I hear Jesus telling us to stop negotiating with Him, to stop offering something we think we have in exchange for His blessings.

The degree to which we openly express our feelings should be governed, not by fear of reprisal, but by our commitment to loving others.

When spiritual friends share their stories, the others listen without working. They rest. There’s nothing to fix, nothing to improve. A spiritual community feels undisturbed quiet as they listen, certainly burdened . . . but still resting in the knowledge that the life within, the passion for holiness, is indestructible. It needs only to be nourished and released.

Following Christ is a wild adventure full or risk, frustration, excitement, and setbacks. It is not an evening stroll in a planned community along a well-manicured path.

Men who as boys felt neglected by their dads often remain distant from their children. The sins of fathers are passed on to children, often through the dynamic of self-protection. It hurts to be neglected, and it creates questions about our value to others. So to avoid feeling the sting of further rejection, we refuse to give that part of ourselves we fear might once again be received with indifference.

I hear Jesus telling us to stop negotiating with Him, to stop offering something we think we have in exchange for His blessings.

Maturity involves two elements: 1) immediate obedience in specific situations and 2) long-range character growth.