Weekend Wanderings

For some, this is the week we pause to give thanks for all of the blessings God has given us. Others commemorate the time by eating too much, and then watching football or battling the crowds at all the stores. Some have a hard time coming up with things to be thankful for. It can be the beginning of a hard season for some. If you know someone who is struggling this time of year, try to spend some time with them and let them know that someone does care about them.

Here are the links:

Excellent article from Bruce Hillman.
Yelling at God? Yes.
Some good news.
Speaking of the caravan.
Officials are trying to figure out a way to stop this.

What we have in common.
Thoughtful piece by Wesley Hill.
This looks like a good idea.
Interesting article.
The problem with being perfect.

Not so sure about this.
Long, interesting, and a bit disturbing article.
Good post from Karl Vaters.
Good post from Bob Edwards.
Trading brunch for the Eucharist.

The thing with feathers.
Helpful thing to know.
There is a difference.
Good question.
A Thanksgiving prayer.

Have a blessed week!

Weekend Wanderings

It has been a rough week in parts of the country. The hatred and vitriol that has marked the country the past couple of years has gotten worse in the months leading up to the midterm elections. The worst dialogue and actions are being carried out by a minority of folks on either side. I pray that enough people wake up to the damage that is being done and refuse to listen to those that would further divide us.

On to the good stuff:

Screen dangers.
Sinners and saints.
Don't be a Stepford Wife.
Satire? Maybe.
Good post on Halloween.

A warning.
Classic iMonk post on Reformation Day.
This is unfortunate.
Have you ever seen anything like this?
Most people go up the inside of a skyscraper. Not this guy.

You know, we really are a rather unimpressive bunch.
Best nature photos.
Interesting take.
Lessons learned.
Funny post.

A bit of history.
Reflections on Eugene Peterson.
Good post from Karl Vaters.
Good post from Bob Edwards.
Linchpin of our faith.

Have a blessed week!

Weekend Wanderings

It has been a bit chilly here in the sunny South this past week. The political ads are getting more numerous and nastier. It's rare these days when a candidate gives you positive reasons why you should vote for them rather than negative reasons why the other candidate is evil. I don't know how the elections are going to turn out, but no matter what happens, my calling as a follower of Jesus doesn't change.

On to the real reason you are here. The links:

Happy happy?
Are you haunted?
Here is a very touching article.
We need more of this.
This is a problem.

Leaving Facebook.
Good article from Michelle Van Loon.
A vanishing occupation.
Sad news.
This could be a problem.

Evidently, it might not be an insurmountable problem.
Here is one place where the right and left are coming together, sort of.
Humblebrags.
Is the neighborhood the answer?
Good things from the grave.

Failing the grieving.
Five terms to stop misusing.
Passing of a hero.
Hidden messages.
Taking love for granted.

Have a blessed week!

Weekend Wanderings

This is the time of year that sports fans have a number of games to choose from. There is professional and college football, baseball, and pro basketball. College basketball teams have begun to practice for the upcoming season. This year's official political campaign season mercifully ends in about a month, although it doesn't seem, that it really never ends these days.

On to the good stuff:

Serious article from McSweeney's.
Don't forget eternity.
Good post from Donavon Riley.
The dad joke.
This is a good story.

Lawnmower? Really?
Amy Hollingsworth remembers Mr. Rogers.
Sarah Condon on reconciliation.
This is interesting.
Free range kids.

A bit of a look back.
I think this is going a bit too far.
Be careful taking those selfies.
This is what happens when birds over indulge.
Little did they know.

What your snack says about you.
Thinking bigger.
Another approach to politics.
Less is more.
Good post by Fred Smith.

Have a blessed week!

Weekend Wanderings

Here in our little corner of the sunny South, we survived Hurricane Florence. We were just south of the circulation of the bands of high wind and rain, so we escaped. The folks to the east of us had a rough time and now face even more flooding as the water from upstream comes back down already swollen rivers as it returns to the sea. Please pray for the people in the eastern part of the Carolinas, and help if you are able.

On to the links:

Remembering Johnny Cash.
Drawing lines.
Hurricane prep.
Two lies.
Watch out for those houseplants.

Good question.
This is an amazing story.
A dangerous place to be.
Good article from Mark Galli.
Thought provoking post from Keith Giles.

Awkward album covers.
This is interesting.
She wrote the book, and then evidently lived it.
Backpacks.
Amazing photo, with a cool story.

