Category: Bible Study

Five Types of Prayer to Refresh Your Joy

How do you feel about prayer? I’ll admit I have mixed feelings. I grew up in churches. I attended a Christian college and seminary. I have been involved with countless ministries. I have worked at churches. And I have prayed silently and out loud in every one of those contexts.  Still, for much of my … Continue reading Five Types of Prayer to Refresh Your Joy

Remain in God’s Love

“Remain in God’s love.” That phrase from John 15 caught me. What does it look like to remain in God’s love? According to the passage, we remain in God’s love by keeping God’s commands. But what does that mean? Do we step outside of God’s love when we don’t keep God’s commands? That can’t be … Continue reading Remain in God’s Love

More Than These

Five Minute Friday prompt: Excuse This morning I practiced lectio divina before I took the dogs out for a walk. From John 21, I heard “Do you love me more than these?” and “Follow me.” It was the phrase “more than these” that really caught me. The resurrected Jesus has appeared to his disciples on … Continue reading More Than These

Tune In

Over the last few years I’ve been learning to develop healthy boundaries around the voices I listen to. I stopped listening to the news and read carefully instead.I implemented care in my use of media and social media.I made the difficult choice to walk away from relationships that had become crusty, toxic, bullying.I also tuned … Continue reading Tune In

Not Broken, Human

Five Minute Friday prompt: BROKEN Years ago I stopped using the words “sinful” or “sinner” to describe myself and others. While they are biblical terms to describe a spiritual reality, I realized those words only played nice on the church grounds. Those across the street couldn’t hear the good news of a loving God because … Continue reading Not Broken, Human

Easter is Over

Jesus died for love of us.Jesus beat death for love of us. He is risen, He is risen indeed. Easter is over … yet your season of grief may continue.I’m sorry. Life is hard, and there are so many occasions for grief. Jesus longs to turn our wailing into dancing, to swap our mourning clothes … Continue reading Easter is Over

“I am Pleased…”

When was the last time you experienced God’s pleasure? Yesterday I slipped outside to enjoy a few minutes of late afternoon solitude before dinner. I parked myself under the trees that shade our deck and opened the Ritual phone app I downloaded months ago but hadn’t yet explored. I was delighted to find a short … Continue reading “I am Pleased…”

No Need for Surrender

As a child in church I sang, “I surrender all ... all to Jesus, I surrender.” A current Hillsong chorus intones, “I surrender…”, giving God all of who we are and ever hope to be. It’s such familiar Christian-ese that it must be biblical. Right? I’ve been doing a lot of self-reflection lately, always informed … Continue reading No Need for Surrender

A Prayer for St. Patrick’s Day

Clover Heart Image by MLARANDA from Pixabay Christ be with meChrist before meChrist behind me Christ with me when I sleep and when I riseChrist with me when I work and when I playChrist surround me with love, grace, and goodnessChrist hold me close Christ with those who can’t sleep and with those who sufferChrist … Continue reading A Prayer for St. Patrick’s Day

Lent 2021: Explore Playful Practice

“...Lent is a speed bump in the church year, inviting us into reflection, confession, and prayer as we approach Holy Week and Easter, a time when we remember the profound costliness of God’s abundant love for us.” --Susan Phillips, PhD, Executive Director of New College Berkeley Image by Trevor M from Pixabay I love the … Continue reading Lent 2021: Explore Playful Practice