We live in a crazy-making world. So much stimulation rushes at us with such unrelenting fury, we are overstimulated most of the time. Things that nourish us — a lingering conversation, a leisurely stroll through the park, time to savor both making and then enjoying dinner — these are being lost at an alarming rate;…
Redefining Rest
In returning and rest you shall be saved; in quietness and in trust shall be your strength. — Isaiah 30:15 ESV This is a vocal emergency,” Dr. Gupta told me, her tone dead serious as the morning sun glared through her office blinds. “You have done severe damage to your vocal cords. You cannot speak…
Mr. Rogers’ Quiet Revolution
Editor’s Note: This week marks the release of A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood, a film starring Tom Hanks & inspired by the life of the late Fred Rogers, known to many simply as “Mister Rogers” after his long-running children’s TV show Mister Roger’s Neighborhood. Author Jefferson Bethke highlighted Rogers’ life in a portion…
Possibilities Hide in All of Us
Love your neighbor as yourself. — Jesus in Mark 12:31 NIV My best ideas come to me in the shower. That’s a weird sentence to write, but admit it: All of our best ideas come in the bathroom, right? One day in 2008, I was taking my morning shower, and my mind was wandering,…
The Holiday of the Mind
And [Jesus] said to them, “Come aside by yourselves to a deserted place and rest a while.” For there were many coming and going, and they did not even have time to eat. — Mark 6:31 *** When was the last time you walked outside as the sun was setting and just meditated on…
Helping Our Kids Hear God
If you were on a game show and asked to list off all the prayers you learned as a small child, how many could you name? I would guess several would quickly come to mind from a few different categories, like: Bedtime Prayers: “Now I lay me down to sleep…” Mealtime Prayers: “God is great,…
Finding God in the Quiet
Because we’ll be here in Thailand for a solid two months during our trip around the world, I can meet with Nora, my new spiritual director, at least six times. There are other things to do in Chiang Mai — night markets to shop for cheap art and phone cases, hikes through the hills to…
A Quiet Life
Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life. — 1 Thessalonians 4:11 Beloved! This is our spirit’s deepest need. It is thus that we can learn to know God. It is thus that we receive spiritual refreshment and nutriment. It is thus that we are nourished and fed. It is thus that we receive…