with the Calvary Family of Churches, we... Continue Reading →
What if a book had the power to change the temperature of your life, stir warmth into a cold heart, light a fire in a stale room? What if a book had the power to speak so directly to your soul that it seemed the author had been peering into your windows day after day? ... Continue Reading →
Writers are shy people who can spend long hours all alone. We aren't supposed to do terrifying things like give interviews! But here for your amusement is my first radio show. The kind man who interviewed me is Marty Guise from KSIV in St. Louis, and you can find him on Facebook at Lay Renewal... Continue Reading →
It’s between the rock and the hard place. Between the devil you know and the devil you don’t. It’s at the crossroads of unanswered prayers and thwarted desires, deeply held but conflicting priorities, impending doom to the one side and catastrophes to the other. It’s where ironies tumble one upon the next and paradox makes... Continue Reading →
This is a year for wonder, a year for paying attention. What if this year was your last? How would you live it full? This is a year for courage, to live fearless in the face of a world full of fear. To "be you bravely" --kind, compassionate, generous. To speak with grace and answer ugly... Continue Reading →
“O holy night, the stars are brightly shining…” Sometimes a moment is so powerful that a hush falls over the crowd. Sometimes a whole throng of people turns, as one body, to stareslack-jawed at the sky. Christmas is such a moment. It’s a simple story, quickly sketched in just 3 chapters of Matthew and Luke—147... Continue Reading →
Catherine's Letters 