Essays and reflections on spiritual formation, the church, music, and daily faithfulness — 638 pieces, gathered in one home.
I must be the last holdout in my neighborhood. As usual, we are the only ones with a lit Christmas tree left standing. Today is January 3, and this morning I enjoyed some morning q
Originally at Musings of a Musical Preacher
This is my article that was published on the blog of "Weavings," a journal for the Christian spiritual life. To see the original post, see The Spirituality of Waiting. We know that
Originally at Musings of a Musical Preacher
The past several days were very busy for me. I had a funeral come up to celebrate the life of a dear church member, I held a series of meetings related to staff, I went out of town
Originally at Musings of a Musical Preacher
What is this “Advent” we have entered? First of all, it’s not Christmas … yet. In the Western church, the season of Christmas (also called Christmastide) begins on Christmas Eve an
Originally at Musings of a Musical Preacher
As American people, we emerged from this past week with what I hope is more than a couple of extra pounds! Perhaps we have emerged with a deeper sense of gratitude for all of God’s
Originally at Musings of a Musical Preacher
An important facet of the spiritual formation of John Wesley, founder of Methodism, began long before his heart-warming experience on Aldersgate Street. As he traveled to Georgia i
Originally at Musings of a Musical Preacher
Pierre Teilhard de Chardin was a French Jesuit priest, biologist, geologist, and philosopher who lived until 1955. At times, his ideas were at odds with the church. This quote was
Originally at Musings of a Musical Preacher
This quote from Henri Nouwen resonates with my soul: "The spiritual life starts at the place where you can hear God's voice. Where somehow you can claim that long before your fathe
Originally at Musings of a Musical Preacher
What would John Wesley have to say about our upcoming elections? Actually, he did have something to say. I saw this posted by a friend in social media recently and simply had to sh
Originally at Musings of a Musical Preacher
It is such a joy to lead Evening Prayer at the Piano on Sunday nights. It’s a place where we can lift simple gifts of music and song, hear a brief homily or exhortation, and share
Originally at Musings of a Musical Preacher
I didn’t even see it myself. Someone told me after worship on Sunday how much it touched her heart. Just hearing about it, I was brought to tears and it’s been resonating in my min
Originally at Musings of a Musical Preacher
I realized that I have not included one of my hymns on the list of publications found in the right column of my blog. I composed the tune and text of "God Before Us" which emphasiz
Originally at Musings of a Musical Preacher
As I write, I am taking it easy on Labor Day. I really was planning on biking this morning, but the rain last night (and sleeping late after my daughter’s birthday party) compelled
Originally at Musings of a Musical Preacher
I have been flooded with memories since hearing of the death of Neil Armstrong this weekend. I so vividly remember the first moonwalk, when I heard for the first time the words “on
Originally at Musings of a Musical Preacher
We value honesty, and rightly so. It's a pretty good thing. But I'm fascinated that though the scriptures compel us to speak the truth (after all, "bearing false witness" made it t
Originally at Musings of a Musical Preacher
This morning, during my morning prayer, I felt an unexpected urge to spend time with my broken gourd instrument. I didn't know why, really. It has sat on my shelf for a whole year,
Originally at Musings of a Musical Preacher
"Don't ask yourself what the world needs. Ask yourself what makes you come alive and go do it, because the world needs more people who have come alive." - Howard Thurman This week,
Originally at Musings of a Musical Preacher
I don't know why I've been so blessed with passionate and faithful preaching blood. Most of the 30 pastors on my family tree (yes, that's right, 30, and that doesn't count the ones
Originally at Musings of a Musical Preacher
Last week, one of my heroes died. I know it’s unusual for me to comment on entertainment on my blog. But Andy Griffith has shaped a generation of people who, in the midst of social
Originally at Musings of a Musical Preacher
As we approach Independence Day, I share a story from my family heritage that I told on Sunday. I hope it bears repeating. Six of my ancestors fought in the Revolutionary War. One
Originally at Musings of a Musical Preacher
Last week, I posted about Michael Slaughter's inspiring teaching at Annual Conference. Here are some nuggets from our time together. Steve "How can anything God created be evil? It
Originally at Musings of a Musical Preacher
This quote from Michael Slaughter was shared at Annual Conference and it resonated with my soul. He was also there to teach and encourage and was a real highlight of our time toget
Originally at Musings of a Musical Preacher
This is my column which was published on June 14, 2012 in The United Methodist Reporter. You might prefer to read it in The United Methodist Reporter. JUNE 14, 2012 POSTED BY SPECI
Originally at Musings of a Musical Preacher
When I clicked past age forty, I had a sudden, surprising, compelling yearning for the trail. I started with four wheeling and have morphed to mountain biking. I presently go bike
Originally at Musings of a Musical Preacher
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