I love books!Reading the words written by wiser, much more mature Christians nourishes my spiritual journey.I don’t just read books; I highlight words, dog-ear the corners, and rewrite quotes in my journal. I print out soul-refreshing lines and hang them around my desk or clip them into my blank books. Their prayers, often birthed centuries before me, send their roots deep into my heart and bubble up to my lips.I thought I would share with you today ten books that kindle my spiritual walk. Sigh, only ten?Now I could easily list more, but the Internet may crash from its weight and ten is such a nice number. So ten it is:1. NIV Study Bible - I have other Bibles and have looked at many more, but this torn, underlined, scribbled in the margin version is my treasure. The edges unravel under the tape and it is too bulky to skip easily into my purse, but how could I part from this long companion? 2. Something More by Catherine Marshall. I had trouble choosing which Catherine Marshall book to … [Read more...]
Surprised by Love
I let my heart go away (Photo credit: WolfS♡ul)Forty years ago I married Bill. Yes this July 15 we will celebrate a milestone. It certainly doesn't seem like that long ago; after all I don't feel that old. (Of course I could fudge a little and say something about being a child bride, but I digress...) I am surprised by love. I love him more now than I did in 1972. What a blessing to realize the depth of the tender bond between us after these years. Our kids gave us a weekend get away. The package included hotels and activities we like such as wineries, minor league baseball game and adventures to new part of Michigan we had never visited. They planned well, knowing what we would love to do and see. Their thoughtfulness and ingenuity amazed us, but the definition of the word surprise includes elements of the unexpected and unanticipated. We thought the trip would involve just the two of us. Nope. Our children arranged to have a whole group of our lifelong friends celebrate … [Read more...]
Delighting in My Weakness – Lectio Divina
But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness. ” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong. 2 Corinthians 12: 9-10 I delight in weaknessesLord, I am not enough.I can't do this on my own.I cannot save myself.I try. I strive. I struggle to do my best.I work so hard - often for me, sometimes for You.I am too weak to get everything done.I need You. My soul's poverty reaches out to You as the woman stretched forth her hand to touch Your hem of healing. Then I hear You say gently, "But I am enough. I am the power when you are defenseless and a strength in your vulnerability."Lord, You are the Rock and High Tower.You are vast in my emptiness.You are significant in my smallness.You are the strength in my frailties and fragileness.Lord … [Read more...]
Prayer by John Wesley
prayer.. (Photo credit: aronki)“Lord, I am no longer my own, but Yours. Put me to what You will, rank me with whom You will. Let be employed by You or laid aside for You, exalted for You or brought low by You. Let me have all things, let me have nothing, I freely and heartily yield all things to Your pleasure and disposal. And now, O glorious and blessed God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, You are mine and I am Yours. So be it. Amen.” John Wesley … [Read more...]
Fun to Do the Impossible
“It's kind of fun to do the impossible.” I smiled when I read this quote the other day from Walt Disney. The words also made me pause and consider what in my life seemed impossible but would be fun to try anyway. I wonder if God feels that way sometimes."Mmmm," God thinks. "I think I will do the impossible today: let's make hummingbirds to fly even though aerodynamically they shouldn’t be able to. Maybe I will add a unique feature to the Alcon Blue butterfly so it becomes one of the few animals to perfectly imitate the smell and sounds of another species. Even better, I will make humans in My image. Yep, that sounds delightful."I have been thinking about dreams and hopes lately and how we permit the world to discourage us from trying to do what God has planted deep within us. We settle for the safe possible, instead of the risk of new ideals. I know I am my own worse enemy with negative thinking and self-pity that often stops me thinking my idea is feasible. I listen more to the … [Read more...]
The Spark of Passion
What gets you going? What makes you feel fully alive? Often doing something you feel passionate about not only helps you, but also enriches those around you and really the whole community.Passion.My writer friend, Johnnie, loves watching movies and reading books about World War II. Most of her stories take place in that time era or bloom from an element that occurred during the war. She has become an expert in those events."I am not sure about being an expert, but I do love it," she wrote in an email to me.That's passion. Something you love."Don't ask yourself what the world needs; ask yourself what makes you come alive. And then go and do that. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive." ~Attributed to Howard ThurmanReading the fine print in the church bulletin yesterday, I discovered how someone who lived two centuries ago, found a passion that continues to touch us today.Catherine Winkworth was honored as a hymn translator this week. Catherine who? I never heard of … [Read more...]
The Risk of Faith – Lectio Divina
A woman who had suffered a condition of hemorrhaging for twelve years—a long succession of physicians had treated her, and treated her badly, taking all her money and leaving her worse off than before—had heard about Jesus. She slipped in from behind and touched his robe. She was thinking to herself, "If I can put a finger on his robe, I can get well." The moment she did it, the flow of blood dried up. She could feel the change and knew her plague was over and done with.At the same moment, Jesus felt energy discharging from him. He turned around to the crowd and asked, "Who touched my robe?"His disciples said, "What are you talking about? With this crowd pushing and jostling you, you're asking, 'Who touched me?' Dozens have touched you!"But he went on asking, looking around to see who had done it. The woman, knowing what had happened, knowing she was the one, stepped up in fear and trembling, knelt before him, and gave him the whole story.Jesus said to her, "Daughter, you took a … [Read more...]
Giving Thanks – Quote of the Week – Dietrich Bonhoeffer
"Only he who gives thanks for little things receives the big things.We prevent God from giving us the great spiritual gifts He has in store for us, because we do not give thanks for daily gifts.We think we dare not be satisfied with the small measure of spiritual knowledge, experience, and love that has been given to us, and that we must constantly be looking forward eagerly for the highest good. Then we deplore the fact that we lack the deep certainty, the strong faith, and the rich experience that God has given to others, and we consider this lament to be pious.We pray for the big things and forget to give thanks for the ordinary, small (and yet really not small) gifts.How can God entrust great things to one who will not thankfully receive from Him the little things?”~Dietrich Bonhoeffer in Life Together: The Classic Exploration of Faith in Community … [Read more...]