The more I learn about God, the farther from me he seems. Let me explain. Not particularly in our relationship, but in the huge gap between our natures. I read in biology about the tremendous complexity of the inner reaches of cells. I read in astronomy about the billions of trillions of stars, all needed for life on earth to exist. Then on last year’s trip to Sedona, I jumped on a backcountry jeep tour that took my level of God’s actions to an undreamed-of level. The guide could have been a geology prof, and he pointed out this cliff above. He got my attention by saying this was all underwater, even the top. Then he told us to look at…
Read MoreSigns or Coincidences?
How can we tell if events are merely a coincidence, or a sign from God guiding us? Some never sense that leading; others see a sale on toothpaste as an omen. Having seen God guide in amazing ways, I’m in the middle. Back in ’75, I planned on leaving California for a new phase in Colorado. Starting with a desire to go dancing about 8 PM in Albuquerque, nine separate events, all outside my control (well, apart from the dancing) combined to…
Read MoreConnecting
On our long Gray Hog trips, we typically miss church. Oh, we all worship daily as we ride through God’s magnificent creation and sense his transcendence. We pray and sing and praise as we ride, but we miss it. I realize some followers attend worship rarely or sporadically, and “miss” it more than I. But they may not miss it. Get it?
Here’s why…
Read MoreFirst Love
The early days of a romance possess a quality that possesses us. We stay up all night, talking. Listening, genuinely. We think of nothing else. We’d do anything for them. But gradually, we get to know them. We get comfortable. We settle in. Following Jesus can…
Read MoreUnconventional Klaus
Do you value truth in itself, more than your current opinions? Are you willing to change? How often do you provide credible evidence for your beliefs? Let’s explore how to reason so we can change minds.
Read MoreStarting SomethingNew
God holds us responsible for how we impact others. Bless them, he blesses us. Needlessly damage them, he holds us accountable. Early on I learned to be cautious about encouraging people to do three things: to ride motorcycles for their inherent danger, to enter the ministry because of its disappointments and demands, and to become a writer, due to its difficulty and endless rejection. All three can enrich us, but they come with risks. About all three I often say, “If you can be satisfied and content without doing this, don’t do it.”
Wayne is…
Read MoreInvading Space
We checked into our timeshare in Sedona last July, got settled in, then headed to happy hour at our favorite place, Enchantment Resort, with an awesome view of a red stratified sandstone cliff. In the cool freshness of the next morning, I got up well before Sheila and carried my coffee and a cinnamon raisin bagel to our patio, sitting back and checking out our surroundings, only to see these two trees who had invaded each other’s space. Maybe twenty feet away and one third enmeshed in one another. A juniper on the left, likely a camphor on the right. Two different species, yet connected. They had grown into one another’s space and…
Read MoreListen to Your Body
Well-meaning friends and family warned me of the pain and difficulties that follow a total knee replacement, and I took them to heart. Desiring to regain a functional knee, I committed to doing the physical therapy, to keep ahead of the pain with drugs, and to not push too much. Two hours after surgery, they had me strolling to the bathroom with a walker for support and balance. I would continue to rely on that walker. Until I didn’t. Just four to five days after my April 1 surgery, I pushed the walker ahead of me from my living room recliner to the kitchen sink, grabbed a travel cup to get water to hydrate, then moved to the spigot at the refrigerator.
Then, to my total and unplanned surprise, I noticed…
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