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Soul Drought
Pulling into our driveway after a two week absence we were horrified to see our young tree planted a year ago standing with half it’s leaves gone – now on the ground, blowing around, dead, brown. And note – this is not the season for leaf dropping. How could this happen in only 2 weeks? It isn’t hard to acknowledge the results of lack of water and the impact of drought on grass, trees, plants, flowers, animals and crops especially in Texas August heat. There’s not enough water to sustain the root systems. It’s just harder to realize this is not unlike what happens to our souls when they are…
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Even You Need Rest
Hey, friend. When did you last take time for soul care? I know. It’s not a vacation-guilt-trip we’re after here. But summer is almost over. The ministry year is planned. (Or, maybe you’re really stressed because it’s not!) As one who’s learned the value of taking care of my own soul (and paid the price for not doing it), let me encourage you to get out your calendar & find time. Make time. Cancel something if necessary. We can’t afford not to. Ruth Haley Barton spoke to a group of leaders in my area a few years ago from her book Strengthening the Soul of Your Leadership. A friend…
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Clear Summer Days
Ah, the first weeks of summer vacation—a blissful time in the life of a mother and her children. Kids have finally finished the school year and moms have hung their chauffeur hats for a while. The Monday morning rush has come to a halt, the emails from school have completely ceased and at the end of the day, mothers across the country can finally stop asking, “Did you finish your homework? Did you study for your test?” The beginning of summer brings such sweet hopes. It gives mothers and children an opportunity to commit their time to each other. Mothers make endless promises of fun and the kids—especially teens—realize they…
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Rest: Sochi and the Cadillac Lie
Have you seen this ad that Cadillac has been running during the Sochi Olympics? Don't believe the lie. Here is a summary of a biblical view of rest: A few more stats…. Men who take annual vacations decrease their rates of heart attack by 30%, but for women the rate of decrease is more significant at 50%. Most bodies need seven or eight hours of sleep. (Americans average less than six.) Stuff will never satisfy. It's not just "the world" that feeds the lie. Many churches foster a culture that says, “Busyness is next to godliness,” but God designed us to need rest. Ruth Haley Barton rightly observes, “There…
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Untangled
New Year's resolution #1: simplify my life. This year my goal is to cut back, say no more, and slow down. Last year felt so crowded and confusing. So this year my objective is to create space and catch my breath. Yet as I consider my soul’s craving for rest, I'm shocked by the compulsion that arises from within. I long to be wanted and needed. I find busyness thrilling. I fear I might miss out on something monumental if I take a break. So I make lists. I work late into the evenings. I seldom sit still. And as I toil, I let the really gratifying parts of life…
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Unhurried
The house sits quiet and still. The presents lay in the corner, waiting to be set in their places and hung on their hangers. The tree stands dim, hoping to be lit a few more times before it’s placed back into its box. There’s something about the pregnant pause between opening Christmas presents and ringing in the New Year that beckons us to slow down. There are no more gifts to purchase. There are no more hams to glaze or pies to bake. There’s no rush to pull down the tinsel or rearrange the house. This last week of December calls us to reflect on the way we lived in…
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Are You Taking Time Off?
Jesus said to them, “Come with me privately to an isolated place and rest a while” (for many were coming and going, and there was no time to eat). So they went away by themselves in a boat to some remote place (Mark 6:31–32). I just returned from the first two-week vacation that I’ve taken since I was a kid living with my parents. It came on the heels of finishing the latest issue of the magazine I edit, which has a fall theme devoted to “Rest.” I’ve conducted lots of interviews and read statistics on the subject lately, and I’ve been trying to apply what I’ve learned. We…
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A Walk in the Park
In the heart of Manhattan stands an oasis of green rolling hills, plush gardens and a reservoir that covers 106 acres of the 840 acres of Central Park. A few blocks away you will find shoppers on Fifth Avenue, chaos in Times Square, and performers doing their thing on Broadway. Yet on any given day, many will find the park filled with people looking for a bit of sanctuary in the midst of a city that never sleeps. I recently took a walk through Central Park. I found the beauty of it astounding despite having toured it a few years back. During my time there I noticed some New Yorkers…
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The Fourth Opportunity
The Fourth Commandment states that we are to remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy (Exodus 20:8-11). To keep something holy simply means to set it apart (Leviticus 20:26). That is, on the Sabbath, we are to cease from the things that we do the other six days of the week and rather do things that bring glory and honor to God (Ezekiel 20:12). So, have you set apart one day of the week where you cease doing your normal routines and rather spend time honoring God? If you cannot say “Amen”, Say “Oh, Me!”
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Sleeping on God’s Shoulder
This weekend at a family gathering, my 45-year-old cousin, a new father, walked into the room with his sleeping baby girl on his shoulder. He said to another cousin, "Want to feel the best feeling in the world? Want to let Aimee sleep on your shoulder?" He transferred the little girl to his aunt's shoulder, and the baby nestled into her new position. I enjoyed watching both of my cousins reveling in the sweetness of a baby, totally relaxed and trusting, sleep on their bodies. I remembered the days when it was my husband's and my turn to experience that with our sons. It's a heart-swelling, quiet kind of joy.…
