A friend asked the question, “Why do we pray?” I’m not sure what was behind the question, but I decided to take it seriously. If I’m honest, there are times when praying feels like a […]
Tag: Psalms
Why pray? 33 reasons why I pray
A friend recently asked the question, “Why do we pray?” I’m not sure what was behind the question, but I decided to take it seriously. If we’re honest, there are times when praying feels […]
Psalm 35
A rendering of Psalm 35, which begs God to be the defense attorney who will vindicate from the poison accusations of haters.
Avril Lavigne & the Psalms
I remember first listening to punk-pop Avril Lavigne with her heavily mascaraed eyes singing about her skater boy and giving the finger to anyone who got in her way. There was a true passion in her, […]
Psalm 12
A rendering of Psalm 12, a prayer for help in the surrounding culture’s war of words.
A user’s guide to having a soul
I have been accustomed to call this book, I think not inappropriately, “An Anatomy of all the Parts of the Soul,” for there is not an emotion of which anyone can be conscious that is […]
6 steps to defusing passive-aggressive relationships
We humans are polarizing people. Our actions create opposite reactions. That Facebook friend who rants against Trump actually creates Trump supporters. Strong conservative stances create liberal stances. We make our polar opposites. In our interpersonal […]
Prayerless worship & worship that leads to praying
As I’ve spent time with different churches, I’ve become aware of how prayerless evangelical worship has become. By stripping away liturgical elements, many of our gatherings have ended up without much depth in prayer at […]
Psalm 131 — from ambition to contentment
I am an ambitious person, with hopes and dreams for myself. I am a true American, pursuing my own happiness. My heart isn’t quiet. It’s in turmoil, boiling with my ambitions. Unsettled by my striving, […]
Old words that won’t go away
I was pulled aside by the staff leader of the camp I was working at one summer. I was expecting a pat on the back by was shocked by angry and cutting words I didn’t […]
You are a theologian
If you’ve ever prayed or said anything about God, you are a theologian. Writing books and having PhDs has nothing to do with it. Rather, engaging with God has everything to do with it. Having […]
3 practices for walking through grief
When my sister was killed by a drunk driver, we were crushed. We were not unique in our pain — many suffer similar sorrows — but we suffered out pain uniquely, as all do. But […]
Plugging the holes in our spiritualities
A friend texted me recently about a deeply frustrating conversation he’d had with a client earlier in the day. His language was colorful. Workplace frustrations are a common experience of pretty much everyone who has a […]
How to end the worship wars for good — part 2
We’ve already noted the need to move from a focus on experience in worship to an encounter with God. Experiences are great, but when we make them the goal and/or measure of worship, we become […]
Worship that misses … on purpose
If every song and scripture connects with you in worship, it might be time to try another church. If what is included in worship is only as wide as your current experience, there’s a real […]