My parents met in Switzerland on a blind date. Six weeks later they got engaged, and my father returned to America. As a German refugee, my mother had lost everything. The thought of leaving her new life and starting over again was overwhelming, but she navigated the one-year immigration process and then traveled alone to the United States. She trusted...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0dskCpuxqtI It was dusk as I stood mesmerized at the kitchen window earlier this month. What was that black shadow moving against the horizon in constantly shifting shapes? It has to be a large flock of birds, I thought, though as a born-and-raised Oregonian I had never seen this phenomenon before. The fluttering dark specks looked like a school of...
Have you struggled against spiritual sleepiness, aware of an unexplained urgency? As I've talked with people, urgency feels like an underlying theme. It makes me wonder if the wind of the Spirit is blowing through the church saying, "Wake up! Get yourself ready for what is to come!" WARNING Luke 21:34-36 says about the last days, "Be careful, or your...
It seems that every year at Christmas my mother laments, "What can I give you? You have everything." She loves to give and feels sad that I have no pressing material needs. In her mind, how can her gift delight, surprise, and overwhelm me with joy if there is little need? I try to reassure her how much her gifts...
Do not be afraid to ask, "Are you having suicidal thoughts?" Be direct. Be empathetic. Listen without judgment. Assess risk. Check in often. It shows you care. Do not be afraid to act if risk is high. Unsure what to do and need advice? Call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline for input (1-800-273-8255). BASICS OF ASSESSING CRISIS The following questions...
What does your name mean? Do you like your name? On the simplest level, names are labels to distinguish one person from another. But names mean so much more than that; they also connect to identity. Essence In Judaism, your given name is considered prophetic to some extent, defining your essence; it's seen as the key to your soul. Thus,...
My son wanted to go trick or treating one last time before he left behind this fun part of childhood. His costume? IRS agent. Dressed in his dad’s suit and tie and carrying a briefcase, he handed out home-made business cards with threats of “treats or an audit!” The neighbors all agreed, “Now THAT really is scary!”
It is utterly baffling to me that my mother, who grew up on a farm, can get unhinged by a rodent. We learned this fact early as children, and it could be used to advantage. One day my little brother rushed into the house. "Look what I found, Mom! A mouse!" Dangling the specimen by its tail, he grinned expectantly....
Everyone who has left houses, brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or fields for my sake will receive a hundred times as much and will inherit eternal life. Matthew 19:29 In this passage, Jesus had just challenged the rich young ruler to sell everything and "come and follow me." The young man had lived a righteous life....
When life tosses you perplexing questions don't you sometimes wish for easy answers ? Unfortunately, God does not give out cheat sheets for life's tests nor has he made a heavenly search engine available. However, now and then He grants glimpses behind the curtain that separates time and eternity. Such break-through insights come to each one of us individually and...
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