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Falling leaves Growing shadows Crisp winds Frosty meadows Skies of gray Winter is near Colors so warm All disappear The cold dreary darkness A blanket of snow But even in winter One thing still grows

Sometimes you need to take a long walk with an old friend As I recently walked the streets of Jerusalem, I wondered what it would have been like to run into Jesus the way you'd run into an old friend. I walked the streets where he'd walked—felt like I breathed the same air he'd breathed—felt the same oppressive sun and…

It seems unbelievable. Two coworkers press you a little each day, giving you a hard time because you don't think the way they do—don't share the same beliefs they do—don't go to the same church they do or worship the same god they do. Each day, you take it. Silent. Minding your own business. Head down. Look away. Don't cry.…

I need Thee Oh I need Thee Every hour I need Thee Oh bless me now my Savior I come to Thee I sang those words last Sunday Never have they felt more true than this week And everywhere I turn in the midst of heartache and angst Those words help me fight the hurt They help me loosen and…

Ever been afraid of what's to come? Ever felt that paralyzing, stomach-churning, soul-sucking, mind-racing, unrelenting fear of the unknown. Swallowing tears that would swallow your hope, drown your joy, and burn your throat. God-help-me tears. Lord-have-mercy tears. Sentence-passed, waiting-on-death-row tears. The kind of desperate feeling that crushes hope and erases joy. The kind of fear that makes you beg for…

32 weeks Almost there Eight weeks to go But the contractions started. Preterm labor, right? We’ll go to the hospital. IV fluids. Terbutaline. They’ll stop. Everything will be okay Everything was not okay Nervous smiles until the nurse could find no fetal heart tones. No heartbeat. No tiny life inside. The living womb should never be a tomb. Ultrasound and…

"It's been a good twenty years."The last words he ever said to me. His words left me empty.His words left me full."I came to say, 'Hello' and 'Good-bye.'" The closing moments of today and the opening credits of forever. I smiled at his words remembering the powerful anxieties that cancer had buried, anxieties once paralyzing now slain by the pressing…

What captures your thoughts? Does it capture you? Do you control your thoughts? Do they control you? Ford Kavanagh We know the names We know the uproar We know what’s at stake But do we really? Our eyes, our thoughts, our nail-biting attention draw us into the chaos that has become our divided divisive culture. So, what’s really at stake?…

It didn’t turn out the way you'd planned—the way you’d hoped. I had one of those days recently. Like a mountain on my chest—crushing my joy—wrestling ​away any fruitful thoughts. Frustration bartered with anger to promote bitterness. It was the kind of day you’d like to forget. Rewind and start again. You’ve had that kind of day. It doesn’t even…

I stood in the old city of Jerusalem gazing at the Western Wall. An enduring reminder of the glory that once stood on the temple mount. The great expanse of stone is only a small part of the once grand structure. I stool still Silent A mix of emotions Watching pilgrims from around the world approach the wall In a…

When I was a child, I believed suicide was unforgivable. I’m no longer a child. After my grandfather died, my grandmother would come visit and stay for weeks. I was six years old. She would sleep in the other twin bed in my room. Every night, I listened to her prayers—listened to her plead with God to save her soul—every…

As we reflect upon the horrors and triumphs of September 11, 2001, let us not forget that our misplaced trust in humankind comes crumbling down all too easily. But the Name of the Lord is a strong tower—a safe refuge—a shelter and a home for our wearied and fragile souls. So, on this September day, let’s rest our hope on…