Listen! It’s the voice of someone shouting, “Clear the way through the wilderness for the LORD! Make a straight highway through the wasteland for our God! Fill in the valleys, and level the mountains and hills. Straighten the curves, and smooth out the rough places. Then the glory of the LORD will ... Continue reading
Those who mourn
Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. — Matthew 5:4 (NIV)In my previous post, I talked about how it might be possible to be grateful in the midst of grief. I don't want to imply that I'm not heartsick about my son's death. I'm trying to hold two true but seemingly ... Continue reading
Can I be thankful?
While most of America celebrates Thanksgiving, my calendar will mark the fifth week since my son committed suicide. What do I have to be thankful about?Last Thanksgiving, I was thankful that my beloved son had survived one more year with his crippling depression. He'd lost his job, yet ... Continue reading
Unplanned destinations
"You intended to harm me, but God intended it all for good. He brought me to this position so I could save the lives of many people." —Genesis 50:20 (NLT)Joseph was the first human to be ghosted. His brothers didn't like him, so they sold him to slave traders, told their father, Jacob, he'd ... Continue reading
Trust vs. faith
I've been thinking about what I mean when I say that I trust God. My money says "In God we trust," which I think is intended as a moral lesson teaching that money shouldn't be foundation of life. I'm not sure how effective the message is. When I say that I trust in God, or I have put my trust in ... Continue reading
The Meaning of Singleness
A review of the book by Danielle Treweek, Intervarsity Press, 2023I was determined not to get married, and my friend, Braxton, agreed with me. Marriage would tie us down. Children would take away the freedom to live our lives however we wanted, which for us meant taking off on a whim to sail ... Continue reading
Convince me
"[The rich man] answered, 'Then I beg you, father, send Lazarus to my family, for I have five brothers. Let him warn them, so that they will not also come to this place of torment.'"Abraham replied, 'They have Moses and the Prophets; let them listen to them.'"'No, father Abraham,' he said, 'but if ... Continue reading
Respite
We've had several weeks of typical Tucson summer heat, where the temps reach 105 or more and we stay indoors as much as possible. The extreme heat and lack of water stresses the wildlife, and I've noticed especially the lack of activity among the birds, who do their best to find shade and slow ... Continue reading