An Open Book: Road to Glory
Have you sought God’s will on something and done your best to see it accomplished, only to have whispered in your ear, “Is it for God’s glory, or yours?”
An Open Book: hyped-up
She was hyped-up to go on her annual work retreat at a resort in Cabo until her family had an outbreak of Covid Imagine being quarantined instead of poolside >:
An Open Book: obedience
Sometimes obedience sucks, but looking for connections (especially with God’s plan for our lives), and a little humor can make it suck a little less.
An Open Book: loveliness
I’m sometimes guilty of focusing on routines of life and missing the loveliness.
An Open Book: transparency
God told me I to get over myself. Stop writing very formal (can we say “stuffy?”) entries for you. You certainly don’t need me to try and impress you, right?
God’s Unique Success Plan for the Weak
Amazingly, our totally imaginary friend, Rocket J. Squirrel, seems to be the epitome of God’s unique success plan for the weak.
Have you heard God whistle lately?
Have you heard God whistle lately, Dear Reader? What has He put within your reach that He can use to change a life?
Applying a New Kind of Faith to the Recruitment Call
It doesn’t matter if we’re eight, eighteen, or eighty, receiving a recruitment call can be all sorts of flattering.
How to Confront Barriers to Transparency
If most of us carry different baggage, it stands to reason our barriers to transparency differ also?
Reciprocity in the Gospel of Christmas
This holy season, Dear Reader, reciprocity has awakened a new understanding of how integral it is to the Gospel of Christmas. It all started with giving.
How to Find the “Yes” in a Promise
Promises permeate our lives, but how do we truly find the yes in a promise that can’t be written into an agreement?
Ways to Tap into the Ultimate Game-Changer
Deep in the recesses of Charlie Brown, I totally believe he has the ultimate game-changer, and just doesn’t know it yet, or how to tap into it.
How to Embrace the Fragrance of Heaven
The fragrance of heaven is strongest when we give with absolutely no repayment in mind to tarnish the gift.
Being at the Dangerous Intersection of What and Who
Do you want your last words to resonate with those who have known and loved you well?
How to Navigate a Paradigm Shift from Pain to Progress
For those of us living in the real world, most of have learned that there can be tremendous, life-changing, paradigm shifts thrust upon us.
Finding Your Pulpit in Unexpected Places
I wonder where God will lead me next to finding a pulpit in an unexpected place.
Powerful Use of Next Steps: Trash or TLC
Sometimes the decision between trash and TLC, no matter what the circumstances is more difficult than others, isn’t it, Dear Reader?
Your Sacred Place May Not Be Where You Think
After decades of fighting the battle of depression, and thinking I had to do it alone, I finally understood a few things about my sacred place.
Being Perplexed about the Petunia Philosophy
Do you enjoy flowers, Dear Reader? “My girls” as I call them bring me much pleasure and satisfaction, and they teach me a great deal about life, like the petunia philosophy.
Magnificent obsession or just quirky attraction?
My quirky attraction to numbers would be one thing if I was an accountant, a math teacher, or even a bookie . . . but I’m not. I may have taken advanced math in school and done well, but as former students would probably attest, I really stunk at actually teaching math.
Who’s Blessed More by Repurposed for Giving?
And this mama was so proud to see her son in action at a market, and how every single visitor at his booth left smiling (and typically with a purchase). It made me wonder who’s more blessed when their lives are repurposed for giving.
The Ambiguous & Vagarious Nature of Words
I love words! Sometimes I think words are my best friends. Kinda weird, right? Thing is the ambiguous and vagarious nature of words that make them . . .
How does kissing a cow skew our priorities?
Yes, Dear Reader, I was kissing a cow! The idol was fashioned of my own making, and its name was vanity.
The Power of Perspective: Glorious or Gut-Wrenching
The Bible is rich with God’s promises to His children. They may seem flattened out and nearly unrecognizable at times. There might be times when it’s easier to hurry past promises God has laid out for us on our way to where we want to go. Maybe we’re afraid to look closely because we’re not sure what we’ll see, afraid they may include gut-wrenching decisions.
Tips to Make the Most of Your Travels
Here are three tips Tom and I have learned that consistently upgrade our adventures. And like so many other things in life, they’re all about preparation.
The price of heaven is now paid in full!
The price of heaven has been paid in full, but there’s still work for us to do.
What does desertion have to do with heaven?
Can we begin to fathom the magnitude of rejection Jesus felt at such an act of desertion by His Heavenly Father?
Was anger arbitrator or antagonist to the price of heaven?
As we navigate the road to the cross,
can we consider if anger was an arbitrator or antagonist to Jesus paying the price of heaven?
Can temptation tarnish our price for heaven?
Despite temptation, Jesus chose to pay the price of heaven so we could share in the hope that’s only found through our Heavenly Father.
