by David Anderson
In a world that values the freedom to choose, it’s ironic that so many of us don’t know what we want. Even the things we “choose” turn out not to be our own choice. Consider the little red car. It sits in the corner of the playroom and no one wants it—until one kid finds […]
by David Anderson 6 Comments Filed Under: authority, Awareness, Choice, Daily Practice, Happiness, Uncategorized
The shortest distance between two points is usually the most boring. The fastest way of doing something is often the most mindless. Every day we have these to-do lists. Into every 24 hours we stuff 48. When we still can’t get it all done, we hire a coach who can make us even more efficient […]
by David Anderson 23 Comments Filed Under: Awareness, Awe, Daily Practice, Happiness, Now/ the Present, Seeing
swore with an oath, “I do not know the man.” But it wasn’t exactly true. While Jesus is on trial, Peter is hanging around the courthouse when a maid recognizes him. She points her finger, “You also were with Jesus the Galilean.” Peter denies it and slinks off, only to be fingered twice more. Each […]
by David Anderson 4 Comments Filed Under: Awareness, Grace, Identity, Lent, Vocation/ Calling
is One. The shema, the central affirmation of Judaism, begins: “Hear, O Israel, the Lord is our God, the Lord is One.” Along with every observant Jew, Jesus prayed those words morning and night. God is One. This week’s “Stories of Simplicity & Joy” all flow from that oneness at the heart of God. God is singular, […]
by David Anderson 5 Comments Filed Under: Awareness, Blessing, Daily Practice, Lent, Love, Prayer/Meditation, Uncategorized
teaches us how to access and trust the God within. Jesus tells a parable about a vulnerable widow who goes before a jerk of a judge who “neither feared God nor cared what people thought ” (Luke 18:1-8). He brushes her off, again and again. But she keeps after him, until finally he relents and […]
by David Anderson 6 Comments Filed Under: Adult Spirituality, authority, Awareness, Faith in Action, Grace, Lent, Now/ the Present, Patience, Surrender, Transformation
begins the Lenten journey—every year—by heading out to the wilderness and taking us along (Mark 1:9-15). The wilderness is often portrayed as an ominous and threatening place—avoid it at all costs. But what if it has a word for us, a message from God? Because the Exodus sojourn in the wilderness became the single most […]
by David Anderson 10 Comments Filed Under: Awareness, creation, Discernment, Lent, Listening, Nature/Creation, Now/ the Present, Prayer/Meditation, Surrender, Transformation
is perhaps the Bible’s most famous turner. God was about to destroy the city of Sodom, her hometown, and despite being warned to leave and not look back, she did (Gen. 19). She couldn’t help herself. I have a hard time condemning Mrs. Lot since I would have done the same thing. I’m with that […]
by David Anderson 5 Comments Filed Under: Awareness, Awe, Discernment, Seeing
knew how to turn. That’s why he is a model for us on Ash Wednesday, a day that calls us to turn in a new direction. I mean Peter’s famous vision of a sheet descending from heaven filled with all the animals he was—by law—forbidden to eat (Acts 10: 1-48). A voice from heaven says, […]
by David Anderson 14 Comments Filed Under: Awareness, Belief, Bible, Change, Discernment, Forgiveness, Grace, Lent, Repentance, Surrender, Transformation