About 10.5 years ago (on July 4) we got quite a surprise. We found out that we were pregnant with our 3rd child. This was not expected in any way – there’s a classic picture that was taken at a 4th of July party where […]
All posts tagged: Advent
Imago Scriptura 118 – Daniel 8-10 – Dreams
I had forgotten how much of Daniel has to do with dreams and visions. I remembered that they were there, but reading through this time, it felt much more pronounced than I remembered. We read of the king’s dreams in several places and in […]
Wait for the Lord 17 – Taken
A few days ago, Nouwen talked about being chosen and he returns to that again today, but here he makes it feel much more personal. “When I know that I am chosen, I know that I have been seen as a special person. Someone has […]
Wait for the Lord 14 – Dealing with Loss
There is a unique blessing that comes in leading a service for when someone passes away. As a pastor, I am able to be there for a family who is grieving a loss and am able to by deed and by word seek to proclaim […]
Wait for the Lord 13 – Grace and Freedom
So, I am a day late in writing this, but yesterday morning I was getting ready for our early service and happened to glance out my office window and saw a beautiful lavender-ish light that was filling the street. My office window faces north so […]
Wait for the Lord 13 – Taking up our Cross
Nouwen had a decidedly different take on the concept of taking up our cross (referring back to Matthew 16:21 – “If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.”) Most of the time I hear […]
Wait for the Lord 11 – Lost Dreams
“Those who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, and they shall walk and not faint.” – Isaiah 40:31 This passage is my prayer for those who are struggling […]
Wait for the Lord 10 – A Coming Together
“Peace be to the whole community, and love with faith, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.” – Ephesians 6:23 Nouwen’s focus today is on the deep form of community that we as Christians are called to. “Communion with God allows you to […]
Wait for the Lord 09 – Clothed in Compassion
My mother loves to knit and we have many examples of her knitting giftedness around our house. We have an afghan that she made I don’t know how many years ago that is in regular use down in our basement where we watch TV/movies. Our […]
Wait for the Lord 04 – Set us Free
I have used this statue more than a few times in my pictures but it seemed especially appropriate tonight. Nouwen’s devotion is a “positive” one – looking back on the memory of Christ’s birth enables us to look forward to the progress of the fulfillment […]
Wait for the Lord 03 – Toy Story 3 Uno
In Nouwen’s devotion today, he zeroed in on living for and living in the present moment. He has a great line that I used as the title of this post, “Today is more important than tomorrow.” In our staff meeting this morning we talked about […]
Wait for the Lord 02 – Living as God’s Child
I took this picture earlier this year in the chapel at Eastern State Penitentiary in Philadelphia. My pastors group was meeting in Philly and we went for a tour around this old prison. We read of how the prison was created to be a place […]
