Journal

An FUM blog for writing on the life of faith.

Muddy waters

Naaman was commander of the army of the king of Aram. He was a great man in the sight of his master and highly regarded, be- cause through him the Lord had given victory to Aram. He was a val- iant soldier, but he had leprosy.

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Transformed by worship

Just as you, Father, live in me and I live in you, I am asking that they may live in us, that the world may believe that you did send me. I have given them the honour that you gave me, that they may be one, as we are one—I in them and you in me, that they may grow complete into one, so that the world may realise that you sent me and have loved them as you loved me.

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Church?

After several decades of not attending church services, a good friend of mine has decided she wants to return to “church.” She grew up attending a mainline church in a small Midwest town, and she now lives in a major city in the Midwest. Literally, she has hundreds, perhaps a few thousand, choices of churches to attend.

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Weird stuff in the woods

Having been a photojournalist for most of my life, I usually make pictures to tell a story to others. But over the last couple of years, I’ve realized that some pictures aren’t necessarily meant to tell a story at all—I make them as a spiritual or emotional response to the world around me. The pictures might tell a story to another person, or they may never make it out of my camera. I make them because, before my eyes, something in me recognized and responded to God’s presence.

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Easter 2016—Sumud

A large number of people followed him, including women who mourned and wailed for him. Jesus turned and said to them, ‘Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me; weep for yourselves and for your children. For the time will come when you will say, “Blessed are the childless women, the wombs that never bore and the breasts that never nursed!’ Then they will say to the mountains,’Fall on us!’ and to the hills, ‘Cover us!'”

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“I have set you an example…”

When he had finished washing their feet, he put on his clothes and returned to his place. “Do you understand what I have done for you?” he asked them. “You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and rightly so, for that is what I am. Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. 15 I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. Very truly I tell you, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them. – John 13:12-17

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