Spiritual Formation

With clammy hands, I gathered my reins and nudged my horse forward toward the starting gate. I had just witnessed another rider get crushed by her horse, whose misstep at 20+ miles per hour caused it to dive to the ground and roll on its back. It frantically got up, but its rider didn’t. A team of people carried her out in a stretcher and an ambulance took her to the nearest hospital. While the course was being reset, I was reminded that my love for barrel racing was…

I’m not quoting Yoda here. Disorientation is exactly what I’ve been experiencing as of late. The symptoms are many. From spraining my ankle in a quick turnaround ascent up the basement steps, to running over an 8-inch curb and subsequently driving that car into a cabinet in the garage. Then there’s just the fog of scattered thoughts as I replay the entire day and plan the next with random rewrites racing in my mind. My “to-do” list gets…

The true story told in Director Ron Howard's 1995 film "Apollo 13" stirs my soul. As it heads toward the moon, the Apollo spacecraft is crippled by a meteor. Nobody knows how to get the crew back to earth alive. But Flight Director Gene Kranz played by Ed Harris concludes the first crisis meeting with the ringing declaration, "Failure is not an option!” Then he masterfully drives his ground support team until the three astronauts safely splash.…

I heard Dr. George Barna, a well-known Christian researcher, speak on the topic of what he called Christian Invisibility. A recent survey by Barna, director of research of the Cultural Research Center at Arizona Christian University, shows that the majority of tweens are rejecting core tenets of the Christian faith, and that issue stems from the syncretic worldview of their parents and even children’s pastors. When asked if they believe that Jesus Christ is the only…

I hate to move. I know, hate is a strong word. But I’ve moved my total household at least 6 times that I can remember. I have no fond memories to draw from. It was total chaos in the house for weeks before and after. Stuff was strewn everywhere while trying to purge. By purge I mean, sell, toss, giveaway, or keep all the paraphernalia that had accumulated over the years. I have a headache just thinking about it, even now. Colleen and I decided we’re not moving…

Have you ever wondered about the supposed inconsistencies critics point out in the Bible? Such things might leave you questioning how to tell what’s truly God’s Word and what isn’t. The answer is simple: God is the final authority. The Sovereign of the universe had no trouble keeping His Word pure. As 2 Timothy 3:16 says, “All Scripture is inspired by God and beneficial.” Reading the Bible as a whole document reveals that each part is…

I was reminded by an acquaintance of mine that there’s more at stake than what feels good in the moment we make choices. Then what? In the short run, there may be a great deal of satisfaction from eating that 1,000-calorie bowl of ice cream (speaking from experience). Then what? 3 ½ of those add one more pound to my belly. If I ignored my friend for a month, who I felt dissed me as we walked by one another at work without uttering a word, then what? If I grow…

To help avoid future financial mistakes, such as those in 1929 and 2008 that brought down the world’s economy, the Library of Mistakes was founded in Edinburgh, Scotland. It features a collection of more than two thousand books that can help educate the next generation of economists. And it serves as a perfect example of how, according to the library’s curators, “smart people keep doing stupid things.” The curators believe that the only way to build…

Jesus told His disciples, “I am the vine, you are the branches; the one who remains in Me and I in him bears much fruit” (John 15:5). As we live the Christian life in dependency on the Holy Spirit, two things will become evident in us. 1. We treasure God’s Word. When we value something, we think about it, study it, and learn all we can about it. By studying the Bible, we learn about God’s character, plans, and promises. Scripture meditation develops…