In this series of posts on the Scripture readings for the First Sunday of Advent 2019, we’ve been learning how to wait during hard times. In the previous post about the fourth reading, Luke 21:25-36, we heard from Jesus how NOT to wait. Now we continue in that passage, and Jesus teaches the proper wayContinue reading “How TO wait during hard times [First Sunday of Advent, part 5]”
Tag Archives: Prayer
What can satisfy the soul? part 4 (the drastic action needed)
We started this series of posts looking at satisfying videos, thankful for them, but noting that they cannot satisfy the soul. We talk about our phones yesterday and how they promise so much, but they, too, don’t satisfy the deepest longings of our souls. What can satisfy the soul? We found one answer: only GodContinue reading “What can satisfy the soul? part 4 (the drastic action needed)”
What can satisfy the soul? part 3 (can your phone?)
Our smartphones promise so much. Can they satisfy the soul? Take note today how often you use yours, and lift up your eyes and observe how often other people are on their phones. The first iPhone came out in June 2007, and in 12 years smartphones have swept the globe, with about one-third of everyContinue reading “What can satisfy the soul? part 3 (can your phone?)”
How to grow your love for God, part 3 (dealing with our fears)
What do you fear? Even if you are the kind of person who is not afraid of hardly anything, do you have concerns? What bothers you? Maybe your personality really struggles with fears. I’ve talked in a previous post about my own struggles with anxiety. I’ve come to realize I have triggers: health and financialContinue reading “How to grow your love for God, part 3 (dealing with our fears)”
How to have loving diversity in a church family
Let’s talk about the elephant in the room. Sometimes church families are like any other family, and that means we can butt heads. We don’t always see eye to eye. With the exception of ethnic diversity, my congregational is quite a diverse. Young and old. Male and Female. Rich and poor. Conservative and Progressive. IntrovertContinue reading “How to have loving diversity in a church family”
How Distracted I Was From God (What I Learned on Sabbatical, Part 2)
On January 1st, I started a sabbatical daily log. On that day I wrote three paragraphs about what was happening in the life of the Kime Family, and mixed in there were these five words: “I deactivated my Facebook account.” For those of you who use Facebook, deactivating your account might feel like a bigContinue reading “How Distracted I Was From God (What I Learned on Sabbatical, Part 2)”
My life with anxiety and panic (What I Learned on Sabbatical, Part 1)
A week before my sabbatical began on January 1st, 2018, we went to see Star Wars: The Last Jedi. It has become a family tradition these past three years. My dad’s birthday is December 29th, and so he takes my brother, sister, me and our spouses and kids to see the whichever Star Wars movieContinue reading “My life with anxiety and panic (What I Learned on Sabbatical, Part 1)”
A Guided Lament you can use right now
Do we lament when life is so rotten and dark that we have no where else to turn? Yes. Do we lament when there is still hope, but much work yet to be done? Yes. What we have seen this Advent as we’ve studied psalms of lament, is that lament is a faithful, clinging toContinue reading “A Guided Lament you can use right now”
When Thoughts and Prayers Are Not Enough
In the morning, my family has a routine. Our two kids still at home, one middle schooler, one elementary, get ready for school while we are watching the local news. Then at 7am we switch over to CBS for their morning show. A few days ago, we were surprised to hear that CBS fired oneContinue reading “When Thoughts and Prayers Are Not Enough”
Practical suggestions to help you pray
This winter/spring I read an amazing book on prayer I wish I had come across years ago. It is called Prayer: Conversing with God by a missionary named Rosalind Rinker. She first published it in 1959, but it is so relevant. Could have been written yesterday. Easily one of the best books on prayer I’veContinue reading “Practical suggestions to help you pray”
Engaging Scripture 