We can only imagine how messy and confusing the ark must have been. There were people there—Noah, his wife, his sons and their wives. There were animals there—two of every kind. And there was food there—every kind of food eaten in that day.
Pain Can Give Birth to New Life
December 21, 2022 by
The day my first grandchild, Liam, was born, Linda and I arrived at the hospital and went to my daughter Elizabeth’s room to spend time with her and her husband, Josh. Every two or three minutes, Elizabeth would have a contraction, a passing moment of tension and discomfort.
Death and Life
October 26, 2022 by
We lose so many good people. When Jesus finally arrives at his friends’ home, Lazarus has been dead for four days.
The Sound of Silence
April 6, 2022 by
Silence. We experience it so infrequently, most of us wouldn’t even recognize it. We wake to loud alarms, the drip of brewing coffee, running water as we prepare for our day.
When We Have to Choose: The Indecisiveness Roadblock
January 19, 2022 by
God’s word is packed with informative insights for Christians who want to move around the roadblock of indecisiveness. In addition, many characters introduced to us in Scripture flesh out these insights in their lives.
Formations 08.29.2021: A Life of Blessing
August 22, 2021 by
I’m thinking about my dad this week…because of something he did for my daughter. My daughter needed her own car so she could drive to observe a teacher in the classroom for her education courses.
Connections 06.21.2020: Alive
June 14, 2020 by
I’ve tried to imagine a world where humans never die. Would the land fill up to the brim? Would we drain the earth’s resources?
Connections 05.24.2020: Let Us Pray
May 17, 2020 by
Jesus’ followers had watched him ascend to heaven. Before he ascended, he told them to wait in Jerusalem for the Holy Spirit to come upon them. As they gathered to wait, they “were constantly devoting themselves to prayer…” (v. 14a).
Connections 02.16.2020: The Choice God Offers
February 9, 2020 by
In our lesson text, God seems to offer a simple choice. Choose “life and prosperity” or “death and adversity” (v. 15). Doesn’t the best choice seem obvious?
Formations 02.02.2020: Moses’ Early Life
January 26, 2020 by
Ever since I had children, I can’t read this old story without feeling the intense fear of a mother who is terrified for her child. In my mind, I picture her filling his belly with her breastmilk to make sure he won’t cry out in hunger on his journey.
Our Stories Will Probably Be Small, But They Will Matter
January 1, 2020 by
Sometimes I get discouraged because I feel like my story is very small. I live in a small city. I go to a small church in a land where churches can be quite enormous.
Formations 03.03.2019: A New Way of Life
February 24, 2019 by
My clothes wear out predictably. Holes form over the left knee and under the right elbow. The heels of my shoes wear down at the outer corner.
The Rhythm of a Faith-Filled Life
December 5, 2018 by
The faith-filled life has a rhythm to it. We ask, seek, proclaim what we learn, and then learn to ask anew. When I worked at an agency for youth in the state foster care system, this rhythm became our familiar soundtrack.
Formations 05.20.2018: Signs of Life
May 13, 2018 by
Scientists used to hypothesize that many planets existed beyond our solar system. In the past few decades, the existence of these so-called exoplanets has become a proven fact. But do any of these distant worlds harbor life? Answering that question is the goal of NASA’s exoplanet program.
Formations 03.18.2018: An Inheritance of Eternal Life
March 11, 2018 by
I’ve been thinking a lot about inheritance lately, particularly the people who remain to sort through what’s left behind. And it seems that while this work permits us to remember joy and laughter and tenderness, it requires us to acknowledge that some things, including life and its relationships, get broken.
Formations 07.30.2017: Life-giving Water
July 23, 2017 by
In the previous lesson, Judah’s restoration was described using the metaphor of the life-giving breath of God. Here, it is described as a river of water that flows from God’s presence. Where before, God’s presence had departed because of the people’s sins, now God has returned to a rebuilt temple with life-giving power.
Connections 07.31.2016: Seasons of Spiritual Life
July 24, 2016 by
One of my favorite contemporary Christian artists is Nichole Nordeman. Her songs range from poignant reflections on the seasons of life to grateful awe to bold declarations of uncertainty and doubt.
Life Is My Church
October 21, 2015 by
I saw a picture recently on social media–a beautiful fall scene, with the sun rising beautifully over a vista of trees and water and clouds, the sort of view that speaks peace into your very soul.