Somebody wrote that there are only two stories. One begins, 'A man went on a journey'; the other, 'A stranger came to town.' They are both the story of Jesus - one told from the perspective of heaven, and one from earth.
So Jesus went on the great pilgrimage for us. Perhaps that's part of why pilgrimage has lodged so deeply in our hearts ever since. — John
"Love is not something that we can command by direct effort. It is something that we become capable of as our inner life is transformed. The attempt to love without that transformation is one of the most exhausting and discouraging enterprises imaginable."
“Anyone who is not a continual student of Jesus, and who nevertheless reads the great promises of the Bible as if they were for him or her, is like someone trying to cash a check on another person’s account.” (D. Willard)
We often chase ease—less stress, fewer responsibilities, more comfort. But deep down, our souls aren't truly longing for an easy life. They're longing for a life rightly ordered under the care of a good Shepherd.
Spiritual formation is like training for a sport or learning an instrument—it’s the daily practice of shaping our hearts and minds so that doing what’s right, good, and beautiful becomes natural to us. It’s not just about following rules, but about becoming the kind of person who actually wants to do the right thing because it aligns with who we are becoming.
Just like an athlete trains their body to instinctively perform well in a game, spiritual formation helps us develop habits, attitudes, and desires that naturally move us toward God’s best for our lives.
“Once you lose the kingdom theme, which is central to the gospels, everything else becomes reinterpreted in ways that radically distort, that substitute a subtly different “gospel” message for the one Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John are eager to convey.” N.T. Wright / How God Became King
God always keeps His promises. Even in seasons of waiting, we can trust in His faithfulness and perfect timing. Hold on to hope—His good plan is unfolding! 🙏
#jeremiah33#holdingon#promise#God#scripture
@grantpaulsen I rewound immediately last night to watch it. Tough to see from that one angle but doesn’t look like he stepped out. Huge difference in hindsight if it’s a first.