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Book Review — Becoming an Ordinary Mystic
The word “mystic” is about as useful as “monk” or “monastic” in many of our lives as believers. We may have an idea of what that word entails, but to become a “mystic” (or “monk” or “monastic”)? No thanks. There are those who have gone before considered to be mystics who wrote of their experiences, or their experiences were given…
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Being truly “evangelical”
“Evangelical” in American cultural usage right now is a term that is full of landmines. Michael Gerson, an evangelical writer, is a voice that calls out the challenges often. In a current column with the Washington Post, he reminds readers of what true evangelicals used to be like:
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The practice of devoting yourself to prayer
Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful. (Col. 4:2) There is a call the Lord keeps putting in front of me in regards to prayer. It is the great invitation to walk in prayer. Through the years I have had the Spirit bring many tools into my life to assist in this desire to walk in prayer. I don’t…
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Book review — The Coddling of the American Mind
The Coddling of the American Mind: How Good Intentions and Bad Ideas Are Setting Up a Generation for Failure by Greg Lukianoff My rating: 5 of 5 stars This is a must read. It challenges. There are things to be argued over. There are things to be implemented. Lukianoff and Haidt present much needed material to challenge the deep divisions…
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The Coddling of the American Mind: Is there any HOPE?
The picture painted in The Coddling of the American Mind is harsh. We’ve truly had a lot go wrong and we’ve put a lot of fear and anxiety into our lives, and much of it that is unnecessary. Is there any hope? They give some ideas, thankfully. First, start with childhood. Colleges definitely need work (and these two university professors…
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Freedom to play helps democracy
The term a few years ago was “helicopter parenting.” I’m not sure if there is a new phrase. There has to be in some cases, because it can be witnessed that parents are a LOT closer to their kids and their activities than a helicopter.
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Book Review — The Very Good Gospel
The Very Good Gospel: How Everything Wrong Can Be Made Right by Lisa Sharon Harper My rating: 5 of 5 stars Lisa Sharon Harper has one of the best calls to “SHALOM” I’ve read in quite some time. She is in the vein of Walter Brueggemann, who writes the introduction for her book. Harper tackles the issue of the depth…
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The balkanization of the United States
When the Soviet Union was collapsing in the last 1980s, I read an article in The Atlantic about a region I’d never heard of: the Balkans. In that article, the writer told a tale I found fantastic and almost unbelievable. His contention was that during the Cold War, it was good for the U.S. and the Soviet Union to be…
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His words are still life
My love affair with the written word of God has been lifelong. Over the years I have grown in my love and understanding. The written word has led me to the Living Word (Christ), but that written word is still precious to me.
