I’m going to list some names below, and as I read them, notice the emotion that you feel about them. Read the names, imagine their faces in your mind. What do you feel? George Washington Abraham Lincoln John Wilkes Booth Martin Luther King Jr Richard Nixon Margaret Thatcher Donald Trump Kamala Harris Did you feelContinue reading “The deep pain of losing a loved one – 1 Samuel 31—2 Samuel 2:7, Part 1”
Tag Archives: hurt
The power of words to heal or harm – Speaking life to one another, Part 2
This week I welcome guest blogger, Kirk Marks. Kirk is a retired pastor, having served 30+ years in both local churches with his wife, Debbie, and in denominational administration. He has also taught theology and led a pastoral assessment center for many years. He and Debbie, along with their two daughters and son-in-law are membersContinue reading “The power of words to heal or harm – Speaking life to one another, Part 2”
How to pray when you’re down – Advent Psalm of Thanksgiving, Part 2
The ancient Hebrews often uses parallel structures in their writing, and we see it throughout the Hebrew Bible, which we call the Old Testament. It seems that Psalm 30 was written with one of those structures. Here’s the way they work. The opening matches the closing. The second main point matches the second to lastContinue reading “How to pray when you’re down – Advent Psalm of Thanksgiving, Part 2”
Can you feel others’ pain? – Advent Psalm of Thanksgiving
The Netflix show Black Mirror is about the future. Each episode is a standalone, with no connection to the rest of the episodes, so they’re like mini-movies. The theme of Black Mirror is to imagine what the future will be like if medicine, artificial intelligence, social media and electronics continue to advance. In particular, BlackContinue reading “Can you feel others’ pain? – Advent Psalm of Thanksgiving”
When pain is like a house guest that wears out their welcome – Advent Psalm of Thanksgiving, Preview
The holiday season is in full swing, having started a few weeks ago with Thanksgiving and lasting until after New Year’s Day. During the holidays, many people will spend time with family. On Thanksgiving my family had lunch at my parents and dinner at my in-laws. Thankfully, they live only 5 minutes apart. Over theContinue reading “When pain is like a house guest that wears out their welcome – Advent Psalm of Thanksgiving, Preview”
What it looks like to focus on God in the middle of our pain – John 19, Part 1
A few years ago one of the pastors in my local ministerium of churches told us that he had been in the mall looking for a gift for his wife. He walked up to a jewelry counter at one of the department stores. As he was waiting in line, he couldn’t help but overhear aContinue reading “What it looks like to focus on God in the middle of our pain – John 19, Part 1”
When life falls apart in an instant – John 18, Preview
The phone call with bad news. The discovery of indiscretion. The revealing of a lie. The sudden accident. The vote that goes the other way. The response of “No.” So quickly we realize the fragility of life. It’s amazing how fast life can change, isn’t it? My guess is that all of us have experiencedContinue reading “When life falls apart in an instant – John 18, Preview”
How do we deal with loss and pain – Psalm 77, Preview
Last week I traveled with my brother and sister to a family funeral in Fredericksburg, Virginia. There we joined my parents and some aunts, uncles and cousins to support my aunt and her family, as her husband, my uncle, had rather suddenly passed away the week before. He was only 69. While he had beenContinue reading “How do we deal with loss and pain – Psalm 77, Preview”
A helpful perspective on pain – 2 Thessalonians 1, Part 4
Is pain always bad? How do you handle pain? I’m not a fan of pain. I’ve been battling a heel spur for the past year. Initially it hurt sharply every step I took. But through treatment, especially stretching, it is at bay. I can still feel it, but it isn’t crippling. I even run 4-5Continue reading “A helpful perspective on pain – 2 Thessalonians 1, Part 4”
Fight or Flight: How do you handle pain? – Ezekiel 19, Preview
What do you do when you are upset? It is fascinating to me how differently we humans handle our pain. Have you ever heard of “fight or flight”? While there are other ways to handle pain, fight or flight are two common ones. The fighters among us tend to get aggressive and confront the painContinue reading “Fight or Flight: How do you handle pain? – Ezekiel 19, Preview”
Engaging Scripture 