We’ve reached the end of James’ epistle, which extended past our walk to St. James’ Cathedral. The two journeys have complemented each other, El Camino offering examples and nuggets of insight. But both seemed to end rather abruptly. James didn’t have any final greetings or closing prayers as many other epistles do. Santiago de Compostela…
Devotional Day 23 You adulteresses, do you not know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God? Therefore whoever wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. Or do you think that the Scripture says to no purpose, “He jealously desires the Spirit whom He has made to…
*This blog is based on a recent sermon I gave in Burundi, centered on John 17. I encourage you to read the chapter slowly before reading this blog. John 17 is a unique chapter. It is the only time we get to listen in on an intimate conversation between Jesus and God the Father. The…
It was 2001. My family had arrived in Kazakhstan in 1996, the first American family in our town, and been joined by other Americans and Aussies over the next several years. It was a fairly isolated place, and we certainly didn’t have Facebook and Zoom to remain connected to friends and family in our sending…
(Click Part 1 or Part 2 for the first two posts.) Leaders are influential not only through instruction of others, but by the example they set. One of the challenges of being in a position of authority is that every word and action is more carefully observed. As a result, many leaders feel they have…
(To read the intro, click Humble Leadership, Part 1) When we think of influential people, rarely do we get a picture of someone asking for help. From the perspective of the audience, a powerful speaker may seem to have everything under control, to be fully in charge, and to be confident that what he or…
Humility is the antithesis of worldly politics, where it is all about proving one’s strength, demanding respect, and elevating oneself above rivals.
Part 1: March 2017 It seemed like an awesome opportunity! I had connected with a non-profit organization working in Iraq and they expressed interest in bringing me out there to provide trauma training. Since I was already planning to go in the summer to Africa, I suggested coming “on the way.” But the heat of…
Jesus started His “sample” prayer with centering on God, both in His holiness and His grace to accept us as children. He then shifts to the practical, where we often find at the forefront of our thoughts. The God of Provision Jesus continued (Matthew 6:11): “Give us this day our daily bread.” In many ways…