Brother Fire

 "Whenever I meet someone in need, it's really Jesus in his most distressing disguise.” -- Mother Teresa As many of you know, I often visit the Charlotte Douglas Airport Overlook -- a parking lot/picnic area beside the airport's busiest runway. I find it to be a wonderful place to relax, pray, write, and enjoy the magic of watching planes takeoff and land. I also feel a great connection to God, to the Queen City, and to the rest of the country as I pray, welcome and bless planes as they arrive and take off to parts unknown. I'm at the Airport even now as I write this and I just had one of those God experiences that reminds me that Jesus is with us always. Shortly after arriving this evening it began to rain -- a steady light rain that blurred the view through my car's windshield -- but not enough that I couldn't see the dozen or so jets lined up ready to take off.  The humid air in my car was becoming stale and stuffy, so I opened my windows despite th...

It has been a stressful few months for me. Secular work has been all too consuming and the tough economic times have taken it's toll on me...just as it has with most of us. When I'm feeling this stressed, it is very difficult for me to find peace in prayer and allowing God to comfort me. However, it seems that my friend Cait has found the perfect image of God comforting us. Cait and her husband Joe always find a way to keep peace in their lives. Below Cait shares an experience -- an image of God in an email that I think will help me to turn to God especially when faced with life's stressors. It's been a challenging week and a half for us here since returning from Florida. First was worst, of course, with news of Joe's sister's death. The personal stress there is obviously the most serious. We were already dealing with corroded pipes in our kitchen, so we thought that was our biggest problem to have repaired so we could once again use our kitchen sink. ...

As a close-to-50-year-old single man on Valentine's Day, it's hard not to be cynical during the holiday. We are constantly bombarded in the media with messages of how we are supposed to celebrate the day and what we're supposed to buy for our partners on this alleged most important day for lovers: electronics, chocolate, new car, $1,300 dollar Pandora necklace, insurance (really? yes really), flowers, etc. -- you get the idea. It's no wonder that we falsely believe that the holiday was created by a greeting card company. And it is also no wonder why it can be difficult for those who are alone to find reason to celebrate. With so much focus of the holiday on romance, it leaves us single folk out to pasture while the rest of the coupled world celebrates their bliss. And don't get me wrong, I love Valentine's Day. I support any day set aside to celebrate our love for one another. However, sometimes it's easy to feel left out when you are not partnered, or ...

Jesus said to his disciples: “You have heard that it was said, An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth. But I say to you, offer no resistance to one who is evil. When someone strikes you on your right cheek, turn the other one to him as well. If anyone wants to go to law with you over your tunic, hand him your cloak as well. Should anyone press you into service for one mile, go with him for two miles. Give to the one who asks of you, and do not turn your back on one who wants to borrow.” Matthew 5:38-42 This is pretty self explanatory. If someone asks for a dollar....give them two. Or do we think Jesus is just kidding? Why do we think it's okay to refuse aid to others? Why do we justify our withholding by categorizing people into two categories: the deserving and undeserving? Jesus doesn't qualify about giving to those who ask. He just says, "Give to the one who asks of you, and do not turn your back on one who wants to borrow." Plain and simple. Yet I know...

I am so tired. Tired of Christians who seem to have lost the meaning of what it is to be Christian. I know -- I'm opening up a can of worms here (who am I to make such judgments as to who is and who isn't Christian?), but it's getting very old to watch folks who call themselves Christians acting in a way that is so un-Christ like, AND doing it in the name of Jesus. It is simply disheartening. I've been so dismayed by others who claim to love Jesus yet have forgotten how forgiving and loving Jesus is with all of us, and that Christ calls us to behave like Him. They seem not to know how to forgive or to tolerate others. They may call themselves sinners seeking forgiveness, yet forget that their brothers and sisters are also sinners deserving forgiveness. I'm sure many of my Christian friends -- conservative and progressive alike -- have experienced this frustration. As it happens with many of us in the Social Networking world, my list of 'friends' on Face...

This is probably one of the best lessons on "what is missional" that I've seen. You will find it to be a gift. It's worth the hour view.