Why Can’t We Forgive Ourselves?
I know a man convicted of a violent crime against someone he loves. He acted in a momentary rage. He had never been violent before. It shocked him. …
Addiction
The Starving Lion
A business owner I barely knew once phoned to see if we could meet. He was an aggressive entrepreneur, a roaring lion among his peers. Yet on the …
I’m Scared of God
The rising bubble of my New Year enthusiasm was burst last week when I read a prayer in the Imitation of Christ. It terrified me. Does it scare you …
Spiritual Insanity
A couple years ago I met with a twenty-eight-year-old woman who told me of a struggle she faced. She was dissatisfied. Growing up, she had sensible …
Let’s Become Emotional Christians
I woke up last week to the blahs, like Marie Antoinette’s claim, “Nothing tastes.” This happens to me when I’m tired, and ten restless nights had …
Might Modern Worship Be Sort of Like A Cocaine Rush?
I once met with a man—let’s call him Nathan—who described himself as a, “recovering charismatic.” He was open to it; but his experience of modern …
What Do We Have That Sabotages Relationships?
Years ago I witnessed a curious interaction between a client’s president and his secretary. I arrived at their office mid-morning and found the …
Where Personality Tests and Character Collide
Years ago I had two friends with almost opposite personalities and with almost identical approaches to life. John (not his real name) was direct, and …
Is Modern Worship Sort of Like A Cocaine Rush?
I once met with a man—let’s call him Adam—who described himself as a, “recovering charismatic.” His mother fanatically—maybe frenetically—flitted from …
Imagination, Intimacy, and Hearing God
I’m discovering that meditation is one of the most powerful ways to hear God. No, “powerful” isn’t a strong enough word. Meditation may be the most …
Christianity: Will-Power or Desire-Power?
I know a man, a really good man, whose life is filled with drudgery. He dutifully cares for his wife and family; he dutifully pours out his life in …
Our Downward Spiral of Addiction
Cynthia Hymel lived in New York in the 1970s and she knew actors and artists before their fame—while they were still bussing tables and driving …