Cultivating Pathways of Shalom: The Inward Journey
Focusing originally outside myself, I was asking, “What does it mean to create new avenues for God’s shalom to flourish in the home, in the neighborhood, in various encounters and relationships along the way”. When I looked at my yard I realized there were all sorts of barriers to community: pathways locked behind fences, shrubbery blocking access to my yard, and generally a design that made clear what was “mine” and where you could stand.
Plunging the Depths for Ears to Hear
is name was Bert, a Native American from the Duwamish (The Dkhw’Duw’Absh) tribe whose home was the streets of Seattle. The year was 1980 and I was a bright-eyed nineteen year-old Evangelical sitting across from Bert and his friend, Clyde, all...
Hospitality on the Streets
Keep on loving each other as family. Don’t forget to show hospitality to strangers, for some who have done this have entertained angels without realizing it! Remember those in prison, as if you were there yourself. Remember also those being mistreated, as if you felt...
Shal-Home: The House of Peace
e was smiling ear to ear when I opened the door. “What’s up? Why the big smile?” I asked. “I did it!” he replied. “Did what?” I asked. “I overcame my fear of your door!” he said triumphantly. As it turns out, this young man had been coming over to...
Circling Prayer
Three in one, One in threePerfect community forming us into your likenessCalling us deep within to reflect your goodnessBreathe in us, and through us, your gift of love Encircle your creation with harmonyEncircle tribes and tongues with peaceEncircle communities with...
New Life
rose hip frozen in time encased in ice like so many unrealized dreams waits patiently for spring’s thaw knowing new life is not far off AFWade 1/2016This post was originally featured on Godspace, at that time the blog for Mustard Seed Associates where...
Shalom
Shalom in the light and in the darkness Shalom in fair skies and stormy Shalom when love flows freely And when hate fills the air Together walking toward the One Who is the source of shalom In whom shalom will one day fill the earth AFWade 11/2016
Prophetic Witness as an Act of Revolutionary Love
omorrow we celebrate Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Like all of us, he was a flawed human. And like all of us, filled with the potential to prophetically speak truth to power. We may never speak as eloquently or to as large of crowds, but we...
Creation Sings
tickling toes morning dew baptizes feet old made new refreshing the dawnin the garden night time critters scramble for shelter morning shifts wake up the dance continuesbeauty smothers my inner chaos silencing anxiety unshackling senses cultivating a receptive...
The Spirituality of Drinking (Chinese) Tea
rinking Chinese tea is an art. It’s also a form of hospitality. It is much more than just boiling water and plopping in a bag of jasmine tea. The water needs to be just the right temperature. The teapot, small and made of clay, should only be used...
To Everything…There Is a Season
itting in my office, gazing into my garden sanctuary, it would be easy to be disheartened today. The skies are gray, rain is falling, and the garden is still covered in a foot of snow and ice. What happened to that amazing pallet of color splashed...
Listening to the Life of Jesus… in a Tree
ectio Tierra. My ears perked up as Pat spoke these words. I know Lectio Divina, but what was this Lectio Tierra he spoke of? In his introduction to “Celtic Spirituality and the Land” at our Celtic Prayer Retreat last weekend, Pat Loughery...