Can you imagine what it would be like to be at your lowest moment and have someone safe enough to share your deepest hurts, doubts, and fears and have them listen carefully to hear your heart and hold your emotions soothingly and safely without the need to minimize your pain, fix your thinking, or even
Fifteen years ago, God linked our hearts with a group of believers in Kenya who had been captured by the message ofHe Loves Me, even as they were caught in the tribal post-election violence that ravaged Kenya in 2008. When I met Michael, he had already taken a dozen parentless children into his home to
Last weekI wrote about the agony of Godfor the brokenness of his Creation and how our sufferings can be a way of fellowshipping with his inside of ours. Once we see that the presence of Jesus and personal pain are not at opposite poles of the universe, we can find the freedom to explore his
I’ve watched too many Christians struggle to trust God more as if that is something they are supposed to do. If you’ve ever been down that road, you know that it leads to a vast wasteland. We can only pretend to trust him more, and that will fail us when we most need it. Trust
(The graphic above was taken from the cover image ofA Man Like No Other, art by Murry Whiteman with text by Wayne Jacobsen and Brad Cummings) It’s hard to imagine that these words would describe the most authentic personification of love to ever live on this planet, but this is how Isaiah foretold it: “He
My photography site reminded me that six years ago today, I was in Israel with this team, including my daughter and my niece, a host of good friends, and some brand new people to get to know. We had a fantastic time, first in Petra with a smaller group, then ten more days up the
Jesus promised us so much joy and victory following him that it can be disorienting to encounter enduring times of pain and suffering. I’ve known many followers of Jesus who wrestle more with the perplexity of how God could have “allowed” them to suffer than the suffering itself would have demanded. It at least adds
Here’s what happens when a journalist from Ireland wants to talk to me about my life outside the traditional boundaries of Christianity and asks some intensely personal questions.You can listen to the podcast here, which released yesterday. Martin Purnell is the host of this series of podcasts for those who feel disconnected from church-as-we’ve-come-to-know-it. They
All of our attempts to live a Godly life will continue to frustrate and fail us until his love overwhelms us. When you know how deeply loved you are by God you will go on a journey that will continue to open your eyes to the lies you tell yourself and the truths of God
The new bedding has arrived. For those not keeping up with our friendships in Kenya over the last 14 years, the people who listen to The God Journey or read my blogs here at Lifestream have given over three million dollars to rescue an impoverished region of Kenya. We started by supporting a new orphanage
Manipulative people detest when they lose their power over someone else. Manipulation is a game constantly played in human relationships. We often get caught in it because we love the people playing, and we don’t want to risk losing their friendship if we don’t keep them happy. Such a life, however, will not lead you
As I hold the Ukrainian people in my heart these days, I find myself wondering what God must feel as he watches over his children in that part of the world. Last month, I received an email from a friend in Ukraine, and I have held its contents in my heart ever since. It has
Profound words from a man of great wisdom who lived that reality through greater hostility than I can imagine: Through violence you may murder a murderer, but you can’t murder murder. Through violence you may murder a liar, but you can’t establish truth. Through violence you may murder a hater, but you can’t murder hate
Joy in life comes not from trying to control your circumstances but by being ready to respond with God’s heart in whatever happens to you. When people ask us what we have in mind for 2023, part of me laughs inside. We rarely get to live according to our plans; life is too chaotic for
Happy New Year, everyone. I know people make plans and resolutions, but you never know what a year might bring. For Sara and me, last year completely took us by surprise—–both in the depth of pain, an incredible process of healing, and the fruit of joy and peace that came from all of it. On
The next meeting of the Jake Colsen Book Club has been set. For those interested, we work throughSo You Don’t Want to Go to Church Anymorechapter by chapter in a series of Zoom sessions where you can share your insights or ask questions. You don’t have to have been to a previous one to join
This week we will be working our way through Michigan. That’s the team up top on an early morning walk to the Peninsula Lighthouse near Rapid River. It’s been glorious here with the people we’ve spent time with and some new folks we met. Also, Sara and I were the only ones in the RV
Over the past sixteen days, we have traveled almost 2908 miles from Thousand Oaks, CA, to Duluth, MN, and we are having a wonderful trip. We’ve moved from 100 degree days in Wyoming and Denver, to waking up to a 40 degree morning. Sara and I are having the most wonderful conversations with each other
Today we finished up in Colorado and are heading up north to Wyoming to spend some time with mypodcastco-host Kyle Rice and his family in Torrington, WI. We’ve had a number of options from there but what has most settled in our hearts is a wide open door in Duluth, MN and then head through
‘Tis the season to be panicked….” OK, not really, but that’s how it feels for many people. Meeting all the expectations for a meaningful holiday season, navigating the toxic people in your family, or marking the passing of another year without the changes you had hoped to see in your life, can draw our minds
Ijust got back from Virginia and Maryland and leave next week for a swing through Florida. I look back with profound gratefulness at every moment on this trip and the conversations I had with so many people, some enduring great hardship and struggle, others responding to Jesus’ invitation to come closer and to follow him
I was a guest on a podcast yesterday recorded by two South Africans, one still in his home country, and the other recently moved to Holland. What a delighful conversation. They asked me questions about my journey that pulled things out of me in ways I had never shared before. I saw some of my
I got this email from a young seminarian who feels called to work within the Methodist church, even beyond the split many anticipate in the next few months. I’m sure others of you would be interested in this exchange: One of the reasons I wanted to talk to you is because of your view concerning
I receive some of the most amazing emails in my inbox, detailing people’s stories and how intersecting some of my books or podcasts has helped affirm what the Spirit had already been speaking into their hearts. I don’t always get to meet those who write them, though. On my most recent trip, I got to