I thought I would share two thoughts that I had this morning about the challenges of community in a time a crisis.  I realize there is so much to read and think about right now, so I am grateful for you pondering this with me.  Would love to hear your thoughts and comments. In my experience, one of the most neglected practices of healthy community in the Christian church (and in middle-class America) is asking for help, crisis or not.  I could spill out my guts here on why I believe this happens, but rather than making a case

I believe in love. Furthermore, I believe that existing in and enjoying love relationships is the very thing we were created for. I count it one of life’s greatest blessings to live life in community, in the love relationships of marriage, family, church, neighbor, friendship. It’s why being a coach and working with Crosspoint is a dream job! It’s all about loving each other. Someone recently asked me if the coaching I do exhausts me. A fair question. I, as many soul care givers, spend countless hours listening and holding the many burdens of others. I thought about it

Mark 12:31 ESV says: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself. There is no other commandment greater than these.” For this February month that focuses so much on love, these words are strong. In Mark 12 it states that there is no greater commandment, that must mean, this is not a discussion.  It’s a commandment! Love your neighbor as yourself is only possible because you yourself experience being loved by God. When a person loves himself, it means they are receiving love.  You must receive the love of God and believe in it to be able to give love.

One of the most powerful spiritual experiences of my life happened a few years ago during a counseling training.  The leader of the training invited the participants to join her in a contemplative reading of 1 Corinthians 13.  During this reading, however, she logically and biblically (IMHO) substituted a phrase in place of the word love.  Instead of reading “love” she read, “Christ shining through my body.”  I encourage you to take a few moments now to try it – “If I could speak all the languages of earth and of angels, but didn’t have Christ shining through my body, I

This is how Jesus the Messiah was born. -Matthew 1:18a Jesus birth story is truly epic.  So epic that you don’t need me to retell it because it’s the most famous birth story ever told. Stories are one of the most important elements of the human experience because they “emotionalize information.” It’s one thing to say that “God became a man.”  It’s another thing to tell the Christmas story. I could say, “God loves you” or I could tell you the story of God becoming a person, like you. The Christmas story is intended to touch us at a

I am a longing soul, and I just adore the advent season.  It’s like it gives me permission to bring to mind and even conversation what seems so real to me most of the time.  The state of things are in no way the way they are supposed to be.  In my own little world, I encounter many sorrows, and when I begin adding them up with the friends and family and stories I know, it can leave me in a jumble of confusion and sadness.  Indeed, we have been cursed.  Indeed, sin spoils and ravages the glory and

I knew of a woman who named her daughter, “Peace.” Can you imagine hearing your parents say, “I love you, Peace."? What an impact this would have on one’s soul! I’ve been struck over and over again this Advent Season by the word and concept of “Peace.”  It keeps showing up everywhere. I’ve heard it in different songs, read it in different Scripture verses, Christmas cards, and even saw the word on a large sign on the  the side of the road where 2 people were advocating for “Peace”. In listening to Handel’s Messiah during this season, 2 of

In this season of advent, we are called to wait expectantly.  If you’re at all like me, waiting does not come easy.  I try to be patient, and I know patience is an evidence of the fruit of the Spirit, but this is something I constantly work on.  The wonderful thing about this season of Advent is that the “waiting” we are called to isn’t a “grind it out” kind of waiting.  It’s more like we’re called to remember what it was like when we were little children, anticipating Christmas morning.  This sort of waiting wasn’t a chore or a burden for me

“Today in the City of David a Savior has been born to you. He is Christ the Lord.” Luke 2:11   The coming of our Savior is God’s glorious expression of grace. Our Savior is a gift, a holy and drenched with love gift. This gift is not something we conjure up, strategically initiate, or purposefully pull off. We really had nothing to do with this gift, except of course providing a critical reason why a Savior needed to come in the first place; to save us from our sin, or if you will, to save us from our narrowly boxed-in addictions to ourselves. Our Savior’s coming is all grace and all gift. The prophet’s foretelling, the angel’s announcements, old Zechariah and his

I love the song, ‘Mary Did You know’ and the beautiful message it brings. Rich and I have six children, three sons-in-law, soon to be daughter-in-law-and eight grandchildren.  There was great excitement in the coming of these family members and the hope and anticipation we had for each of them.  I like to imagine that our parents had the same feelings for us. The song leads me to imagine how Mary felt as she waited and hoped with anticipation for the birth of her baby that would be Immanuel.  Immanuel meaning God with us.  The song reflects the Prophets’