Generated by All in One SEO v4.9.9, this is an llms.txt file, used by LLMs to index the site. # Lifestream | Wayne Jacobsen Live Loved. Live Free. Live Full. ## Sitemaps - [XML Sitemap](https://www.lifestream.org/sitemap.xml): Contains all public & indexable URLs for this website. ## Posts - [Wayne's Blog](https://www.lifestream.org/blog/) - [vc_row][vc_column][wpo_timelinepost pagination=”1″ loop=”size:all|order_by:date|order:DESC|post_type:post” grid_thumb_size=”medium” title=”Wayne’s Blog” taxonomies=”74″][/vc_column][/vc_row] Explore Similar Content Lifestream Store – In Development The God Journey Showing and After Party of The Shack Movie French Version of The Cross Wayne’s Blog - [Drought Once Again Ravages Northern Kenya](https://www.lifestream.org/drought-once-again-ravages-northern-kenya/) - For those of you new to Lifestream, we have been engaged with a group of people in Kenya since Wayne visited them in 2010 in Kitale. In addition to their own needs, they have been helping tribes in North Pokot through a prolonged drought that has destroyed their way of life. We sent nearly $2.5 - [Kenya Update: Helping Others Help Themselves](https://www.lifestream.org/kenya-update-helping-others-help-themselves/) - Vibrancy and hope are once again springing up in the people of Pokot. These tribal people of the northwest region of Kenya saw their economy collapse in a four-year drought that killed all their cattle. Sick, starving, and hopeless, a team from Kitale came to help alleviate their suffering and are now working to help - [When God Invites You through a New Door](https://www.lifestream.org/when-god-invites-you-through-a-new-door/) - Summer decks and dining room tables are some of my favorite places to sit with people who are learning to live loved. I love the conversations that spill out in unhurried spaces and the relationships that deepen over relaxed days of reflection, laughter, and discovery. Last week, I was in upstate New York doing just - [JUST LOVE Opens Doors](https://www.lifestream.org/just-love-opens-doors/) - Tobie and I will meet for the first time in person, July 9-12, in Kansas City for the Just Love Conversations. We've got a wonderful group of people gathering to discuss the content and implications of Just Love: How One Mistranslated Word Distorted the Gospel, a book we coauthored together. Unfortunately, we have maxed out - [My Disturbing Relationship with Righteousness](https://www.lifestream.org/my-disturbing-relationship-with-righteousness/) - You can’t grow up in Christianity without thinking that righteousness is a big deal to God. The Scriptures were full of it. Our faith was structured around it. And dealing with our sin became a daily preoccupation—trying to avoid it when we could, confessing it when we failed, and promising God we would never do - [Last Chance to Join Us in Kansas City](https://www.lifestream.org/last-chance-to-join-us-in-kansas-city/) - Tobie and I are about to meet face-to-face for the first time, and we’d love for you to join us in Kansas City as we spend three days exploring the glorious implications of Just Love: How One Mistranslated Word Distorted the Gospel. This won’t be a seminar as much as a conversation—an opportunity to sit - [Anticipate with Me](https://www.lifestream.org/anticipate-with-me/) - Over the last few years, I've shared on TheGodJourney, on this blog, and in It's Time about God allowing me to taste his agony for the brokenness of his Creation. Every day, he sees the suffering and pain that permeates our world—war, starvation, abuse, oppression, exploitation, arrogance, and greed. And he doesn't process it at - [The JUST LOVE Conversations](https://www.lifestream.org/the-just-love-conversations/) - The glory of the Gospel is not just God’s love in us, as miraculous as that is, but God’s love and life through us, transforming our lives and flowing into the world. The content of Wayne and Tobie’s new book, Just Love, invites us to rethink how the Gospel is often portrayed. What if we - [A JUST LOVE Meet-up in Kansas City](https://www.lifestream.org/a-just-love-meet-up-in-kansas-city/) - Would you like to spend a weekend with Tobie and me? My Just Love co-author, Tobie van der Westhuizen, and his wife will be visiting from South Africa this summer to see family near Kansas City. We thought it would give us an excellent opportunity to host a meet-up there for the Lifestream/God Journey - [A Late Update on Kenya](https://www.lifestream.org/a-late-update-on-kenya/) - I owe you all a heartfelt apology. I've had a number of you write to me about