Unexpected Realities

I met with some other Christian educators in Nashville a while back, as planned. I did not expect my hanging clothes to stay in Nashville, nor Joan’s. But they did. As I drove back from Nashville late Saturday night I did not expect a flu-incipient pastor to invite me...

A Twilight Zone Morning

Recently I experienced a Twilight Zone of a Sunday morning. The Southlake church where I am preaching is completely new to me. That’s not unusual. What is unusual is how many incidental relationships from my very young ministry are there. The pastor himself served a...

The Compassion and Certitude of God’s Promise

The previous day’s air, cooled and dried by a front, convinces me to wear a suit I normally neglect during summer. I recognize my mistake as soon as I step outside. Before I reach the garage, sweat has softened my collar. It’s not all that hot—probably high 80s. But...

God’s Magnified Voice Through a Literary Device

Warning: potentially dense devotional ahead. But please indulge me this week a bit of literary analysis to arrive at an encouragement. “Once upon a time, in a land far away, there lived a child who would change the world.” Or, “But there was no wolf.” Or, “And they...

Daily Showers

Through my primary school years, heavy summer rains dissolve our neighborhood into a waterpark: curb gutters become whitewater for stick kayaks, puddles are teed up for sprayed field goal attempts, and anything flat serves as a boogie board. I have never been in a...

Convenience vs. Risk

As I gather information for the previous year’s taxes, there are a few websites from which I will draw my information. To make access simpler, I keep a list of account names, numbers, and passwords. Saturday morning I try accessing one of those websites. I use an old...