Articles & Posts
God Used My Dog Today
I get up first in our house. Oban, our seven month old golden retriever, gets up with me. Or usually, he’s been up for awhile and finally gets tired of waiting so he growls a few times to wake me up. Time to take a pee. I let him out, and he just takes off like a rocket through the bushes into the neighbors and beyond. I’m yelling for him to come back. I’m whistling. I’m growling at him. Yes, growling. We took this “Australian” dog training course that says dogs need a pack leader so when they’re doing something bad growl at ‘em and they’ll stop. I’m standing out here in my boxers, no dog in sight, growling loud, and I wonder what the neighbors think. Oban’s not stopping. He is gone. And I’m pissed. By the time he gets back, happy as can be for the romp he just had, I am ready to give him a good thumping. I don’t. We don’t treat our animals like that. But the point is I wanted to. My anger is totally out there, exposed. I’m furious. This anger thing is really ugly. And old. Its been a battle of mine for years. I’m asking God, What is this about, Lord? But I’m not ready to hear an answer yet ‘cause I’m still pretty mad so I make some oatmeal, feed Oban, and head into my office to pray my “morning prayers.” It takes awhile to get through those prayers, and I can’t even really get into it until I first confess my anger and ask forgiveness because everything else feels like a total sham till I do. But I’m coming back to God and to myself. After about 45 minutes I’m in a better place to hear. Forgive me for this anger, Lord. What’s this all about? And here is how God speaks this morning. I’m “moved” or “prompted” to pick up Diary of an Old Soul (by George MacDonald, the old Scottish poet). It’s sort of a daily reading I’ve been doing for years. I turn to today’s entry and here is how it reads: Keep me from wrath, let it seem ever so right: My wrath will never work thy righteousness. Up, up the hill, to the whiter than snow-shine, Help me to climb, and dwell in pardon's light. I must be pure as thou, or ever less Than thy design of me--therefore incline My heart to take men's wrongs as thou tak'st mine. Whoa. Of all the things, this one’s about anger. Now what’s really good about this is once again, I’m reminded God hears me, and he speaks to me. Even when I’m blowing it. That is just so loving. Reassuring. Kind.
John Eldredge
When Things Don't Make Sense
Its Friday. I’m on a United flight to Los Angeles, wedged between a guy drawing cartoons on a yellow pad and a woman reading Ladies Home Journal. I’m trying to get to Santa Barbara, and this whole trip feels a little weird. Stasi and I were really looking forward to the baptism of our dear friends’ daughter in Colorado Springs this weekend. Not a time to skip town. But last weekend I kept feeling this nudge, this “prompting” that I should go and see Sam. (Our oldest son – he’s a freshman at Westmont College in SB this year). You know what I mean about those nudges – you just have a sense, call it intuition, or a thought you can’t seem to shake. But it made no sense. Next weekend is open, no conflicts. This weekend is the baptism. Besides, I was on the road in Dallas this week on business. I’m tired. Staying home makes sense. I checked the weather, looking for some confirmation. I mean hey – if I go to California I wanna go when its sunny and warm (winter has been dragging on here). The forecast is for rain. The trip is making less sense. But I’ve learned over the years that sometimes God tells us to do things that don’t seem to make sense in the moment. Right? I mean, look at Abraham – sacrifice your son with a knife? Look at Joshua – take a fortified city with trumpets? Look at Gideon – get rid of 90% of your army, on the eve of battle? There’s a pretty long biblical record of God asking his people to do things that at the time didn’t seem to make a lot of sense. Back to the prompting. I asked God, Do you want me to go this weekend, or next, Lord? He said, This weekend. I pushed into it a little bit. This weekend, Lord? Am I hearing you right? Yes. I don’t want to just charge off on a whim. I mean, a prompting is one thing. Ask God what it means. I even asked Stasi, twice, “What are you hearing from God on this?” She said, “I heard ‘Go.’” Walking with God requires humility, and trust. I don’t know all that God is up to; I don’t even see things clearly from my point of view. So, I booked a flight. Driving to the airport I asked Jesus, Are you in this? I do that a lot, as I head into different situations. Are you in this, Lord? Because if he is, then I’m good. I don’t really need to understand, I don’t need to know anything else. If God is in this, I’m good. He said, Yes. And something in my soul quieted down a bit. Peace came in with that “yes.” It’s a good thing I just remembered that. Because my flight got cancelled. Its two hours later, and I’m on a different flight (to L.A.) sort of zigzagging and fighting my way to get to Santa Barbara. Doubt really wants to creep in. This doesn’t make sense. I’m an idiot. One more time I check in – Jesus, are you in this? I am. Okay. I’m sticking with that. I’m going to let my heart rest in that.
John Eldredge
Epic
Welcome! We’re assuming you stopped in because you’ve seen the Epic Podcast (by John Eldredge) and are searching for more – more on the Story, more clarity on your own place in it, perhaps more on how to share this with others. So, if you haven’t seen the Epic Podcast and somehow stumbled onto this page some other way, we recommend starting with the podcast or with reading the book Epic. After all, what you've seen in the podcast is just a preview and a lot of what we offer here won’t make a lot of sense until you’ve read Epic or seen the entire DVD Presentation! Subscribe to the Epic Video Podcast Read the fist chapter of the book Order a copy of the book Order a copy of the Complete DVD Presentaion Throughout the year John sends out newsletters about his recent thoughts and the ministry's recent history. You can sign up to receive our newsletter by creating an online profile here. Enough said. Let’s continue. John wrote Epic primarily to help you share the Story with others--both with Christians still trapped in the religious Matrix and with yet-to-believe folks who might not have a real idea what Christianity is all about. There is so much more to discover in this journey we are taking. More of the beauty of the Gospel to unveil. More of your own story to uncover and understand. More wisdom for the road. More cunning for the Battle. We are constantly learning more, and we ever want to be so. We want to encourage you to go deeper as well. Why, we’ve only scratched the surface! So explore this web site (which we are constantly developing, by the way) we want to point you towards resources that will help you find that “more” you are looking for.
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Craig McConnell
How to subscribe to the Wild at Heart Podcast
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CM
Craig McConnell