I grew up near the ocean and spent many days by the shore: swimming, sunbathing, walking, and listening to the sound of the waves. My love for the ocean has broadened into a deep delight of all kinds of water in God’s creation.  For me, spaces filled with water – oceans, rivers, lakes, streams – have become more than just places of beauty or fun. They are places where the sights and sounds draw me in to deep soul reflection, and I find in them many metaphors for my journey with God. Particularly when paddling in my kayak. A Sense of Discovery For me, kayaking provides a sense of discovery as I embark from the shore and allow myself to be enveloped in the beauty of God’s world. I silently paddle around inlets and explore coves, with no noise from a motor to distract me.  I see diving birds and waddling ducks.  I hear croaking frogs and I watch lily pads gently sway in the water. I listen to the breeze as it stirs through the pines.  Sometimes the vi...

When Jesus was nailed to the cross, his enemies thought they had won. And why not? After all, his very existence was a threat to the existing social and religious order. What better way to get rid of a nuisance like Jesus than to kill him painfully and shamefully through the act of crucifixion. Crucifixion was a penalty reserved for the worst and the lowest; for the scum of society. It was the preferred form of capital punishment for criminals and rebellious slaves; for traitors and rebels who promoted insurrection against the government. It was so gruesome, so painful, so disgraceful that it was more than an act of execution: it was an act of torture. Needless to say, it served as a strong form of deterrence because no one…no one…wanted to be crucified.  Crucifixion was such a cruel and degrading form of punishment that all sorts of writers and historians – both secular and sacred – quailed at describing it with any significant detail. Surely God did not intend for hi...

The frost has lifted and the first flowers are blooming. These signs signify early spring, but also that I soon will be able to step back into a place that is a significant part of my life. A place that helps bring a sense of rhythm to my days. It’s a local, family-owned farm. Come April 15, rain or sun, Thistledown Farm will open for another season. It’s circled on my calendar and I await it’s opening with anticipation. Yes, they sell produce and plants like many farms…but this place actually refreshes my soul. The season begins with only a few items on the shelves, so the space is open and the atmosphere quiet. Then I watch the greenhouse offerings, the food bins, and the cold storage areas fill up over the months. By mid-summer, the view is one of abundance with bursting color, food options and plants galore. It is a feast for the eyes and the stomach! Now, you might wonder: what’s so special about going to a farm, and this one in particular? I love the short drive out into ...

My guest blogger this week is my dear friend, Betsy Ridgway . Her unique journey through a major health crisis, multiple miscarriages, faith struggles, adoption issues with her kids, her son's cancer & special needs issues, all have helped anchor and stretch her faith. Her journey is the inspiration for her website, as well as her upcoming book, "The Song of My Hope." www.Sparklinghope.net We've all got one. I've got several. The disciple Paul talks about having "a thorn in his side" (2 Cor. 12:7). What is yours? What is that bothersome, painful annoyance or terrible trial in your life that you deal with day after day, month after month? Has it left you feeling hopeless?I have labeled this pain my "prickly pear". Sometimes it's a person, sometimes it's a circumstance. Regardless, there's no hiding from it. Believe me, I've tried! The secret to "dealing with it" is what I'm going to share with you now. I...

You become like what you worship. N. T. Wright When I was a child, we sang a classic hymn in church with these words:            Praise to the Lord, the almighty, the King of creation           O my soul praise him, for he is thy health and salvation           All ye who hear, now to his temple draw near, join me in glad adoration. I imagine many of us have enthusiastically sung these words – or others like them –proclaiming our worship of God. This hymn rightly claims that we should praise and honor the God of creation. He should be the object of our reverence. Why? Because we become like what – or who – we worship. The challenge, of course, is not to simply sing these words, but to live them out. It’s what we do that actually reveals what we value and love. It’s the clearest sign of what we actually worship. For example, do we seek our value through our career, or approval and acc...

"For I know the plans I have for you" declares the Lord,  "plans to prosper you and not to harm you,  plans to give you hope and a future." Jeremiah 29:11 Our kitchen definitely needs help. Everything is looking old. The cabinet doors won’t close properly, the tile on the counter is cracked, the dishwasher is leaking, the flooring is permanently dirty, and the shelves are always sticky. Sigh. It's not very functional, it's embarrassing to look at, and I hate to have guests see it. Even I hate to see it!  Our kitchen – the heart of our home – needs a redo.  But...how big of a redo? I mean, it is bad, but is it worth thousands of dollars to remodel? Maybe we should just scrape out the bad grout, put bleach on the shelves to scrub them clean, and paint over the old cabinets. Do we really need to spend the money to remodel it? This is the issue my husband and I wrestled with many years ago. And in the case of a kitchen, arguments certainly c...

…we have all these great witnesses who encircle us like clouds.  So, we must let go of every wound that has pierced us  and the sin we so easily fall into.  Then we will be able to run life’s marathon race with passion and determination,  for the path has been already marked out before us.  Hebrews 12:1 The Passion Translation I appreciate how the author of Hebrews uses imagery of the ancient Olympic races as a metaphor for the spiritual life. He reminds his audience that athletes in the Games become greatly animated, because influential and powerful citizens of the country are intensely watching the competition. This induces the contestants to make extraordinary efforts to display their determination, their prowess, and their ability to win against all odds. They focus on the goal so they won’t stumble or get waylaid due to distraction. Describing life’s race as a marathon offers a great picture of the endurance we need for the long haul. It re...