Oh man, @manton, I am loving Inkwell!
Psalm 120 really speaks today.
I call on the LORD in my distress, and he answers me.
Save me, LORD, from lying lips and from deceitful tongues.
What will he do to you, and what more besides, you deceitful tongue?
He will punish you with a warrior’s sharp arrows, with burning coals of the broom bush.
Woe to me that I dwell in Meshek, that I live among the tents of Kedar!
Too long have I lived among those who hate peace.
I am for peace; but when I speak, they are for war.
Did you know that as an adult you can choose to have breakfast food for any meal of the day?
Wild right?!
#TIL
I am not an expert on politics. I am not an expert on war.
I think I may have developed an expertise over my years and training in the areas of Bible and theology.
As I have read the arguments on behalf of this military action, it does not appear to rise to meeting the requirements of a just war.
Beyond that, I do not think this falls in line with the peacemaking ethic of Matthew 5.
As a pastor, I cannot in good faith support this military action.
I am praying for a quick resolution, for the protection of civilians, for the protection of troops, and for peace to be restored. I am praying that wisdom and discernment rule the day.
I am preaching the parable of the sower Sunday. I am wrestling with how to avoid the moralistic, “you control the soil of your heart.”
This is the message that I’ve heard communicated over and over.
That’s too easy and I think misses the point of the beauty of what the sower is doing.
Being able to sit on the patio feeling the sun on your face and not be freezing is joy giving. I’m feeling my tank being re-filled moment by moment!
“The deeper our faith, the more doubt we must endure; the deeper our hope, the more prone we are to despair; the deeper our love, the more pain its loss will bring: these are a few of the paradoxes we must hold as human beings. If we refuse to hold them in the hopes of living without doubt, despair, and pain, we also find ourselves living without faith, hope, and love.”
- Parker Palmer, Quaker educator
Another super slick feature of Micro.blog? When you host your podcast there, it creates an autoMAGIC transcript!
Thursdays have become one of my favorite days of the week. I spend them in a town where I get to be present with a group of people who graciously allow me to serve as their unofficial pastor. On top of that, I get to commute with Amy!
I am currently reading: Dominion by Tom Holland 📚
Spent some with this one today. Seeing the influence of Christianity, the good and the bad is so helpful to hold a nuanced understanding of the development of Western Civilization.
I started reading: The Frugal Wizard’s Handbook for Surviving Medieval England by Brandon Sanderson 📚
I grabbed the audio book and I’m thoroughly enjoying it! It has dashes of Disc World vibes with Sanderson’s warmth.
1.3 Strength - Practices that Build Resilience
Most of spiritual growth happens where no one is watching.
In this episode, we explore how God forms us through small, ordinary acts of obedience — the quiet prayers, unseen sacrifices, daily choices to forgive, to show up, to remain steady. The Christian life is less about dramatic breakthroughs and more about faithful rhythms.
The question beneath it all: What if the “small things” are actually the main things?
In this episode:
Why hidden faithfulness matters
How ordinary obedience shapes lasting character
The connection between daily rhythms and spiritual endurance
Spiritual fitness is formed slowly, faithfully, and often invisibly.
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You can find more long-form reflections at danielmrose.com
Parables for the Long Way Home - The Scandal of Generous Grace
To listen to the full unabridged message: The Scandal fo Generous Grace
As we begin the season of Lent, we enter a specific rhythm in the Christian calendar. It is a season of lament—a time to acknowledge that the world we inhabit is imperfect. It is often sad, hard, and weary. It is a world in desperate need of resurrection.
The beauty of Lent is that it points us toward Easter. We know that in a few weeks, we will celebrate the moment history was transformed by the resurrection of Christ. But we shouldn’t rush there. As Westerners, our culture encourages us to skip the “hard” and jump straight to the “fun.” But this season, we aren’t going to skip the hardness. We are going to work through it together by looking at the parables of Jesus.
Fun night out! Dinner ar Miller’s in Dearborn followed by hanging out at Calihan Hall to see our guy Tater-Tot.
I started reading: The Strength of the Few by James Islington 📚
Diving in to the second hierarchy series tale.