finish strong

Here in Minnesota, summer came suddenly. Just a week or two ago, my husband was out cross-country skiing. Yesterday it was 50 degrees. Today it will be 93. It’s a reminder that just around the corner, school will be out and we’ll be enjoying swimming and boating and bike rides and picnics and all those fun activities of summer. I know these last few weeks of school can be a challenge....

of lefse and disciplemaking

A couple years ago I learned to make lefse. I’d never even tasted lefse growing up, but it’s a holiday tradition in my husband’s (Norwegian Minnesotan) family–and it’s delicious. There’s a bit of a learning curve: “ricing” the potatoes, mixing the dough, coating everything with flour, rolling them super thin, and carefully putting them on the...

sent fishing

When Jesus called his disciples, He had two main purposes in mind. Mark 3:14 tells us, “He appointed twelve, that they might be with him and that he might send them out to preach.” Last month we looked at the call to be with Jesus, to stick close to Him. That’s the starting point of being a disciple. But naturally, it won’t stop there. Think about it. What do you do when...

called to follow

“Follow me.” These are the words Jesus used when he invited people to be his disciples. It was a life-changing call for those who would forever be identified as his followers and who would give up much–sometimes their lives–for that call. But it began with a very simple task: being with Jesus. After all, that’s what “follow me” is really all about. Jesus...

CPR (part 3): reap

On my windowsill sits a failed experiment: three small pots with dry, dead twigs and leaves. I’d wanted to grow apple trees! I did a little reading, saved seeds from some local-harvest apples, let them “winter” in the fridge in a wet paper towel until they sprouted, then got some good potting soil all ready and planted them. I placed the pots in the window where they’d get...

CPR (part 2): plant

Performing eternal CPR starts by cultivating good relationships, but it doesn’t stop there. The next step is planting seeds. Our goal in planting is to introduce Christ into our relationships by sharing about God and what He’s done in our lives. Planting doesn’t have to be intimidating. The goal isn’t to lay out the four spiritual laws or have a big discussion about...