Dearest Rachel – Well, it’s just how things work in the American holiday calendar, I suppose. We no sooner get through with one that, by name and nature, reminds us to be both content and grateful for what we have, than we begin on the one whose whole purpose seems to be the diametric oppositeContinue reading “The Lists We Still Need to Deal With”
Tag Archives: requests
You Never Asked That of Me
Dearest Rachel – The other morning, as I was waking up to the stillness of the empty bedroom (which, after over a week of sharing hotel rooms and a ship’s stateroom with Daniel’s, ought to be a bit of a relief, but there you go), an earworm burrowed itself into my mind. You know theContinue reading “You Never Asked That of Me”
from Rachel: While I Was Still In Prayer
Read Daniel 9:20-23. How does the word ‘while’ emphasize timing?The angel Gabriel came to Daniel…verse 20: ‘while “I was speaking and praying”’verse 21: ‘while “I was still in prayer”’ Imagine you’re in the throes of desperate pleas to God, pouring out confessions and cries of intercession, when suddenly you’re interrupted by a celestial messenger whoContinue reading “from Rachel: While I Was Still In Prayer”
from Rachel: A ‘We’ Kind of Attitude
…tally the times you see the word ‘we’ in Daniel’s prayer and record the total here: “16” Put yourself in Daniel’s position. Why do you think he shared the blame for the sins of the masses even though he was innocent of many of their transgressions? “He was honored to be Jewish and part ofContinue reading “from Rachel: A ‘We’ Kind of Attitude”
Are Things Not Satisfactory?
Dearest Rachel – There’s an old joke about a child who, for the first few years of his life, appeared to be completely mute, much to the consternation of his parents. They took him to doctors and specialists, who couldn’t find anything wrong with his vocal cords or his neural connections. Eventually, they gave upContinue reading “Are Things Not Satisfactory?”
He’s Not Santa Claus
Dearest Rachel – In so many ways, it was the sort of Christmas anyone could ask for. A quiet, subdued one, to be sure, but our family hasn’t had little kids running around tearing up the place for the better part of a decade. We all ate way too much (well, except for Dad, andContinue reading “He’s Not Santa Claus”
from Rachel: To Be Heard
Based on your life or someone else’s (including any historical figure), can you think of an example when survival was in itself a crowning achievement? “Earlier I mentioned Sokun, she and another friend (her name escapes me right now) escaped Cambodia with their families as small girls ([in the] mid-70s), lived for several years inContinue reading “from Rachel: To Be Heard”
In Every Direction At Once
Dearest Rachel – There are days when, as I sit down in front of the computer to write to you, I find myself dealing with writers’ block, even with – possibly even especially when – considering the events of the day or so past. Some days, there just isn’t much of interest going on; thereContinue reading “In Every Direction At Once”
The Call in the Middle of the Night
Dearest Rachel – It seems silly to marvel at the accuracy of scripture sometimes. I find myself reminded of some after-dinner speaker who is said to have begun a speech by pompously intoning, “As God said, and I think rightly…” One can only hope he was joking with such a line, but it’s just plausible that itContinue reading “The Call in the Middle of the Night”
from Rachel: The Obstacle of Prayerlessness
Begin with the following words, and… complete the two verses accordingly. “Do not be calm about anything, but in everything… “…feel stress and anxiety, with fear, and hold it all inside yourself. And the nauseous, nervous feeling in the pit of your stomach will continue and grow until you feel like you might throw up.”Continue reading “from Rachel: The Obstacle of Prayerlessness”
If I Can’t Get You to Stay…
Dearest Rachel – Last night felt like an experiment in lucid dreaming, if it wasn’t for the fact that none of it was deliberate. But still, I seemed to be able to have you join me in a series of dreams, almost at will. The only problem was, I couldn’t convince you to stay –Continue reading “If I Can’t Get You to Stay…”
from Rachel: Asking According to His Will
Based on your experiences, are you fearful to continue hoping in prayer based on an ‘unanswered’ prayer? Do you doubt your amount of faith? Do you think if you’ve been more disciplined in prayer God may have responded more favorably? “No, it’s more that God already is going to do what He’s going to doContinue reading “from Rachel: Asking According to His Will”
Judgement Call
Dearest Rachel – “You’re judging me!” I can almost hear the hurt in the voice that I’ve never heard (and will never hear). Whether it’s an act or not, I really couldn’t say; I may not be a cinematic devotee, but I’ve always appreciated an authentic acting performance. The trouble is, while I can doContinue reading “Judgement Call”
Kidding Aside
Dearest Rachel – Well, that was an odd end to the day. The Sparks club activities, from my limited perspective, went fairly smoothly. We were doing the usual wrap-up; putting away chairs and tables and the like. You remember the drill. Once we would finish, we’d head over to the Cubbies room, where Ms. CContinue reading “Kidding Aside”
That’s What I Want
Dearest Rachel – You used to tell me that one of the things that appealed to you about me was the fact that I resembled your dad in a number of different ways. I mean, not so much in looks or in age (thank heaven for that!), but in a playful sense of humor andContinue reading “That’s What I Want”
Daily Bread
Dearest Rachel – You might remember that one of my favorite Biblical characters is a man who is only mentioned once, wrote a single chapter of Proverbs… and we know pretty much nothing else about him except his name, Agur. That, and the fact that he gave one of the most brutally honest self-evaluations ofContinue reading “Daily Bread”
Letters to Rachel 