It’s that time again. Summer camp, mission trip, service projects, day trips, amusement parks, concert is part of summer ministry activities. It feels like summer time flips everything upside down in youth ministry. During the summer we see the regular weekly youth gatherings become irregular as the irregular activities become the new norm. As youth [...]
The night had a bite. That crisp, dry cold that quickly whisks away any moisture (however little) that might be on your lips or nose. The sky was just letting go a fresh, dry, powder snow. Bundled up, I made my nightly walk down to the barn to bring in the horses, feed them evening [...]
Authenticity demands a vulnerability that too few have the courage and trust to reveal. For the past eleven years, my wife and I have had the privilege of working in dog rescue. We have offered our home as a temporary oasis for no fewer than fifty dogs over the years until we could find a [...]
When we live in such a way that we are attentive to the present moment and growing in our awareness of the wonder of life, it helps us see the extraordinary in the ordinary of life. We become able to see each individual as unique. We hopefully see others as having a deep significance, worthy [...]
You remember that deep emotion that wells up within us when we stand on the edge of the Grand Canyon or watch a child discover his or her fingers for the first time? The astonishment and awe that overcomes us in those moments taps into our capacity to decipher the mystery in the mundane and [...]
“Pay attention!” One of those statements we have inevitably encountered coming from a parent, teacher, or spouse over the years. What that often meant was to quiet the imaginations, fantasy worlds, or thoughts that had captured our minds and pulled us away from the present moment. In our spiritual lives, learning to pay attention or [...]
What makes us human? Is it our ability to reason? I think; therefore, I am? Is it our ability to connect emotionally and sustain long and deep relationships? The question is one that has been discussed and debated for many years and will continue to be batted around for years to come. I contend that [...]
To the passionate and missionally oriented youth worker, the answer is, “No! Never! Don’t even think about banning a teen from church.” To the youth worker who is driven by God’s unrelenting love for the outcast, broken and hurting there is no possibility that our love for teens would allow us to exclude them. But [...]
Formed of the dust of the earth and the life-giving breath of our creator we became human beings. To be human is not an excuse to be flawed. To be human is not something we are to avoid. To be human is a reality to embrace and become more fully. Jesus goes before us, and [...]
The day we often refer to as Easter is only the beginning. Easter is not a day; it is a season of fifty days from Easter Sunday to Pentecost. In contrast to the fast of Lent, Easter is a season of feasting. A celebration and time in which we focus on Christ risen among us [...]