Recently, I took the time to reread the Easter texts and allow them to sink in more deeply. During Holy week, I often enter the story from a worship planning perspective thinking about how I might aid the congregation in entering the story. That day, as many pastors often do the week after Easter, I… Continue reading What are you running towards?
Tag: spiritual darkness
some thoughts on relinquishing
A few years ago, I found myself going through a very dry time in my ministry. I found myself feeling tired, burnout, uncreative, and a little calloused. I was scheduled to spend a weekend at a local retreat center for prayer and reflection… this was not what I wanted to do… I really didn’t want… Continue reading some thoughts on relinquishing
Three practices that can help us through a dark night experience
I remember a particularly difficult time in Italy when Harry and I were the janitors, the building and grounds committee, the Sunday school teachers, the nursery, the counselors, teachers and preachers for the small community of new believers that were being formed at Termini Immerse, Italy. (Talk about an overwhelming job description!) I had three… Continue reading Three practices that can help us through a dark night experience
When the going gets tough
I think that we as Christians skip over the immense pain and suffering that Jesus experienced the week leading up to his death. Though there are many stories in between, we tend to move from the shouting Hosannas in church on Palm Sunday to the Hallelujahs of his resurrection on Easter Sunday. Yes, many of us do… Continue reading When the going gets tough
making it through the storm
As Harry preached this past Sunday on Jesus walking on the water, I was deeply moved as I realized that recently I had been weathering my own storm… it is hard to know where these storms originate and why. Sometimes they arrive as quickly and as unexpectedly as they subside… like a squall on a… Continue reading making it through the storm
Are there unnamed gifts in your life?
I remember the many Christmases spent combing through the presents under the tree… trying to see through the wrapping paper. On occasion I would shake them, other times I would venture to loosen the tape on them very carefully to see what was inside. You have to understand that my mother was a master at… Continue reading Are there unnamed gifts in your life?