A poem.
Good post.
Remembering a streak.
Called or not called?

Have a blessed week!

Weekend Wanderings

It's a long weekend here in the sunny South, and I hope it is for you all as well. College football has kicked off the season, and the pros are getting ready to begin theirs. Political campaign signs are popping up like weeds, and we will soon be bombarded by media ads telling us why the other candidate is the scum of the earth.

On to better things:

Good post from Donavon Riley.
You don't have to be good at everything.
I wouldn't mess with this guy.
Now you know.
Back to school buying guide.

Good post from Steve Brown.
New book!
Taking things for granted.
Good question.
A Christian band?

What is worth fighting for?
Disappointed?
Maybe. Maybe not.
Good post for Labor Day.
Having joy.

Good post from Fred Smith.
Someone celebrity pastors need to meet.
Bob Edwards has a good one.
Shhh.
Shame.

Have a blessed week!

Acts 27: On a Cruise With the Apostle Paul

In our gathering last Sunday, I had the privilege of speaking on Acts 27. You can listen to it here.

Weekend Wanderings

As you can tell, this month has been a busy one, so I haven't had the chance to do much wanderings through the interwebs. I don't know if it's going to get a whole lot slower heading in to Fall, but I have some time this weekend to wander a bit, so here is some of the best out there.

Early Yelp reviews.
So, evidently there is a new shape.
Finally, realistic self-help books.
An excellent, must-read article.
Another good post.

This must have taken a while to put together.
This is interesting.
In case you you are something other than a "helicopter parent."
Good post from Bob Edwards.
So much work.

Prosperity without happiness.
Steve Brown on grace.
Confession of a prodigal.
Good post from Jake Luhrs.
The wheel of justice.

Alan Bevere on evangelism.
Karl Vaters asks a good question.
A review of Rumors of Rain. Looks good.
Joe Puentes on eating.
Friendship.

Have a blessed week!

Weekend Wanderings

Summer is winding down here in the sunny South. It's actually been a bit cooler here than normal. Football season is gearing up, and the major league baseball playoffs are getting closer. The silly season is upon us again, as politicians start pandering, er I mean jockeying for our votes.

On to the important stuff:

Grace never expires.
In case you're thinking about deleting Facebook.
Slow learner.
Summer and eternity.
Good question.

Watch out for those extremist groups!
Interesting article.
The smell of rain.
Good article.
Good post from Bob Edwards. 

G-L-O-R-I-A.
More than you ever knew about water.
A warning about warnings.
Good post from Sammy Rhodes.
Identity politics.

The boat in the backyard.
Karl Vaters asks better questions.
Jesus' questions.
Ties that bind.
Believing in the prosperity gospel.

Have a blessed week!

Weekend Wanderings

It's been a while since the last weekend links post. The past few weekends have been extremely busy and there just hasn't been time to write. I'll get the post out this week and next, and take a week off because we'll be out in Seattle visiting our children and grandchildren.

Enjoy some of the good stuff out there:

Excellent post from Kelsi Kembara.
Encouraging post from Steve Brown.
In some ways the medieval peasant had it better.
For the coffee lovers.
Flying spiders!

Good post from Ted Gossard.
Funny post.
Good article on reading.
Good question.
You just never know.

Evidently this is a trend.
Top photos.
Are you a perfectionist? Read this.
The last one.
Another funny post.

Bob Edwards on the healing touch.
Ladder theology.
Mystically tone-deaf.
Good post from Karl Vaters.
The museum of me.

Have a blessed week!

38 Years and Counting

On this date thirty eight years ago, Jan and I were married. We have been through a lot in that time, most of it good, some it challenging, and some of it flat out bad. We have reared two children, and are grateful that they have grown into responsible adults. We have buried our parents and become the "older generation." We have become grandparents. Not once, not twice, but three times in the past thirteen months.

We have lived in five homes in three different cities, moving from the bustle of the Washington, DC area to the more blue collar Cincinnati, Ohio suburbs, to the small, yet growing town of Rock Hill, South Carolina. We have each taught in four different schools. Jan is currently tutoring part time, and I am working as an assistant in a law office. We have spent most of our working years traveling together to the same place, and had the blessing of having our son and daughter in the same schools with us for a good bit of the time. Jan has stuck with me through the times I was without work, when we often wondered how we were going to make it and when I seriously doubted my self-worth. There were times when her belief in me was what kept me going.

