I like to think of the seasons in terms of the story they represent. Each season is a chapter in the story of the year. Winter is one of my favorite seasons. There is something peaceful about this chapter. It’s about living with established routines and settling into life. It’s a season of work, but even more, it’s a ...READ MORE »
One of the heroes of my faith is Henri Nouwen. He is a source of encouragement to many because he understood the Christian walk with its trials and blessings. He was able to articulate it in a way that challenges me to persevere in my desire to be God’s instrument. The greatest attraction for me to Nouwen, however, is ...READ MORE »
The other night my husband and I went on a date. We are able to do this frequently in this season of life. We enjoy each other’s company—we’re comfortable with each other. It wasn’t until we were walking from the car to the restaurant that I noticed I was wearing my slippers. Ha! I guess after 36 years of ...READ MORE »
Our Father who is in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done, On earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, As we also have forgiven our debtors. And do not lead us into temptation, But deliver us from evil. For Yours is the kingdom and the power, And the glory forever. Amen. (Matthew 6:9-13) Our early ...READ MORE »
Flora and Fauna My grandmother was a naturalist. Her life was spent in Saskatchewan. She was well acquainted with those prairies—the flora and fauna. We, her family, found binder upon binder full of pressed flowers and leaves after she was gone. If she was with you in the car, she would occasionally ask you to stop so she could determine a flower on ...READ MORE »
I am always touched deeply when I hear the song “At The Table” by Josh Garrels. This song uniquely travels through the relationship between the prodigal son and his father. Just as we can find ourselves in the parables that Jesus spoke, there are many places that we can find ourselves in the lyrics of this song. Perhaps the ...READ MORE »
The realization of God’s faithfulness has been pressing in on me of late. I’ve been looking at job opportunities outside of Nashville and feeling sad about the possibility of leaving. We love it here! When I consider leaving this loved place, it is difficult to imagine the blessings of an unknown situation. This is where the steadfastness of God ...READ MORE »
So much to do when traveling! and to top it off I twisted my ankle yesterday. “Don’t overdo it by walking too much today” a fitness trainer told me: rest; use ice and compression and elevate your foot. It’s called R-I-C-E. You don’t want it to swell on you tomorrow on the airplane. Rest; Ice; Compression; Elevate: R-I-C-E.” Not easy ...READ MORE »
(Written in February 2016) Transfiguration Sunday was a couple of days ago according to the Church calendar. In our early morning contemplative service, we listened to a repeated reading of the account of the transfiguration in the gospel of Luke. Following the reading, we shared the insights we had been given. One friend said he had been struck with ...READ MORE »
Spring is the time of rebirth. I love the variations of green. The lime green of the new leaves and the turning to a deeper green as they mature. It is a wonderful time to be outside with the moderate temperatures. It seems as if creation is inviting us to come outside and participate in the gift that God ...READ MORE »
There is a Benedictine monastery in Cullman, Alabama. It is a wonderful setting for individual and group retreats. I made an individual silent retreat there a couple of months ago. It was my first time there and as I went in the middle of the week, I was for a time, the only retreatant. The pattern is always the same ...READ MORE »
“It takes courage to be happy.” I heard this statement this morning. It was attributed to Florence Henderson, the Brady Bunch mom, after she lost her husband a few years ago. She was devastated by his loss and said, “It takes courage to be happy. I am going to be happy again.” My, we have plenty of occasion to test ...READ MORE »
When i think about how my life has been affected by loss, tragedy, and difficult circumstances, it seems to be almost too easy to look at how prison has impacted my life, my faith in a negative way. Oddly, this is not the case. Prison has been a loss and tragedy by the people that have suffered because of ...READ MORE »
According to the church calendar, Easter is behind us and we progress toward the day of Pentecost. Easter has deep meaning for me. Jesus was not included in the season in my growing up years and the opportunity to focus on him during this time of year has made it a rich time for me. The ancient themes of ...READ MORE »
Struggle against my personal demons is exponentially more rigorous than against the maliciousness of others. God has reminded me of this recently as I have been reflecting on the past year. It has been a year of struggling with hopelessness. Jürgen Moltmann speaks of hopelessness as assuming two forms: “it can be presumption and it can be despair…Presumption is a ...READ MORE »
Spiritual values and religious beliefs play an important part in the daily lives of most Americans. The Pew Research Center’s Religious Landscape study assert that more than 90 percent of Americans identify as religious. Among these believers, senior citizens comprise the largest cohort by age bracket. Roughly 70 percent of people over the age of 65 believe in God. Half ...READ MORE »
Alyssa: What does it mean to “write your spiritual story”? Chris: Writing your spiritual story: There are multiple ways to do it. One way could be to get an experience you’ve had that has had some sort of spiritual meaning or impact in your life into a form that someone else could also engage with. I’ve limited mine to story, ...READ MORE »
I love Robin Williams. And I love his inspirational movie, “Dead Poets Society,” where he challenges his students to Carpe Diem (seize the day)! Seizing the day is truly a sentiment we Americans can get behind: wake up, down that coffee, watch the news, get out there and take control of your destiny! It’s the kind of lifestyle that ...READ MORE »
The generosity of God is without measure. It surrounds me and yet I live much of my life unaware of this goodness. Periodically it is so overwhelming that it breaks through the distractions that consume me. I become aware of the way God gives without limit. Friday was one of those days. This awareness for me is often coupled with ...READ MORE »
One of the most effective tools of Satan is distraction. If we are focused on our frantic lives, our problems, and/or those with whom we interact, we are not attending to God. We not only miss the ways we can enter into the work that God is doing in this world, but we miss that God is present with ...READ MORE »
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