Anger, Ashes & Compassion

Susan Isaacs March 9th, 2010

One March afternoon in my first year of college, I stopped at the school's theater box office to buy tickets to some nihilistic bucket-o-blood experimental theater production. I had to see it for class credit. I noticed the woman behind the glass had a black smear on her forehead. Maybe she had to do scene painting for class credit? So I kindly informed her of the schmutz.

"It's Ash Wednesday," she glared.

"Oh, yes of course!" I apologized. I may have added that I w … (Read More)

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Pondering Perplexing Prayer & People Problems - Woodley & Godwin on SBE

Erik Guzman August 21st, 2009

Steve often says that pagans don't pray because they're afraid God might be there, and Christians don't pray because they're afraid he might not be.

When it feels like God's ignoring you, or worse, messing with you, it can put a strain on the relationship. Join us on this week's Steve Brown Etc. as we talk with Matt Woodley about practicing the absence of God.

(If you're on the front page of the site, click "Read More" to see audio player options.) … (Read More)

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Angry Conversations with God - Susan Isaacs on SBE

Erik Guzman May 22nd, 2009

After forty years of being a good Christian girl, Susan Isaacs' life fell apart. Her dad died, her mom had a stroke, her career tanked and then her boyfriend of three years left her with no house and no husband…all simultaneously.

What's a girl to do? She had a nervous breakdown, took God to couples counseling, gave Him a piece of her mind and wrote Angry Conversations with God: A Snarky but Authentic Spiritual Memoir.

Join Susan on this week's Steve Brown Etc. as we t … (Read More)

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Meekness and Humility

John H. Armstrong February 11th, 2009

One of the most perplexing and challenging sayings of Jesus in the entire New Testament is found in Matthew 11:28-30. Our Lord says:

Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.

If I put one description upon what this "yoke, is" and the effect has upon a person’s life, I would use the word "i … (Read More)

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A Doxology in Darkness - Chapter 4 - Unearthing

Sharon July 10th, 2008

I started seeing Ruth as soon as our busy schedules would allow. I truly had no idea what to expect from our time together, but I didn’t really care that much. I just needed to feel some relief, no matter what shape that relief may take.

I could never have predicted the life-changing healing I would come to experience.

Funny how we often look back on dramatic periods of time, and cannot for the life of us imagine what we were feeling just moments before the big event. It is as though the hug … (Read More)

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A Doxology in Darkness - Chapter 3 - Groping

Sharon July 2nd, 2008

As the end of November approached, I was becoming frustrated by my deepening depression. I felt so weak and helpless. My embarrassment at my inability to get a hold of myself was eating me up inside. Pride has always been one of my biggest struggles, so of course I want to be perceived as strong, and “together.” I didn’t want myself or anyone else to recognize just how quickly I was drowning.

And so it was that I came to find myself driving down the road that night, screaming at God that … (Read More)

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