Living Unfiltered For God

“Seasons come like Seasons go, I guess.” Seasons. I’ve used that word a lot over the last few years. How many times have you looked back on your life and said something like, “That was a good season!”, or maybe less enthusiastically, “That was a long, hard season.” I think we get used to certain rhythms in our lives. Like the actual climatological seasons of winter, spring, summer and fall. These four seasons often provide a context for how we look back – or ahead – in life.

Sometimes God has a way of teaching us things, or reminding us of certain truths, that cause us to step back and take note. We end up reflecting and thinking to ourselves, “Wow, God, you really are good. Thank you!” One such reminder came to me a few evenings ago. Some dear friends had come over to roast some hot dogs and make some s’mores around our fire pit. There were three adults and two children, aged six and four. That should have been a pretty good ratio. As the evenin

I’ve been writing a lot lately about what I’ve been going through personally. Specifically going through the grief journey and what I’m learning along the way. While it certainly helps me to put my thoughts on paper, it isn’t the only reason I do so. My prayer is that through the sharing of my journey, and the things God is teaching me along the way, it provides anyone who reads these posts hope and encouragement. Hope that if you ever find yourself in a similar situation, yo

This isn’t your typical Valentine’s Day post. Or maybe it is? I don’t know, I guess it will depend on your perspective. I’m going to share a story with you from earlier today, what it meant to me, and how I hope it encourages you. Over the years, my wife Barbara wrote down the names of songs that she really liked. She would be listening to music while painting or reading or exercising, and when a tune came on that meant something to her, she would capture it on whatever littl

It’s the morning of Christmas Eve. I’m sitting in my favorite coffee shop writing this. Something different from Christmas Eve’s of the past. (Just one of many things that are different these days.) Up until a few years ago, Christmas Eve mornings found our home filled with family and friends as my wife would host our annual Christmas Eve Brunch. Barbara had a gift for hosting and making people feel loved and welcome. In fact, if she knew that you had no family or anywhere el

As I sit down to write this, it was 365 days ago – just about to the minute – that I had my final Date Night with my precious wife, Barbara. It was not like any of the hundreds (if not thousands) of previous date nights, over the course of the preceding 35+ years of marriage, and courting. But it some ways, it was oddly enough, one of the best. Let me explain… One year ago tonight, Barbara had been in the ICU, sedated and unable to communicate, for a week. We knew what the ne

Let me start by stating that I continue to be in absolute awe of the way God works and moves in our lives. As anyone who knows me or...

When was the last time you were certain that you were in the exact place that God wanted you to be, in that moment? If you have a hard...

How long does it take you to say “yes” when you hear God’s voice? When you sense the Holy Spirit is prompting you to do something, how...

I went to a wedding last night. I didn’t want to go. If there was any way I could have gotten out of it, I would have. But there wasn’t....

A few days back, I heard a worship song that I hadn’t heard in a long time: Gracefully Broken, by Matt Redman. It’s a beautiful song and...

Sometimes you have to work with the hand your dealt as best you can – and trust the Dealer. I thought I’d start this post a little...

Today, as I write and post this, my wife Barbara has been in her Heavenly home for three months. In that time, I have experienced many...

As I write this, we are less than 12 hours away from ringing in a new year. Personally, my enthusiasm for this event is a bit tempered...

Pain. Sorrow. Disappointment. Longing. Emptiness. Void. Brokenness. Alone. Confusion. Lost. Uncertain. Fear. These 12 words – and many...

As I write this, we are just a little more than a day away from Thanksgiving. Typically, this is one of my favorite days of the year, and...

Have you ever had one of those seasons in life where you want to say to God, “OK, God, I get it! I hear you!” Ironically, this can only...

(Originally Published November 18, 2018. A recent conversation with a couple of friends prompted me to repost this. And follow it soon...

Did you ever experience something that triggered a memory from years earlier that you hadn’t thought about in years? I had one such...

If I were to ask you for the first word that comes to your mind when I say the word “island”, what would it be? In fact, what was the...