We are doing a preaching series on racial righteousness, and part of my message this Sunday will be on forgiveness. I happened to pick up the latest Thielicke book I am reading last night, “Christ and the Meaning of Life.” One of the chapters I read looked at the story of unmerciful servant: the man… Continue reading Our debtors
Author: erika
Life together
God has very recently brought a few people into my life who are giving me the gift of encouragement. I cannot begin to describe the impact of words that say: “I care for you; I appreciate you; I see your struggles.” It is easy to let life happen around us and to stop taking the… Continue reading Life together
Rain
It is raining in Los Angeles tonight. Our windows our open as we absorb the sound of falling water as if into our very souls. We are lovers of rain, and nights like this are certainly the exception here. I feel grateful and peaceful; grateful for the way the rain dampens certain activities outside that… Continue reading Rain
Quotation of the Week
What Ignatius and Green emphasize is the need to be hungry for God’s will in our life, and to give God a blank check. Yikes! That’s a scary thought. I like to consider God’s will within some conditions and frameworks of acceptability, not a blank check! Yet what both Ignatius and Green stress is that… Continue reading Quotation of the Week
Yea though I walk (or chase after small children)…
There’s this thing that happens in our neighborhood sometimes. It is as if a tangible change takes place in the air (and I’m not talking about the pollution), and suddenly the environment feels tense and toxic. I call it feeling “prickly”. It is as if my skin is sensing or reacting to something, and the… Continue reading Yea though I walk (or chase after small children)…
A God of Reversals
Will Willimon has a great post up right now called Divine Wisdom Among ‘Little Old Ladies’ where he responds to a negative comment somebody made about a specific group of churches: “There’s nobody left in the churches except for a few little old ladies.” As always he writes with warm humor and deep conviction, and… Continue reading A God of Reversals
My cup overflows
This past week Doug and I were served up a pretty giant helping of grace. Our car was in desperate need of some significant repairs, and the scope of work exceeded our resources. I received an email from someone I had never spoken to before, someone halfway across the country, offering to carry this burden… Continue reading My cup overflows
Life with Aaron
When Mercy first became mobile (and able to get into things she shouldn’t), Doug and I developed a strategy. If she would go to touch something, like the T.V. or Doug’s laptop or the fan, we would tell her: “Mercy, just say hi” and we would wave at the object. She would then imitate us… Continue reading Life with Aaron
In the news
For those interested in the recent racial violence here in L.A. that I have mentioned in previous posts, here is an overview.
And the winner is…?
Two weeks ago, Kevin Blue (one of our teaching pastors) gave an excellent message at church titled: “Malcolm, Martin, and Messiah.” Part of his message traced the histories and teaching of Malcolm X, Martin Luther King Jr., and Jesus, and asked the question: what, ultimately, was the hope or vision that these leaders pursued? He… Continue reading And the winner is…?