As we anticipate Easter Sunday on April 9, today -- Ash Wednesday -- marks the beginning of a season of introspection and spiritual self-awareness. Whether you choose to "give something up for Lent" or you are waiting for the first crocuses to bloom, how will you let this be a season of reflection and faith? What spiritual practices can you experiment with as you seek the Lord's presence this spring?
Read MoreFor the first time ever, the ceremonial pre-game flyover at last Sunday's Super Bowl was performed by an all-woman aviator team -- commemorating the 50-year anniversary of women pilots in the U.S. Navy.
Read MoreWallace Stegner authored more than 40 novels, short story collections, essay collections, and nonfiction treatises. Often referred to as the "Dean of Western Writers," Stegener earned the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction in 1972 for Angle of Repose and the National Book Award for Fiction in 1977 for The Spectator Bird. A Presbyterian and an Eagle Scout, Stegner taught at the University of Wisconsin and Harvard University before settling at Stanford University for the bulk of his career as a professor of creative writing and literature.
Read MoreIn his 1961 book The Knowledge of the Holy, A. W. Tozer opens with this statement: "What comes into our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about us."
Read MoreAccording to American poet David Rosenberg, Jewish tradition has long avoided direct translations, instead employing such creative approaches as "midrash," an imaginative interpretation that digs into the meaning beneath the words.
Read MoreThis February, employees for the City of Tualatin will be hiding 175 hand-blown glass hearts around local parks, trails, and walkways as a part of their "Share the Love" campaign. Those who discover a decorative heart are encouraged to either keep it or hide it again so someone else can experience the joy of discovery.
Read MoreChristian Moullec is a 58-year-old French meteorologist who is aiding the migration of a vulnerable species of white-fronted geese -- not from a lab or a classroom, but by flying alongside them.
Read MoreEighteen-year-old Brock Peters had the test of his life when he landed a single-engine plane near a two-lane highway in California's San Bernardino National Forest this week.
Read MoreFor many of us, the grocery store is a place where we strive for efficiency, buzzing through the aisles as we check off our list and watch for the shortest checkout line. And more often than not, a pleasant exchange with a checkout clerk or a fellow customer will mark the difference between an irritating grocery errand and an enjoyable experience.
Read MoreAccording to a 2016 article in Harvard Business Review, most organizations don't realize how central human emotions are to building the right culture. When businesses talk about "corporate culture," they are typically referring to a kind of shared "cognitive culture": similar values, norms, and assumptions that allow a group to function effectively. But what about the impact of people's emotions in the workplace, at school, at church, in our communities, and at home?
Read MoreMargaret Deland was an American poet, short story writer, and novelist who published 33 books before her death in January 1945. Born in Philadelphia in 1857, Deland lived primarily in Boston, Massachusetts, and Kennebunkport, Maine, and was best known for her Old Chester books and her novel John Ward, Preacher.
Read MoreIf you haven't read Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol in a while (or ever!), please consider reading this gem again over the Advent season: Read it together as a family, with a friend, or on your own. The story is rife with biblical themes, and Dickens wisely reminds us of our tendency to shrug off life's most beautiful moments in pursuit of our earthly paths.
Read MoreThis week, Merriam-Webster Dictionary has selected the top word of 2022 -- a choice that reflects the distrust seeping through our current culture: "gaslighting."
Read MoreHave you ever thought to yourself, "Once I achieve ________, or once ________ happens, all will be well"? While this continual push into the future is a common human tendency, it can deeply harm our ability to claim peace and hope in the moment.
Read MoreWith the birth of a baby boy named Damien yesterday in the Dominican Republic, the world's population reached an astounding 8 billion: "an occasion to celebrate diversity and advancements while considering humanity’s shared responsibility for the planet," according to a statement from the UN Secretary General.
Read MoreWhen Bobby Wilson retired in 2009, he used a portion of his savings to purchase five acres in Atlanta, Georgia, where he could begin to teach marginalized and underserved communities how to grow their own food.
Read MoreIn a slender volume of photos, prayers, and interviews titled Something Beautiful for God, journalist Malcolm Muggeridge explores the motivations of Mother Teresa's faithful life: "I do not agree with the big way of doing things," Mother Teresa tells Muggeridge. "To us, what matters is an individual."
Read MoreFive years ago, I stood in the dark on a cobblestone street in Wittenberg, Germany, knocking on the formidable door to Castle Church. The evening service was about to begin, and I was locked out -- standing in the cold with a cadre of American pastors as we marveled at the irony.
Read MoreAbout an hour south of Amsterdam is a neighborhood of golf ball-shaped "bulb houses" that look as if they were rolled into the Maaspoort neighborhood by aliens. Dutch artist and sculptor Dries Kreijkamp designed these curious futuristic homes in the 1980s, landing 50 bulb-like homes in groupings along winding walkways and a scenic canal.
Read MoreThomas Merton (1915-1968) was a Trappist monk and Christian mystic who published more than 50 books in just over 25 years. A student of comparative religion, Merton was known for his emphasis on social justice and a kind of quiet pacifism, seeking God's presence in both his mystic practices and his conversations with leaders of other faith traditions.
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