A song from Elevation Worship contains the words, “There is a cloud, beginning to swell.” The lyrics exude vibrancy and warmth. It’s a nice enough song, but I find it hard to relate to. Perhaps it’s my deep-rooted pessimism or the understanding that “dry seasons” and seeds “buried in sorrow” may remain that way for a long, long time, sometimes a lifetime.
faith
Calling, Collaboration, and Care
In the last year or so, the Austin Stone Worship Collective shifted from only monthly fellowship meals to alternating between fellowship gatherings one month and trainings the next. The trainings, held on Saturday mornings, cover almost anything related to artists and faith. Some months, the trainings look like breakout sessions. Other months, they involve guest speakers who range from film directors to storytellers.
You Have Two Jobs
The more time I spend with the Bible learning who God is, the more I recognize the continuity between the Old and New Testament. God stays the same in both periods of time. While the Old Testament may recount more battles, sieges, and exiles than the New Testament, God’s call to man remains consistent.
Welcome the Silence
“Real sustained silence, the kind that facilitates clear and creative thinking, quiets inner chatter as well as outer.” — Justin Talbot-Zorn and Leigh Marz, Harvard Business Review [Read more…] about Welcome the Silence
Faith in Action
“What use is it, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but he has no works? Can that faith save him? If a brother or sister is without clothing and in need of daily food, and one of you says to him, ‘Go in peace, be warmed and be filled,’ and yet you do not give them what is necessary for their body, what use is that? Even so faith, if it has no works, is dead, being by itself.” — James 2:14-7, New American Standard Bible
Dark Threads
“Father, help me to see the dark threads, too, as part of Your design. And so learn to trust You in all things.” — Elizabeth Sherrill [Read more…] about Dark Threads