It finally got to me. I had kept my nose above the water, for the most part. Washed my hands. Stayed at home. Did my part. But when I had that conversation with my parents, the anxiety hit me. My parents…
Enneagram is a method to name our motives and choose new habits
Facing a freezing winter morning, a red-hot question began burning inside me. Some 30 community leaders were gathered to spend a day under the wisdom of Suzanne Stabile. She was teaching a boutique Enneagram workshop in Greenwich, Conn., hosted by…
A walking guide to praying in your home
I was reminded of a prayer practice when I read our pastor’s plea for “purposeful prayer for a world that is very much in need of God’s healing.” As the California fires continue destroying homes and lives, 2020’s disastrous news…
Five ideas for pandemic praying
A young professional in my church recently reached out to me with some prayer concerns. As we talked on the phone, he searched for words. It turns out he was struggling with more than his prayer life; he was struggling…
While some try to politicize wearing face masks, for me it’s a spiritual practice
The face mask debate among Christ followers amid a devastating global pandemic demands that we think deeply about what outward signs signify about inward spiritual grace. I have come to view wearing a protective mask as a spiritual practice.
Can the ‘slow practice’ of writing letters by hand help save the world?
I have been increasingly alarmed by the dehumanizing tendencies of new technologies – communication at the speed of instinctive reaction. I needed a slow practice, and handwritten letters felt perfectly inefficient and appropriate.
Improving our ‘backpack’ self-awareness – for our sake and the sake of others
We all carry invisible backpacks or baggage. Just make sure the contents are appropriate and the straps are secured. And be aware of others. They’re carrying a load, too.
A letter to my ‘future self’: Go deep. Dare to fail. Discover new truth below.
A letter to my ‘future self’ has 3 suggestions: Do less and be more. Slow down. Go deep.
Spirituality: 4:30 a.m. and mindfulness
[This is the sixth (spirituality) of a nine-part series on empowering a faith community to impact the world. Already hospitality, evangelism, missions, ethics and Bible have been explored.] During my sabbatical study at Oxford University many years ago, I decided to take a…