What does love look like? It has the hands to help others. It has the feet to hasten to the poor and needy. It has eyes to see misery and want. It has the ears to hear the sighs and sorrows of men. That is what love looks like. Saint Augustine “I hate feeling like […]
Continue readingMore TagCategory: About Relentless Grace
How Do You Help An Injured Porcupine?
How do you respond when your life gets interrupted by—well—life? This isn’t the article I planned for this morning. I’d already written something insightful and thought-provoking—a certain masterpiece (at least in my mind). All it required was a few finishing touches and it would have been here to greet even the earliest risers. And then—life […]
Continue readingMore TagLessons From The Mountaintop
Everyone wants to live on top of the mountain, but all the happiness and growth occurs while you’re climbing it. Now what? Remember the feeling of December 26th? The big buildup, the anticipation, and the excitement of The Big Event, and then—what? Disappointment? Disillusionment? What do you do when the day after the big day […]
Continue readingMore TagGifts And Rewards
When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show men they are fasting. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, so that it will not be obvious to […]
Continue readingMore TagToughest Forgiveness
Forgiveness is giving up the possibility of a better past. Is there someone you just can’t seem to forgive? For some reason, forgiveness is on my mind lately. I’ve written a couple of posts (The Real Power Of Forgiveness and Forgiveness isn’t …) but it’s still poking at me. After some conversation with God (prayer) […]
Continue readingMore TagThe Real Power Of Forgiveness
To forgive is to set a prisoner free and discover that the prisoner was you. Lewis Smedes A few days ago I posted an article advancing a revolutionary notion: Forgiveness isn’t … easy. No kidding. We all struggle to forgive when we’ve been hurt. That’s sort of obvious. So here’s a question: If it’s so […]
Continue readingMore TagFaithful And Lacking Faith
Here’s this week’s contribution to the One-Word-At-A-Time Blog Carnival. I encourage you to click the link and check out some of the other carnival attractions. As we work our way through the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5), this week’s word is: FAITHFULNESS For many of us the great danger is not that we will renounce our […]
Continue readingMore TagWhy?
Do you ever ask why? As a classroom teacher, I always thought why was a good sign. If a student cared enough about something to ask why it happens, I figured I was doing something right. Of course, why doesn’t always really mean why. Sometimes it means it’s not fair and I don’t like it […]
Continue readingMore TagWhy Take The Risk?
To love at all is to be vulnerable. Love anything, and your heart will certainly be wrung and possibly broken. If you want to make sure of keeping it intact, you must give your heart to no one, not even to an animal. Wrap it carefully round with hobbies and little luxuries; avoid all entanglements; […]
Continue readingMore TagMy Goodness!
Here’s our newest contribution to the One-Word-At-A-Time Blog Carnival. I encourage you to click the link and check out some of the other carnival attractions. This week’s word is: GOODNESS But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. [Galatians 5:22-23] When […]
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… isn’t always as clear as I think. For me, one of the absolute principles of scripture is Romans 8:28: And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. I believe that. It’s been my source of hope in […]
Continue readingMore TagHow To “Get Over It”
Do you ever just feel “down” for no really good reason? I’m there right now. A friend disappointed me. A project seems stalled. Cold weather makes everything about my injury a little more difficult. Nothing really major or life-threatening to point at, but somehow everything just seems a bit gray at the moment. I don’t […]
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