Forward Day By Day – August 25, 2020

Tuesday, August 25, 2020

My favorite patchwork quilt is made of my Aunt Maureen’s clothes. This quilt is cherished not because of the craftsmanship or materials but because I feel close to her—reconnected—when I wrap it around me and snuggle into its warmth.When a loved one dies, we are left...

Forward Day By Day – August 24, 2020

Monday, August 24, 2020

Sit in a room with children and correct one child. See how quickly others speak up to assure you they were in the right. What fears override a child’s ability to show compassion? What opportunity might they miss if they remain silent? What do these children seek in...

Forward Day By Day – August 23, 2020

Sunday, August 23, 2020

I have a nagging suspicion today’s church isn’t what Jesus had in mind.I can’t imagine he’d want everything to be about him. He did not bask in stardom. He practiced service. Forgiveness. Honesty. Gratitude. Healing. Love. Jesus did the hard,...

Forward Day By Day – August 22, 2020

Saturday, August 22, 2020

Something like scales fall from our eyes when we study neuroscience. So much of what can be perceived as choice is impulse. Most people react instead of responding.More scales fall from our eyes when we study history. Sometimes hardships lead to liberation. Who are we...

Forward Day By Day – August 21, 2020

Friday, August 21, 2020

My first silent retreat was at a mountain hermitage. I settled into my home away from home, happily showing reverence to the food, fork, chair, and sunset. I listened to the sounds my mouth made when I chewed and considered the flavors on my tongue and in the air.I...

Forward Day By Day – August 20, 2020

Thursday, August 20, 2020

From the Archives: March 3, 1951It is strange how blind we can be to the consequences of sin and how alert to the imagined consequences of obedience. We most often think we can beat the certain consequences of sin, but we never quite see how….(View this reading...

Forward Day By Day – August 19, 2020

Wednesday, August 19, 2020

Prudence is not often born of abundance. Or is it? Jesus doesn’t travel with stockpiles of food. He has sandals and a robe, at the least. He’s not identified by his material possessions. I have never considered Jesus lacking, though. He oozes abundance. ….(View...

Forward Day By Day – August 18, 2020

Tuesday, August 18, 2020

Attention: Beloved SheepFrom: IsraelRe: Self careFellows of The Flock,I’m wrestling with something. Turns out it’s me…..(View this reading and more resources for prayer at Daily Prayer: A resource of Forward Movement.) This post appeared here first: Forward Day...

Forward Day By Day – August 17, 2020

Monday, August 17, 2020

When I am hungry, angry, lonely, or tired, my coping mechanisms snap to attention like mice when the cat is gone. I sense judgment from the humans around me, and experience urges me to justify behaviors or explain myself. My response is often out of proportion to the...

Forward Day By Day – August 16, 2020

Sunday, August 16, 2020

Israel is the new name given Jacob after his wrestling match at Peniel, after he “has seen God face to face.” Studying the etymology of the name is its own wrestling match. Who is the subject? Go a little further in the story, and we see that Israel’s children become...