Leaf of my zelkova bonsai (Japanese Elm).
Proverbs 11 goes into great detail distinguishing between what it refers to as “the righteous,” “the just” or “the merciful” and “the wicked,” “the fool” or “the cruel.”
There are many benefits to doing one’s best to manifest righteousness:
not feigned righteousness
not self-righteousness
but righteousness for the purpose of pleasing God. Continue reading
Typically, photos that appear as feature images for the blog posts are photos that I’ve taken myself or, when text-based, I created in Photoshop. Today’s photo, however, is different. Continue reading
A stone wall and a humble iron gate in the countryside
I can never read this verse without remembering that it gave birth, through the pen of G.F. Handel, to one of the most beloved choruses in his unparalleled Oratorio, “The Messiah.”
You are well on your way to taking part in your upcoming Short-Term Missions trip.
One of the next things you need to focus on is preparing yourself spiritually for your time away. You can begin, now, to build habits that no one will see but which could have a huge impact on you when you arrive on location.
Ever noticed that elderly couple that’s been married “forever”? He’s not hiring 45 people to declare his love for her “à la Flash-mob” and similarly, she’s not sending him on a $500 shopping spree at his favorite tool-store. After being in love for that long, it’s not necessarily the “big things” that capture their attention and expresses their love for one another… it’s the little things that take place daily. It’s the toast & coffee, done up just the way he likes. It’s holding the car door open for her and holding her hand as they drive… it’s regular stream of seemingly little, everyday things. So it is, also, with the Lord. Continue reading
The Camille de Hogues Bridge, Châtellerault
I once heard a pastor say that one of the reasons that the early morning is such a good time to spend alone with the Lord is this: Spiritually speaking, the early morning is also the most quiet.
As multitudes of people awake, he said, their spirits – whether good or bad, peaceful or constantly agitated – also begin to stir, making the spiritual atmosphere more active. I can’t give you theology to back that up but it sounds reasonable enough.
If there are two good reasons, though, for spending time with the Lord, early in the day, it is these:
#1
Jesus did it… and that’s a great example to follow.
#2
There truly is a peacefulness about that hour of the day.
(if you went to bed early enough the night before)
Whether you spend time with the Lord early in the day, accompanied by your post-lunch coffee or in the evening, the most important thing is to give him part of your day.
It’s an investment that pays great dividends.
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This week we’ve had sun and temps in the high teens, but then on the 3.5hr drive up to Melun last night, there were times when the normally 130km/hr speed limit was reduced to 60km/hr for driving rain and even hail. Just like the weather, we’ve seen a little bit of everything in the spiritual realm this past week as well.
Statues and the Eiffel Tower, seen from the Trocadero Esplanade
Whether driving a bicycle, a boat or a BMW, the direction of our glance is of utmost importance, for it determines the direction of our travel. Continue reading
You’ve done a couple of STM trips already and the question “What should I do next?” is never far from your mind. You have a continued interest in missions but are not yet sure that it’s going to be a lifetime thing and despite people telling you that – beyond all doubt – you’d make a great missionary you’re just not ready to say “OK, sign me up for life!”
If this sounds familiar, this post is for you! Continue reading
The biggest news in France right now is the French presidential election which takes place tomorrow. I’ve been surprised at the extent to which it has been present in the US media… particularly CNN. Perhaps because of the similarities in terms of the rise of populism. Continue reading
AIM Long 