Books

2 Temptations that Keep Us from the Dive of Love

/ johngregoryjr / Leave a comment

I’m listening to Richard Rohr’s The Tears of Things.

In chapter five he discusses the writings of Jeremiah. One aspect Rohr pulls out is Jeremiah’s challenge to not be attached to the exterior works of religion and to choose the inner transformation found in a relationship with the one being worshipped. Be more in love with God instead of the rituals that supposedly bring you closer to him.

This particular statement stung me:

Church loyalty is commonly substituted for the love of God. Loyalty is actually a form of codependency giving a warped sense of control and safety while love is a dive into perfect freedom.

Loyalty – I have wrestled with this value most of my life. I’ve come to the realization that the temptation to be loyal to what or who I can see is a great tool of the enemy. So yes, it’s easy to understand how one could substitute it for the real thing.

Codependency – This is a good possibility of why we choose that substitution. This temptation to be in control and to pursue safety is the oldest tool of spiritual warfare. It’s not a reason to run from the church; it’s a worthy awareness to maintain church health.

Love of God – I’ve been challenged several times over the last five years by those speaking into my life that my dive into perfect freedom needs more attention. That’s why this quote resonated. That is how I avoid yielding to these two temptations.

Photo by Markus Spiske on Unsplash

25 Books in 2025 Library

/ johngregoryjr / Leave a comment

For an eighth year I have followed a self-developed reading strategy with the objective to read broader. The goal: read books falling under diverse headings. This strategy is still working for me, probably the richest year yet.

For the curious, here is the library of 25 books including avenue of reading:

  • Attached to God by Krispin Mayfield (hoopla)…2nd read
  • Becoming Rooted by Randy Woodley (hoopla)
  • Beyond the Third Door by Maria Heckinger (hoopla)
  • Bone Songs by Andre Gregory (hoopla)
  • Centering Prayer and Inner Awakening by Cynthia Bourgeault (hoopla)
  • The Cloister Walk by Kathleen Norris (hoopla audio)
  • Courage Doesn’t Always Roar by Mary Anne Radmacher (hoopla)
  • Deliver Me by Dawn Van Beck (hard copy)…most recommended Christian life book on the list-several “I needed this book” responses
  • Dream Weaver by Jenny Jing Zhu (hard copy)
  • From Beneath the Ice by Todd Arkyn Crush (audible)…most compelling book on the list-leading to a new friendship
  • Fully Alive by Timothy Shriver (audible)…favorite read of the year
  • The Gap and the Gain by Dan Sullivan (audible)…most practical book on the list–bought hard copies for coworkers
  • Hello Darkness, My Old Friend by Sanford Greenberg (hard copy)…most engaging book on the list
  • In the Shelter by Padraig O Tuama (hoopla audio)
  • Ladder to the Light by Steven Charleston (hoopla audio)
  • The Lord Is My Courage by K. J. Ramsey (hoopla)
  • A Loving Life by Paul E. Miller (hoopla)
  • Resurrecting Jesus by Adyashanti (hoopla audio)
  • Seeing with the Eyes of the Heart by Adyashanti and Cynthia Bourgeault (hoopla audio)
  • Separation of Church and Hate by John Fugelsang (audible)
  • A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23 by W. Phillip Keller (hoopla)
  • Single at Heart by Bella Depaulo (hoopla)…most thought-provoking book on the list
  • The Third Door by Alex Banayan (audible)
  • Unlimited by Jason Dunn (hoopla)
  • The Wisdom of Stability by Jonathan Wilson-Hartgrove (hoopla)…the best big idea book on the list–a fresh take on the definition of and need for stability

NOTE: If you’re not familiar with hoopla, check it out: https://www.hoopladigital.com/

Hard, Shadowy Love

/ johngregoryjr / Leave a comment

(A final word from Paul E. Miller’s book A Loving Life)

Part three, “Learning To Think in Love,” contains the most challenging yet helpful direction, particularly chapter 19. In describing discovering God on the journey of love, Miller digs into two main thoughts: the shadowy presence of God in our lives and the need to embrace the hard things in life to live out love.

God’s presence in the book of Ruth mirrors his presence in our lives. It is subtle. He doesn’t leap out like he did with Moses and the plagues in Egypt. If God regularly showed himself like he did at the Red Sea or the resurrection, there would be no room for relationship…By staying in the shadows, at the edge of the story, God creates the need for faith and thus intimacy. The hiddenness of God builds our faith muscles.

A practical illustration of how we live this out is in conversations. Living in the shadows looks like staying small, deliberately on the edge so others can emerge and come alive facilitated by our humility.

Not easy. Particularly in conflict or when things aren’t going as planned or expected. Ruth and Naomi’s journey was filled with hard.

