If you’re really sick or chronically ill, your prayer life, even if you’re not a believer, becomes pretty simple and focused. You pray for healing. Healing in this life. Healing to avoid the chemo, surgery or whatever procedures are coming your way. You want more time and less suffering. You want time to enjoy simple…
Near the end of her book, Emily DeArdo pulls the curtain back a little and lets the reader in on what she went through as she waited for an organ transplant. She writes: “My life consisted of work (answering the phone), IV meds, forcing some food into me, and sleeping, sometimes fourteen hours a day….
Just before Jesus died, he cried out, “It is finished!” His work was over. The work of his followers was just beginning. Necessary tasks. For us in today’s world, the funeral, memorial service, and burial arrangements are pretty straight forward tasks. Dealing with the final wishes, assets and the estate of the deceased may not…
In the movie, The Age of Adeline, Adeline, the female lead character, is involved in a car accident in which she miraculously survives. Another miracle takes place. From that day forward, the process of normal aging for her stops. What might be considered a desirable state- always youthful- turns out to be a curse relationally….
I’m sure you’ve heard the following before. Maybe even said one of them to someone, even to yourself. I have. Just stay positive Everything happens for a reason Things will work out Look on the bright side If I was in a car accident and walked away with minor injuries, one of the above statements…
Does looking at a crucifix make you uncomfortable? It does me. Most of us would say we prefer to look at an empty cross. One person I spoke to at a church I was visiting pointed to the empty cross behind the pulpit. She enthusiastically exclaimed, “No crucifixes at this church, just empty crosses. We…
What is your greatest fear? Psychologists have asked this question over and over again. The consistent, number one answer given is “speaking before an audience.” The number two answer is “death.” When you think about what this implies, when given the choice of being the one in the coffin or eulogizing the one in the…
Do you know someone who, when he or she is sick, isn’t the best patient? They become a bit of a whiner? We’ve all got plans, projects, and deadlines. Most of us live “behind schedule.” Now that we’ve got the flu, we won’t be making the kind of progress we expected to make on our…
As St. Teresa of Ávila was traveling to one of her convents, she fell off a horse while crossing a cold stream. The current, being strong, caused Teresa to lose her footing and she was almost swept away. She complained to God about the constant trials in her life. The Lord replied, “Do not complain,…
I don’t know about you but most of the books I buy are often associated with other writers or content creators- a reference in the text itself, a foot note, etc. I was introduced to Phil Volker by Terry Hershey, who in turn had written an endorsement to a Robert Capon book I had just…