What Price Can Humiliation Pay?
Have you ever been embarassed, Dear Reader, bullied, humiliated, abused? The Son of God chose to step down from, lay aside His glory and authority in order to accept the humiliation of sin, once and for all.
How can suffering pay the price of heaven?
Maybe it’s that aversion to pain and suffering that makes me want to skirt past the passion of Christ and go straight to His resurrection.
Is the price of heaven bondage?
Ropes, chains . . . many things have the power to bind us. Lack of resources, imposed biases, cultural norms. They can restrain us from going where we long to go just as easily as they can force us to go where we don’t wish to.
What if you can’t see spring?
Many miles and years removed from my southern youth hasn’t dimmed how I still see spring. I see Mama starting to hang clothes on the line outdoors . . . Sunday dinners on concrete tables in the church yard, and I can close my eyes to imagine the scratch and rustle of crinoline under a new Easter dress Mama made just for me.
Do you consider barriers to be roadblocks or gateways?
There were a few who still insisted on going back up the ramps and skirting the roadblocks as soon as the police left. . . WOWZERS!
Buddy’s Faith in the Storm
That day’s ice storm stopped mail delivery in our city and quickly became a perfect storm of desperation. It also became a testament of Buddy’s faith in the storm.
Ladders: Step by Step (Excrutiating or Exciting?)
He’s given us His Word to help, not hinder, us on the journey, whether it’s by leaps and bounds or step by step.
A Plethora of Passwords: the Power & Price
Thankfully a couple of professionals who were vigilant and compassionate stepped in to help, and we eventually emerged unscathed…mostly.
Angels’ Message: God of Trust & Obedience
It became crystal clear to us why the Lord God Almighty chose the players He did for this pinacle experience: trust and obedience.
Gabriel’s Message: God of Amazement
Sometimes the Lord chooses to show how He is the God of Amazement by sending His angels with incredible messages to His children.
Isaiah’s Message: God of Hope
My mantra has become, “If God said it, I believe it, and it’s my job to share it,” whether it’s welcomed and embraced or not.
Micah’s Message: God of Promise
Yahweh is God of righteousness and judgment, but also the God of promise.
Harvesting Psalms: We Are Family
I’m so sorry she had so much pain so early in life, but I will always be thankful that she taught me just how precious “family” is, whatever it looks like.
Ticket to Paradise (from Behind the Halo)
As humans, we all fail at one time or another. Most of us have been disappointed in ourselves or others. As your read this gosple account, think about a time someone came alongside during a time of failure or disappointment. How did their efforts affect your perception of yourself or the situation? “John, why do …
Hitching a Ride (an excerpt from BEHIND THE HALO)
Sometimes people are just tough nuts to crack. What tricks do you use to get through to them, Dear Reader? Hungry. The people are all so hungry. How can I give them the encouragement they need when this human body of mine nearly suffocates the spirit within me? But how can I turn away from …
Hitching a Ride (an excerpt from BEHIND THE HALO) Read More »
Deserted (an excerpt from BEHIND THE HALO)
Being humiliated or deserted is not for the fainthearted. When it’s compounded with doing your best to help someone else, the pain can become unbearable. Has there been a time you tried to help others, but ended up humiliated and forsaken? How did you fight your way past the pain? The road was packed. Jerusalem …
At the River (an excerpt from BEHIND THE HALO)
Dear Reader, I’m thrilled that Behind the Halo: Exploring the Humanity of Jesus will be debuting in June! In the meantime I’d like to share a few of my favorite stories with you. His dusty feet follow the harsh voice cranked up to fever pitch in the distance. He knows the preacher’s voice …
My New Glasses
A couple of years ago I had cataract surgery. It was great! After wearing glasses all the time since third grade, I loved being lens free most of the time. Because of a surgery timing fluke, I could now see well far away, and the computer screen, one eye for each. I did have to …
Road to the Cross: Come!
Dear Reader, thank you for joining me on the road to the cross. My heart leaps to share the old, old story that remains new. Please accept my humble accounting of the treacherous path Jesus and His followers took to the cross, and gloriously beyond. ***********************************************************I saw Him. I touched the nail holes in His hands, …
Road to the Cross: On the Run
Dear Reader, thank you for joining me on the road to the cross. My heart leaps to share the old, old story that remains new. Please accept my humble accounting of the treacherous path Jesus and His followers took to the cross, and gloriously beyond. (Road to the Cross will continue during our visits this …
Road to the Cross: Game On!
Dear Reader, thank you for joining me on the road to the cross. My heart leaps to share the old, old story that remains new. Please accept my humble accounting of the treacherous path Jesus and His followers took to the cross, and gloriously beyond. (Road to the Cross will continue during our visits this Lenten …