I am grateful for a wife who has been a constant in my life. There has never been a time when I doubted her love for me. She has been a support and a blessing to me throughout the years. She is one of the people God has used to mold me into who I am. I am thankful for the privilege of being her husband, her companion, her love. I consider myself most blessed man on earth.

As we enter this new stage of our journey, being grandparents, and dealing with getting a bit older, I am glad to have such a wonderful woman to travel with. Jan, I love you so much more than yesterday, and so much less than tomorrow. Happy Anniversary.

Acts 23

Acts 23 is an interesting account of some of the things the Apostle Paul went through. I had the opportunity to teach from this portion of Scripture this past Sunday. You can take a listen here.

Weekend Wanderings

Welcome to July! It's hot here in the sunny South, as it is in much of the country. For the soccer fans out there, the World Cup has been interesting this year. Some of the traditional powerhouses have been eliminated, and there are teams no one expected in the knockout round.

Here is the good stuff:

You've been doing this all wrong.
The meekness of God.
Living free.
A history of pizza.
World's smallest desert.

Funny article.
Sand cats. Really.
Love. Or lack thereof.
Revolutionary message.
Ugly dogs.

Fear and options.
Are you hangry?
Don't be a jerk.
Bob Edwards on worry.
Lisa Dye om her big life.

Provocative post from Benjamin L. Corey.
Good post from Andy Gill.
Good ideas for church leaders.
Dan Jepsen has a good one.
Another look from Chaplain Mike.

Have a blessed week!

Father

All of us have fathers. My father was a good man. Not perfect, but good. There never was a time when I didn't know he loved me. He was a good provider and role model. I learned a great deal from him, although not as much as I could, or should, have. He was the kind of father that makes me proud to be his son.

Many folks don't have a father like that. It is heartbreaking to hear those who had fathers who were absent. Some of their fathers died while they were young, others were absent because of work or simply lack of interest. More heartbreaking are the stories of the fathers who were abusive, who treated their children in ways that no one should be treated.

Our picture of God is often colored by our experience with our earthly fathers. Some of us see God as Abba, as the loving Father who cares perfectly for his children. To us, he is Papa, Daddy. Others unfortunately, have a hard time seeing God as their Father. Their image of God is that of a King who is hard, who is demanding, who is always asking more and more of us. That saddens me, because I believe the picture we have of God has a great deal to do with how free we are able to live as his children.

I once heard someone say something which I  believe will help those who struggle with the idea of God as Father. If you have trouble with that, try to imagine the perfect father, with all of the best attributes and no bad qualities. Imagine a father who always makes good and loving decisions, and who always does what is best for his children. Then, take that image and magnify it beyond comprehension. Do that and you have God.

Even the best of earthly fathers are imperfect. My father had his flaws, and I definitely have mine. But our heavenly Father, our Abba, has no flaws. He is absolutely perfect. He is everything anyone would want in a father, and more. We can't begin to imagine such a perfect father. But we can accept that he is and trust him to be exactly what we need.

Cry out to Abba. Let his furious love wash over you and let him wrap you in his arms. Crawl up in his lap and rest in his perfect care.

Weekend Wanderings

This weekend we celebrate Father's Day. It's a joyous day for some, while it is a day of sadness or even bitterness to others.I hope it is a day of joy for you. It's the beginning of election season, as most states have had their primaries and it's time for the real mud-slinging to begin. I'm pretty much to the point where the primaries of both major parties result in me knowing who I am not going to vote for in the fall.

That's my political statement for the month. On to the real reason why you're here:

Father's Day meditation.
Who's your Father?
Check out the iMonk Saturday Monks Brunch Father's Day edition.
Thoughtful article from Emily Hunter McGowin.
Interview with David Brooks.

I think I'll pass on this.
Funny photos.
Something for the soccer fans.
High school yearbook quotes.
Remember the marshmallow test?

For those who really like to eat. A lot.
You have to be careful around those things.
So, this was art?
You also have to be careful around these things.
Good question.

Good post from Fred Smith.
Mr. Rogers, revolutionary.
Good post from Bob Edwards.
Mike Glenn writes about a myth.
Good interview.

Have a blessed week!

Acts 19

This weekend I had the privilege of teaching about the Apostle Paul's time in Ephesus from Acts 19. You can find the recording here.

Weekend Wanderings

It's Memorial Day weekend. In the midst of all the fun stuff that happens this weekend, let us not forget those who gave their lives in the service of their country.

