The kids were coming into the sanctuary to join the grown-ups for the last part of the service. Most of them climbed into one of the first 3 pews, but a few others went to be with their parents. Two adorable, curly haired sisters – one about 3, the other about 5 – slowly made their way up the aisle, hand-in-hand. They walked hesitatingly, with trepidation. Their big eyes scanned the congregation around them worriedly. They looked very small in this vast space with a lot of big, unfamiliar people around them.

Then suddenly, they saw him and everything changed. “Daddy!” they cried.

Their worried looks turned to elation. Big smiles broke out on their faces. They let go of each other’s hand and ran up the aisle with abandon, straight into the arms of their loving father.

It was a touching scene to witness, but also one that made me reflect on my own experiences. When life overwhelms me and I feel small and afraid, am I willing to let my feelings move me to look hard for the face of the One whose mere presence will make everything okay, that can turn everything around? Or will...

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November 24, 2011; Thanksgiving Day. I love everything about this holiday. Autumn is my favorite season. Preparing to spend time with those I love and share a delicious meal, there’s almost nothing better in life. And the mere thought of taking time to be intentionally thankful brings a smile to my face.

But this week, and many other times of the year, it can be challenging to actually feel thankful when the circumstances of life take an unwanted turn. Personally, this week I find my mother’s heart heavy with concern over the safety of my son, a prodigal. I just finished an email conversation with a friend who signed off with, “Thanksgiving is a big mess for me...

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Lately I’ve been feeling like God is not a very comfortable friend. I think I have enough faith to know that he is a good friend but my honest experience of some of my circumstances leaves me with the impression that my relationship with God can feel “unfriendly”. This has many ramifications in my life not the least of which is that it exposes my feelings of vulnerability in the world.

Often after I ponder the quality of God’s friendship, I am confronted with the condition of my own ability to be friendly toward God. I’m sure there are many times that I am not a comfortable friend but more troubling is the awareness, that...

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“There is in every person something that waits and listens for the sound of the genuine in herself….There is in you something that waits and listens for the sound of the genuine in yourself. Nobody like you has ever been born and no one like you will ever be born again – you are the only one. And if you miss the sound of the genuine in you, you will be a cripple all the rest of your life. …So the burden of what I have to say to you this afternoon is, ‘What is your name, who are you and can you find a way to hear the sound of the genuine in yourself?’ There are so many noises...

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I’ve been thinking about weight a lot lately. Not physical weight (well, sometimes, but that’s another blog post), but the weightiness of spiritual authority. Yesterday was my monthly meeting with a group of friends who are helping me discern whether or not to become ordained as an Anglican. It has been a strange journey to this point.

I grew up seeing pastors as different from normal people, required to be more religious. I wasn’t sure if they were born different or had to play a role all the time, I just knew I couldn’t fit into that mold. Years later, I started seeing “pastor” as a solely practical role. Every Christian is supposed to...

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