Category Archives: Contemplative Life

The Silence of God

I was 15 years old when I first stood in a charismatic prayer line. For those of you who have never experienced one, let me paint a picture of that night. When the guest preacher concluded his sermon and subsequent … Continue reading

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The Great Reimagining

“I’m walking away from the church.” As somewhat of a misfit pastor, I find people sharing this story with me more and more these days. And although the character names change each time, the story nearly always includes these plot … Continue reading

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What IS Lent?

It’s the first week of Lent. For the first 35 years of my life, I had nothing to do with the Church Calendar. I had nothing against it, it just wasn’t a part of my upbringing in my particular Christian … Continue reading

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Setting the Table; An Invitation to Belong

When I was a child, my grandparents had a working ranch near Dodge City, Kansas. It was a couple thousand acres sprawled across sandy slopes of alfalfa and corn bordered by the Arkansas River on the north that always ran … Continue reading

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Is This What Lent Feels Like?

Today’s daily readings sunk into my belly like molten lead. The Psalmist has that kind of wild-eyed desperation as he cries, “Make haste to save me, oh God!” But God and haste don’t usually go well together. And later, “…I’ve … Continue reading

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The Chemistry of the Kingdom

I took a vow once to underline every verse in Matthew that started out with the phrase, “the kingdom of heaven is like…”. My self-diagnosed ADD made sure it was a temporary vow. I like going back and meditating on … Continue reading

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Bend and See

In the stale rhythm of winter one thing circulates through my mind. It’s the knowing that Spring is next. Does it come in March or April? I can never remember. Even after 34 rhythms of Spring-coming-after-Winter, it still surprises me. … Continue reading

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