I recently returned from visiting multiple countries in the Middle East, where I heard stories from individuals, visited refugee/IDP camps, and met with leaders of various ministries, NGOs, and camps in Northern Iraq. Churches and organizations in Lebanon and Jordan also find themselves overwhelmed with the needs of refugees from Syria and Iraq, but have…
In 2013, I was living in Kenya while their presidential elections were looming. Everyone was remembering the previous election in 2007, when violence erupted and over 1000 people died in the aftermath, as tribal differences were triggered. As expats, we had our contingency plans set up, but were mostly expecting to hunker down inside our…
After Sunday’s tragedy of the shooting in Orlando (and the one that almost occurred in California) I’ve watched a wide range of reactions unfold. Of course those directly affected showed their overwhelming grief. Many showed sympathy and empathy through memorials, act of kindness, promises of prayer, donation of blood. Others expressed anger at multiple parties….
When offering the prototypical prayer that represented our relationship with God, Jesus included an interesting clause: “And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from evil” (Matthew 6:13a). Temptation is what draws people toward sin, toward selfishness. So why would the Lord’s prayer link the Father with temptation? We need to first think…
[After a long hiatus due to significant life events, we are finally back to unpacking the beautiful example of prayer given by Jesus. Thanks for your patience!] Forgiveness is a topic that can strike a raw nerve in many hearts. Several years ago I co-authored a chapter in a book on dealing with sexual abuse….
Jesus started His “sample” prayer with centering on God, both in His holiness and His grace to accept us as children. He then shifts to the practical, where we often find at the forefront of our thoughts. The God of Provision Jesus continued (Matthew 6:11): “Give us this day our daily bread.” In many ways…
There are a wide range of prayerful traditions, and a great deal of value in everything including liturgy, psalms, intercession, and so much more. Having seen God at work in many difference prayerful contexts, I find it hard to say the there is a “best” way to pray. Yet Jesus’ disciples asked how to pray,…
“Wait for the LORD; be strong, take heart, and wait for the LORD.” (Psalm 27:14) After finishing my year overseas working at a counseling center for missionaries, I arrived in the USA with very little idea of what lay ahead, but a wide variety of options seemingly available. I hoped connections at an upcoming conference…
It was the morning of Good Friday, almost 2000 years after Jesus was on trial. My father and other organization members had gone to the courthouse. I lived with my family in Central Asia, and for months our whole team had faced investigation from the government, court summons, attempts to sneak out of the country…
When I look at the news headlines, I almost always see accounts of discord and power struggles, which catch our attention because of our aversion to pain and conflict. The global history of wars speaks of the human tendency to seek power, yet there remains a deep desire to live in a place of peace….