First go and be reconciled with your brother; then come and offer your gift. — Matthew 5:24 At a church potluck awhile ago, older parishioners were asked to share childhood memories to help us younger parents strengthen our families. An elderly Greek lady, Helen, told us that every Saturday evening her family had prayed special…
The Fruit of the Spirit: Peace
Overcoming Anxiety and Conflict Moving from volcano and earthquake country to tornado country required my (Wayde) family to adjust our thinking. In Seattle we frequently heard predictions of what would happen if Mount Rainier erupted, and the frightening memory of the eruption of Mount Saint Helens is very much alive throughout the Pacific Northwest. We…
It’s a New Day: The Choice Is Yours
It’s quiet. It’s early. My coffee is hot. The sky is still black. The world is still asleep. The day is coming. In a few moments the day will arrive. It will roar down the track with the rising of the sun. The stillness of the dawn will be exchanged for the noise of the…
Scrubbed Clean
Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean. — Ezekiel 36:25 KJV My Maggie is an artist; she likes to draw. Being the exuberant soul she is, she prefers larger surfaces. A big white wall is irresistible; tabletops are attractive too. In a pinch Maggie will draw on herself if indelible markers are available. Maggie’s…
Rhythms of Renewal OBS Week 2 — Rest
God put rest in us because rest is necessary for vitality and flourishing. ~ Rebekah Lyons Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to Me. Get away with Me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with Me and work with Me — watch…
Trusting in the Master Gardener
Now the Lord God had planted a garden in the east in Eden. — Genesis 2:8 The Butchart Gardens of Victoria, British Columbia, enjoy a worldwide reputation. Begun in 1904 in Mr. Butchart’s abandoned stone quarry north of the city, the gardens now contain fifty acres of year-round blossom and sculptured greenery. I first visited…
5 Bible Stories, 5 Prayers
The Best Answer to Prayer The word of the Lord came to [Abraham]… “A son who is your own flesh and blood will be your heir.” He took him outside and said, “Look up at the sky and count the stars — if indeed you can count them.” Then he said to him, “So shall…
There’s Dumb and There’s Death
“THERE WAS NO REMEDY” The Lord sent word to [His people] through His messengers again and again, because He had pity on His people and on His dwelling place. But they mocked God’s messengers, despised His words and scoffed at His prophets until the wrath of the Lord was aroused against His people and there…
When Little Children Get in the Way
Say Hello to My Little Friend If anyone causes one of these little ones — those who believe in Me — to stumble, it would be better for them to have a large millstone hung around their neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea. — Matthew 18:6 Every older generation thinks the younger ones have it easier.…
Your Words Matter
In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters. And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. — Genesis 1:1-3 ESV If…