To Forever Wonder
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To Forever Wonder

Recently, I took Rachel and Janneke for their yearly visit to our paediatric neurologist at McMaster Children’s Hospital. Visits like this are long, but the length is intentional. We make time to review everything about the girls – emotional, physical and developmental. Though I need a large coffee in hand, I appreciate the comprehensive family-centred…

Science, Calvinism and Mysticism
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Science, Calvinism and Mysticism

I grew up in the Canadian CRC community in Montreal. There, in Sunday school and catechism classes, I learned how to understand God’s love and care for his creation, for children like me, and for the church. This education was a blessing. I was given a framework for my faith – creation, fall and redemption…

A mystical faith?
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A mystical faith?

No one has ever accused me of being a mystic. For one thing, I don’t dress the part. No flowing robes or beard down to the belly. Corduroy trousers and tweed jackets are my style. But even apart from sartorial evidence, my writings show few signs of flirting with mysticism. I love the carefully constructed…

A Spirit Thing
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A Spirit Thing

Jack and I were newlyweds when the “Charismatic Movement” swept through the church. Yes, even in small town Ontario, even in Reformed circles. I had only become a Christian a few years earlier. Eager to learn about God, I was genuinely interested in spiritual gifts. We had several friends who spoke in tongues, talked about…

The theologian I never knew I needed
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The theologian I never knew I needed

While the world has indeed been slowly opening up again, 2021 was still another year of pandemic life. It was a tough one for me and for many, and I needed something to steal my focus. And so I decided to read and listen to theologian Howard Thurman through the year and into this New…