the last appeal we made for an unexpected need in Kenya. The land they used to house and educate abandoned children was being unjustly stolen from them by the family who sold it in the first place, and - [ChatGPT and The God Journey](https://www.lifestream.org/chatgpt-and-the-god-journey/) - They say that mentioning AI in a graduation speech this year will get you instantly booed by the students, unless you're disparaging it. That's true of the young people I talk to. They don't see AI as a net positive for their future, but a real threat to the kind of life they hoped to - [My Literary Journey According to AI](https://www.lifestream.org/my-literary-journey-according-to-ai/) - Before AI destroys the world we live in, I thought I'd play with it a bit. I asked ChatGPT to research the books I've written and the comments people have left about them on Amazon and Goodreads. I then asked for an objective analysis of my literary journey, just to see what it would come - [Navigating Difficult Times](https://www.lifestream.org/navigating-difficult-times/) - Sara and I are going into stealth mode this week as we celebrate our 51st anniversary. Each one is more precious than the last, as we celebrate God's goodness in all that he has done in us. As we go, I want to leave you with something that touched our lives last week. This year, - [What We Lost When the Gospel Was Severed from Justice](https://www.lifestream.org/what-we-lost/) - It may not have been intentional, but it is a great loss, nonetheless. The Bible is full of God’s passion for justice, not in the sense of vengeance for bad deeds, but as a way for his creation to live together in compassion, fairness, and mercy—treating others as we would want to be treated. And - [Spreading JUST LOVE into the World](https://www.lifestream.org/spreading-just-love-into-the-world/) - A couple of weeks ago, I was interviewed on Great Day Colorado, a morning show on a local Denver Station. I shared that here earlier, but at the time, I mentioned I was also interviewed for a longer conversation about Just Love. That interview dropped last week, and you can hear it here. Both Tobie - [Where Prayer and Pain Meet](https://www.lifestream.org/where-prayer-and-pain-meet/) - After my recent blog about finding God's presence inside our pain, several people wrote to express how they have navigated this in their own lives. One was a friend, Jack Salter, from South Carolina, who shared a piece with me from his journal, written shortly after he suffered a major stroke that compromised his eyesight. - [JUST LOVE Now in Stock and On Sale](https://www.lifestream.org/just-love-now-in-stock-and-on-sale/) - This past weekend, I was invited to appear on Great Day Colorado, a morning show in Denver, to share about my new book, Just Love. The host, Denise Plante, was a fan of The Shack and wanted to know if the message of Just Love is a continuation of the same theme. She had read - [Find Him Inside Your Pain](https://www.lifestream.org/find-him-inside-your-pain/) - Can we know God's presence as deeply in our pain as we can when things are good? I'll admit it is easier to feel blessed when all is going well, but it is in the dark valleys where we need his presence most. So much bad teaching and a reliance on "cherry-picked" promises from Scripture - [The Very Same Love](https://www.lifestream.org/that-very-same-love/) - The following is an excerpt from Just Love, written by Wayne Jacobsen and Tobie van der Westhuizen: The events at Jesus's baptism and later at Pentecost opened the heavens so that this love could be given to all humanity. By God’s plan, Jesus became the “firstborn among many sons and daughters” (Romans 8:29). This gift - [Igniting a Broader Conversation](https://www.lifestream.org/igniting-a-broader-conversation/) - The launch of Just Love has gone remarkably well. We've been #1 on several Amazon lists, and we are excited to watch this conversation begin to take hold in the world. We are especially grateful to those of you who have recommended the book to your friends and family or posted a review at Amazon - [Writing Justice with the Pen of Love](https://www.lifestream.org/writing-justice-with-the-pen-of-love/) - In regard to Just Love, I have friends of mine in both Germany and France who have written to me letting me know that their versions of Scripture already contain the word "justice" where our English versions use "righteousness." So, does this book hold any application for them? If it were just about a linguistic - [Our Cancer Journey](https://www.lifestream.org/our-cancer-journey/) - This