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Thinking biblically about ISIS and what’s a caliphate anyway?
Tomorrow Western leaders will gather in Wales to consider what to do about a well- funded, media-saavy, ultra-violent group of terrorists that brainwash and recruit angry disillusioned young men from all over the world to travel to Iraq and Syria to form a caliphate. The terrorists call themselves ISIS (the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria) or ISIL (the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant). The Levant is a region of the Middle East, that includes Jordan, Israel, Palestine, Lebanon, Cyprus and southern Turkey. Their goal is to first conquer these countries and then to dominate the rest of the world by birthing a world-wide caliphate. What's a…
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Robin Williams: when having it all isn’t enough
Robin Williams "had it all"–notoriety, meaningful work, money, a stellar career, a wife who adored him, close friends, a good reputation, the joy of helping needy people–yet, this week, alone and despondent, he hung himself in his bedroom. Also, the news reported that police found a pocket knife close to his body that he used to self-inflict "superficial injuries." Nobody's laughing now, as people search for answers. The truth is that Robin Williams didn't have it all. From what we know, he didn't have Jesus or a relationship with His Creator. That empty God sized vacuum within him swallowed up all that other stuff like a black hole. All the…
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Why Many Mentors Are AWOL
We are experiencing a mentoring crisis. One key reason is that too many older women cling to an outdated formulaic idea of what mentoring is all about. When we hear the word "mentoring" we conjure up a picture that fit our experience as a young woman. Then we look in the mirror and don't see an adequate mentor staring back at us. Our preconceived ideas about what today's young women want in a mentor convince us we are not enough—but we are wrong. What we don't realize is that younger women today are far more likely to want a relationship with the woman in the mirror than the conjured-up perfect…
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Ditch Worn Out Mentoring Methods
We are experiencing a mentoring crisis today. Kregel Publications just released our new book based on research conducted by my friend and former student Barbara Neumann that explores a new approach that we believe will revolutionize mentoring today. We begin with our personal stories…
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A Trip to Normandy to Enrich Your Fourth
My friend Carla Galanos recently returned from the beaches of Normandy with deep gratitude to God and our brave soldiers for making our Fourth of July celebration still possible. I've asked her to share highlights of the experience hoping her words will enrich your holiday too. Enjoy! It’s here! July 4–our favorite summer holiday. Fireworks, flags, parades, red, white and blue everything, barbeque and glow sticks–all the trappings to celebrate our country’s birthday. This year we are remembering that it all began with a Declaration, an unwavering commitment to freedom and liberty. In May of this year, my husband I took a “bucket list” trip to the Normandy beaches where,…
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The Beauty of Breathing
Yesterday our recently rescued Westie Emma Rose spent most of the day panting, wheezing, and gagging. Today she dozes by my chair as I write this, nuzzled against my leg. Bad days and good days. Three weeks ago, the vet diagnosed her with pulmonary fibrosis after a 4 am trip to the animal emergency room where she ended up in a dog-sized oxygen chamber with an IV. We left down-hearted about her terminal prognosis, and wondering if vet insurance is a good idea. Five months ago, when we saved Emma Rose from a puppy mill, we had no idea we would enjoy so few days with her or that she…
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When caring isn’t enough
This week President Obama praised VA Secretary Eric Shinseki, insisting that he should remain at his post because he cares so much for our veterans. Never mind the multiple allegations of incompetency that may well be costing some veterans their very lives. Whistle blowers from all over the VA system are finally coming forward with horrendous stories, but our president has yet to hold Shinseki accountable because the Vietnam vet cares so much. What cultural attitudes promote this kind of thinking and how have these attitudes seeped into contemporary Christianity? What are the lessons for us? As we move from a print age to a digital age, multiple shifts…
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What’s “organic” ministry and why do many next gen leaders embrace it?
Recently, my students, future ministers, gave oral reports on ministries they visited and evaluated. For the first time, I heard several of them use the word "organic" as an adjective to describe healthy ministries, and lacking "organic" as a negative. What is organic ministry anyway and why are so many of my students drawn to it? I remember an older woman who exploded, "Organic!"– I'm beginning to hate that word. If everything is organic, how do we ever get anything done?" Her frustration grew out of several conversations with younger women, and, in her opinion, this organic thing was throwing up roadblocks to effective ministry, specifically mentoring in her case.…
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Spring’s promise on days I want to cry
Pray without ceasing–I'm learning what that means this week: My friend and renowned author Carolyn Custis James's diagnosis of stage 1 lung cancer and her surgery today. My friend and long-time Bible teacher Shirley Hotchkiss's miserable bout with brain cancer causing such severe nausea that she ended up in the hospital this week. An unnamed friend who lost a promising ministry opportunity because someone snuck in and sabotaged the hiring process this week. Oh, Lord, I'm reeling from a bad news tidal wave week and I want it to stop. But I can't make it stop. All I can do is lift up these…
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The IF:Gathering, Nail in the Coffin or a Fresh Awakening?
Two years ago Sarah Bessey rocked the women's ministry world with her blog, Why We Don't Need "Women's" Ministry (17 thousand likes). Did the IF:Gathering nail the coffin lid down tight or blow that sucker sky high with fresh resurrection power? What would Sarah say? Well, Sarah, there were no cute cupcake designs and decorating tips, scrapbooking parties or casserole recipes. Instead a parade of diverse nameless leaders opened with unscripted prayers to beseech God to act and empower. They were smart and they were brave and they asked God to use them to change the world. No long introductions full of accolades and sales pitches. Unapologetically…
