• pilgrimage
    pilgrim - Pilgrimage

    Pilgrimage, Abraham, and Me: Leaving Ur for the Unknown

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    Pilgrimage is a concept that is not often spoken of these days. Perhaps this is because of how easy it is to travel all over the world without leaving the internet. Or maybe because modern pilgrimage is associated with trips to Mecca or Lourdes as if somehow the journey is a mixture of religious compulsion or superstition. Or perhaps, pilgrimage is an act of desperation. I have been to many conferences filled with people willing to do anything for a touch of God’s hand. But pilgrimage is in our hearts according to Psalms 84, and sometimes you need to make…

  • Controlling Behaviors

    Five Controlling Behaviors You Should Learn to Spot

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    We all know people who exhibit controlling behaviors. In fact, when you mention control freaks in a group, it often elicits groans. Stories of crazy exes and former bosses start to come out. It turns afternoon special quickly. But they often exhibit controlling behaviors in everyday communication. Manipulation seems to come easier to some than others. Knowing how to spot it in yourself and others helps us self-correct. If we understand behavior, we can develop a strategy to prevent it. If we spot one in ourselves, we can stop and enter a relationship with more authenticity. If we learn to…

  • prophet
    Prophet

    So You Want to be a Prophet: Here’s How

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    The most basic definition of a prophet is someone who acts as an emissary for their god. Note the small g. Every religion has their prophets, spokesmen for their deities. Christians are no exception, of course, but there is one significant difference between the false and the true prophet. I will get to it in a moment. The first time I was made aware of the nature of a true prophet in a way that hit me viscerally was in Israel. Of course, it was in Israel. And it was an orthodox Jewish professor at Hebrew University who really defined…