Of the first things that come to my mind when I am giving thanks to God are my “loved ones.” These are family and friends who make life worth living, those people who have loved us and whom we have had the honor and privilege to love. Whenever I pause to give thanks, the very … Continue reading Thankful for Loved Ones

In the movie, "A League of Their Own," Coach Jimmy Dugan explains to Dottie Hinson about the hardness of playing baseball. He says, "If baseball were easy, everyone would be doing it." The same is true with thanksgiving. If giving thanks were easy, a lot more people would be doing it. We'd have more joyful … Continue reading The Hardness of Starting to Give Thanks

It's time for me to get back to the gym. After 3 weeks of "taking a vacation" from the elliptical and ab bench (not to mention some not so healthy eating), I'm starting to feel it: not only around my gut, but in feeling tired more often, getting more irritable than normal, and having difficulty … Continue reading Exercising Thankfulness

Sunday, November 10 is my birthday. I will be 56 years old. It’s safe to say that I’m beyond midlife, not quite to twilight, but at that place where I’m seriously “numbering my days” (Psalm 90:12). It’s been a good life thus far; I’ve been quite blessed, way beyond what any person deserves. And while … Continue reading A Reflective Birthday Moment

Yesterday, I shared some of C.S. Lewis’ reflections as a way to springboard on the ways we overemphasize our prayer “methods” and “protocol” to give prayer a greater credence to ourselves and others. After writing it, I wondered, “I hope the readers don’t think that I am discounting prayer itself or the Biblically stressed importance … Continue reading The Subject Over Our Requests

In his essay, The World’s Last Night, C.S Lewis makes an observation about prayer and how people try to explain it away or defend it. He reflects on a trip to his barber, where after deciding he would not go, changed his mind and went. Upon his entrance, the barber exclaimed, “I prayed that you … Continue reading Not Science, Not Magic, Just a Request

I’m realizing that too much of my public prayer to God is “unreal.” I was recently asked to pray for someone at a small group gathering. Immediately the cogs of my mind went into “pastor-mode.” I thought about what I would pray for that person: how I could affirm them, what Scripture verses could I … Continue reading Getting Real in Prayer

Here is an idea that I got from one of our Whole Life Worship Blog community: I was talking with one of my customers the other day. In the course of our conversation, she shared some deep anxiety about something she was going through. I told her that I could relate; I had gone through … Continue reading Planting Seeds Through Breath Prayer

Today, November 1st, is All-Saints Day. This is a high holiday observed by liturgical churches all over the world. While differing denominations have different criteria for sainthood (and I’m not going to get into that discussion), the definition I have for saint is simply “one who has been set apart by God.” At the root … Continue reading For All the Saints