On to the good stuff:

Good post from Bob Edwards.
Thoughtful post from Joel Kurz.
This would be cool to see.
I wonder if you can get this at your local pub.
This is a good thing.

Perhaps the fault is really not in our stars.
This is kind of sad.
Baptized with fire.
Including the excluded.
This is kind of funny.

Funny post from Babylon Bee.
Invasion of the giant worms!
I think this is a good thing.
Good post from Mike Glenn.
Superstar Christianity.

Ain't too proud.
Correcting a mistake.
Interesting article.
Funny from McSweeney's
I want to go here.

Have a blessed week!

Weekend Wanderings

After some really warm days here in the sunny South, the temperatures have been just a bit above normal with a fair amount of rain. The professional basketball season has come down to the last four teams. It could be interesting to see who comes out on top. On a totally unrelated note, we now have a new granddaughter to add to the two grandsons. Of course they are the cutest little ones you could ever see.

Anyway, here is the good stuff:

Evidently, these people were a bit odd.
France at the end of World War I.
Interesting article.
Steve Brown on prayer.
Turns out eggs are okay after all.

Interesting.
Good question.
Story of the Rainbow Man.
It looks like propaganda has been around awhile.
Good article from Peter Wehner.

Out of the shadows.
Stanley Hauerwas.
Good article from Geoff Holsclaw.
Good article from Karl Vaters.
Mike Glenn on forgiveness.

Allergy myths.
Darn! I really wanted to take my spider with me on my trip this summer,
You have to time it right to visit this place.
For those of us who have been around awhile.
This is good.

Have a blessed week!

Weeknd Wanderings

The days are getting longer and warmer here in the sunny South. We had dinner out on the back porch for the first time this year. We are awaiting the arrival of our first granddaughter. She is expected to make her arrival in the next couple of weeks.

On to the good stuff:

Good post from Nick Lannon.
Reading Paul with a southern drawl.
I don't think so.
Can you trust anything anymore?
Puns. Just because.

Good photos.
Feeling pretty?
Church of Holy Saturday.
This is intriguing.
Dangerous grace.

Mowing the lawn.
The first of two good posts from Karl Vaters.
Second post.
Good post from Fred Smith.
So evidently, this is happening.

Since it is still Easter season, here is a good post.
Good question from Chris Williams.
Yeah, don't do this.
For your next Cinco de Mayo party.
Some people won't let you just enjoy a movie.

Gave a blessed week!

Weekend Wanderings

I finally was able to mow the yard this week, after four weeks of not having a mower coupled with a lot of rain. Needless to say the grass was pretty high. It finally feels like spring here in the sunny South, considering it is the end of April. I don't know about your week, but mine seemed like it was one or two days shorter. The days flew by.

Anyway, here are the links:

Karl Vaters answers a question.
Honest words from Brennan Manning.
Chaplain Mike on being friends.
Shocking!
Awkward!

David Brooks on social wealth.
This is disturbing.
Cool pictures.
Continued good news.
Another good one from Karl Vaters.

Good article from Nick Lannon.
Soft, not hard.
Good post from Fred Smith.
Good reminder.
No, I don't think so.

Failure to launch really is a thing.
This is a good story.
Throwing something out.
Turns out the prediction was wrong.
Interesting post from Bob Edwards.

Have a blessed week!

Acts 14

From my opportunity to teach in our gathering this morning:

Weekend Wanderings

Spring seems to be making its way in slowly. Here in the sunny South, we are still have temperatures in the thirties some mornings. The northern half of the country is still dealing with snowstorms. I don't know if I'm looking forward to summer weather or not. The college basketball season is over, baseball has begun, and there seems to be some competition for the NFL popping up.

On to the good stuff:

Good article on addiction.
Long article on fake news.
Great story.
Better but miserable?
2018 Sony World Photography Awards.

Is it really local?
A sad case.
Good question.
Good article.
Shower thoughts.

Creepy bunnies.
There are probably lots of outdated laws out there.
Interesting article.
This is not good.
Mr. Rogers and miracles.

Do you have a boring testimony?
Looking in the last place.
Bob Edwards on prayer-bombing.
Nothing left to prove.
Living into the "what."

Have a blessed week!

Saturday

Today
Darkness
Fear
Hiding
Doubt
Disillusionment
Remorse
Recrimination
Wondering
Waiting

Come and Die

Blast From the Past: Palm Sunday

This post was first written on April 3, 2012.

