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Don’t be Chicken: practice hospitality to the unbelieving world

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Jesus was often placed in situations where people were trying to trap him. Catch him in the act of disobedience to the law. Or trick him into answering a loaded question. But this Jesus couldn’t be fooled. In his wisdom, he responded with parables and questions and answers that needed clarifying. This was confusing to the disciples, and maybe even a little embarrassing. This was the guy they left everything to follow. This was the guy they stood next to when the crowds gathered to listen. Surely they were hoping for a leader with clear-cut answers, powerful comebacks, and responses […]

The Resurrected Life

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The sun rises on a new day. A day of rejoicing. I’m excited to leave the cross, even though I know it comes with us. Though it doesn’t define who we are, it shapes our every day. For the crucified Jesus doesn’t call us to a moment of dying, but a life of surrender. Dying to anything that doesn’t lead us into righteousness. Anything that doesn’t glorify God. When we take up our cross and follow Jesus – I mean when we really follow Jesus – we will experience death. Death of expectations. Of social habits. Big girl dreams. Cultural […]

Trod Upon Us With Triumphal Entry

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With branches of palm they welcomed him. A crowd receiving their Lord. No chariots. No trumpets. No robe. No carpet. Just a donkey, the cloaks of friends, and proclamations of those who believe. Not the expected entry of a King. But the Son of God doesn’t seek grandiose receptions. Only genuine welcome. And so we lay down our garments, we lay down our life. This is how we welcome you.  In the submission of our will. And we lay down our cut branches in hopes you will graft us into you. This is how we receive you. In the knowing […]

What does death look like in the living?

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I’m clinging tight to Jesus in these days approaching the cross. I know this Easter story. It’s etched on my heart. But I cling, not because I’m afraid of Jesus dying (I know what follows Good Friday)….but that he calls me to die with him. If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me and for the gospel will save it. These words of Jesus are strong. They cut right through our “Christians have […]

But what about you?

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As I seek a raw Jesus, my hope is to hear him and see him in new and more truthful ways. We all have ideas and images of who Jesus is and what he came to do — inherited from family and religious communities, shaped and distorted by particular influences and experiences, and honed by God. It’s difficult to step outside of these preconceived ideas – some truthful, some not. But I want to know him. To see him for who he really is. So I open the gospels. For here, living and breathing in these words is his story. […]

Raw1

Keeping it Raw

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The Jesus we like to identify with and tell people about is the ever loving, full of grace, resurrected Jesus. We mention that he died on the cross for our sins but we don’t talk much about what the really means. Maybe it’s because we’re not fully sure why death was necessary. Or what that means for us as his followers. But when we speak of his life, death and resurrection, we claim the resurrection as the miraculous part. His life is unique and challenging. His death, humbling. But his resurrection? That’s one miracle no one’s been able to imitate. […]

Oh to love like him

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1 John 4 teaches us about God’s love. And ours. This is how God showed his love among us; He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is how God showed his love among us: He sent. He actively came searching for all that was lost to him. This is the redemptive mission of our Creator. He goes searching. From the moment man left God, God went looking. “Where are you?” he says to the ones who hid in shame. He goes searching. For the sole righteous man to spare from […]