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07 13 Valley Of Humiliation

Answering Discontent

When Christian, the protagonist in John Bunyan’s classic The Pilgrim’s Progress, catches up with his old friend Faithful on the road to the City of Zion, Faithful shares the tale of how he met with Discontent in the Valley of Humility. This short excerpt is a lesson on keeping our eyes on the prize.
John Bunyan
John Bunyan
November 24, 2024
07 26 Child Spiritual

Children’s Spirituality: God Makes the First Move

We are delighted to welcome Lacy Finn Borgo to explore some ideas about spiritual formation and children, beginning with this excerpt from her doctoral dissertation, Spiritual Direction with Children the Next Natural Step in the Christian Historical Progression of Children’s Spiritual Formation.
Lacy Finn Borgo
Lacy Finn Borgo
November 24, 2024

Lose Your Life and You Will Save It

Calling us ever deeper into relationship with the Triune God, C.S. Lewis reminds us that the life we lose for the sake of the kingdom will only be a faint imitation of the “real, new” life we find in Christ.
C.S. Lewis
C.S. Lewis
November 24, 2024
07 25 Old Mill

What’s in the Grind of Your Mind?

John Cassian joins us to consider how our minds act like a water-wheel-driven millstones, constantly turning, revolving. Although we cannot stop the motion, we can control what gets fed into grinder—whether God’s Word and spiritual things or idleness, worry, and gossip. We must choose wisely.
John Cassian
John Cassian
November 24, 2024
08 01 Love

Because of His Great Love

Church Father Aphrahat joins us with a beautiful meditation on many of the ways Jesus shows his great love for us and teaches us diligently by his actions and words how we are to manifest that love in return. Join us to consider how we can live out the greatest commandments in his grace.
Aphrahat the Syriac
Aphrahat the Syriac
November 24, 2024
01 04 Fellowship

What it Looks Like When God’s in Charge

When the kingdom comes it looks like ... a party? So says author N.T. Wright in this excerpt from his book Simply Jesus. When the ultimate hope for renewed life is happening right under our noses, well, not everyone can see it. But, for those who can, heaven and earth join together in celebration.
N.T. Wright
N.T. Wright
November 24, 2024
08 03 Everlasting Man

Gentle Jesus ... Meek and Mild?

As we continue to grapple with the ever-unfolding mystery of Jesus, G.K. Chesterton joins us to lend his own inimitable voice to the challenge. He contends that our common perception of “Gentle Jesus, meek and mild” is true, but incomplete, and encourages us to look into the Gospels with new eyes.
G.K. Chesterton
G.K. Chesterton
November 24, 2024
08 07 Self Deception

This Pervasive Self-Deception

“Self-deception,” Dallas Willard writes in the foreword to Gregg Ten Elshof’s I Told Me So: Self-Deception and the Christian Life, “is a major part of what defeats spiritual formation in Christ.” Dallas explains why we so often fail to live out what we say we believe and want in this piece.
Dallas Willard
Dallas Willard
November 24, 2024
08 08 Horsie

What is the Virtue of a Horse?

What is the virtue of a horse— or of a grapevine? Is it the outward appearance of the animal or plant—the fineness of tack or the greenness of leaves? Or is it when these things fulfill their God-given purposes? And so, what then is mankind’s virtue? John Chrysostom considers it all in today’s post.
John Chrysostom
John Chrysostom
November 24, 2024
08 15 Walking Commandments

Walking in His Commandments

Wise and ever-timely, Polycarp joins us to remind us of ways we can serve the Lord in fear and truth. When we walk in God’s commandments and love what he loves, we will keep ourselves in right relationship with God and others. We will become, like Polycarp, bearers of “many fruits.”
Polycarp
Polycarp
November 24, 2024