Monthly theme: Curiosity Reading time: two minutes Like it or not, our families will talk about us for generations. That’s the way families work. I’m not sure if it’s the sins of the fathers that get passed on for generations, or if it’s a blessing that we impart upon those… Read More
Monthly Theme: Curiosity Reading time: two minutes Kids have it. Adults lose it. Churches do too. It’s curiosity. Have you ever wondered why Jesus asked people so many questions? Hmmm. The world is fractured by division. Our communities cry out for living displays of what Jesus can do when He… Read More
Monthly theme: Daily Healing Reading time: two minutes Resilience beats strength. Strong things like skyscrapers will eventually crumble. Resilient things, like forests, suffer hard blows, but find their way back. My grandchildren are resilient. It seems like every time we’re together, someone gets another bruise, but God’s healing power is… Read More
Monthly theme: Daily Healing Reading time: two minutes Your Sunday School teacher only gave you part of the story. You probably only heard Act One of Elijah’s journey to wellness. The whole story is a three part journey to the joy of ministry. The First Act could be titled, “Ministry… Read More
Monthly theme: Daily Healing Reading time: two minutes “Wounded healers” is what Henri Nouwen called people in ministry. I like “scarred healers” better. (Notice: that’s scarred not scared. There might be a connection, but that’s a topic for another time.) By scarred, not wounded, I mean that we in ministry… Read More
Monthly theme: Daily Healing Reading time; two minutes It’s perhaps deliberately ambiguous: saved or healed? In Acts 4, the disciples healed a lame man, then proclaimed that there is no other name under heaven by which we are saved. But it’s the same word: sodzo. Kittel’s Dictionary suggests that the… Read More
Monthly theme: Physical Vitality Reading time: two minutes. We’re in the “no should zone” this month. Far too much of the talk about physical fitness and vitality is laced with “shoulds.” Relax. We know better. Life and breath and health and strength are good gifts of God. Enjoy His good… Read More
Monthly theme: Physical Vitality Reading time: two minutes We’re in the “No Should Zone” this month. Take care of yourself, not because the law and the “shoulds” tell you to. Tend to your physical wellbeing as a gospel motivated stewardship. Your loving Father created you for physical vitality. Your Redeemer… Read More
Monthly theme: Physical Vitality Reading time: two minutes I never met a cookie I didn’t like. And have you ever noticed that cookies never travel alone? Wherever you find one, there’s always another lurking about somewhere close. Like everyone else, I’ve tried the, “Oh, I really shouldn’t,” willpower version of… Read More
Monthly theme: Physical Vitality Reading time: two minutes. Relax. You’re entering the “No Should” zone. Your Father in heaven, your Maker, your Owner, your Provider, your Healer is passionate about your physical wellbeing. He wants you to be at your best. There are plenty of motivations for our physical self-care. Read More
Reading time: two minutes. Clergy anxiety and burnout was first identified as a significant issue nearly a century ago, and has been researched for decades, with recent emphasis on the wellbeing of all church work employees. Here are some statistics that have been consistently reported for decades that I think… Read More
Monthly theme: Resilience Reading time: two minutes When you feed your exhaustion more than you feed your resilience, your exhaustion wins. Resilience, the ability to replenish your capacity for service, needs care. It’s like a bank account; you can only make so many withdrawals. But there are ways to feed… Read More
The Way to Wellness for the Non-Ordained in Church and School Ministries