Peace.      Still.      Rest. Peace in a World of Disturbance The Burden. Ever push to make things happen? When I do, I become anxious, worried, and stressed. All actions feel like my responsibility. Like it’s my fault when it doesn’t go well. Or when it does, the credit is mine. During these times, everything seems to key off of me, what I do, or don’t do, if I’m good enough, or not. I don’t like the stress of that kind of responsibility. The Freedom. When I place myself in the presence of... Read Full Story

Yesterday’s entry in Streams in the Desert had a stirring poem by Archbishop William Alexander. The poem moved me as it spoke to my heart’s passion. Listen to this… “If I have eaten my morsel alone,” The patriarch spoke with scorn; What would he think of the Church were he shown Heathendom—huge, forlorn, Godless, Christless, with soul unfed, While the Church’s ailment is fullness of bread, Eating her morsel alone? “Freely you have received, so give,” He says, who has given us all. How ... Read Full Story

Great Master, touch us with Your skillful hands; Let not the music that is in us die! ~Streams, p. 335 That line of poetry pierces into the struggle for my passion and alludes to the difficulties of life. Job said: Is not all human life a struggle? Our lives are like that of a hired hand…who longs for the shade…waiting to be paid. I, too, have been assigned months of futility, long and weary nights of misery (Job 7:1-3). If you’re like me working toward some beautiful ... Read Full Story

Great Master, touch us with Your skillful hands; Let not the music that is in us die! ~Streams, p. 335 That line of poetry pierces into the struggle for my passion and alludes to the difficulties of life. Job said: Is not all human life a struggle? Our lives are like that of a hired hand…who longs for the shade…waiting to be paid. I, too, have been assigned months of futility, long and weary nights of misery (Job 7:1-3). If you’re like me working toward some beautiful ... Read Full Story

    Solitude. Even the word sounds lonely. I admit that sometimes I want to be alone, but never do I want to be lonely. A restricted solitude, like solitary confinement, would be extra brutal. No touch, no interaction, no…nothing from anybody. How can the will to survive remain? Could severe solitude be good?   Some examples in Christian history bear witness that solitude is very fruitful, and possibly more effective than the busyness of Christian ministry or doing good.... Read Full Story

    Solitude. Even the word sounds lonely. I admit that sometimes I want to be alone, but never do I want to be lonely. A restricted solitude, like solitary confinement, would be extra brutal. No touch, no interaction, no…nothing from anybody. How can the will to survive remain? Could severe solitude be good?   Some examples in Christian history bear witness that solitude is very fruitful, and possibly more effective than the busyness of Christian ministry or doing good.... Read Full Story

A visionary leader casts the vision, obtains the buy-in of key people, and garners the support of a following, but it’s not until afterwards that the hard work of making creative adjustments begins. To bring the vision into reality and keep the momentum going, constant evaluations and adjustments are necessary. The vision, buy-in, and support are important, but without creativity and change the whole effort might tank or at least become fruitless, like beating a dead horse. Creative lea... Read Full Story

A visionary leader casts the vision, obtains the buy-in of key people, and garners the support of a following, but it’s not until afterwards that the hard work of making creative adjustments begins. To bring the vision into reality and keep the momentum going, constant evaluations and adjustments are necessary. The vision, buy-in, and support are important, but without creativity and change the whole effort might tank or at least become fruitless, like beating a dead horse. Creative lea... Read Full Story

Perspective – You meant evil against me, but God meant it for good. ~Joseph It will happen. Bad things happen to good people all the time. What is our perspective on the bad things happening to us? If we have enemies, backstabbers, and nay-sayers, we can say to them, "Beware. Good will come." It’s a matter of perspective. “You intended to harm me, but God intended it all for good. He brought me to this position so I could save the lives of many people.” (Gen.... Read Full Story

Perspective - You meant evil against me, but God meant it for good. ~Joseph It will happen. Bad things happen to good people all the time. What is our perspective on the bad things happening to us? If we have enemies, backstabbers, and nay-sayers, we can say to them, "Beware. Good will come." It’s a matter of perspective. “You intended to harm me, but God intended it all for good. He brought me to this position so I could save the lives of many people.” (Gen. 50:20... Read Full Story