remcmahan

The COVID-19 Pandemic as “a Time to Keep”

A time to keep, and a time to throw away. Eccl. 3: 6 A few days ago, we entertained a couple in our home for dinner—a couple we had not seen in well over a year due to the pandemic. On the one hand, the experience felt surreal, and on the other, it felt likeContinueContinue reading “The COVID-19 Pandemic as “a Time to Keep””

Adjusting to Life After COVID-19

The novelist Alice Walker writes, “Look closely at the present you are constructing. It should look like the future you are dreaming.” I find myself reflecting on her advice as I come out of a year of enforced hibernation and squint at the sun in my eyes. Here in the States, and in particular myContinueContinue reading “Adjusting to Life After COVID-19”

The Year that Wasn’t

Recently I had the opportunity, after over a year, to visit a friend and have a cup of tea with her. As we conversed about the ongoing pandemic, she referred to 2020 as “the year that wasn’t.” At first I thought that was a clever and succinct summary of 2020 when the world was lockedContinueContinue reading “The Year that Wasn’t”

A Story by Sadhu Sundar Singh

And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love. 1 Cor. 13:13 Sadhu Sundar Singh was an Indian Christian, evangelist, and mystic who lived in the early part of the 20th century and often trekked through the Himalayan mountains to share the good news of the love ofContinueContinue reading “A Story by Sadhu Sundar Singh”

Hope during Holy Week

Midway through Holy Week, consider the millions, if not billions, of prayers lifted by candleflame through the ages. The steadfastness of the flame offers the comfort of hope as its smoke wafts toward heaven, a visual sign that our prayer is being lifted, noticed, even heard. Our control is released and entrusted to the CreatorContinueContinue reading “Hope during Holy Week”

Antoni Gaudi’s Faith

In 1883, an architect named Antoni Gaudi took over the design of a cathedral in Barcelona, Spain. A Roman Catholic, he had a vision for an extraordinary offering to God, and until his death in 1926, when he was hit by a bus, he saw his work as a sacrifice, made in love to theContinueContinue reading “Antoni Gaudi’s Faith”

A Reflection on Palms and Lent

In this transitional time between seasons, as the harshness of winter is left behind and the hope of spring begins to bloom, we have journeyed together from ashes to hope. So many faith traditions present us with an opportunity to journey within and assess who we really are at the center of our being whereContinueContinue reading “A Reflection on Palms and Lent”

Learning How to Listen

My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak . . . James 1:19 In this increasingly noisy world, consider the almost lost art of listening. We tend to talk over each other, interrupt, or wait for the space between another person’s breath so that weContinueContinue reading “Learning How to Listen”

Thresholds in Life

Many faith traditions and spiritual disciplines offer a time of self-examination, a time of self-reflection to assess where we have been, where we are going, what we can release, and what we can carry forward. For Christians, this season is called Lent; the same opportunity goes by other names in other traditions. As I reflectContinueContinue reading “Thresholds in Life”

Reflection on the Pandemic

One year ago, on March 13, 2020, the first case of Coronavirus was reported. Our governor announced that all schools would immediately close for three weeks. On March 16, businesses began closing and sending their employees home to work. On March 18, statewide orders prevented gatherings of more than 25 people, closed beaches, and postponedContinueContinue reading “Reflection on the Pandemic”