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I like to sit out on my deck in the mornings. I read my Bible and pray over what I just read. Then I spend a few minutes looking at the mountain across the way while I listen to the birds. There’s a rooster to the south of me and pigeons to the north. I also get to listen to quail, finches, and any number of small birds I can’t identify. Morning Observations: Lessons from a Little Bird The other morning several came into my front yard. One tiny little thing was eating something out of the grass directly in front of me. As I watched, I was taken with the observation that everything it did was fast. It walked a few feet to one side very quickly, then it pecked at something several times with the same seeming urgency. I know that’s just the way God made this species of bird. But it made me think of so many of us. Whether we have goals we’re trying to achieve or it’s just a way of life that we’ve created, so many of us are like that little bird, rushing around in a hurry. Yes, I spent my career in industry. That’s a world where you need to show a sense of urgency, especially in my line of work, where you are responsible for getting and keeping machines running. But that was how I made a living, it never should have become my way of life. The Struggle with Doing Less As a counselor, I currently have two counselees who are both dealing with debilitating illnesses. They are facing the reality that as they get sicker, they can do less and less. They’re in counseling largely because they are struggling with this loss. Like them, I can do less than I used to and definitely less than I feel like I “should.” We have to

Finding Contentment in Faith I had something of an epiphany. I’ve realized it before, but for some reason, today it stuck with me. Reading some of David’s Psalms (today it was Ps. 22) you see what almost seems like someone very confused or unsure of what he really means. In the very first verse, he asks God, “My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?” (NASB95) Ever felt that way? Wrestling with Doubt and Faith All the way through verse 20 he very poetically describes the significance of his woes in a variety of manner, often pleading with God to respond. Then suddenly, in verse 21 he begins to plea again, but then adds, “From the horns of the wild oxen You answer me.” (NASB95) He starts off twice saying that God is not answering his prayers, then says that in the middle of danger, “You answer me.” Wait, what? Are you talking about the same God? Verse 22 begins David’s proclamation that he will share God’s goodness. In verse 24 he goes so far as to say, “For He has not despised nor abhorred the affliction of the afflicted; Nor has He hidden His face from him; But when he cried to Him for help, He heard.” (NASB95) He continues on this way for another seven verses. What struck me this morning about this Psalm is that in reality, in sounds like so many of our lives. Think about it. We as Christians say we love God and trust Him. We even pray for His assistance now and again at least. Yes, some people fall away from faith after unanswered prayers, but for the rest of us, it leaves a problem. In church, we might put on a brave face or even ask for prayer, but we never hint at any doubt. And indeed, many never really doubt God. We hold to His

I have a confession to make I’m human and despite all the good advice that people come to me for, I sometimes don’t follow it myself. Contentment Amidst Challenges: Lessons from “Blessed Brokenness” Some may know whether through my books or other means that I am disabled. I have a neurological condition that is uncurable and progressive. At this point, I’ve been unable to get proper treatment or even a solid diagnosis. I’m forced to work with my primary care physician, who isn’t comfortable doing very much. He does try to treat my symptoms but won’t try anything new since he doesn’t understand what is happening. I get it, “Do no harm.” I already have been through a horrible experience that turned out to be a reaction to a medication prescribed by a doctor that was trying to help and that I trusted. I’m not complaining mind you. If you have read my second book, Blessed Brokenness, then you already know that I have learned to be content. (Sort of.) Escalating Symptoms: Facing Uncertainty Once Again At any rate, my symptoms have recently gotten worse again. Each time they do, I have to learn a new routine, a new acceptable standard for myself. This time, I’m struggling a little. I’m working on a third book and I’m still counseling, but I can’t get past this feeling that God has more for me to do. So, I feel like I need to do it before I can’t anymore. This is where I have failed to follow my own (and God’s) advice. In the 30th chapter of Isaiah, we find the prophet giving the people a serious tongue lashing. He’s letting them know that God is not happy, and destruction is coming their way. In verse 15 we find out why. Apparently, God had told them that He would handle some enemy. He wanted them to trust

