tag: spiritual formation

Lent came early this year, starting on February 14. For this reason, many followers of Jesus wonder if they have missed it. It is interesting to note that Christian traditions worldwide use several timelines to enter spiritual seasons. Consider how an Orthodox friend of mine will begin his Lent journey on March 18…

No one knows the mix of feelings and emotions that are behind the scenes in a pastor’s mind other than a pastor or perhaps their spouse. Sometimes, more often than not, these feelings and emotions are not positive or healthy; but certainly most all the time…

My husband’s aunt owns a cabin along Pine Creek in Northern Pennsylvania. I’m always arrested by the stillness, such a contrast from the noisy pace of my day-today life and mind. In the quiet of the early morning or at the hush of dusk…

Would our church remain open or close? I'll never forget the September night four years ago when that question was the only item on our church board's agenda. I can still picture where each of us board members sat…

For more than 30 years, I’ve incorporated fasting as an integral part of my spiritual formation. One day per week, one week per month, and one month per year, I abstain from things that I would otherwise enjoy. Additionally, I fast sometimes for very specific purposes as I sense the Holy Spirit directing…

Hitchhiking across the United States at 18, Luke posed a question to the Creator of the universe. He had been about to head West on Route 50 — the highway slicing America’s midsection — when he’d been struck by the majesty of the Appalachian Mountains…

46 days. 1,104 hours. 66,240 minutes. 397,4400 seconds. This is how long I am fasting from desserts and sweets. The fast began on Wednesday — Ash Wednesday, the first day of Lent. Lent is observed in many Christian traditions over the course of the six weeks leading up to Easter…

Just this week, a couple of Christian guys told me about being found out while “watching porn.” The reason I heard about it was not that they felt bad about doing it. But because they got an email the next day saying that they had been filmed through the porn site…

Not far from my elementary school, my friend unfolded the pages of a magazine. For the first time, my eyes gazed Playboy. Shortly afterward, the internet gained popularity. And before I even understood the concept of addiction, I developed an addiction to pornography…

I remember a particularly disastrous piano recital from my teenage years. Since my toddler brother was sick, my parents had sent me off to the recital early with the promise that one of them would try to attend. I noticed with a start that my father was standing in the back doorway of the sanctuary…