Ruth discovers God and his blessing as she obeys, as she submits to the life circumstances that God has given her. So instead of running from the really hard thing in your life, embrace it as a gift from God to draw you into his life.

May we discover God on our 2026 journey of love.

Photo by Semyon Borisov on Unsplash

Love & Resurrection

/ johngregoryjr / Leave a comment

Part two of Miller’s book A Loving Life is entitled “The Shape of the Journey.” A repeated theme is resurrection. When considered through a lens of love, there are some meaningful thoughts to digest.

Every time I endure in love, I go through a mini-death and mini-resurrection. -Chapter 11, “Love Protects”

…in the middle of a death, we should keep an eye out for resurrection. -Chapter 15, “Love Invites Resurrection”

Since watching The Shack last year, one line often comes to my mind when I’m having to endure in love. Mack’s wife said to him at the end of a disagreement, “Don’t forget we love each other.”

Loss of or shifts in relationship challenge our love. There is wisdom in recognizing the mini-death. There is hope in keeping an eye out for mini-resurrection.

A final thought: we can hope for resurrection, but we can’t demand it. In chapter nine, “The Gospel Shape of Love,” Miller shares Paul’s description of the shape of Jesus’ love journey from Philippians 2. It’s a reminder of our model to follow in love and resurrection.

He emptied himself. He took the form of a servant. He was born in the likeness of men. He humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death. We can do death. But we can’t do resurrection. We can’t demand resurrection-we wait for it.

Photo by Charlie Foster on Unsplash

Balancing Lament

/ johngregoryjr / Leave a comment

I believe in the value and need of lamenting. If you’re familiar with the Old Testament book of Ruth, you know the characters had quite a bit to lament over. So it was no surprise as I read Paul E. Miller’s book A Loving Life based on Ruth that he devoted much of the first part teaching about lament.

Chapter three, “The Lost Art of Lament,” is entirely focused on it.

In the West, we’ve lost the practice of lamenting. In contrast, the ancient Hebrews were constantly in God’s face. About one third of the Psalms are laments where the psalmists pour out their hearts to God.

Later in chapter six, Miller gives a comparison between what happens when we don’t lament or when we actually over-lament. Attention grabbing.

…to not lament puts God at arm’s length and has the potential of splitting us. We appear okay, but we are really brokenhearted.

The opposite danger of not lamenting is over-lamenting. Dwelling on a lament is the breeding ground for bitterness. Bitterness is a wound nursed. Our culture’s emphasis on the sacredness of feelings often gives people an unspoken theology of bitterness. They feel entitled to it. -Chapter 6, “Entering a Broken Heart”

I am guilty of this opposite danger. Nursing a wound in such a way as to keep it rather than heal it has planted bitter seeds.

Having done or observed both of these treatments of lament has taught me valuable lessons. The truth of Ecclesiastes 3 bears witness here. “There is a time for everything.” May we all allow and balance lament’s time.

Fully Alive (book review)

/ johngregoryjr / Leave a comment

I was intrigued enough by The Dignity Index (link to prior post) that I found Timothy Shriver’s book, Fully Alive, on audible. I had no idea what I was in for.

There are so many takeaways. Certainly makes me wish I had a hard copy.

But I’ll narrow down my takeaways under three headings:

  1. Fully Alive is a ten+hour history lesson. The lesson includes the Kennedy family history, highlighting the impact of Rosemary’s challenges. The lesson tells the story behind the founding and development of the Special Olympics. Many other lessons are found; but the one most prevalent is the dignity of all humans and the history of all cultures determining if and how they would recognize every person’s worth.
  2. Fully Alive is a look at the whole of a man. Shriver’s transparency about his maturation, his privilege, his spirituality, and his determination are refreshing. His words inspired me to continue efforts to grow in relationships and purpose. They accomplished the promise to paint a picture of what matters most.
  3. Fully Alive is a spotlight on the human spirit. You are introduced to many examples of this spirit. I’m drawn to three of the Special Olympic athletes: Loretta, Donald, and Daniel. Their spirits are depicted as full of grit, presence, and courage. They overcame many barriers resulting in fearless victory in the face of rejection, misdiagnosis, and death. Their stories, their lives depict what Shriver wants us to pursue, living fully.

Listening to this book during this last month was cathartic. I needed it, but was not aware it would come from listening to this book. If your spirit is in need of revival, you might find it in this book. It’s worth a try.

Have Mercy

/ johngregoryjr / Leave a comment

In the same podcast episode mentioned in “How Long,” the speaker’s second focus on praying the Psalms was confession.

He mentioned the few occasions that the Psalmist penned the phrase, “Have Mercy, O God.” The most familiar of these is Psalm 51 by David.

