PRAY.
Connecting with God.
Related topics: Christian Music, Creativity and Art, For Reflection, Life of Worship, Spiritual Practice
RECENT POSTS
a psalm of david, when he fled from absalom his son
I'll be honest. Just writing this stuff on how to lament is tough. I've gotten feedback as I share on this topic that some people just can't relate. Some prefer to focus on the joy of the Lord, and others on simply finding contentment. And all due respect to other...
lament: a perspective on sadness in the bible
Wanna know something that drives me crazy? Happiness. Not all happiness. I’m very pro-happiness. I just don’t like fake happiness. You know, the kind people show you at church when you ask them how they’re doing. People put on the smile, and tell you, “I’m doing...
Jesus is like topsoil [4 thoughts about our relationship with Christ]
I'm a sucker for a good simile. Especially ones that help me understand my faith. Statements like, "Jesus is like a [blank]," help us to understand various characteristics of his nature. In fact, the Scriptures are full of names for God which all tell us a great...
9 songs that inspire my christian faith
“Music gives a soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination and life to everything.” These are some insightful words from Plato. And he had never heard music from Michael Jackson, Bruce Springsteen, or Bob Marley. Music has a way of reaching deep inside of us and communicating things that words alone cannot.
the #codexinstagramus initiative: a bible photography project
What if you could only use pictures to tell the story of the Gospel? I've been thinking a great deal about Luke, the writer of his Gospel and the Book of Acts. The influence of his writing is unquestionable. But one thing most people don't know about him is that he...
FEATURED
on trusting God and being fearless: an interview with @group1crew
This interview couldn't have come at a better time for me. I'm experiencing major life changes at an unprecedented pace, and the uncertainty can be kind of scary. But it can also be exciting! As I chat with Blanca Callahan and Manwell Reyes of Group 1 Crew, I find...
they disfigure their faces
Jesus just finished teaching his disciples how to pray when he said to them, “And when you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces that their fasting may be seen by others." (Matthew 6:16a) I dig how Jesus went ahead and offered...
how taking pictures makes me a better writer
[serialposts]The comment said, “brilliant bokeh Dan.” And I was like, “huh, what?” She continued, “amazing that you captured this with a DROID!” And moving from the confused look to the big cheesy smile look I was like, “oh yeah!” The comment was on one of my...
serving communion
"Body of Christ broken for you." I repeated this simple phrase as I broke off a piece of the loaf that I was serving to each who came forward to partake of the Lord's Supper. It was our last morning together at a Laity Lodge Writer's Retreat; a retreat that I won't...
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT
carrying christmas
My husband and I will celebrate our 42nd wedding anniversary on Wednesday. On Friday, I'll remove my diamond rings. Not to worry, though. It's only temporary. I've had my flu shot, popped my first malaria pills, and packed last year's Cipro just in case. I'm making...
three musicians you should know
I'm trying to come down from a Frio River high after four days at Laity Lodge in the Hill Country of Texas with members of The High Calling. On second thought, I don't want to come down. I want to immerse myself in the sounds of running water and a crackling fire,...
what to do when you’re scared spitless
Sandra's note: Susan Etole sees deeper than many I know. She's uncapped her pen today to share just a few words with us about the power of scripture when we're facing dragons. Susan writes: I’m apprehensive going into this procedure. Scared spitless would be a more...
the testing of boundaries
You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore. Psalm 16.11 (ESV) Five weeks after total knee replacement and my therapist thinks I'm doing great, but it's hard work, and I sometimes...
power of the Blood
On Monday, we take communion around our worn dining table after missing it on Sunday, share the hand blown goblet from Mexico filled with grape juice poured from small boxes. "This is His blood shed for you," my husband says, and the five of us remember the drink...
how we love
Lillee bounces down the aisle and slides into the pew like she comes to this church with us every week. She pulls a hymn book out of the rack. When time comes for the children’s sermon, she beats everyone to the platform steps and takes a seat next to Miss Jeannie,...
when you find it hard to forgive
When Joseph’s brothers saw that their father was dead, they said, “What if Joseph bears a grudge against us and pays us back in full for all the wrong which we did to him!” So they sent a message to Joseph, saying, “Your father charged before he died, saying, ‘Thus...
on re-learning how to pray
Sitting there in the darkened room while the book study DVD rolled on the screen to my right, I experienced the most jarring realization. We've been doing it all wrong. Since my children were babies, we've practiced the folding of hands for prayers--tucking...
eyes of mercy
The Keurig spills medium roast into my blue "His compassions never fail" mug. I wince because this brew was on sale, and if I'm going to drink coffee at all, I really need to spring for fair trade. I'm pretty sure this isn't. I find the remote hidden under a...