Matt is raising amazingly thoughtful questions in the comments, and frankly, has made this blog worthwhile for me because of it. Let me reframe a little bit, thanks to Matt’s prodding. Christians need people like the Pope and others to model suffering for us. It’s …
Read MoreHumility 101
I probably shouldn’t do this, but I got an unsolicited e-mail today that just appalled me, so I thought I’d share it with y’all. Can you imagine actually hawking (is that the right way to spell it? Or is it hocking?) yourself like this? It’s …
Read MoreWhy? We don’t know!
Here’s a link to the message I gave yesterday at NFC, from Acts chapter 12. 2nd service was another powerful experience of God. A man stood and very vulnerably shared his depression, even suicidal thoughts. The heartfelt response of people to pray for him, and …
Read MoreGraceful suffering
Seeing graceful suffering reminds us that the fabric of our world, the lifeblood of redemption, comes through the willful suffering of God in Jesus Christ. The victory and vindication of God is not in glorious, overcoming power, but through redemptive, love-incarnated suffering. Thanks, Matt and …
Read MoreVicarious suffering
Over lunch today, I was reading the latest Newsweek; in particular, an article about Pope John Paul II. I know virtually nothing about the Pope and Catholicism, but this article caught my attention, because it has to do in part with the value of suffering. …
Read MoreCelebrity sighting in Newberg!
I saw Senator Ron Wyden at the Newberg Fred Meyer tonight. He bought a bagel. I think he would have gotten a donut if I wasn’t watching him… 🙂 Anyway, it must be hard to be a public figure. This kid came up to him …
Read MoreLast day for Barclay Press
A friend told me he didn’t think he could blog. I asked why, and he said, “I’m not sure I could open up like that…out there.” I think one of the most important things that’s happened in my life is to realize it’s ok to …
Read MoreTar Heel whiner…urrr, I mean, I got some feedback
Out of kindness to UNC grad and seminary friend Jimmy Barnhill, I have created some distance between my link to Jimmy’s page and my link to the Duke Basketball Report over on the right side of my blog. He got a little testy about that….
Read MoreDay 9 for Barclay Press
Today, the powers that be at Barclay Press are going to be sadly disappointed…it’s been a long day, and I don’t have anything much profound. But, I did find something fun tonight, as I’m sitting upstairs waiting for the kids to fall asleep (one wants …
Read MoreMore on the President talking to God….
Someone recently told a group of us that it’s become impossible in Christian circles to even discuss politics. The tensions and the emotions are simply too high to have any kind of discourse. But we need to discuss it. Neither party in America today comes …
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