Tag: discernment

  • Not this way or that, but something much better

    Not this way or that, but something much better

    “I have two possible job offers,” a man sprung on me as we met for spiritual direction.  “One has a longer commute.  The other requires more travel.  Both reduce the time I can pray and spend with my wife.”  As his spiritual director, neither sounded appealing to me.   After a…

  • A Word Only Found in the Desert

    A Word Only Found in the Desert

    “The word of God came to John in the desert.”  (Lk 3:1-6) These are words of great hope, not only for the people of John’s time but also for you and me.  Just as the word of God came to John, the word of God can come to Scott.  The…

  • A lesson from the resurrection lily on the spiritual life

    A lesson from the resurrection lily on the spiritual life

    Dotting gardens and landscapes around Western North Carolina are resurrection lilies. They are so named because the leaves appear lush and green in February, resembling daffodils. Unlike daffodils and many other bulbs, the leaves of the resurrection lily die without blooming. It is not until September that a solitary shoot…

  • Three reasons God places a stranger in your path

    Three reasons God places a stranger in your path

    Occasionally, I experience what I call a ‘random ministerial encounter’.  I think we’ve all had them.  It’s when God places someone in your path, and you realize it’s not a coincidence (as nothing with God ever is).   After these encounters, I wonder, “Why did God place this person in my…

  • When we cry out, “This is enough, Lord.”

    When we cry out, “This is enough, Lord.”

    When you find yourself in spiritual desolation and feel like saying, “This is enough, Lord,” there is one question to ask: Who’s voice am I listening to – is it the voice of the Good Angel, or someone else?

  • The best way to cross to the other side

    The best way to cross to the other side

    Last weekend I discovered a unique treasure of North Carolina: The Flowering Bridge of Lake Lure. In 2013, a group of volunteers received approval from the state to convert a decommissioned old bridge into twelve themed, landscaped gardens. There are now 30 gardens with over 2,000 species of plants across the bridge and…

  • One Thing Contrary to the Kingdom of God: Control

    One Thing Contrary to the Kingdom of God: Control

    When facing life’s uncertainties, what can you do?

  • A surprising invitation into some new waters

    A surprising invitation into some new waters

    Sometimes God wants us to take the first step.

  • It all started with a little pinch from God

    It all started with a little pinch from God

    Follow those breadcrumbs from God, and maybe you won’t get ‘the pinch’.

  • Seeing God’s plan in a jigsaw puzzle

    Seeing God’s plan in a jigsaw puzzle

    Here is a neat way to reflect upon God’s plan for you.