The call to "carry our cross" is... intense. I don't know that talking and thinking about it means as much as just doing it, but then Jesus did leave us not only His example but also His words. We have to understand what He calls us to do; we have to count the cost. Reading books about cruciformity such as "The Cost of Discipleship" by Dietrich Bonhoeffer and "Cruciformity" by Michael J.…
When someone violates me, what do I do? When we grow up in a Christian environment, we are commonly taught two easy things. The first is inward examination. What am I doing that ticked that person off? The second tactic is to be angry and tell the other person how you feel. Both these common tactics easily veer down unsafe pathways. First, let’s look at inward examination. Are you responsible for someone…
Guy Hershberger wrote "The Way of the Cross in Human Relations" in 1958. In the book, he explored the cross as a definition of life in the Kingdom of God and applied it to contemporary challenges. Today, we share an excerpt on the subject of racism. His views on this subject reflect a refusal to conform to the prevailing views of society of his day and even of many "Christians". Instead, he…
Capturing wild yeast in the Tudor period - Source It's quite interesting watching yeast at work. It is everywhere, ostensibly - on the peel of pears and grapes, in the air, etc. Medieval bakers did not quite know what it was, but they knew what it did. They would set a bowl of flour and water out in the field or under an apple tree. Over time, slowly gaining strength and multiplying,…
When our survival instinct kicks in, it's often every man and women for themselves. Yet, in the moment of crisis, one courageous young man, Dirk Willems, made a decision that cost him everything. He chose the way of love. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G1Uw-E3tAHU Narration by Patrick Schrock / Video by Rebekah Mui The year was 1569. Holland was under the rule of the Spanish King Philip the Second. The dikes around the village of Asperen…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sca_H9TS9H8 What does it mean to be a disciple of Jesus, to count the cost and carry our cross? Anna Jansz, a 16th century martyr, came to faith amidst chaos and revolution in 16th century Holland. She chose the way of Christ and loved not her life until death. In this, she demonstrated the courage and strength of Kingdom womanhood and her last words to an infant son echo to us across…
"Dad!" Victoria said. "I do not want you to pour syrup on my pancake!" "Why not?" I asked. "Because I want Mom to," she said. "Mom is getting ready for church," I said. "It will be a little while before she'll be downstairs to pour your syrup." Anna arrived on the scene. "I will let Anna spread peanut butter on my pancake and pour syrup on it," Victoria said, like a queen…