The invitation was to write about a time I went on a hike. I am not a hiking person. I am a walking person. Or a running person. But I thought about the hiking that Jesus, Peter, James, and John did up a mountain. It wasn’t a fourteener, the big mountains in Colorado. But it […]

I often ask God to give people courage. I’m usually standing near a bed. On the bed is a person who is dying, with two or three people standing close. I suppose that those listening may think I’m asking for courage to persevere, to continue the fight, to attempt everything impossible to save this life. […]

God. We are in a hospital. We want to be healed.We would almost be willing to dip ourselves in a dirty river if you would guarantee that we would be healed. We confess. We confess that we’d rather have one big miracle and be done than have tiny steps of obedience.We confess that we prefer […]

Most of us struggle with what to say to friends when we hear a loved one has died. Sometimes we decide not to say anything. Sometimes we show up and feel like we’ve said the wrong things. I understand.  Though I’ve taught speech and I’ve written so many words, I wrestle with what to say […]

Rich Dixon keeps unfolding his story: +++ So…what’s the lesson of the elevator story? That’s how it works in inspirational speeches and sermons, right? The parable (short, if possible) leads to the practical application, the takeaway. Because what’s the point of 3 posts about an elevator if there’s not gonna be a lesson? But perhaps […]