Photo by Marian Kroell on Unsplash “But sometimes we actually need our world to be shaken up. It can be part of what saves us.” Michael T. McRay Disruption. I recoil from the experience of it. In the interest of transparency, I confess that I avoid it like the plague. On purpose, I wake up…
Sacred Presence Shrouded by Wrinkles & Age
“The obviously well-kept secret of the ‘ordinary’ is that it is made to be a receptacle of the divine, a place where the life of God flows.” Dallas Willard Back when I was a mere adolescent, fully adorned with awkwardness and insecurity, on some of the worst days of teenage angst I found myself driving…
Wherever You Are is Called Here
While working on a recent post, I delightfully stumbled upon this magnificent poem by David Wagoner, entitled “Lost”. Here it is illustrated beautifully by the Press at Colorado College for their exhibition, “The Printed Poem, The Poem as Print”. May it speak to the “Here” where you find yourself today. Broadside created at the RIT…
Who Does He Say I Am?
Just a few weeks into a new relationship with my chosen word for 2021, co·op·er·a·tion (which I wrote about in my last post here), I guess you could say we are still in the “honeymoon phase”, the two of us. More specifically, my connection with cooperation centers around the concept of working with Divine Grace…
Everything, This is Gonna Change Everything
No doubt this past year has been unprecedented in countless ways, not the least being it is just plain ol’ strange. As one who works in church ministry, whose daily tasks and overall flow of life center around the liturgical year, I should be gearing up for Lent, but some time since the beginning of…
Be Still and Know I Am
Be still and know I am. Today I began the last day of this complicated year with a walk through the snowy forest at dawn. The mantra running through my head on a loop was “Be still and know I am.” There is so much to unpack from this year that we will probably be…
Say “Yes” to the Mess
As we kick off Advent 2020 today, I am grateful to have been given the opportunity to retell an old story in a new way that was published in this month’s edition of Christ is Our Hope Magazine. I invite you to join me this Advent in saying “Yes” to the Mess and finding Love…
Gone, but Still Near
Always pouring forth lavish and extravagant love. That is how I remember her. We each took turns visiting her for an overnight at her apartment above a storefront on Milwaukee Avenue in Libertyville. There were trips to the movie theater and trips to the park next door. There were visits to the bakery for fresh…
From Accuser to Advocate, I am a Work in Progress
Being born into an American household of predominantly Irish lineage, it was kind of taken for granted that we could explain away our worst family altercations by placing blame on the old Irish temper. It was just accepted as fact that we were all a bit fiery on the inside. When our passions were stoked,…
EYES WIDE OPEN 