-
Managing Our 2016 Expectations
Back in the saddle of weekly activities, 2016 is already barreling along, the stock market and the weather jerking around like a bull in the Houston Rodeo. (Or…maybe that should be a bear?) Whether we write down our goals and vision for the year ahead or not, we all have this picture of the way we'd like things to be. And then life happens. Here are some reminders to think about, pray about, as we try to live on purpose when life starts bucking around: We hold our expectations with open, God-trusting hands. Like Nehemiah, we may long to see certain outcomes and ready strategic plans for the moment when…
-
The New Year Has Already Imploded
A new year means new beginnings, and in that spirit I've started the Whole30 program. No longer can I enjoy the yumminess of dairy, sugar, and grains (read: no ice cream, cheese, or bread). This may sound sad, but discovering new recipes with vegetables I had rarely or never eaten has proven fun, tasty, and empowering. I mean, I can have a steak and potato on this diet! Designed to help people discover their food addictions and bad food habits, Whole30 is a kickstart, a one-month fast from certain comfort foods. Two weeks into this 30-day experiment, I've lost weight, sleep better, no longer need coffee every morning (though I do…
-
ISIS: Where is a path to victory? Or even safety?
When bloody horror erupts on our TVs and phones we mourn with those who mourn. We pray for the gospel to “speed ahead and be honored” and for God to comfort all those who have suffered loss because of ISIS’s rampage through Paris. We are also hard-wired from the factory to grasp for the “Why?”. In the West’s war with ISIS this much is certain: Like the Republicans and Democrats, we don’t even agree on what the issues are. The secular West thinks ISIS is morally bankrupt because they subvert freedom. They murder and rape as an act of worship to Allah. They think the West is spiritually…
-
Let’s Change the Conversation!
With the news of devastating earthquakes in Nepal and the horror of consistent atrocities by Isis and extreme Islamists against believers in the Middle East why is the primary conversation about faith here in the USA centered on conflict between bakers and photographers and same-sex marriage? Where’s the outrage and attendant action to relieve suffering and support our brothers and sisters in Christ facing death or displacement. Let’s change the conversation. I know we feel helpless and frustrated. What can we do? We can pray! For the weapons of our warfare are not those of the world. Instead, they have the power of God to demolish fortresses. We tear…
-
An Open Letter to the New York Times Editorial Board: Maybe There Is a “Why” for ISIS and Evil?
From “The Fundamental Horror of ISIS” 10-2-14: "Comparisons are meaningless at this level of evil, as are attempts to explain the horror by delving into the psychology or rationale of the perpetrators…as Roger Cohen, the New York Times columnist, wrote in a recent piece about ISIS, there is no “why” in the heart of darkness." (“Yet, in the end, there is no why to the barbarism of ISIS. There is no why in Raqqa. Evil may adduce reasons; they fall short.”–Cohen)—New York Times Editorial Board Dear Editorial Board, I commend your tacit admission that none of the usual subjects can explain the YouTubed beheadings, the systematic rape of…
-
The Best Christian Response to Terror
Another beheading. More Christians raped, murdered and fleeing ISIS in terror. The enemy wants us to feel powerless. Hunker down. Circle the wagons. But Jesus always calls us to something richer and life-giving, even in the midst of death. After we’ve written a check, after we’ve gathered in our churches and prayed for our brothers and sisters on the other side of the world, after we’ve signed petitions…then what? What can we actually DO in a hands on way? Jesus shows us his way to respond to needy people in crisis in Matthew 25: We give food to the hungry and drink to the thirsty. We take in refugees and strangers.…
-
Slacktivism vs Authentic Engagement
Recently, the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge has taken the nation by storm. From rock bands to former presidents, people of all ages and socio-economic statuses have bonded together to 'take the plunge,' so to speak, allowing themselves to be doused in ice cold water in the name of one cause: raising funds for ALS research. (Sidenote: some of the most popular "Ice Bucket" videos can be found here.) Some claim that this viral campaign is yet another example of slacktivism: a belittling term referring to slackers who claim some form of activism through feel-good measures that require little personal involvement. Earlier this summer, another image spread across the facebook world:…
-
Focus on What’s Fixed
My husband and I recently took an Alaskan cruise. As we settled ourselves for sailaway in front of large windows on one of the highest decks, I heard a little girl ask, “Did we start moving yet? How will we know when we’re moving?” I don’t know what her mother said, but I do know the answer: you fix your gaze on what isn’t moving. I was looking at the building in this picture I took; when the ship starting pushing away from the pier, I knew we were moving because of our view through the window in relation to the stationary building. And I thought, “Little one, the answer…
-
Gaza, Ukraine, ISIS, Afghanistan, Libya, Honduras…Five Ways To Dispel Dread
Like me, you hear the stories of a jet blown out of the sky, bodies falling and bloating in the Ukranian sun. No one allowed to gather them and send them home to their grieving families. In Europe. And you sense that some line has been crossed. Christians flee Mosul, Iraq, their community’s home for thousands of years, with only the clothes on their backs (see Gwen's post below). Another line crossed. Maybe also like me, the churn in the world amplifies the churn of bad news in your own family and friends–careers disrupted, separation–news that has you "writing the book" with heartbreaking storylines. Do we let the dread…
