Forward Day By Day – May 20, 2020

It was supposed to be a pared-down version of the Kennedy compound—a place our family could enjoy together for generations. In the Venn diagram of the lives of my two sisters and I, this condo on the beach would be at the center. Then, after nearly four d….(View...

Forward Day By Day – May 19, 2020

Parenting is perhaps the greatest act of faith I’ve undertaken. Let’s be honest: In some ways, it’s a crapshoot. In a week of fights, punishments, and long, heaving sighs, each of our children surprised us with sweet fruits. At the afterschool program….(View...

Forward Day By Day – May 18, 2020

Tell me a story, she begs. And I don’t think it’s just because she’s trying to postpone bedtime. At least, that’s not the complete reason. As I weave a story, part fantasy, part recollection, my sweet daughter curls into me. Tell me a story, he asks….(View this...

Forward Day By Day – May 17, 2020

The image of the refining fire of God is a popular one in scripture, appearing several times in both the Old and New Testaments. God serves as refiner, burning away our impurities, burnishing us into a fine luster. Of all the precious metals, why does the psalmist—and...

Forward Day By Day – May 16, 2020

A family friend made his fortune and retired early. He bought and renovated a large cattle ranch, turning one of the dwellings into a Christian retreat center. At the entrance was the sign: “Welcome to Narrowgate.” Across the driveway stretched a cattle ….(View...

Forward Day By Day – May 15, 2020

Maybe you’ve heard it this way: “When you point at someone else, three fingers point back at you.” In other words, when you cast blame on someone else, you should also take stock of your own culpability. There’s usually plenty of blame to go around. ….(View this...

Forward Day By Day – May 14, 2020

From the Archives: December 3, 1942None of us believes that God wills war: it is contrary to the whole spirt of Christ, and we seek to banish it from the earth. But we do believe that God sometimes works in war, through bravery, sacrifice, a….(View this reading...

Forward Day By Day – May 13, 2020

Although I am not a biblical literalist, I wonder if this is one passage we are meant to take quite literally. I’ve been reading about the Art of Neighboring, an initiative that asks neighbors to move beyond platitude to authentic relationship. The...

Forward Day By Day – May 12, 2020

In the same way Jesus teaches his disciples to pray, we pray the Lord’s Prayer at most worship services. For me, the prayer is sometimes rote, flowing from my mouth as automatically as a blessing after someone sneezes. But at other times, the prayer is potent and...

Forward Day By Day – May 11, 2020

On my birthday, I hoped the lectionary would give me some sweet passage, the kind that turned easily into a Hallmark card or inspirational meme. Instead, we start with atonement sacrifices in Leviticus and end with this stern warning against swagger and preening in...