Passions unguided are for the most part mere madness.
Advent is patience it's how God has made us a people of promise, in a world of impatience.
I fear that much of the Christianity that surrounds us assumes our task is to save appearances by protecting God from Job-like anguish. But if God is the God of Jesus Christ, then God does not need our protection. What God demands is not protection, but truth.
We complain of the increased tempo of our lives, but our frenetic lives are just reflection of the economic system that we have created.
Christians know that Christianity is simply extended training in dying early. That is what we have always been about.
I simply cannot get over what a surprising and wonderful life God has given me.
From the perspective of the one committing suicide, his or her act can be one of the most perverse forms of moral manipulation, as it abandons those left behind to their shame, guilt, and grief. Suicide is something like a metaphysical "I gotcha!" It is often an attempt to kill or wound others.
There is no end to the creativity, ingenuity, and tenacity of those who look for reasons to criticize. They cannot seem to release their grip on grudges. They gossip and find fault with others. They nurse wounds for decades, taking every opportunity to tear down and demean others. This is not pleasing to the Lord, 'for where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work' (James 3:16).
Beyond politics, the West is suffering from what can be called a crisis of brokenness - broken institutions, broken families and broken souls.
One's ships come in over a calm sea.
Churches are the primary partners that work with Habitat in an almost infinite variety of creative overlapping circles. We cherish these partnerships with churches…I have always seen Habitat for Humanity as a servant of the church and as a vehicle through which the church and its people can express their love, faith, and servanthood to people in need in a very tangible and concrete (literally!) way.