I don’t often write devotional blogs. But the topic of elevating ourselves above the fray of life’s troubles seems important enough to make an exception. I call it riseaboveability. College students don’t have it, much. And I’m afraid I don’t model it for them very well. They rise and fall according to the latest fortunes of class assignments, GPA volatility, …
Endorsements (and two full reviews) for Faith Unexpected
Rick Mattson has written a book about struggling people who have an authentic and sometimes messy encounter with a delightful and disturbing and wooing God. Whatever your faith background or orientation, you will be inspired and encouraged by these real life and powerful stories! – Dr. Rick Richardson Director of Academic Programs, Church Outreach Initiative and Research Wheaton College and …
Faith Unexpected: Full Description
Faith Unexpected: Real Stories of People Who Found What They Never Imagined How did Pentagon military strategist Donald Wellington find faith in God? Not the way you’d expect – not through attending church or reading the Bible. In fact, Donald discovered faith in ways that he never expected. Or Deedra Reyes, Hopi Native American girl – how did she find …
A Prayer Life, Part 5: Prayerless
On occasion I realize with dismay that a day or two has passed, prayerless. For me prayer is a hard habit to keep, an easy habit to break; and hard to restore when I’ve lapsed. Sometimes I fret about my relative (un)worthiness to re-enter the throne room. The Lord is probably less picky about this than me. I picture him observing my internal civil …
A Prayer Life, Part 4: More is . . .
I have a lot going on and I’m a busy guy. At church I teach adult ed. and participate in a study group. At work I serve at many college campuses. With so many commitments and projects to attend to, just staying on top of email seems a full-time job. I have to wonder, however, if I’m on the right …
A Prayer Life, Part 3: Practice Makes . . .
This morning I was lying in bed trying NOT to hear God telling me to arise twenty minutes early to clean the shower stall before I leave on a four-day trip. Performing such a task would be speaking Sharon’s love lingo. It’s how she feels cared for. The voice persisted; I couldn’t get rid of it. Finally I relented. OKAAAAY Lord. I hear you. Or …
A Prayer Life, Part 2: Divine Doorways
As mentioned last time, I write as an amateur on the topic of prayer. These posts are simply “what I know now” (or think I know), nothing more. I like to think of my walk with God as being punctuated by a series of doorways into rooms of ministry. I’m at the gas station …
A Prayer Life Part 1: Following God Around Town
These are my gut-honest reflections on prayer. I write from the perspective of an amateur. But perhaps that’s exactly what may help you. In prayer I appear to be doing a lot of catching up. That is, catching up to what God is doing. His work seems to take place right in front of me, hidden in plain sight. I walk onto …
Life of the Mind, Part 4: Responding to Former Evangelicals
Recently I’ve been engaged in conversation with several intellectuals who’ve departed the evangelical* faith. Here are three accusations that emerge in their blogs, emails and oral communication. They say that evangelicals are . . . Overly certain of their beliefs — that is, of being too cocky about knowing “the truth.” Low on IQ: One former evangelical theology professor, a truly brilliant …
LIfe of the Mind, Part 3: Intellectual Virtue
You’ve heard of moral virtues, such as honesty, selflessness, courage, generosity. “Intellectual” virtues are similar: When a person exercises virtues of the mind, such as humility and honesty, she’s more likely to find truth. Take, for example, the person who’s trying to settle a dispute between two parties regarding the agreed-upon price of a used car. One party says the …