belief – Page 11 – 300 words a day

Jon Swanson, sales.

Yesterday, Chris accused me of being in sales. He said What are you selling? Who knows? Jon sells religion (though I’m sure he’d prefer I not call it sales). The funny thing is, I’m more bothered by the idea that what I’m selling is religion than the idea that I am selling. Part of what makes […]

by Jon Swanson

A long obedience.

I used to teach college students about speech. I gave that up. Sometime in the mid-eighties, while I was doing that, I came across A Long Obedience in the Same Direction, a book by Eugene Peterson. I realized this week that it changed my life. Let me tell you why. At the college where I […]

by Jon Swanson

Still.

I’m struggling to be still these days. Too many things to fix. Too many problems to solve. Too many waves, too much wind. I’m in the boat, shaking Jesus. I want to know that he knows we are all drowning. *** She wasn’t old enough for a funeral. No one is, I suppose, but 47 years […]

by Jon Swanson

not a birthday post.

Andrew showed up in our arms 24 years ago today. Today I should talk about Andrew. I should talk about how much I understand about the love of a father for a child that I never knew before Andrew was born, and how much that has taught me about God’s love for me. I should […]

by Jon Swanson

a travel writer and the kingdom of heaven

I was listening to Rick Steves the other day. He does travel shows on public television. He concentrates on Europe. He wants people to become “temporary locals,” to live like residents of the country. In the interview, he talked about his sense of responsibility as a travel writer to visit places that are portrayed in […]