Watching the wonderful story of Bart Millard in “I Can Only Imagine” caused me to remember a miracle I experienced with my own Mother. I loved my Mom but our relationship was challenging. She was raised in a family where love was not openly expressed. She could be very negative and her comments had wounded me over the years. I felt like I was never enough. I knew that she loved me fiercely but I will admit that I grieved for a more gracious expression of her love. My Mom could be really difficult. As her health declined I prayed that her relationship with God would be clear to her and to her family. In the last summer of her life I journeyed to Ohio to visit. A group of Christian friends in Texas told me they would pray that I could discuss salvation with my Mom. I thanked them for their concern but in my heart I felt they
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Sometimes I just want to step away from people. I get tired. Living in honest community can be frustrating and discouraging. And then the song “Lean On Me” cycles up on the music list. That is not funny Lord. The lyrics sung by Bill Withers talks about being there for others. Life happens, John Lennon famously said, when you are making other plans. Life has been happening to us and many close to us in recent months. Sometimes in our lives We all have pain We all have sorrow Lean on me, when you’re not strong And I’ll be your friend I have been thinking a lot about community. I have, to be honest, had moments when I wondered if living in community with messy people is worth it. I have come to understand why legalism is so much easier than grace. Legalism allows me to assess the situation and then apply a verse, assign a task and move away
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Full disclosure. Bart Millard is a friend. So this review could have been an awkward (not Happy) dance if the movie based on MercyMe’s iconic song had fallen flat. But it does not. I Can Only Imagine delivers a powerful and compelling story of redemption, forgiveness and the power of God’s grace. This is a Christian movie you can recommend to friends who have been wounded by life. It is unabashedly Christian but it works because it is not preaching. It is Bart Millard’s story. The elements of faith are not contrived or cringe-worthy because they are simply his story. There is no more powerful canvas to illustrate faith than watching normal people do extraordinary things through the power of faith. Dennis Quaid does a masterful job portraying Bart’s abusive dad Arthur. Quaid captures the fearful rage but also the tortured pain in Arthur’s own soul that needs a healing touch. J.Michael Finley plays Bart Millard perfectly although not quite
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This article is one of the hardest ones I have ever composed and it is not because I don’t believe deeply in the importance of this discussion.  It is because I know a lot of readers will react defensively and negatively. Regular readers know that I am not a political guy. I generally don’t write or talk about politics. My hope is in Christ and not in Washington and I mainly talk about Jesus, Grace, and community. Nonetheless, I must address politics when I see it is dividing the body of Christ. The New York Times wrote an eye opening and heartbreaking article “A Quiet Exodus: Why Black Worshipers are Leaving White Evangelical Churches”.  According to the article the tipping point was the 2016 election and the lack of support from white leaders and pastors addressing the concerns of people of color. Many, if not most, white Evangelicals have a gigantic blind spot when it comes to race in America.
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This quote grabbed my attention recently. “What a wonderful life I’ve had – I only wish I had realized it sooner.”  Collette That is true for most of us. But for some reason we tend to dwell on the disappointments, failures and hurts instead of the blessings most of us have in abundance. I love this passage written to the church at Colossae. Christ is all that matters, and he lives in all of us. Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others. Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony. And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body you are called to live in peace. And always
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One of my peers recently noted that “getting old is not for sissies”. Indeed. Even if you escape personal difficulties you undoubtedly have family and friends who are going through physical, emotional and spiritual trials. One of the songs that I default to when I am walking through valleys with others is from singer/composer Rich Mullins. The song is from his CD called Songs and it is simply titled “Hold Me Jesus”. Well, sometimes my life Just don’t make sense at all When the mountains look so big And my faith just seems so small Right now I am in a pretty good place in my life and journey with Jesus. But then I started thinking about the many friends and loved ones who could relate completely to those lyrics in their current situation. And I can certainly remember seasons of my life when those words accurately reflected the condition of my soul. And I wake up in the night and feel the dark It’s
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Another week of tragic losses has sobered all of us. The school shooting in Broward County, Florida is heartbreaking. More police officers killed in the line of duty. Deadly accidents. Sadly, I could go on and on. In church this week we looked at Psalm 90. In that text Moses wrote words that directly apply to the sad news we encounter everyday. Teach us to realize the brevity of life,     so that we may grow in wisdom.  (Psalms 90:12, NLT) What would that look like if we lived that truth?That is one of the primary reasons I wrote Waking Up Slowly.  Here is an excerpt from the book… Just this week I sent a consoling message to a friend. Her apparently healthy and robust father died without a moment of warning. Not to be maudlin, but that is the reality of this earthly existence. We don’t know if we have tomorrow or even the rest of today. Certainly we must
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