Language Found A Pulse

December 12, 2014

“In the beginning was the Word” Language. And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. (John 1:14) The expression of God became tangible. The language of God became personal. The distance between God and […]

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Proclaim It

November 21, 2014

I wash my hands in innocence and go around your altar, O LORD, proclaiming thanksgiving aloud, and telling all your wondrous deeds. (Psalm 26:6-7) Proclaim it. Verbalize it. Out loud. Unleash your heart to reflect. Remove the constraints of business to explore boldly and humbly the landscape of His wondrous deeds. Resist the urge to […]

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Lake-Effect Snow

November 18, 2014

The western edge of Michigan is known for a weather phenomenon known as lake-effect snow. Cold winds blow over the vast expanse of Lake Michigan, drawing the warmer lake moisture into the atmosphere and depositing the newly crystalized water onto communities along the shore. Last night and this morning, I witnessed this event, but from […]

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Yard Signs

November 7, 2014

Ballots have been counted and recounted. Polling locations have turned out the lights. Radio and television space has been vacated. The election is over. And yet, littered across the landscape, the yard signs remain. Candidates who just a week ago were in the thick of the race, don’t have the motivation or work force to […]

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Training for a Marathon; Competing in a Sprint

October 31, 2014

It was 1924 and Scottish athlete Eric Liddell was perfectly prepared for the race of his lifetime. The 100 meters was Eric’s specialty and the Olympics in Paris would serve as a perfect platform to showcase his talent. That was until Eric discovered that the preliminary heats for the 100 meter race would be held […]

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The City

October 24, 2014

Jesus never wasted His tears, but He didn’t spare them either. “And when he drew near and saw the city, he wept over it.” ~ Luke 19:41 In compassion and without regret. Not naively, but tenderly, emotionally. Realistically, but hopefully. Jesus understood that chaos had replaced peace. And His prayer for shalom was real and […]

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38 Stories of Amazing Grace

October 17, 2014

The last two weeks has afforded me the opportunity to host three separate small-group lunch events in three of our Youth for Christ regions.  At each lunch we had indigenous leaders from under-resourced communities that are now a part of the mission of Youth for Christ. I asked each of these leaders to say their […]

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An October Kind of Feeling

October 3, 2014

This morning on my way to the airport I expressed to Mary that early fall brings a unique feeling for me.  There’s something about October.  When asked what that meant, I stumbled through a lame explanation of mellowness and reflection.  What I failed to express was the uniquely American perspective associated with October; playoff baseball. […]

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By This…

October 2, 2014

The seminar itself was not all that different from other seminars that I’ve attended from the standpoint of content or structure, but there was something wildly different about what was taking place. Every three years the national directors of each of the Youth for Christ programs from around the world get together for a week-long […]

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The Answer to the Question

October 2, 2014

Years ago we invented a birthday party game that includes questions about the birthday celebratee, and written responses by the party attendees.  The goal is to match the answers of the individual celebrating their birthday. A fresh set of questions are required each year… until this year.  Two weeks ago as we celebrated two birthdays, […]

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