Category Archives: Poverty of Spirit

A Prayer for When You’re in the Middle of the Story

For I am the Lord your God who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you. –Isaiah  41:13 (NIV) God, you promised to help me, your right hand guiding, with a cautious squeeze or a confident tug. … Continue reading

Posted in Poetry, Poverty of Spirit, Prayer, Reflections | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

What’s a Bucket to Do?

I’ve been on Bowen Island co-facilitating Living from the Heart, so I’ve had no time to write. But I think you’ll like this post (originally published in 2014) which follows up what I posted last week. The quote at the bottom … Continue reading

Posted in Helpful Images, Popular Posts, Poverty of Spirit | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Immersed in an Ocean of Love

Here’s one of my favourite posts, originally published January 17, 2014. I hope you enjoy it. I awake at 4 a.m. with an emotional heaviness and remember what caused this feeling. I got hoodwinked by fear in a legitimate disguise: I … Continue reading

Posted in Helpful Images, Mystical, Popular Posts, Poverty of Spirit, Praying with the Imagination, Rob Des Cotes, Stories | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

Limited

“I’ll be darned if a 500-meter hike is going to beat me,” I said to Fred a few minutes before I crashed. There I am, flat on my back before the mountain. We began the Edith Cavell hike in Jasper … Continue reading

Posted in Poverty of Spirit, Stories | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Love Mischief

God’s been up to some love mischief. I have three pieces of evidence. Last Sunday I preached on the lectionary readings for the day. I was captivated by an image I found in Psalm 116 which said that God inclines … Continue reading

Posted in Lent, Poetry, Poverty of Spirit | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Stones, Slivers and Silence

I love being with people and look forward to social gatherings, but I often come home with a stone in my shoe. When I shake it out and it falls to the floor, I recognize that moment when something went … Continue reading

Posted in Poverty of Spirit, Reflections | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

The Cost of Being Known

“What was the most memorable meal you ever had?” a friend asked everyone at the dinner table. One by one each person described an experience of eating extravagantly prepared food in an exquisite setting. But it was hard for me to listen. … Continue reading

Posted in False Self, Lent, Poverty of Spirit, Reflections, Stories | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Empty

Empty Before you go to bed, shake the dust off your feet. Open your front door and –with a shoe in each hand– smack those soles together. Like a TV preacher, tell those demons: “Be gone!” Before you go to … Continue reading

Posted in Lent, Poetry, Poverty of Spirit | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Loving Certain People

“I love mankind. It’s people I can’t stand,” exclaimed Linus Van Pelt decades ago in the cartoon strip Peanuts. Perhaps it’s more accurate to say, “It’s certain people I can’t stand.” When I see certain people do things that annoy … Continue reading

Posted in Lent, Poetry, Poverty of Spirit, Reflections | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

In the Flow

“Have you found a job yet?” I asked “Kyle” (not his real name) who has been sober for three months now. Kyle’s been through treatment and recovery a few times in the past seventeen years and never lasted more than six … Continue reading

Posted in Poverty of Spirit, Reflections, Stories | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment