Recent web posts
Cosmic and interpersonal reconciliation
it is possible to be intellectually committed to world peace, racial and national reconciliation, and environmental stewardship while having hard hearts which prevent us from making things right with the person we sleep with, the child we’ve raised, the coworker we labour with, the congregant we share a pew (or Zoom screen) with, and the neighbour we share a fence with. Here we need to reflect on what the Apostle Paul says. “As far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone” (Romans 12:18). That divine instruction is a tremendous challenge and comfort. –David Guretzki in “Little reconciliation”
Jesus the Healer
the pain of the heart we carry has consequences and addressing it is essential if we are to thrive and be ambassadors of reconciliation. Many who are deeply wounded can’t go through this process alone. They are stuck and need help. There is still a great need for skilled biblical counselors and trainers, for churches and ministries who work with Jesus the Healer, and can lead the way to peace and reconciliation that begins below the surface of our lives. –Errol Martens in “Reconciling the iceberg: Healing the pain of our hearts”
Resilience in the pandemic
i found people over 60 years of age were doing the best, while young adults (aged 18–29) were struggling most. There was also a tendency for women to trust less, fear others more and feel lonely. Other research tells us that in times of crises, women usually reach out to best friends and family – but in this crisis they couldn’t. We also know that men increase toxic
behaviour during pandemic isolation, giving some women reason to be on edge. The results for church attendance were especially eye opening. For people who said they do not attend church and those who attended three or four times per week, the high-attendance crowd were much more likely to score well on relational thriving and low on struggling. –Bill Strom in “How are we really doing in terms of resilience?”
Understanding spiritual wilderness
when I started thinking about the idea of wilderness a few months ago, my first response was, I do not want wilderness. I do not like it. I do not like the painful, lonely, threat of wilderness. I do not like the exposure of my naked fear I’ve experienced in some personal wilderness experiences. But as biblical narratives show us, wilderness is part of God’s preparation and calling of His people, individually and collectively. –Elaine Pountney in “Wilderness and beyond”