don't you folks ever read your bibles?

“Don’t you folks ever read your Bibles?” This quote is nestled amongst the bricks of the western entrance to the Multnomah University and Multnomah Biblical Seminary’s John & Mary Mitchell Library. Dr. John Mitchell, of that same library’s namesake, often asked students this question.

It took me a few weeks to find the quote because I always entered through the eastern doors, the ones closest to my apartment and closest to the seminary building. The first time I saw it, it caught me off guard. “This is a Bible college and a seminary,” I thought. “This school produces solid biblical scholars and theologians. It must be a joke.”

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Failure

I am not one who fails easily.

I am not one to take failure lightly or gracefully.

Failure, as far as I am concerned, is not an option.

. . . . . . .

“This is a place where you will fail. Consistently, daily, and this is a place where it is safe to do that.”

This is how she starts our first day of class. This is how she introduces me to what will quickly become my favorite class, my favorite subject, my desired continued area of study.

I feel my stomach tighten as she mentions failure. My mouth fights to grimace or smile, I cannot decide which.

“Failure?” I think. “I don’t really do failure.”

But in this classroom, surrounded by these fellow students I will come to welcome the freedom of failure.

I'm over at A Deeper Church today writing about failure. Join me over there to read the rest of the post.

I always have enough

We are sitting in front of the graduate student apartments in the few feet of lawn separating home from sidewalk. Skin drinks in sunlight and vitamin D as we bask in the sunshine that always seems to arrive just in time for finals week.

Two more walk by. Both stop and talk for awhile, sharing stories of what God is doing in their church. Telling us about the faith healings. One leaves, and the other sits, answering the questions my friend is brave enough to ask as I swallow mine.

I'm posting over at Deeper Story today. You can read the rest of the post there.