Oil from the Jar Blog Archives
“Faith shows the reality of what we hope for; it is the evidence of things we cannot see.” (Hebrews 11:1 NLT) I live by faith most of the time. Every once in a while I get to see evidence of the reality I’ve been hoping for—like what I saw last week. This evidence surfaced at…
Picture a huge outdoor amphitheater like the ones at Disney’s MGM theme park or Universal Studios, and you’ll be able to imagine the scene of an unsettling dream I had. Filled with several thousand spectators, the stadium seating formed an enormous arc around the stage. I sat in a row way up near the back,…
The prospect of hearing God’s voice has always fascinated my husband, Steve. He believed it could happen. But well into our marriage it had not happened to him. At least not in a way he could recognize and understand. For God does speak—now one way, now another—though man may not perceive it. — Job 33:14…
My daughter, Sarah, and I frequented the library when she was a little girl. We both loved to read and enjoyed hunting for good books. One day, she borrowed a Nancy Drew mystery and started reading it as soon as we got home. The next day, it vanished. We searched in all the usual places…
I belong to a large church, and we fill our sanctuary with passionate people every Sunday. Sometimes during a loud worship song, I raise my hands and call out, “Do You see me, God? I’m right here in the dark. Can You hear me? I’m singing as loud as I can. I love You!” I…
The tomb is empty so we don’t have to be. Will we remember that long after Easter Sunday? A woman once pulled me aside on a Sunday morning during communion and whispered a desperate plea. “What do you do when you’re completely empty?” I admired her courage and naked honesty, Only by God’s grace did…
rel•e•vant adj 1. having some sensible or logical connection with something else, for example, a matter being discussed or investigated. 2. having some bearing on or importance for real-world issues, present-day events, or the current state of society1 I’m clueless about post-modern culture. I don’t watch TV. I don’t read New York Times Bestsellers. (Wait,…
To extol is to praise with great enthusiasm, to praise with a passionate or consuming interest. What a great word. Doesn’t it sound like fun? I can almost picture the one extolling. He’s cheering loudly after his favorite team won the Super Bowl. She’s clapping madly after her child rides a bike without training wheels.…
Have you ever prayed a prayer that would require God’s constant vigilance if He chose to respond affirmatively? I petitioned God that way more than 30 years ago. My college roommate and I had discovered a fantastic Chinese food restaurant within walking distance of our dorm. We loved the chicken chow mien and pork fried…
It probably won’t come as a surprise if I tell you I don’t make a living writing blog posts. For longer than I care to admit (only because I don’t want to acknowledge being old enough to have held a job of any kind since 1985), I’ve written advertising copy for a living. Since my…