October 2011 – Page 4 – 300 words a day

communion isn’t self-serve.

I was standing in the back of the gym we use for our church service. I looked at the tray of oyster crackers in my hands. A dozen of us were about to walk up the aisles and pass trays. It’s like an offering, except you take instead of give. You pick up a cracker […]

by Paul Merrill

Abide

Abide is one of those words that left our vocabulary about the time most people stopped using the King James Version of the Bible. But it’s a great word. In John 15:5-7, Jesus speaks about abiding in Him. I don’t want to summarize what he said, so here’s the passage (from the New Living Translation): […]

by Jon Swanson

as best.

James Bryan Smith says that during one of his tours, Rich Mullins would spend the time before each concert with markers and a white board. He’d draw a map of the world and fill in as many countries as he could before the concert. When he was called to go to the stage, he’d write […]

by Jon Swanson

help.

“I don’t like to ask for help.” That’s what she told me today. Out of work. Heart problems. Great reasons to ask for help. But she waited. And we can help with food and paper goods and toothpaste and razors. I can offer a phone number to someone else. A couple weeks ago, someone else […]

by Jon Swanson

Looking for Jesus in Hampton, Iowa.

Nancy and I are spending the weekend in Hampton, Iowa. Our friend Deb put together the Harvest tour. She invited several bloggers to come to town, stay at a bed and breakfast, and be shown around town. Some of the other bloggers write travel or ag or family blogs. It makes sense for them to […]