by Roger Ross | Sep 13, 2023 | Blog
It’s real. Someone hurt you, badly. There was a betrayal of trust, a callous insult, a rejection or an abuse. Now, you are seething with anger inside. Since the incident, bitterness has become your constant companion. Pricey We’ve all heard that forgiveness will free...
by Roger Ross | Sep 5, 2023 | Blog
Suddenly, his voice broke. After hours of conversation, a pastor friend felt safe enough to share a very painful experience. Someone in the church he serves had made some vicious and personal attacks on him. They intentionally slandered his character, spread false...
by Roger Ross | Aug 29, 2023 | Blog
I witnessed it just the other day. Someone’s name was mentioned, and it touched off a firestorm in the woman next to us. Her face hardened and her voice lowered. Veins began to pop in her neck. She had no idea how bound she was by bitterness, but those around her...
by Roger Ross | Dec 13, 2022 | Blog
It happened when our kids were very young. The three of us, two-year-old Zach, nine-month-old Jane, and very old Daddy were on a quest to get “the Christmas picture.” Somehow Mommy had conveniently scheduled this for a time when she was working. The Picture...
by Roger Ross | Nov 21, 2022 | Blog
Each holiday season comes with expectations of a warm home coming, good food and joyful celebrations. Unfortunately, these cultural assumptions only accentuate what many long for and don’t have. It’s no secret that struggles with loss, anxiety and depression often...
by Roger Ross | Nov 15, 2022 | Blog
Frankly, I didn’t know which way was up. After an intense season of details and deadlines, my soul was fried. I suppose that’s why these words didn’t make sense. Be. Be still. Be with. Be in. They composed the counsel my spiritual director gave at...
by Roger Ross | Nov 8, 2022 | Blog
“They’re just tired.” I kept hearing this off-handed comment from pastors and leaders with little explanation. When it showed up in three coaching conversations in four days, I realized something deeper was going on. “Could you tell me more about that?” I...
by Roger Ross | Aug 22, 2022 | Blog
It was just another Sunday. Ten-year-old Valeria and her family attended church as usual, but then the unexpected happened. A Bible verse sparked something in Valeria and wouldn’t let her go. For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which...
by Roger Ross | May 30, 2022 | Blog, Suffering
Uvalde, a town mostly unknown until last week, is now seared into our collective consciousness. It’s branded there by an inhuman horror that has occurred – again. How does this happen in America? At Robb Elementary School, kids had dressed up for “Footloose and...
by Roger Ross | May 6, 2022 | Blog, Prayer, Spiritual Discipline
Abide in me as I abide in you. Just as the branch cannot bear fruit by itself unless it abides in the vine, neither can you unless you abide in me. -Jesus, John 15:4 (NRSV) Abiding. It sounds like a good thing, Certainly, Jesus thought it was important, but is it even...
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