character – Page 16 – 300 words a day

forget the chapters

Miracles have a way of capturing attention. If you have seen someone who was paralyzed and then isn’t, and you know that the clearest action between was talking with God, you stop and think. If you shouldn’t have enough food and you do, and you know the clearest action in between was talking with God, […]

by Jon Swanson

sometimes something clicks

I was sitting on a dock in a small lake in western Michigan. It was early summer morning. I was working as a counselor at a camp for the summer. I was between my first two years of college. I took time off my computer job to be with kids. I’m not sure why, exactly. […]

by Jon Swanson

maybe I understand Mary better tonight

I usually end up writing sometime between 10 and 11 at night. I sit on the sofa with Nancy and watch TV or talk (or both) and then I come in and turn on a fan and start to write. Or start to try to write. Usually I look around the Internet a bit, getting […]

by Jon Swanson

Ordinary celebrations

I have been paid to perform weddings. I’ve been in weddings. I’ve cleaned up after weddings. I once even stood right next to the bride at a wedding and kissed her. I say all that to say, I know something about the preparation and stress and drama that surrounds weddings. Weddings are places where reality […]

by Jon Swanson

you all are gonna really see something

You gotta wonder what was going through Jesus’ brain sometimes. I mean, he knew everything, but I wonder if the living in real-time and the living outside of time ever allowed him to laugh. (I know. I gotta let you into what I’m thinking.) Nathanael was impressed that Jesus could see what he (Nathanael) had […]