Thirty-one years later, a thousand miles from where I’ve landed, I find myself back at a sacred place deep in a redwood forest. A trickling stream meanders through ferns and ivy, Stellar jays flit and scold, fragrance of jasmine blossoms hangs in the air.This is where he asked me to marry him.It’s a few steps to the entrance of the auditorium where, months later, we would take our vows. Today, organ music beckons me again, this time for the Palm Sunday service at the writers’ conference I helped organize when I worked here.I’ve come full circle. God has ordered my every step. I have known Continue Reading
How Slavery Frees Us
It was beautiful and creepy at the same time. We walked the pristine grounds for three hours, watching swans sail on the pond, wandering down row upon row of Camellias in their final bloom, strolling around manicured lawns and rose gardens surrounding the original Middleton Plantation house.Under the oaks facing the river, a string quartet warmed up for a wedding. Such a serene setting. Such an unlikely place for injustice and brutality. We knew if the land could speak, it must have some chilling tales to tell. The swamps thick with cypress trees, the clumps of cane, the river and the Continue Reading
Everything Happens For a Reason… or Not.
Have you ever caught yourself repeating a catchy phrase you’ve heard, but haven’t really thought through? Just because something is oft-repeated doesn’t mean it’s actually so. As followers of Christ, we need to put today’s common sayings through the filter of God’s word to see if they are true. According to Colossians 2:8, some philosophies are empty and deceptive. They come from the elemental spirits of this world, not from Christ. Here are two examples: 1. “Everything happens for a reason.” Romans 8:28 says, “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for Continue Reading
5 Things Not to Say When Jesus Picks You
Jesus regularly invites us on adventures, but we often hesitate for some pretty short-sighted reasons. Is it just me? Or do some of these sound familiar? “I’m not adequate.” None of us are up for what God calls us to. He seems to choose us for our weaknesses more than for our strengths. On the flip side of this, you might be very surprised at how much is on your spiritual resume. Do you know Christ? Have you read and studied the Bible at all? Heard any sermons? Boom. You already have something to offer someone else. “I need to be healed first.” Jesus is happy to heal you from unresolved Continue Reading