Oct
22
2024
Dad and I had lovely conversations. He was a masterful listener and question-asker most of the time. When we had a spare moment, he might start by saying something he appreciated about my life. Then he would ask an...
Oct
18
2024
For by grace we have been saved through faith not of works lest any man should boast. – Paul
The Christian faith presents many paradoxes, which initially to the newcomer of the faith don’t make sense. To the agnostic or...
Oct
16
2024
Dad believed and lived that God was speaking to him. He prayed to attentively listen and hear what God was saying. Interestingly, it rarely had to do with action but more to do with stillness and inner adoration. Perhaps...
Oct
14
2024
I am back writing Words of Hope for the remainder of the year. I took a lengthy break for several reasons. Mostly because I was sad. Grief is complex that way. It has twists and turns that brings surprise, as...
Dec
26
2023
I am keeping a gratitude timer on my phone. Every hour and a half, I check in with myself. How grateful have I been? How much news or negative thinking have I jumped into? Who can I pray for specifically in...
Dec
21
2023
One of the stories Dad and I loved came from an experiment designed to see how well people can spot talent. The experiment included one of the best musicians in the world playing a 3.5-million-dollar violin and had him play in...
Dec
20
2023
One of the practices of contemplative prayer is eliminating prayer as performance. I consider how much poor religion gravitates toward perfection, judgment, us and them, pageantry, and power. Many churches have become a place to listen to the best...
Dec
19
2023
The other day I was praying through Colossians 1:9-14. I was praying about myself which is interesting because the passage is about praying for others. When I came to the part where it says, “Being strengthened with all power...
Dec
18
2023
God has been surprising me lately. I have been meditating on these verses, “Do not be anxious about anything but through prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” I have a section in my daily prayer...
Dec
14
2023
Dad and I often talked together in surprise how fearful people are to compassionately engage in difficult conversations. Instead, they turn to avenues that destroy meaningful and mutual dialogue through gossip, the courts, cutoff, silence, or ad hominem attacks.
I...
