What does covenant forgiveness mean? Simply put, forgiveness when you are in a covenant relationship, i.e. marriage or God’s covenant with the Jewish people and Christians. And what does a covenant relationship mean?   First of all let me tell you what it is not.   It is not a quid pro quo relationship, i.e. […]

More than three decades ago John Oerter, a Presbyterian pastor from the Mennonite tradition, gave me an image of unforgiveness I will not forget. With the bricks of your hatred and the mortar of my unforgiveness, we build a wall between us (and around us). Whether it is a small, simmering, quiet,  stew of bitterness […]

An existential question, paired with “Where am I going” that rang out during a cultural transformation involving the boom of psychology in the 1960’s and 1970’s. In the 70’s I remember another cliche phrase in love songs and dating – “I am so into you.” Our intimacy with the Lord Jesus Christ is described by […]

The genotype, brain structure and biochemistry of boys, is a compliment to the previous blog on the brains and hormones of girls. At six weeks of gestation, the Y chromosome causes development of gonads, the testes in boys. Intrauterine development continues with testosterone producing the reproductive tract and male characteristics of the brain and genitalia. […]

An important thing that has come out of the holistic approach to healthcare is the affirmation that we are embodied souls. I believe that matter was created inherently good; “And God saw everything that he had made, and it was very good” Genesis 1:31 HCSB (Holman Christian Standard Bible). Not only this, but the Incarnation, […]

This Christmas season are you feeling insecure in a world with so much unrest, fear and hopelessness?   And so this is Christmas For weak and for strong For rich and the poor ones The world is so wrong Read more: John Lennon – So This Is Christmas Lyrics | MetroLyrics      One of […]

Just before Thanksgiving and the holidays many singles take action to be more connected. Of course opportunities multiply for making new friends at large family gatherings, children’s school events, work parties, gallery openings, concerts, public celebrations on pedestrian malls, busy restaurants and shops,  or church celebrations. Society encourages you to pair up and not be […]

As you look back on your childhood, it is not difficult to remember a time when you felt red and hot with shame. You are surprised by the blurry face of the shame giver(s) as you are out on a solitary walk. Perhaps today, there is someone whom you recognize as a shame giver and […]

Having offered several blogs on shame in October, it’s time to offer you a respite and some tools for your toolbox on overcoming shame. Let’s begin with Helen Lewis, former professor at Yale, and her work on shame and neurosis. If you are guessing this comes out of Freud’s psychoanalytic theory, you are absolutely right. […]

In the fall of 2002 when my seventeen year old son called and told me over the phone he wanted to join the Marines, I remember feeling like my ears were stopped up with cotton and everything seemed to be happening in slow motion, just like the combat scenes in Saving Private Ryan. My first […]