compassion

Christian Spiritual Practices: Welcome and Hospitality

The dictionary says, “A spiritual practice or spiritual discipline (often including spiritual exercises) is the regular or full-time performance of actions and activities undertaken for the purpose of inducing spiritual experiences and cultivating spiritual development”. Spiritual practices are more than about prayer. They are not necessarily defined by how one acts in church but rather they can be anything that gives someone a spiritual experience. … [Read more…]

All Inviting Love

I went to a family party many years ago with my husband’s extended family. Bill and I were only just beginning to date. We were celebrating his grandmother’s birthday that day at a restaurant. But because we had the furthest to travel to get there, we were naturally a little late. So when we entered, … [Read more…]

Rules, Rules, Rules

So in my experience rules can be good at setting appropriate and needed boundaries and at other times rules can be little more than a way to hinder progress and good works. Rules can save lives and rules can prevent the help of another person. I read a book called The Power of Habit by … [Read more…]

The Courage to Speak: Living into the Morality that God has Commanded Us To

In 2008, I was out walking on my lunch break in the neighborhood of my apartment. The walk took me past a playground at a local elementary school. There on that playground one beautiful spring day, I watched the children playing as I was walked past. Then I saw a little boy with a bigger … [Read more…]

A Spirit Focus Life

Last week, we discussed remaining hopeful and using our life experiences for the work of God no matter how challenging they may be. However, I understand that is easier said than done. Paul and Silas make it look so easy to just pray and sing and remain hopeful amid beatings, slander, imprisonment, and possible death. … [Read more…]

Making the Most Out of Life

I had a close friend in seminary that was going through some challenging times in her life shortly before entering seminary. In one year, she and her husband lost everything they had in a fire, her dad died, and she lost her job. Anybody experiencing what she did would have been more than a little … [Read more…]

What Kind of Peace Do You Desire?

I am reading a fascinating book titled Savage Continent by Keith Lowe that focuses on the aftermath of World War II in Europe. It spends a long time outlining what life looked like for citizens and the masses of displaced peoples who had been imprisoned in work camps, concentration camps, and prison camps throughout Nazi … [Read more…]

From Conflict to Life Giving Forgiveness Part 5: Can You Trust God to Forgive?

The new preschool education standards focus on evaluating and teaching lessons in social emotional skills. This is something that was never present in preschool or public school educational goals in the past. Part of the social emotional educational goals is to teach empathy and conflict management skills. However, it has occurred to me that as … [Read more…]