Category: Word of the Week

HAPPY TUESDAY! It’s a day late after the FREEDOM TOUR, but perfect for today’s word-of-the-week… COMPLETION At the foot of Raton Pass, before the final climb of their 500-mile journey together, one of our riders said, “He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion.” (Philippians 1:6) As I watched the riders […]

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HAPPY MONDAY! The first day of the FREEDOM TOUR brings today’s word-of-the-week… CHILDREN Each day of the tour begins with someone sharing their word of the day. Day 1 was children. The tour’s about supporting the children at the HOME OF HOPE. We think of them each day as we ride. But Jesus also asked us to […]

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HAPPY MONDAY! I surprised someone in a conversation about today’s word-of-the-week… IMAGINATION A lady said religion stifles imagination. I agreed, which surprised her. “But,” I continued, “religion isn’t necessarily the same thing as following Jesus.” We had a cool, though brief, discussion about human-created religion with its often burdensome rules and constraints. She didn’t know anything else existed, so […]

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HAPPY MONDAY! An odd question brings us today’s word-of-the-week… LABELS “What kind of quadriplegic are you?” Seriously. Now I not only have to be labeled as a quad, but there are subcategories? I’m getting really tired of labels. The guy’s sister just had a car accident and he was seeking information. Parents relayed a ton of […]

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HAPPY MONDAY! A thirty year flashback prompts today’s word-of-the-week… WELL It is well with my soul! More than thirty years ago I made “public profession of faith,” one denomination’s way of marking adult commitment to Jesus. I was asked to choose a song, and I selected Horatio Spafford’s When Peace Like A River. I chose that song for […]

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HAPPY MONDAY! Some internal conversations bring us today’s word-of-the-week… DETACHMENT God and I have had some conversations recently about detachment. My feeling, my internal sense of well-being, seems detached from circumstances. Things are going great, but I feel this internal depression and sadness with no apparent source or reason. Since this blog is about following Jesus […]

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HAPPY MONDAY! A word I never use is today’s word-of-the-week… APPEASE I heard the word in a sermon, but I’m far too familiar with the concept of trying to appease God. When you lay it out, it sounds silly. Appeasement means paying God off. If I give God something that pleases Him, He’ll give me something […]

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HAPPY MONDAY! I wonder what you think about today’s word-of-the-week… FIT   I heard recently that a big problem with churches is that people don’t feel like they fit in. I suppose we’re supposed to conclude that churches need to morph and change to conform to the times. Do you agree? More and more I have […]

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HAPPY MONDAY! A visit to a neighbor church brings a smile and today’s word-of-the-week… CHILDREN I like the children’s sermon. Becky and I visited a church yesterday that does a children’s sermon during worship. The kids gathered around the leader, poking and squirming and trying to listen while he showed them a bag filled with stones. […]

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HAPPY MONDAY! A lesson in grace brings us today’s word-of-the-week… BETTER Ursula Ward had just heard the verdict. Former New England Patriots player Aaron Hernandez was guilty of murdering her son, Odin Lloyd. She stepped forward to speak before final sentencing. “I forgive the hands of the people who had a hand in my son’s murder, either […]

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HAPPY MONDAY! A personal discomfort leads to today’s word-of-the-week… MY I’ve become sensitive to, and uncomfortable with, the ways I use the word “my.” My rights. My freedom. My ministry. My team. My turf. As a follower of Jesus, none of those are mine. Yet I often claim them in subtle and not-so-subtle ways as some […]

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HAPPY MONDAY! A philosophy question prompts today’s word-of-the-week… FACT I always told my students it was wrong to cheat on a test. More than just against the rules, cheating was intrinsically, morally wrong in all circumstances. In 35 years I don’t think anyone ever questioned that assertion. I guess I assumed it was a fact, a moral truth. […]

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