God's Pattern in Life's Pieces

On a cosmic stage, with the spotlight shining most brightly in a different direction. Joseph. But it’s Joseph who endures the crushing realization that the love of his life, his fiancé, his hometown girl is pregnant. The Gospel of Matthew records it this way… Now the birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way. […]

Interruptions are often unwelcome, and at times frightening. But just imagine. A young teenaged girl… possibly lost in the anticipation, or fear, or delight of an upcoming marriage. Then, a voice, an exchange, an encounter. With an angel. With Gabriel. “Greetings, O favored one, the Lord is with you!” Mary was reeling. Not just on […]

From time to time over the last six months, a stagnant memory or reflection stirs in my soul as I think about 26 hours in lock up. Most urgently I’m drawn back to the simple and straightforward process of “intake”. It’s the activity of separating the resident from the last remnant of personal belongings. Individual […]

And when he drew near and saw the city, he wept over it, saying, “Would that you, even you, had known on this day the things that make for peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes. (Luke 19:41–42, ESV) Jesus prayed with a view. His eyes stirred His soul. And His soul reacted […]