Where is God? A lesson from bulbs
“Where is God in this mess?” “Does God even hear my prayers?” In my work as a pastor, I hear these kinds of questions a lot. And in some of the situations where I sit [...]
A springtime gift for your soul: Sabbath
Winter seems unwilling to yield to spring here in the Midwest, and I know we all feel weary. A month ago, my crocuses bloomed. Crocuses This week, we're getting snow. Check out this [...]
The surprising secret of transformation
I slip into my silent, dark house, shedding wet running shoes and jacket. In the kitchen, I pour a cup of coffee from the pot I made earlier and microwave it back to life. I [...]
How to run a marathon
I have reached the halfway point in an audacious adventure, in which I train for my first marathon. The training program is 18 weeks long, and I just finished week nine. I have a training [...]
The Mothering of God
Earlier this week, I found myself at Target, shopping for a Snot Sucker, which seemed somehow an appropriate way to commemorate the first anniversary of an executive order banning certain immigrants from our country. In [...]
The antidote for outrage fatigue
Over the last month or so, the U.S. has been battered by four hurricanes (Harvey, Irma, Maria, and Nate). We’ve been shocked white supremacists marching in Charlottesville and killing a counter-protestor, and by a mass [...]
Between “back to school” and “holiday hectic”–a reprieve
My connecting flight (which I make by only 10 minutes) takes me over the Grand Canyon at sunset. I’m relieved to be on the plane, blown away by the beauty, and suddenly sad for the [...]
GodSpace for Groups!
I'm super excited to let you know that the long, careful writing and editing process for GodSpace:Embracing the Inconvenient Adventure of Intimacy with God is finished! This baby goes to the printer today. The editing [...]
Welcoming strangers–not what I expected
“Hospitality means inviting the stranger into our private space, whether that be the space of our own home or the space of our personal awareness and concern. And when we do so, some important transformations [...]
When good things end: some thoughts on The Practice
The only constant in life is change. This is particularly true in dynamic organizations like Willow Creek, the church I’ve been a member of for three decades. While I have remained at my church, it [...]
