Category: Brokenness

The Cost of Vision

When I see me honestly, I see Him accurately.

It is not very often today that we hear people talking about having visions of God . . . at least not without having their sanity questioned! Such talk, however, used to be a normal part of the Church’s vocabulary. The Christian tradition speaks of the “beatific vision” as seeing and experiencing the glory and light of God. While it is common for Christians to anticipate such a vision in heaven (I Cor. 13:12), many have grasped such an image this side of glory. Continue reading “The Cost of Vision”

Animated Reading: Nothing Changes but Everything is Different

This week we launch our ninth animated reading. The next five weeks of blog posts will draw from themes in this poem.  If you like the video, please share with others.

Nothing Changes but Everything is Different

Lord, You’re so amazing!

How do You do it? Continue reading “Animated Reading: Nothing Changes but Everything is Different”

Rethinking Surrender

Desperate for God. This has been the theme we’ve focused on since the very first blog and we have done so through the notion of “postures” or attitudes of holy desperation. So far we have talked about the postures of spiritual brokenness and stillness and this week we introduce the third posture—surrender. To speak of surrender is to consider the ultimate purpose of Christian faith. It’s easy to give lip service to this self-denying virtue but another to actually live it out. Continue reading “Rethinking Surrender”

The Mystery of Happiness

And still I cry, “Change me, change me, change me.”

I believe the vast majority of unhappiness and disillusionment among Christians can usually be traced to one common yet thoroughly un-interrogated assumption—happiness comes from getting what we want. While such logic seems sound it’s utterly contradictory to Christian faith because it lead us to think that Jesus is good for saving our souls but his blessings are needed for our happiness. In so doing, we separate the blessings of Christ from the person of Christ. Continue reading “The Mystery of Happiness”

New Thinking, New Faith

The next several weeks of blogs will be based on the animated reading posted last week. To see the full text of Kairos or watch the video, click here.

Troubled traveler seeking solutions – thoughts racing, heart pounding, body exhausted.

I thought my world was caving in and I feared my sanity was starting to crumble. My normal ways of coping were failing and I was losing control of my life. So I retreated to the one place where I had always found solace in difficult times past—the wooded outdoors. Only this time it was different . . . very different. In Kairos, I try to capture a sense of this unexpected divine encounter and its impact upon my life. Continue reading “New Thinking, New Faith”

The Transforming Fires of Disappointment

Then we will laugh and joyfully sing as we dance on the ground of this ruinous drawing.

Like it or not, disappointment plays an important role in our journey of faith. Our reaction to disappointment offers a window into the quality of our devotion to God. It reveals how committed we actually are while dispelling inaccurate ideas of a more unwavering faith. Unfortunately, in our zeal to follow Jesus we often profess a kind of surrender we really don’t yet know very much about. But how can we? This is the way of faith. Our growth is progressive. Continue reading “The Transforming Fires of Disappointment”

Never Alone

In the wind His voice is now drawing . . .

I am not alone; you are not alone. God takes companionship seriously. We serve a God fiercely committed to those who trust him with their lives. Whether we are in the heights of elation, the depths of despair, or somewhere in between we are never beyond his reach or distant from his thoughts (Psalm 139:7-12). Continue reading “Never Alone”

Reclaiming Our Souls

The place of stillness is a mirror, reflecting the condition of our souls. 

Sometimes life comes to a screeching halt. Movement and noise suddenly cease as the weight of stillness tangibly presses in upon us. This surreal state of mind can be triggered by personal crises or it can randomly roll over us as though appearing out of nowhere. Regardless how it comes, this “place of stillness” is often a place of awakening and revelation. Here we “remember” that we are more than flesh, blood, and bones. We possess an inner life . . . a life of the soul. Continue reading “Reclaiming Our Souls”

Filmed Reading: Standing in the Place of Stillness

This week we launch our sixth animated reading. The next five weeks of blog posts will draw from themes in this poem.  If you like the video, please share with others.

 

Standing in the Place of Stillness

I have been here before –

I remember the pasture

That beautiful expanse. Continue reading “Filmed Reading: Standing in the Place of Stillness”