Prayer
How you’re “supposed” to pray
I know a handful people who pray for uninterrupted lengths of time and with great joy. But I know far more people who struggle with prayer. They feel guilty about a lack of it, and have preconceived notions over how they’re “supposed” to do it. Not just the nuts and bolts, the “how” of prayer, but also the why, when and if.
(For the record, I’m in the latter population.) Read More
… and it will be given
I just wasn’t feeling it.
It had been a long day in the middle of a very full week. Youth group loomed on the calendar horizon, an unwelcome commitment on this particular Wednesday. As an introvert, large group gatherings tap everything in me, so going ‘empty’ isn’t a great way to begin an evening of ministry. And 60 middle and high schoolers (whom I’ve come to genuinely adore) are a tougher crowd than most.
I’d love to tell you that I prayed for God to enable me to pour into those adolescent lives for two hours last night. I should have. Sadly, the thought didn’t even cross my mind. Read More
On the Court: Part II
The faith illustration didn’t stop there for me, however.
The coach’s instruction, audible to those listening intently, was one simple word: “Doubles.” The girls immediately shifted their defensive strategy and double-teamed their tall, ball-carrying opponent.
We’re not meant to go through life alone.
Especially when facing challenges or a powerful adversary. God calls us to a strategy of ‘doubles.’ Read More
On the Court: Part I
My daughter plays basketball.
That, in and of itself, is a pure wonder to me since I still duck and/or scream when a ball is thrown in my general direction. (Go ahead, mock me.) I take delight in watching her play with her team the same way I reveled in her first steps as a toddler: it thrills me.
Being in the gym during a game is, however, an assault on my senses. It’s crowded. Cracked plastic bleachers force me to constantly shift in my seat. The visual stimulus of a rapidly-moving game keeps my eyes darting up and down the court. But it’s the sound that really overwhelms me. Read More
SMS or Pony Express?
Sometimes the old fashioned way is far superior to more ‘cutting edge’ approaches.
I think that’s likely the case when it comes to our communication today, too. I choose the form based on what needs to be said and for whom the message is intended.
With my life-long family friends, some of whom don’t use a computer (gasp!), snail mail still reigns supreme. It might take a long time to arrive, but it is received with joy, spread out on the kitchen table over a cup of tea. A lengthy reply will come, but perhaps not for weeks. Read More