For years I’ve recorded my “New Year’s Resolutions” in my journal. But I’ve found that each list is almost identical to the previous one. Apparently I’ve made virtually no progress, despite my good intentions. In his book, Changes That Heal: The Four Shifts That Make Everything Better…And That Everyone Can Do, Henry Cloud speaks to…
Category: A Faith in Process
Notes from the Journey
New Year Thoughts
Happy New Year!
5, 4, 3, 2 – 2021!
In view of Christ’s coming return, how can we prepare our hearts and make room for Him? Here are some ideas: “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the creation of the world. For I was hungry, and…
“Come, Lord”
As of the late 20th century, “Joy to the World” was the most-published Christmas hymn in North America. Author Isaac Watts (1674 –1748) based the song on Scripture. ********** Make a joyful noise unto the Lord, all the earth: make a loud noise, and rejoice, and sing praise. Psalm 98:4 King James Version Joy to the…
“Come, Lord Jesus”
In 1744, Charles Wesley looked around at the poverty and class struggle in Great Britain. His thoughts inspired the song, “Come, Thou Long-expected Jesus.” This song looks back to Advent and Christmas. And again it is filled with the gifts Christ died to give us. The first stanza recalls those gifts: Come, thou long expected JesusBorn to…
“Come, Emmanuel”
Christmas Day is over. Did you find what you wanted under the tree? Many people didn’t. This has been a sad year for Christmas. But what about the gifts left by the Christ? In the ancient song, “O Come, O Come Emmanuel,” we find some of them. O come, O come, EmmanuelAnd ransom captive IsraelThat mourns…
The Day After
When the song of the angels is stilled,When the star in the sky is gone,When the kings and princes are home,When the shepherds are back with their flock,The work of Christmas begins:…To find the lost,To heal the broken,To feed the hungry,To release the prisoner,To rebuild the nations,To bring peace among brothers,To make music in the…
Christmas Peace
“Glory to God in the highest realms of heaven! For there is peace and a good hope given to the sons of men.” Luke 2:14 The Passion Translation “May the Lord bless you and take good care of you.May the Lord smile on you and be gracious to you.May the Lord look on you with favor and give you peace.” Numbers 6:24-26 New International Reader’s Version
“Peace on Earth …”
When William Wadsworth Longfellow (1807-1882) wrote this poem, the country was fighting the Civil War, his beloved wife Fanny had died in an accidental fire and his son Charles was recovering from crippling war wound. The first Christmas after Fanny’s death, Longfellow wrote, “How inexpressibly sad are all holidays.” A year later, he wrote, “I can make no…