Tag: forgiveness
Choosing to Avoid the Spiritual Black Hole
“I will kill as many of them as I can.” A young man from Prizren, Kosovo said this to me quietly through clenched teeth. Not knowing how to respond, I replayed the story he had just told me. It was July of 1999, and… Continue Reading “Choosing to Avoid the Spiritual Black Hole”
Choosing to Declutter
Is “spring cleaning” a real thing? For some, this annual purging is what marks the official emergence from the dark survival mode of winter. It’s a time to step into the bright and hopeful newness of a fresh season. It’s a regenerated start, embracing… Continue Reading “Choosing to Declutter”
Choosing the Path of the Unoffended
I was deliberately maligned. A ministry co-worker, years ago, told my supervisor that I had screamed at her when she had confronted me. When this was brought to my attention, I knew right away that she was covering for her own bad behavior in… Continue Reading “Choosing the Path of the Unoffended”
Choosing to Leave the Past Behind
The new year is upon us, and that means resolutions! Many of us are making promises to ourselves to initiate changes in our lives. I have heard mixed reviews regarding the effectiveness of such commitments. The vast majority of us give up on the… Continue Reading “Choosing to Leave the Past Behind”
Choosing Sweetness
As a kid, there were certain old people I avoided. They were the kind that didn’t seem to have the capacity to endure the messiness and clumsiness of children. They couldn’t see the intentions of little ones when something got spilt or broken. They… Continue Reading “Choosing Sweetness”
Choosing Not to Accuse
The note was addressed to the leadership of our ministry, but for some reason it was put in my box to deal with. A few weeks earlier our facility had been used as a wedding venue. Several of our ministry staff volunteered to help… Continue Reading “Choosing Not to Accuse”
Choosing Maturity
It’s a momentous week for me. I have a birthday coming up, and it’s not just any ol’ number. I’m about to cross what I have always considered the threshold of old age. I’ve been asking myself for awhile if I have found any… Continue Reading “Choosing Maturity”
Choosing to Not Be Like Jonah
My father was a boy during World War 2. He often heard of atrocities that America’s enemies, the Japanese and the Germans, were committing. According to the stories, those foreigners were the villainous aggressors, and they were seeking to come to our country to… Continue Reading “Choosing to Not Be Like Jonah”
Choosing to Recognize My Own Sin
I remember the first time I stole something. I was six or seven years old, and I walked out of a store with a candy bar in my pocket. When I didn’t get caught and nothing bad happened, I was surprised. As a child… Continue Reading “Choosing to Recognize My Own Sin”
Choosing to Forgive When I Don’t Feel Like It
My stomach muscles tightened as I sat in the YWAM class and admitted to myself that I hated those kids. Before we joined Youth With A Mission (YWAM), I had taught English to middle schoolers at a California inner-city school. My first three years… Continue Reading “Choosing to Forgive When I Don’t Feel Like It”
Choose This Day 