I tend to turn following Jesus into an intellectual exercise. Our small group discussed this verse a few days ago. Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it. (Hebrews 13:2) We all agreed on the need to be more aware of […]
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A Pilgrim Asks Questions
He’s on His way home, this leg of the journey nearly complete. That’s how the end of this week feels, and yet so much must have been swirling around in His head as He contemplated the road ahead. It wouldn’t be easy, but He didn’t come for easy. Honestly, there’s a lot swirling around in […]
Continue readingMore TagShould We Limit Our Speech?
Pope Francis recently encouraged us to exercise our fundamental human right to free speech in ways that don’t intentionaly offend other faiths. For Americans, this suggestion challenges our closely-held belief that personal rights, enumerated in the Constitution (not the bible), trump everything. People fought and died to defend those rights, and we’ll not surrender them to anyone under […]
Continue readingMore TagAffirmation
HAPPY MONDAY! A visit to a wonderful community brings today’s word-of-the-week… AFFIRMATION In September we were honored to speak to a group of folks at a homeless shelter in downtown Madison, Wisconsin. We gathered in a circle before the meeting began and read the following affirmation in unison. We gather as family and as friends. […]
Continue readingMore TagPeace Without Justice?
I’m trying to discern the proper response to recent events in Ferguson. (I’m posting this on both blogs. Apologies to those who receive repeats) It’s clear to me that these developments highlight systemic, long-term injustice that goes far beyond one specific incident. I absolutely believe non-violence is the only solution. Rioting and looting only intensify […]
Continue readingMore TagWhat’s The Next Chapter In Your Story?
I love this picture. It’s a lot more than just an old bald guy and his dog. For me, this picture signifies everything about the crazy journey I’ve taken since my injury. It’s the culmination (so far) of the story of Relentless Grace. It began in a rehab unit, wandered through more than a decade […]
Continue readingMore TagAre We Excluding God?
We’re systematically excluding God from our culture. Excuse me? You’ve heard the refrain. The country’s in trouble because we exclude God from the public square. Christmas loses its meaning because someone says Happy Holidays. Public schools stink because kids don’t pray. Apparently, we need to let God back into our culture. Every time I hear […]
Continue readingMore TagNo Help Wanted?
Thanks, but I can do it all by myself. Of course, I know better. There’s no such thing as “all by myself,” but that doesn’t stop me from fighting to maintain the illusion of independence. I think about “help” a lot. Because of the wheelchair, others ask often how they can offer help without offending […]
Continue readingMore TagThe Nature Of The Path
“Follow Me.” It’s the invitation of eternity. I believe Jesus wants to end our striving, seeking, and searching. I believe He wants us to accept His invitation—that’s obvious. Last time I argued that the path is about more than Avoiding The Mud. Following the path is active—it must be something more than removing the bad […]
Continue readingMore TagHow To Avoid The Mud
“Follow Me.” Early Christians were called Followers of The Way. It’s easy to visualize following Jesus in terms of the metaphor of a path. Sadly, that path is frequently mischaracterized in ways Jesus never intended. Right versus wrong, good versus evil, moral versus immoral, the underlying message is often one of coercion and threat—you’d better […]
Continue readingMore TagWhy Justice Requires Level Ground
A few years back my friend Tim talked about a church strategy he called Y’ALL COME. The notion seemed simple. Open the doors wide, put up a sign, have people at the doors with big smiles, and we’ve done our part, right? Not so much. Tim claimed Y’ALL COME wasn’t good enough. He said we […]
Continue readingMore TagA Familiar Figure In An Orange Jump Suit
Do you REALLY believe what you believe? Today I’ll speak to a group of inmates at the Marathon County Detention Center. Yesterday we talked to kids at the Juvenile Detention Center. I’ve addressed similar audiences before, and each time I experience the same haunting impressions. In June, 2009, I shared these thoughts. # # # As […]
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