Archive — March, 2008
31 Mar
The Loss of a Great Idea
Do you remember the first time you went on a rope swing over a river or a lake? I remember the first time I ever used one. All of my friends were egging me on, daring me to swing out over the water and let go of the rope. All of the older kids had already done it, and it looked easy enough until…I actually had to do it.
28 Mar
My NOT So Wonderful Day
The day started like no other. The sound of bluebirds softly humming the hallelujah chorus lifted me out of a deep slumber. The warmth of the morning sun’s rays burst into my room. I’d lived overseas three months, and never had the Norwegian sunrise been so beautiful. Surely today was a blessed day! …
Then it dawned on me, as if destiny itself was guiding my thoughts…today was the day to talk to HER! Long blond hair, nicely complimenting her sky-blue eyes. She was everything I ever wanted in a woman…she was my mail lady.
27 Mar
Stephen Miller
What started as an insatiable love for music at a young age has turned into something much bigger for Stephen Miller. The 24-year-old musician/minister has taken his love for music and God’s call on his life, and moved it to several much larger platforms.
A Minivan, a Spider, and a Brush with Death
It started out as a peaceful summer drive in my minivan. Yes, I owned a minivan, complete with the speakers and blue interior lights that I added to give it a more “me” feel. I was driving through a set of stoplights when I caught something out of the corner of my eye descending from the roof onto my right shoulder. Now you must understand, there is one thing in life I am deathly afraid of. I’d say I’m afraid of failure, pain, rejection, and all the normal stuff, but nothing competes with my fear of spiders.
26 Mar
Willing to Die
The journal topic was written on the board, “For what or whom would you be willing to die?” The high school English class sat writing, but the results were discouraging to their teacher. A few students wrote that they would be willing to die for their families or their country, but the majority of the class stated in no uncertain terms that they were not willing to die for anyone.
24 Mar
Barbed Wire and Ripped Pants
I used to like Capture the Flag. I was once under the impression that it was a safe and fulfilling way of releasing the aggressiveness built into every man. I don’t believe that now!
23 Mar
Gravity
Have you ever had a circumstance that has just totally brought you down to the harsh reality of life? It feels like gravity is just crushing in on you and your world is falling apart – maybe when you lose your job or receive a phone call and find out a friend has committed suicide. Somehow life will never be the same and you are stuck dealing with the tragic realities of life on earth… .
As a friend, what can I say to this family that has experienced such a loss this week? How can there be any hope for them? I’ve thought about this question for the last few days and have really had a difficult time coming up with anything that would be meaningful to this family right now. The only answer I’ve been able to come to is that there is no hope outside of Jesus.
20 Mar
Grateful for Discipline
My niece Hannah is a beautiful, brilliant, and strong-willed two-year-old. She lives and loves with a contagious fervor. As I watch her grow, I learn. Of late, what amazes me is how easily children resist what is good for them. For Hannah, a meal, a nap, or medicine can quickly become the enemy. Her parents’ discipline is often simply the means to help her accept what is in her best interest.
Today, I am grateful for God’s discipline.
19 Mar
Tattoos of Grace
Why did Jesus keep His scars? After all, if He had the power to raise Himself from death, He certainly could have erased the terrible marks that our sin had left on His body. But, He didn’t. He didn’t even try to cover them up.
18 Mar
There are so MANY things I don’t know about the Bible
A lot of people think that seminary graduates are all knowing in theology, Scripture, and have some sort of inside connection with the Almighty. I’ve had so many people say, “You must know everything there is to know about the Bible and God!”
That’s just funny to me because it’s so far from the truth. I don’t fit into their perceived stereotype at all—it doesn’t exist. As a matter of fact, there are so MANY things I don’t know about the Bible. I learn new things every day. There are still passages that stump me and religious questions that I don’t know how to answer.