I just received an Advance Review Copy of Zondervan’s newest Bible.  It boasts several features and I want to look at each of them. Before I do, I admit, I’m traditional in many ways. I prefer to read paper. This Bible has the traditional gold edge pages. The pages are still lightweight, but much thicker than what we used to call “onion skin.” There’s something almost elegant to me of the feel of the super fine pages. It adds to the feel of specialness to the book you are holding. But, those thinner pages get crinkled, tear easily, and don’t lend themselves to highlighting or adding notes. Wide Margins The name of this particular edition of the Bible could not be more true. The margins are HUGE. At first glance, it just felt strange. But, if you are a note taker and like to put your notes in there next to the verses, then this is the Bible for you! Two-Color Page Design Admittedly, I am color-blind and often miss subtle differences in color. But, I can see at least some of what they intended and the pages are indeed pleasant to look at. Admittedly, this is probably the least important feature to me. Concordance I was surprised when I looked at the concordance. I was automatically expecting something along the lines of a Hebrew/Greek concordance. What makes this feature really exciting is that it is an English language concordance of the Bible itself. So, if there is a verse that you can’t quite remember where it is or maybe even the complete verse, just flip back to the concordance. You can look up the beginning of a phrase or the name of someone in the Bible and find the applicable verse or verses. Of course, there is no way it could possibly be completely comprehensive. But I was very impressed with how thorough it

As I write this, it’s early Saturday morning. As usual, I woke up shortly after 5 AM. If it’s after 5, I’ll get up. If it’s before 5, I try to go back to sleep. Now, I’ve had my breakfast of an avocado and the last of a brick of cream cheese and am on my second and last cup of coffee. I’ve read my Bible and prayed. But, it’s still too early to wake up my wife for her morning pills. Early Morning Reflections: Setting the Scene I’ve been feeling a little guilty that I haven’t been keeping up with my blog So this is the perfect time to write an entry. Why did I give you so much detail about my day? Well, it provides a backdrop for what I need to share. At first blush, my morning sounds like any other aging man that needs less sleep as he gets older (of course, we nap in the middle of the day, but that doesn’t count, right?). But, I’m not that old. I’m only 55. I’ve been officially disabled for a little over 9 years now. Navigating Life’s Challenges: The Journey Begins For much of those 9 years, my wife and I held a fairly active and vibrant life. I was counseling in an office with her by my side. We helped in ministry at multiple churches. But, in that time she has had 13 surgeries. Of those surgeries, two were botched which left her with a brain infection that had her hospitalized most of 6 months. As they tried to send her home, we had an ambulance in our driveway 7 times sending her back. Finally, the last time she went in, I just emotionally couldn’t call an ambulance. Late at night, I dressed her, put her in her power chair, then the van, then walked with her chair into the emergency

Reflecting on Predictions and Divine Lessons A pastor friend of mine started a sermon series last week called “Listening to the Heroes.” He explained that he’s going to draw lessons from the lives of Biblical heroes. Who you consider to be a hero is of course a line that isn’t the same for everyone. I don’t mean that we should cheer on villains, but that what it takes to be considered a hero isn’t the same for everyone. For that matter, I find many characters and their stories very interesting today that I didn’t in the past. A Chuckle at Serendipity I had to laugh a little when he started talking about the series though. Thirty-three years ago, I was graduating from Bible school with my Bachelors in Ministerial Sciences with an emphasis on Pastoral Care. We were the very first class to graduate in that program, so it was a small and fairly tight knit group. The program was the brainchild and labor of love for a man we called Doctor J. As much as we loved Doc J., he loved each of us at least as much. He was our advisor, the chair of the department, and our primary instructor. Around graduation, as we all were returning from our internships, there were several get-togethers. At one of them, Doc J. made a ten-year prediction for each of us. I had been into journalism before I changed my major to ministry. And I had worked in radio since high school. So, Doc J.’s prediction for me was that in ten years I would have a radio show called, Hogan’s Bible Heroes. As I was listening to my friend preach last week, I remembered the prediction and thought once again about doing that somehow. As I listened further, I realized he was using much of the scriptures and truths that I used in my first