Reflections on the costs of following Jesus and on the true cost of asking God for what we want

This post originally appeared in February 2022. We’re reposting it, since Paul Merrill is on vacation. +++ I have a really old pair of shoes. I keep them by our front door and only wear them to take the trash out. The stitching has worn out in several places. The soles are maybe the third […]

Heather and I recently switched churches. We loved the church we left, but we needed some spiritual refreshment. We spent many months in prayer and in discussion about whether we should stay or go. We left on good terms – and even got the blessing of the pastors of the church we were leaving. And […]

Good Friday. To those who follow Jesus, this day is a time to remember the sacrifice He made by dying a horribly painful death on a cross. Those who are Catholic seem to have a better grasp of the terrible pain Jesus experienced as he died on a cross. You’ll find a painting of this […]

Every day, almost, I see things that are broken. Or poorly designed. Or that could be much better. Last weekend, I went to a coffee shop to enjoy some delicious coffee for a couple of hours in a stimulating environment. After I finished washing my hands, I saw that the trashcan just below the towel […]