Today is the day Christians commemorate the triumphal entry of Jesus into the city of Jerusalem. Jesus was hailed as the King by the people along the road into the city. While the people did recognize Jesus as the promised King, they did not understand just what his kingdom was all about. They were looking for someone to overthrow the Romans and restore Israel back to its former glory. Even the disciples did not totally understand. By the end of the week, many who were hailing Jesus as King turned against him and saw him as just another in a line of failed would-be messiahs.

Many today also misunderstand Jesus and his kingdom. Some see the kingdom as something in the future. Today we depend on Jesus to save us, and take us to heaven when we die. The kingdom will happen when Jesus comes again. The idea that Jesus is the King, right now, does not enter into our minds.

This incorrect thinking has produced a church that is weak and ineffective. It has produced people who only see the Jesus as a ticket to heaven, as "fire insurance." It ignores or explains away much of the four Gospels. It has caused many to leave the church. I believe that fear is one reason many would rather see the kingdom as something off in the future. Fear that, if we take Jesus' teachings seriously, we will have to give up control. Fear that Jesus may ask us to give up the American Dream. Fear that our comfortable life will be no more.

So, while the first century church proclaimed the subversive message that Jesus was the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, bringing down the wrath of the Roman Empire, the church today proclaims a message that is quite compatible with the powers that be. Either that, or a message that you can accept Jesus as "personal" Savior, live a moral life, and go to heaven and escape this world when you die.

The first century church turned the world upside down. The church today, well...

Acts 11

The last few months, I've had the privilege of speaking in some of our Sunday gatherings. I thought I'd post the recordings here. So, if you feel so inclined, take a listen.

Weekend Wanderings

Now that March is here, Spring has taken a bit of a break here in the sunny South. Temperatures have dropped, although we are not facing what folks in the Midwest or Northeast have to deal with. There is a touch of madness in the air, as the college basketball season enters its final month. My Xavier Musketeers have a good chance of going deep in the tournament this year. Which team is your favorite?

On to the good stuff:

Good Lenten post from Chaplain Mike.
Good advice for church leaders.
Good post about beauty, goodness, and truth.
Good question.
Leading a church through difficult times.

Not sure this is a good thing.
Sometimes you just can't avoid the arguments.
Classy move.
Thoughtful post from David Moore.
Security.

Going on and on.
Bob Edwards on grace.
Benjamin Corey is fasting from Lent.
Christian Bill of Rights.
Good post from Kurt Willems.

Have a blessed week!

Weekend Wanderings

Last weekend our daughter and grandson came from California for a long weekend visit. We had a wonderful time with her. Another week has come and gone, and life has returned to what passes for normal. Really, what's normal anyway? Spring has sprung here in the sunny South. The big question is whether or not winter will return to give us one more bite.

Here's a bit of some good posts from the blogosphere:

Something else to watch out for.
Pencils.
What to say.
This is a bit disturbing.
Does the spiritual life "work"?

Reasons not to go to church.
New saints for 2018.
For those of you wondering what to study.
Christian Wiman on joy.
The real Margaritaville?

Fascinating look at Camp David.
A burdensome myth.
New love languages.
Messy saints.
Good post from Margaret Pope.

Happiness or joy?
Beauty.
This could change things.
Bob Edwards on forgiveness.
A fool's errand.

Have a blessed week!

Repost: Dead, Yet Alive

This was first posted on June 15, 2012.

Those of you who have read this blog over the past three or four months know that one of the topics I wrote a fair amount on was death. Death to self, dying for others. Those posts came out of some recent experiences, and as I was thinking about them the other day, I was concerned that I may have come across as a bit morose. Over the last couple of months, I have learned a few things. Believe it or not, I am still very much a work in progress and am continually learning.

The biggest thing that I am learning is the difference between what so many of us see as living, and what Scripture tells us about life. Many people (Christians included) see life as all about getting as much stuff as you can. That stuff can be money and possessions, or career satisfaction and success. It can be friends and followers, or family. It can be any number of things. The prosperity gospel preachers tell us that if we just have faith, God will give us a life filled with health and wealth, and devoid of problems. Some preachers preach that if we just love everyone, our lives will be filled with friends. Many evangelicals preach that if we follow a number of steps (based on the Bible of course) we will have great marriages, successful children, and a joyous life. Even those who look on horrified at all those things teach that if we keep all the rules our life will be wonderful.

