The NU Blog Page

Suffering! It is an experience that is common to each of us. It is not comfortable. No one wants it. It hurts. And there are no exceptions. Suffering does not depend on our state in life, our age, or our tribe. It is a collective experience of humanity. And we work to avoid it at…

You have probably heard and perhaps memorized this familiar verse from Philippians 4:13.  “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”  The other night I heard a talk that, with some humor,  included the phrase, “I can do all things with…” and then after a pause continued, “…with my iPhone!”  There is a…

Have you ever thought about how we all take turns? This morning I began my birthday by having breakfast at a local hospital and then visiting a long time friend (we will call him John). John is experiencing the effects of advanced prostate cancer.  John had been moved last evening to the hospital where they…

Where do you belong?  Those words appeared on my Facebook page earlier this week.  They have haunted me ever since I first saw them.  Where do I belong?  So I ask you the same question,  “Where do you belong”? There are so many aspects to this.  Do I belong in this community?  Do I belong…

Stephen Covey is famous for his best selling book, “The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People.”  Even though it was written over 20 years ago, it is fully applicable today.  I have been thinking this week about the first of his seven habits, that of “First things first.”  He suggests that we identify what is…

Virtuous Exegesis: Stan Reid, President of the Austin Graduate School of Theology, spoke recently on the general subject of Attending to Spiritual Growth in an Academic Environment.  Building on the two great commandments found in Mark 12:28-34, Reid emphasized that the study of scripture in an academic setting (or any other) should be an expression…

Most of us are familiar with the two “great commandments” taught by Jesus, i.e., love God and love our neighbor as our self.  I have been thinking this week about what these mean in real life, actually in MY real life.  What does it look like to love God?  What does it look like to…

Prayer of Meditation: Jeff Johnson is a talented Christian recording artist.  I have been taken by the lyrics of one of his pieces. It plays on my iPhone each morning as I am preparing for the coming day.  May it bless you this week as it has me. Have a blessed start to your New Year.…

Experiencing Joy! I have been hearing a lot in recent weeks about the anticipatory joy associated with what much of the Christian world celebrates as the season of Advent.  The New Testament relates how Elizabeth experienced the joy of learning that she would bear a child in her old age. Mary experienced joy at being…

Are you getting to know God, your Father in heaven, in an intimate way? My father was a world-class craftsman.  He could build anything!  In addition to being an airplane mechanic and pilot, he was always building something around the house. After retiring he built two houses by himself.  Wood, metal, electrical, he could do…