Archive — Journey
29 Dec
Empty Vessels
“‘Go and borrow empty containers from everyone—from all your neighbors. Do not get just a few. … pour oil into all these containers’. … When they were full, she said to her son, ‘Bring me another container.’ But he replied, ‘There aren’t any more.’ Then the oil stopped.”
2 Kings 4:3-4, 6
Empty is an adjective. Empty jars. Empty hands. Empty hearts. Empty pages. Hollow, aching, empty vessels … waiting to be filled, waiting for rain from heaven, waiting for oil from God’s provision.
1 Oct
Finishing Well
One of the many good things about walking or running outdoors is that you can’t quit before you make it all the way home. But, alas … I walk on a treadmill. That pretty much says it all for me. Yes, I have trouble finishing what I start.
10 Sep
Room to Grow
Those who know me will be expecting this week’s devotional to be about change. Or maybe loss. Or maybe even a stirring tribute to my two oldest children who left this week for college. Guess I won’t completely disappoint you, as this is about change and the kids’ moving.
22 Aug
Too Late for Swimming Lessons?
My father once posed a troubling question, “Daniel, think it’s time to get a part-time job?”
Shrugging lazily I responded, “I think I’ll just skip the menial work and head straight to upper management.”
However, a previous childhood experience should have reminded me how unlikely that would be.
21 Aug
Steady Eddie
A few weeks ago while reminiscing with two college friends, I was informed that there are two types of women in the world—those who are “steady Eddie’s” and those who are not. I fall into the latter category. While “steady Eddie” was a new term for me, I’m quite familiar with labels such as hypersensitive, high maintenance, and moody. Now, I prefer descriptors such as emotionally attuned, responsive, and tender- hearted. However, in my heart, I know these adjectives all mean the same thing—I wear my feelings on my sleeve.
13 Aug
Saying Goodbye
Write from where you are, the writing gods say.
Well, this evening finds me sitting in a familiar leather chair sitting next to a familiar large window watching the sun sink down beneath a familiar line of trees. For the past six and a half years, I have named Clemson, South Carolina, home… . But now I must go.
31 Jul
AB…D? Please Don’t Fire Me
When you’re like me, lazy and terminally useless, there are few things in life as humbling as filling out a job application:
Name: Daniel R. Blackaby
Previous Work Experience: Every journey starts with a first small step…
Talents/abilities: N/A
30 Jul
Fill ‘Er Up!
A friend recently thanked me for sharing Psalm 42 with him during a particularly difficult time in his life. He told me that, although he wasn’t sure of the exact theological meaning of the psalm’s seventh verse, he had come to believe that no matter how deep his personal abyss of pain or need that God’s presence could and would entirely fill it. That sounded pretty profound, and it got me thinking about how shallow my grasp of God really is. How many areas of my life have I closed off to His influence and to a deeper filling of His Holy Spirit? How much, or how little, room have I made for God in my life?
10 Jul
Running Club Inc.
I’m not exactly renowned for being someone who makes “health-conscious” choices. This character flaw traces back to my childhood. As babies, my brother and sister crawled—I rolled. Perhaps this was due to my cheeks, which served as constant anchors, dragging two or three feet along the floor behind me. This globular physique carried into teenage-years due to a growing addiction. When I was cut, I bled McDonald’s grease. After surpassing yet another ‘milestone’ in weight, I knew it was time for change. It was time for Running Club Inc.
9 Jul
Mighty-Morphin’ Soul-Savers
Growing up, I was fortunate enough to live in a cozy neighborhood with lots of kids, a nearby sledding hill, and a pond a few feet from my house. When I was in the first grade, I received my first fishing pole – a pink Power Rangers pole with an emblem of the pink Power Ranger.
