December 2009

posted on December 31, 2009

Every year, on New year's Day, I try and take some time to be with God, and ask him a few questions.

First thing I'll do is sanctify the coming year to Jesus. I'll pray to consecrate every day and every moment of the new year; I'll consecrate all my desires, plans, and even my calendar to him. I know too well how the pressures and demands and crises rush in to steal the days. I also know that my desires are not always what God has for me, and I don't want to rush on making plans outside of his. So, right at the start, I give the year to God. I devote it to him, dedicate it to him, consecrate it.

And then, I'll ask him a question: "Jesus, what is the theme of...

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The Utterly Unique Gift of Christmas

posted on December 20, 2009

I love singing Christmas carols. I love what their words remind me of. Just this morning Stasi was singing a few refrains from O Holy Night and it absolutely grabbed me:

A thrill of hope

The weary world rejoices

Something deep in my spirit said, O yes, dear Jesus, we need hope. Come for this weary world. Actually, this world is more than weary. This world is coming apart at the seams. I do not refer to the wars, the disease, the economic chaos, the human trafficking. These tragedies are blatant. Something deeper is...

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Today's The Day!

posted on December 15, 2009

Well, Stasi and I have been up for most of the night.

Not because of excitement (today is a big day!).

Not because we ate too many bratwurst (they were really good, especially with mustard).

The reason was attack. The spiritual warfare in our home and bedroom last night was palpable. You could feel the presence of evil. After a few rounds of prayer, we did get to sleep. Sometime after 3am.

...

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One Week from Today!!!

posted on December 08, 2009

December 15 is a big day for Stasi and me.

It's the release date for Love and War, our new book!

We're also doing a live webcast that day.

We've been looking forward to this for a long time! Our hope and longing and earnest prayer is that God uses this in a HUGE way. To help marriages. And to draw folks into the beauty of this Gospel. We know the book has the power to. Our marriage has been rescued by all that we write about, all that we divulge. It certainly is the most vulnerable book we've ever written.

A couple weeks ago I was reading in Augustine, when I ran across the phrase "a new song of deliverance," and the Spirit grabbed me...

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The Best Present I could ask for

posted on December 01, 2009

Well, we crossed the threshold into Advent on Sunday. As my thoughts have been turning towards the Advent season, and the coming of Christmas, I found myself thinking about gifts I would like to give, and gifts I would like to receive. After a good bit of meandering, I landed on what I most want to ask from God, the greatest gift he could give me.

Himself.

That's what I want. That's what I most need.

I thought of something CS Lewis wrote: "God cannot give us happiness and peace apart from himself, because it is not there. There is no such thing." All else that I long for is either found in God, and only good in him, or, I can do without if I...

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