There’s one — and only one — thing you should never have a peace about. Never. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard the words. “I don’t have a peace about it.” “I knew it was right because I had a peace about it.” It’s a spiritual sounding reason for a Christian to make a decision. To […]
Can You Talk to God Like a Cave Man?
These days it’s not easy to talk to God. We’ve got a million different ways to communicate — technology that provides video conferencing around the globe with micro-second delay, telephone chats that connect multiple people in any number of countries, email, text message, snap chat, social networks — a million-and-one ways to get in touch with someone at a moment’s notice. But in a high-speed, broad […]
The Times You Should Shut Up and Not Say Anything
Part of Christian maturity is knowing when to shut your mouth and walk away. A lot of it. Whole beatitudes are lined up along the back wall of your mind like homecoming dance outcasts in a high school gym, all hoping you won’t make a fool of yourself again this time. Lilies in a field somewhere in your imagination […]
Why You Have To Be Hated To Be a Christian
Your parents wanted to make you a clone of them. Didn’t take. You rebelled. Your pastor wanted to make you a Jesus Freak. Didn’t work. Toned that down. You fought and fought to carve yourself into a self-made man (or woman). But you couldn’t drop one bad habit of biting your fingernails. Your culture didn’t […]
When Feelings Go Crazy and You Question God’s Word
A few minutes ago I wanted to shut down the blog. Quit writing entirely. A minute or so later I thought of something slightly encouraging and decided it was worth it. And if I tracked back across the last month, I’d find a wild rollercoaster of emotions ranging from touching the sky (when women didn’t […]
How to Stay On Fire for God
I sat down across from an old friend as the lively Friday night pub buzzed around us. Glasses clinked and excited voices chattered, and it matched the anticipation I felt at being back in the old town, having old feelings mix with new opportunities. After shouting our drink order to the server, we settled into a close conversation. Moments […]
Are You a Perfect Christian?
Any perfectionists out there? Put your hands up now. Any at all? Oh, this is the internet. You’re all sitting in a bath towel on a laptop on the couch with both hands up. Well, God wants you to repent. That’s right. Change your wicked ways. Oh, I know, perfectionism is a crutch we use […]
How to Ask Forgiveness and Still Come Out on Top
Oh, did I lie about you behind your back? Sorry ’bout that. Slander your family name? Curse your children’s lineage? My bad. Expose your insecurities? Ridicule your flaws? Mock your existence? Sorry you took that the wrong way. Lighten up. Didn’t mean it. Just kidding. I’m sorry you got your feelings hurt. Sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, SORRY. […]
How to Turn Your Spouse From a Fire-Breathing, Evil Monster Into a Regular Person
I’m sure we’ve all seen the cliche. A couple screaming at each other — red-faced and angry, insults hurled in every direction, and one turns into a fire-breathing, evil monster and consumes the other. Or wait. A peaceful meal around the table, chatting over half sandwiches and pleasantries, a thinly-veiled accusation is suggested along with grey […]
The Discipline of Slowly Starving in America
I’ve come to believe the church in America is starving. Not for bread. Not for money. We have wafers for the first and checkbooks for the second, though I’m sure we could use more. Not for the Word of God. There’s a Bible on every shelf. No, we’re starving for a simpler thing that eludes us — […]