“Doing theology” often implies that we understand God better than the apostles or their disciples, and Jesus would really have benefited from a background in textual criticism. But has everything orthodox already been taught? Read the rest of this entry »
I worked in a bookkeeping department for about a year. Every week I had to make one large bank deposit. I totaled up the checks, recorded their bank routing numbers on the deposit slip, then totaled them up again.
My first day on the job, the two totals didn’t match. I was angry and frustrated. This isn’t fair, I thought to myself, this is somebody’s fault. Read the rest of this entry »
A member of my church is starting a house church in Tucson, Arizona. This summer he shared some reflections on community, based on five years among us.
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Tuesday night I asked my best friend to marry me, and she said yes. She’s from southeast Illinois and works in international student ministry. My grandmother loves her too.
Just thought I should mention this. You don’t need to be as excited about it as I am.
I recently created a website to share pictures of my grandmother going for a walk, since my relatives live out of state and can’t visit as often as they’d like. I also set up an email address for my grandmother.
The other day my aunt sent Grandma her first email.
Here’s my 93-year-old grandma’s response.
“The accomplishments, arts, or gifts which God has given me, were at first pleasant companions and recreations; now they yield me holy fruits. It is true, I have sweated, suffered cold, and as much as I was able, watched night and day; but this labor has tended and redounded to make me more perfect; there never passed a day or hour without some improvement. Behold, the true countenance of God has been revealed over my life, and the Lord has caused me to experience great joy in my heart. In Him alone I shall rest in peace.”
– Algerius, Martyrs Mirror, p. 570-573
“These limbs God from heaven gave; therefore, I will willingly surrender them for his law’s sake.”
– Lauwerens van de Walle, Martyrs Mirror, p. 652-654
“I will tell to the world an incredible thing: in a dark [prison] hole I have found pleasure; in a place of bitterness and death, rest and hope of salvation.”
– Algerius,Martyrs Mirror, p. 570-573
