Donald Miller over at Storyline Blog put out a video the other day, in which he talks about the moment he realized he was codependent in his romantic relationships. Here’s how it happened: A counselor leading a small group session laid out three pillows on the floor. She had Don stand on one of these …
Does Christian language make you uncomfortable? It probably should. In the early days, the Christian community used starkly imperial metaphors to talk about Jesus. They called him messiah, king, savior of the world, and a host of other names that were almost smirking in their irony. These were titles for the Emperor, not a man …
Have you ever wondered where forests come from? If you’ve ever taken a hike in a wooded area, it’s probably struck you what a diverse environment the forest is. There are all sorts animals, birds, plants large and small. A wondrous diversity of creatures co-exist in apparent balance and harmony. But how did forests come …
The old year is coming to a close, and a new one is beginning. For me, this is a time of reflection on what has come before, and meditation on what new life might be springing forth in the months to come. As I engage in this year-end reflection, here are three spiritual practices that …
Christmas is a big mess of tangled emotions, and the older I get the more I despair of ever sorting them out. Am I supposed to feel nostalgia or hope, gratitude or angst? Is Christmas a time for cheering or weeping? I really can’t tell. Maybe the answer to all these questions is yes. The …
What would it be like to go a day without seeing a logo? Would it be weird to live in a place without commercials, sales pitches, billboards? I’ve heard that in Cuba public advertising is illegal, but I admit that, as an American, this is hard for me to imagine. They say that death and …
There’s always going to be someone who is smarter than you. Richer. More successful by whatever metric you choose to employ. Does that bother you? As a friend of Jesus, you are invited into an entirely different way of measuring your life. Rather than comparing yourself to the greatest, look to the smallest. Instead of …