The psalmist's cogent lines that humans are both "passing guests" and "aliens like all of our forebears" (Ps 39:12) bind humans together in their lived experiences. This temporary status on earth is reinforced in the changing seasons, from winter . . . to spring . . . to summer . . . to fall, year after year. The seasons are both a physical reality persons experience and a metaphor for their spiritual journeys. The days are not all the same; as varied as the seasons, they come and go, carr...

The rule of Jesus articulated in Matthew's Gospel is neither obscure nor archaic. Jesus' imperatives speak powerfully to the contemporary issues of our day, and do so by illuminating a way of clarity, simplicity, and love. Where populism demands separation, Jesus promotes unity; where institutionalism extols hierarchical power, Jesus encourages humble service; where individualism lauds immediate gratification, Jesus asserts the path of sacrificial love. Indeed, as the Gospel of Matthew lay...

This is a guide for spiritual mountain climbers. In the Scriptures, connecting with Abba often leads to a mountain. Modern spiritual writers have long recognized this scriptural metaphor and explored the nature of this journey of ascent. Drawing on the text of the Bible, works of literature, and the writings of mystics both old and new, Climbing the Spiritual Mountain speaks of the desires and intentions, discipline, and effort involved in developing our intimacy with Christ. In Jesus' dea...

There is a longstanding tradition that God whispers in our ears. He does not shout. It is in "the holy whisper," writes the Quaker mystic, that we hear Abba's voice, not in the noise of clamoring crowds or the incessant barrage of social media. To hear the voice of God is an awesome thing--to know his thoughts, to intuit his love, to participate in his good pleasure. It is both a gift to be received and art to be cultivated. It can call to us when we least expect; but we can train ourselve...

St. Paul's Letter to the Ephesians is a bold declaration of love. We were in the ruminations of Abba before the stardust formed into galaxies and the earth coalesced into its present shape. Indeed, Abba's dream for his people already existed in those primordial days. Today we have the opportunity to wake up and embrace his dream with enthusiasm and intentionality. As members of his church, individually and collectively, we want to embrace God's desire for a dynamic people infused with his ...