prayer – Page 2 – 300 words a day

Honest assessment of impending struggle.

Jesus said, “Now, my heart is troubled. And what shall I say, ‘Father save me from this hour?’” You know the feeling? It was a couple days before Good Friday. As best as I can tell, this is part of the last speech that Jesus gives, the end of his public teaching. In the next […]

by Jon Swanson

A rock and a hard place

Eddie worked at a hospital. He was a chaplain. He could have worked anywhere, he could have done anything, he could have been anyone that spends working hours caring for the hearts of others, walking with the burdens of others. Pastors, counselors, teachers, bus drivers. The parents who are up in the middle of the […]

by Jon Swanson

learning while saying a little prayer.

“As a pastor I was charged with, among other things, teaching people to pray, helping them to give voice to the entire experience of being human, and to do it both honestly and thoroughly.” That’s what Eugene Peterson wrote. Give people a sense of what is possible and acceptable and available. Give them a sense […]

by Jon Swanson

On laughing and praying.

I was praying with a friend for that friend. I was, as I often do, just talking, asking God for what seemed to be a response to the concern on my friend’s heart. And then, as I sometimes do, I just started laughing. People who know me know that this is one of my odd […]

by Jon Swanson

An early morning leadership prayer. (Also good for followers)

He was alone. I mean, he was surrounded by colleagues and dependents, allies and offspring. But up before dawn, he was alone. David was in the desert. His to-do list today, like every day, was simple. Six important things. find water avoid Saul find food avoid Saul find grass for flocks avoid Saul. If he […]