In John 10:10, Jesus states that he came so we could have an abundant life. There are many places in Scripture where a life of following Jesus is presented as the ultimate way to live. Jesus says in Luke 17:33 that those who lose their lives for his sake will find life. In Luke 18, Jesus states that those who give up family, etc. to follow him will receive those things back, and then some. Jesus does call us to come and die. He also says that dying is the way to real, abundant life. The problem comes when we expect that abundant life to include lots of friends, success in our endeavors, good health, enough money to do anything we want, or anything else we think will make us happy. We are like those described by C.S. Lewis in Weight of Glory, “It would seem that Our Lord finds our desires not too strong, but too weak. We are half-hearted creatures, fooling about with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered us, like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea. We are far too easily pleased.”  

We tend to see life in terms of what we can see and touch, when the life Jesus offers us rises far above the mundane things of this life. We are far too easily pleased. We set our sights on things that will pass away and miss the eternal pleasures the Father has for us right now. I wonder how many of those who believe God is in the business of giving them whatever they want believe that they will have those things in the new heavens and new earth. I hope none of us really believe that the things of this earth are the things that count. We do act like it many times.

As Christ calls us to die, let us remember that he also calls us to live. Live in him. 

Weekend Wanderings

Welcome to another edition of Weekend Wanderings! My time for reading has been reduced a good bit, but I still try to put together a list of some of the best that I am able to see.

It's still winter here in the sunny South. I guess it still is in most parts of the country. Anyone planning to watch the State of the Union speech on Tuesday? Personally, I think I'll skip it.

On to the good stuff:

Funny from McSweeney's

Good article on identity politics.

What is your anchor?

Entertain us?

Cool pictures.

Thoughtful article on higher education.

The mystery of Providence.

Good post from Graham Hill.

Now you know.

These folks really love their Nutella!

Presidential vulgarity.

Sabbath and politics.

Thought provoking article from Karl Vaters.

Those two-faced Christians!

Gods in disguise.

Free people.

Good post.

Social media warnings.

Have a blessed week!

Weekend Wanderings

This is the first weekend of the new year. Most of the country has been locked in the icebox for the past week. The southeastern coast was hit with more snow than some residents had ever seen and the northeastern part of the country was slammed with heavy snow and high winds. It's supposed to warm up this week here in the sunny South.

Here is the good stuff:

Listening and learning.
Epiphany post.
This is good.
Do you know anyone who needs one of these?
Whatever works.
Good post from Karl Vaters.

Raining iguanas.
A new game to play on those snow days.
I might be able to keep these New Year's resolutions.
A good post on something we need to rediscover.
Looks like a good book.

Paul Dunk is ruined.
A plea for grace.
Good question.
What if?
Good post from Kurt Willems.
10 steps.

Have a blessed week!

Goodbye and Hello

2017 has passed into history. There have been a few years in recent memory to which I bid "Good riddance." This past year is not one of those. 2017 was a good year for me and my family. Jan and I became grandparents. Twice. I started a new job, which I love. There were some hiccups. It was not a perfect year, but overall it was peaceful, without the drama of some recent years.

As I look back on the past year, I am thankful for the good things that God has blessed us with. Grandchildren and the new job are right up there at the top of the list, along with a deepening of our relationship as husband and wife. Our relationships with our friends has also grown stronger, and we are grateful for them. This year has been more active than most, but we have been blessed with the energy we needed. I have no idea what 2018 holds. I hope that it is as good as 2017, but I realize that it may not be.

I don't know if your past year was good or bad. I don't know if you are looking forward to this new year or not. I do know how it feels to be glad one year is gone and also dread the coming year. While I can't totally understand what everyone goes through, I can empathize. I can also hope and pray with you that 2018 is a good year for you.

Let me encourage you to trust God this coming year. There may be times when you can't even begin to figure out what he is doing, or if he is even working at all. Those times when you can't see his hand at work, trust his heart. Trust that the Father's love for you is so strong that he will never let anything come into your life that he does not use for your good. The last part of Romans 8 is true. There is absolutely nothing on earth or in heaven that can separate you from Abba's love.

Don't live this year worrying about the state of your finances, your health, your relationships. Don't be worried about the future of the country's politics, or world affairs. The Creator of all things, who is your Father, is in complete control. Since even the fall of a tiny bird doesn't escape God's attention, trust that he has your situation firmly in hand. As Julian of Norwich said, "...all shall be well, and all manner of things shall be well."

May your 2018 be full of the love of Abba!