An Advent of Holy Contemplation #4 He Made Himself Nothing
This year may be the simplest Christmas we've known, but that may get us closer to the One who made Himself nothing for us. Perhaps you will be with some relatives ...
An Advent of Holy Contemplation #3 God and Sinners Reconciled!
I was reading an old article entitled "England Before And After Wesley," and how dramatically the doctrine of grace banished the darkness with light. For example, slavery was rampant in ...
An Advent of Holy Contemplation #2 Fear Not!
If we listen to our souls we might hear: How can this Christmas possibly be wonderful? Will I or the people I love get Covid? Will there be enough money ...
An Advent of Holy Contemplation #1 Sometimes A Light Surprises!
Christmas during the pandemic will be different in some ways for each of us. We may not be with loved ones, we may not be participating in joyful live worship ...
# 10 MAKING LAMENT PERSONAL
This has been such a personal study. As our Dawn said, "We really get to know one another through our laments." I also was so delighted when a personal friend ...
#9 ROAD MAP TO GRACE
I woke this morning to post what I had written, and it had disappeared! So this will be a simpler post than usual, and I ask for your grace. We ...
#8 Unearthing Idols (Lam. 4)
How relevant is Lamentations 4 to America, indeed, to our whole world today. God shook Jerusalem. And when He did, peoples' idols were unearthed, as they faced the fact ...
#7 The Great Hymn We Misunderstood
I remember my surprise to learn that Lamentations 3:22-23, which inspired the lyrics to "Great is Thy Faithfulness" was the end of a lament. I thought it was simply a ...
# 6 Pour Out Your Heart Like Water!
When I pray with my charismatic brothers and sisters, I feel like a dripping faucet next to a roaring waterfall. Jeremiah tells us to CRY OUT! POUR OUT YOUR HEART ...
#5 Beginning Lamentations
We'll spend two weeks on the opening chapter of Part II: Learning to Lament We need to not only learn to lament, we need to learn from lament. Why? Indeed, is this what God is ...
# 4 God Moves In A Mysterious Way
Last week we contemplated the lyrics of "Bridge Over Troubled Water," this week we'll contemplate the rich lyrics of Cowper's "God Moves In A Mysterious Way." I've been working on ...
#3 The Bridge Over Troubled Water
Sometimes God chooses to work through unbelievers. He called Cyrus, though he did not know Him, to free the Israelites. I also think He led Simon and Garfunkel, though they ...
# 2 Bring Your Complaints
Meditate on this promise. Though complaining sounds negative, there is a way to do it that is profitable. Most people complain to others, which is hurtful, for a broken spirit ...
#1 Keep Turning to Prayer
Newcomer Lynn Marie expressed what many of us felt as grief for atrocities poured through the pages last week, particularly Chris's terrible story of her beloved Daniel's death: How is ...
Intro to “Dark Clouds Deep Mercy”
Several of you who are beginning this summer study on the lament expressed the concern that the lament seems negative. That's true, but what I want you to know, the ...