A couple weeks ago, I went on a silent retreat. It had been many years since I’d spent several hours in silent prayer, so I decided to aim for a shorter, four-hour retreat this time. Mid-morning, I headed to St. Anselm’s Abbey, a Benedictine monastery on the outskirts of Washington, DC, a place that my counselor had …
There’s a great piece from the weekend by Tim Kreider, entitled “The ‘Busy’ Trap,” which speaks into the cultural inclination toward busyness–something that’s particularly prevalent in cities, with Washington, DC being no exception. It gives an insightful look into one of the ways by which we try to give ourselves meaning: Busyness serves as a …
(Well, one of the chapters that changed my life–see also “The day God broke my heart.”) I pretty much underlined the whole chapter … A reminder, Isaiah 58:6-14: Is not this the fast that I choose: to loose the bonds of injustice, to undo the thongs of the yoke, to let the oppressed go free, and to break every yoke? …
On New Year’s Day, I preached at The District Church (and I did the same yesterday at Sojourners chapel) about sabbath and rest. Here are some excerpts: This message is as much for me and a result of what God’s been doing in me as anyone. For much of 2011, when I saw something that …
Here we are. Two days into 2012. The beginning of a new year. That time when everybody’s making decisions, choices, and resolutions that may last 365 days … or not. I’ve never been one for resolutions. They always seem so nebulous to me–but maybe that’s just the kind I’ve made. I met someone yesterday who …