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Choosing the Divine Light of Justice, Kindness, and Humility
It was Peter that flat-out rejected what must come. Imagine pulling Jesus aside to rebuke Him shortly after you proclaimed Him to be the Christ and Messiah. God had allowed Peter the faith to see Jesus as the Christ and the Son of Man. Peter could not yet see beyond the horizons of his world.
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Announcing our Establishing Abbots
Our God continues to make a way forward for Urban Monasticism. The time has come for us, as an organization, to appoint our two Establishing Abbots who will help us to see Urban Monasticism established in our Church and world. This is a one-time and temporary position. This title was chosen to identify their dual…
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Seeing My Work Bring the Kingdom of Heaven into Creation
I love the idea that my life and what I do can bring creation closer to God. It feels like a big responsibility. It feels like a grand calling. Looking back at the work I’ve been involved in, there are common threads tying it all together.
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Seeing What I Have not Seen Before
The ways Simon Peter’s senses were experiencing Jesus in the moment of his Christological confession were not different from weeks or years earlier. He still saw the same person. The voice of Jesus still sounded the same. The way that Peter was experiencing the world had not changed, but our God had done something within…
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Discovering Generosity for Myself and Others
Jesus meets me with a gentle, gracious love every time I succeed and every time I fail. Yet I don’t always meet myself with that same gentle response. How wonderful would that be, where each time I failed, I gave myself the love and grace Jesus does?
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From Exclusion to Faith to Becoming like Jesus
This one thing about who the Canaanite woman was had made her an outsider. Yet, Jesus saw through this and saw her when His world did not. He accepted her. Jesus saw me and accepted me. She knelt before Jesus and asked for mercy so that someone she loved would be healed…
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My Time with God Helps Me Embody the Fruit of the Spirit
One of the things I hope for is to experience the Fruit of the Spirit naturally flowing out of me, into the depths of the world. To embody parts of who Jesus is at his core, and to share those things with those around me. It’s something I know I will forever fall short in.…
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Jesus is Near When my Faith is Overcome by Doubt
Even as Peter was sliding into the depths towards his death, our God was there. He cried out, “Lord, save me!” I’ve cried this same prayer many times before. Just like Peter, doubt overcomes my faith. I want to be a strong tower whose faith doesn’t falter, but mine does. It feels fickle because my…
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Learning to See the Miraculous Compassion of our God
Every year I continue to learn new ways of seeing His compassion at work in myself, and in our world. Every year His compassion becomes more miraculous. There are even moments where I am invited to be a conduit for the compassion of Christ. Just this past week it looked like me buying a baguette…
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Every Movement of the Kingdom of Heaven Starts with Love
Every time the growth and movement of His Kingdom starts with love. It is the love of God that gives me life. It is His love that awakens the seed to transform and grow. It is love that moves almost unseen through the depths of me, bringing lightness, comfort, and hope. With time, Jesus has…
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Simplifying My Life so I can Love More
Where and how I spend my time has a big influence on how I’m able to love people. Living a simple life allows more space to be present with God. It helps me to be more present with others.
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Where the Kingdom of Heaven Touches Creation
In the parable, it is clear that Jesus is compassionate. He has love for the children of the Kingdom. He wants nothing to harm them or to keep them from growing. I think it is also clear that He has hope for those who are not yet children.