This song is my effort to capture these eight verses:

1 Have mercy on me, O God,
    according to your unfailing love;
according to your great compassion
    blot out my transgressions.
2 Wash away all my iniquity
    and cleanse me from my sin.

7 Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean;
    wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.
8 Let me hear joy and gladness;
    let the bones you have crushed rejoice.
9 Hide your face from my sins
    and blot out all my iniquity.

10 Create in me a pure heart, O God,
    and renew a steadfast spirit within me.
11 Do not cast me from your presence
    or take your Holy Spirit from me.
12 Restore to me the joy of your salvation
    and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.

How Long

/ johngregoryjr / 1 Comment

I recently listened to a podcast episode of a prayer event in Europe. The episode’s speaker captured the power of praying the Psalms, particularly in regards to lamenting.

His encouragement to help growth in lamenting was focused on the language of Psalm 13, specifically the first three words: “How Long, Lord.”

My lament went from the page to the piano. Before you listen to the recording, take a moment to meditate on the six verses of this psalm:

[1] How long, Lord? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me? [2] How long must I wrestle with my thoughts and day after day have sorrow in my heart? How long will my enemy triumph over me? [3] Look on me and answer, Lord my God. Give light to my eyes, or I will sleep in death, [4] and my enemy will say, “I have overcome him,” and my foes will rejoice when I fall. [5] But I trust in your unfailing love; my heart rejoices in your salvation. [6] I will sing the Lord’s praise, for he has been good to me. Psalm 13 NIV

Kids Know More About Joy

/ johngregoryjr / Leave a comment

Got to spend five hours with lovely Emerlyn on Tuesday. The featured picture is us reading together-her attempt to stay occupied and avoid napping. It worked.

On my drive the next morning, I heard this exchange between Kate Bowler and guest Nikki Grimes on “Everything Happens“:

Kate: Yeah, Nikki, I feel like I could hear your heartbeat when you talk about joy. It really sustains you. Do you think kids know more about joy than other people? Because I have this sense about the way that it’s connected to noticing and gratitude and hope and delight. Like these are all things kids are particularly good at. I just wonder if some of that—the particularity of kids’ ability to notice and be grateful and to be in the details—makes them maybe more… I think so.

Nikki: Oh, they really can hone in on things in a way that we don’t. If you really want to see something or you want to see it a new way, look through a child’s eyes. They’re always noticing things that adults miss.

Emerlyn is a noticer. A busy railroad track lies earshot from her Rara’s and Pop’s home. Each time the passing trains “chooed,” her head would shoot up, eyes would widen as she echoed, “Choo!”

So yes, Kate, kids are better at joy than their adult people. They don’t seem to know not to be. Everything hasn’t been normalized or discounted or experienced. As Emerlyn’s Rara described, she lives in awe and wonder.

On this Thanksgiving day, find the youngest person you can and spend more time with them than you planned. Tap into joy. Notice along with them.

May gratitude, hope, and delight reign your day.

Beautiful & Terrible

/ johngregoryjr / 2 Comments

More than once recently, authors I’m reading have shared this quote:

“Here is the world. Beautiful and terrible things will happen. Don’t be afraid.” -Frederick Buechner

The West

The East

The Middle East

Beautiful Waterfalls

Terrible Floods

Beautiful Mountains

Terrible Mudslides

Beautiful Creatures

Terrible Beasts

Beautiful Hearts

Terrible Wounds

Beautiful Words

Terrible Twists

Beautiful Creations

Terrible Destruction

While climbing the mountain, don’t be afraid of falling and miss the view…don’t be afraid of lifting your head long enough to absorb the beauty.

Whenever we’ve experienced beauty, simultaneously, others close by and around the world have endured terrible. It’s challenging to accept this reality. It can be confusing and difficult to hear or to heed the well-intentioned phrase, “Don’t be afraid.”

Maybe that’s why in the 1300’s, a different phrase was offered. A phrase of hope. A more positive nudge to action. “Take heart.” “Take heart” implies finding the strength and courage to face challenges, while “don’t be afraid” can sometimes feel like a dismissive or even a command to suppress natural emotions. “Take heart” encourages an active response to difficult situations, suggesting that we can find the inner resources to overcome obstacles. 

Rather than huddling in siloed fear, we can take heart by openly and collectively assembling in courage.

Rather than douse our minds with worry, we can take heart and ease our spirits with truth.

Rather than suppress our bodies into paralysis, we can take heart to walk, dare run with purposeful action.

After viewing beauty, may your eyes use that filter to interpret the terrible. In the world’s attempt to steal your heart, may you surround yourself with every resource needed to respond, “This heart is mine. It’s not for your taking.”

Take heart as you engage our beautiful and terrible world.

Photo by Artyom Kabajev on Unsplash