Other

A few years ago, when we were walking through the book of Genesis during a sermon series, we studied how Abraham would pause to build altars and remember all that God had done in the past. Throughout Scripture, we see a pattern of the Israelites recounting the awe-inspiring miracles that God performed for them time and time again. Throughout that series, I began to realize the importance of pausing to recount all that God has done for me, because I realized that I often prayed for things but rarely returned to thank God or even remember how He answered that prayer only a few days later.

Introduction

Do you have a pet peeve? That one irritation, often outside of your control, that gets you every time. For some it’s grammar mistakes. For others it’s not putting the toilet seat down. For others it may be bad driving behavior on the roads. Whatever it is, we all have at least one.

As I drove to work one morning, surrounded by six-foot piles of snow on either side of the road, while the rain simultaneously fell and hit my windshield, I couldn’t help but feel a sense of joy! Joy because we’d hit the time of year where the seasons collide once again, and the much-awaited spring weather was on the horizon! I have often heard people talk about the “seasonal blues” that they feel during the long winter months here in Minnesota, but I have never been one to struggle with them myself. The last few weeks, however, was a different story. For some reason the endless winter months had begun to wear on me. I found myself longing for sunshine and warmth like never before! Maybe it’s because of the endless amounts of snow that continued to fall week after week or the fact that winter had seemed to hit earlier than usual this year, but for whatever reason, this season felt different. Harder for some reason.

Every couple of years I feel this tug. Typically, it’s right around this time of year. As winter stubbornly holds on while spring bides its time. I get this urge to re-enter a world I was introduced to as a child. A world full of foreign concepts such as hobbits, elves, and rings of power. I’m speaking, of course, about the Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkein (LOTR). However, this is more than mere entertainment driving the desire to journey again through Middle Earth. I sense, instead, a deep longing in my soul to experience a story with themes like good versus evil. Light versus dark. What was versus what is. A story with valiant sacrifice. Don’t we all sense that longing?

Both of us were born in 1973, the year of the Roe v. Wade ruling. We were among the first children born during this 50-year period when abortion on demand was the legal position of our country. Our hearts break at the fact that over 63 million abortions have taken place in the United States during these five decades. With the recent court ruling overruling Roe v. Wade, we want to take a few minutes and share the Bible’s teaching on this issue in hopes that it helps bring greater understanding to why followers of Jesus feel strongly about this issue and work to end abortion. As followers of Jesus, we are not called to view this issue or any issue primarily through the lens of personal convenience, family tradition, or political preference, but we are to view it through the lens of the teaching of God in the Scripture.

Did I just see a snowflake? Wait, what month is it? That’s right it’s the month of May! Butterflies and sunshine. Trees in full bloom and green grass to be mowed. Yeah, that’s the May I remember. This Spring has been very cloudy, and the temperatures have not been very warm. In times like this you could almost assume the sun did not exist anymore.

Life In View of the Cross

Yesterday was Valentine’s Day, and I can almost guarantee that most of us fall into three groups: 1) you don’t really care (just another holiday made up by candy and greeting card companies). 2) you really care (love to celebrate or despise celebrating both fit in this group). Or 3) you actually, completely forgot. Whatever this day holds for you, know you’re not alone. It’s a spectrum of emotion out there, and we’re all on it.

In 2007, I went to see a doctor to get a physical. It was the first time I had been in for a physical as an adult. I’d been to the doctor when there where things wrong that needed treatment, but I’d never been to the doctor to have him do an overall diagnostic of my health. The doctor came in to see me, ask me questions, and order a few tests. When he was about to wrap up our appointment, he looked at me with a little grin and asked me, “Do you want the 95% physical or the 100% physical today?” In my naivete, I asked him what the difference was between the two. After he explained the difference, I quickly responded that I would take the 95% physical. He told me that was fine, but that the next time I came in for a physical it would need to be the 100%. I haven’t been back for a physical since.

Since school started our family has officially become acclimated with the petri dish better known as preschool. The runny noses are in full force which means I’ve officially become a full-time nose blower as my snotty-noised threenager demands every drop be wiped clean. This less than picturesque scene created the perfect backdrop for me to read my most recent book on my reading list titled, “Beginning a Praying Life” by Paul E. Miller.