Charles Wesley (1707-1788) was conducting a Methodist outdoor gathering in 1746 when a group of drunken sailors interrupted the service with their rendition of a raunchy sailor song. Charles was leading worship at the time but somehow managed to...
Susan Cain observed that Western society promotes "the extrovert ideal" and gives preferential treatment to bold and charismatic leaders. Her best-selling book from a dozen years ago, Quiet: The Power of Introversion in a World That Can't Stop...
The Finnish composer Jean Sibelius wrote the symphonic poem Finlandia for a pageant in his homeland in 1899. It served as a patriotic song in Finland's struggle to maintain its independence from neighboring Russia. Much of the symphony conveys the...
We live in an age of hurry. The speed of technological change feeds our frenzied busyness. Our constant need for connectivity in this digital world perpetuates a pervasive sense of rush and anxiety. The title of a book written by John Mark Comey,...
Two things stand out about the life of John Greenleaf Whittier (1807-1892): his poetry and his devotion to Christ. These two central ambitions combine to effect lasting change in the battle over slavery. First, his poetry. John became the most...
David prayed, "Have mercy on me, O Lord" (Ps. 51.1). Jesus commended the tax collector who prayed, "Lord, have mercy on me, sinner" (Luke 18.3). Mercy is what we need from God. If we prayed for justice, we wouldn't stand a chance! Mike Howerton...
She's best remembered as the woman who refused to relinquish her seat on a bus. Rosa Parks (1913-2005) was a curious choice to galvanize a bus boycott. She was quiet and unassuming. Martin Luther King, Jr., the 26-year-old Montgomery, Alabama...
Daniel Alexander Payne (1811-1893) received his call to educate while praying. It came shortly after his conversion at 18, when "I gave my whole heart to God." As he was praying, he sensed God setting him apart to educate enslaved Blacks. Born to...
One popular stop on Boston's Freedom Trail is the Old Granary Burial Grounds, where many famous early Americans such as John Hancock and Paul Revere are buried. One million tourists visit this historic American landmark each year. Etched into its...
People associate meditation with Eastern religions like Buddhism and Hinduism. Meditation conjures up people with eyes closed, breathing slowly, sitting cross-legged in lotus position chanting certain words and phrases (called a mantra). Yet...
Walter Lowrie served as a U.S. Senator and Senate Secretary from 1819 to 1836. His two sons left the comforts of their Pennsylvania home to become Christian missionaries: John Lowrie devoted a lifetime to missionary work in India while Walter M....
I normally focus on people's virtues in these prayer posts, but I will make an exception here. The person who generated today's prayer leaves me no other choice. I'll let Brennan Manning (1931-2013) introduce himself to you, "I've been a priest,...
"Remember the poor" was the lone request Peter, James, and John made of Paul as he began his outreach to Gentiles (Galatians 2.10). Paul was quick to add that caring for the poor was "the very thing I was eager...
I like old prayers. This shouldn't come as any surprise, given that most Prayers from the Cloud originate from the distant past. I'm drawn to ancient prayers for their exalted language, full-throttled praise, and fearless candor in confession....
Life in England was a struggle for Puritans. Their clergy were forced to leave their churches and cease preaching. What was Puritan Thomas Shepard (1605-1649) to do now? He and his wife Margaret decided to join their friends in their quest for...
Elizabeth Elliot, in her book Keep a Quiet Heart, shared a story told to her by Brenda Foltz of Princeton, Minnesota. Brenda was invited to go rock climbing for the first time in her life. While cautious about climbing, she could count on several...
There is a sequel to yesterday's prayer from Clarence Jordan. When Millard Fuller (1935-2009) and his wife Linda met Clarence, they were in a time of deep personal crisis. They decided to divest themselves of their considerable wealth and seek an...
Clarence Jordan (1912-1969) and his wife Florence started an interracial farm called Koinonia in Southern Georgia in 1942. They were the target of white supremacist groups who terrorized them and organized a boycott of their farm products. Clarence...