Three mothers have shaped my life. In fact, these three mothers have been part of every decision I’ve ever made. One of them, Marion, I don’t know as well as I should. I know that she raised five children and married into farming and often didn’t know how the bills would be paid and had her […]

(First published March 8, 2010) Jesus told a man that his son would be healed. The man took Jesus at his word and headed home. Perhaps the man was good at taking direction because he worked for the king. That was certainly true for another healing situation. A centurion (military commander of 100 soldiers) wanted a servant […]

It was a few days after Easter. The man was feeling a bit lost. Easter Sunday? It was as if God was actually in the room. The man had been unsure about showing up. He struggled with being a Christ-follower. Sometimes it was really easy. He felt like God was right there with him. Other […]

In the early morning, I read Amos. All of it. In the middle of the afternoon, I read 1 Timothy. All of it. In between, I tried to read and think and write. It was a monthly retreat day. I wrote many words, 1000 or more. You probably won’t see them. They are words that […]

(First posted March 21, 2011) “Oh God.” That will be our prayer, God, many of us as we look at the clock for the first time on Monday morning, as we roll over and slap the alarm, as we feel the crush of realizing we have no idea where we left off in whatever projects […]