Category: Spiritual Growth

Maybe my doubts are not as logical as I think. Maybe my conclusions aren’t as trustworthy as I hoped. What if God isn’t shaped by my doubts or my conclusions?

Our small farm tractor had lost its exhaust system, pipe, muffler, and all. That little 30-horse-power engine suddenly sounded like a ferocious beast. It was very hard on our ears, as well. The manifold on the motor pointed down, and we ran it that way for a short time. I assume we were waiting for the cash to buy new parts for it. I thought about this problem. I thought about good ways to fix it without buying anything. I came up with a really good solution. It made great sense to me. At that stage of life, I had Read More

I just don’t love distance running. The only 10K run I have ever done was not my idea. It was offered to me as a personal challenge. I had just completed a two-week back-packing trip in mountainous wilderness in beautiful British Columbia. It was a group effort, designed to build character and leadership skills. In preparation for it, I had done some running to build my stamina. Though I had few details prior to the program, I knew we were going to be carrying heavy packs and hiking is very steep terrain. So I ran. It turned out that the Read More

When I was a child in my parents’ home, we gathered around a table for every meal. I was part of the younger set that didn’t have a chair. Rather, I shared a long, green, homemade wooden bench without a back. I never questioned my place or my privilege to share that table. That privilege was an expression of love. There were several, occasional dinner menus that I remember very well. One was a large bowl of mashed potatoes with some toasted bread croutons mixed throughout. We had the option of eating it just as served, or we could add Read More

If my memory is accurate, I was a young child when a stranger wandered into our farm yard one evening, on foot. This didn’t happen. Our farm was a long way from the nearest city, the nearest highway, the nearest railroad. A man in a long, dark trench coat was a strange sight on a farm set back from the gravel road by a fairly long driveway. I pretty much just stared at the visitor and tried to imagine who he might be and what he may want. Only a few sketchy memories remain in my mind about the words Read More

We were playing in the barn on our farm and, as per usual, I was exploring new things with my younger brother. I may have been about 10 years old. One part of our explorations led me to climb on top of a row of metal fuel barrels that had been converted into animal-feed containers with wooden lids. Once on top of the barrels, I could reach things that only adults could reach. The most interesting item at that level was the electrical fuse box that powered the lights in the barn. This was an old fuse box, and not Read More

I didn’t do anything to earn this 365-day experience of healing and recovery. I didn’t pray rightly enough, live rightly enough, or think rightly enough to make it happen. I just accept it as a mysterious gift from Almighty God, and promise to do my best to make the most of it–out of my gratefulness.