month is Multiple Myeloma Awareness Month, which is the cancer I was diagnosed with seventeen months ago. It's an opportunity to raise awareness and funds for research for all those battling this disease. I have six friends around the world who are currently dealing with it as well. On Saturday, March 21, which also - [The Foreword and Contents of Just Love](https://www.lifestream.org/the-foreword-and-contents-of-just-love/) - Just Love: How One Mistranslated Word Distorted the Gospel debuted last week on Amazon to a very strong showing. Tobie and I are grateful to those who ordered the book and posted comments on the Amazon page to increase its visibility. Since we're doing this on our own, "it takes a village" to help this book - [Finding Deep Friendships In the Rush of Life](https://www.lifestream.org/finding-relationships/) - This has been a busy week around here. In response to the Injustice in Kenya, which I wrote about on Wednesday, we collected all we needed by Wednesday evening, and money has continued to come in. We are amazed at your overwhelming generosity and have sent the money on to rescue the orphans from this - [A Severe Injustice in Kenya](https://www.lifestream.org/a-severe-injustice-in-kenya/) - [Updates: As of 8 p.m. PDT, Wednesday, we have enough money promised to cover this need. If more money comes in we will hold it in our Kenya Fund for future needs, or refund it at the donor’s request.] [As of 4:00 p.m. PDT, Wednesday afternoon, we have taken in almost $17,000. I'm blown away. - [What Others Are Saying about JUST LOVE](https://www.lifestream.org/what-others-are-saying-about-just-love/) - Today, you can secure your copy of Just Love, available at Amazon. In a few weeks, we will have copies available through Lifestream so people can order bulk quantities at significantly reduced costs for those who want to share with friends or host a book study. Here's my invitation: If there isn't a viewer - [Just Love - Chapter 1](https://www.lifestream.org/just-love-chapter-1/) - All my life, I have sought an authentic Gospel that does everything Jesus promised. It would rescue those perishing in the darkness of this age and invite even the simplest people into an intimate engagement with his Father that would lead them to life—here in this age and the age to come. Connecting with him - [The Sequel to He Loves Me](https://www.lifestream.org/the-sequel-to-he-loves-me/) - Love is not a commodity you can possess; it is a river of life, flowing from the Father in which he invites you to dwell. It's not just a doctrine to comfort the intellect, but a way of engaging God's presence as you go about your day. Resting in his affection makes it easier for - [The Cries of the Abused](https://www.lifestream.org/the-cries-of-the-abused/) - I hear them today, deep in my spirit. It began in a time of prayer with some friends yesterday. I heard thousands of voices, crying out to God, "How long, O Lord?" It was a cry of anguish from those who have been abused, deceived, and exploited by the powerful, the deceitful, and the abusers. - [The Unforced Rhythms of Grace](https://www.lifestream.org/the-unforced-rhythms-of-grace/) - I spent the weekend with people who have recently left the 2x2 congregation*. I met people of amazing courage, some who have suffered much and others who are having their eyes opened to the fact that the religious group that provided their foundation in faith wasn't all it claimed to be. But such moments of - [My Friend Luis](https://www.lifestream.org/my-friend-luis/) - Back in February of 2021, I introduced you to My Friend Luis. Yes, that's the name of the podcast we did, but now I'm talking about the man behind it—Luis, who is my friend. If you've listened to the podcast, you already know his incredible story, growing up in an abusive environment in Mexico, and - [My Friend Luis Debut](https://www.lifestream.org/my-friend-luis-debut/) - I want to introduce you to My Friend Luis. He's a close friend of mine, and we share our story in a new, immersive, story-telling podcast that launches today. Episode One premiered last Friday on my podcast at The God Journey and debuts this morning on its own website. I've heard many amazing stories in - [Loving Those We've Been Taught to Judge](https://www.lifestream.org/loving-those-weve-been-taught-to-judge/) - When I was writing IT'S TIME, a few people asked if I would include a chapter about LGBTQ people. I held that in my heart as I worked through that book, but it never seemed to find a place there. It just wasn't what that book was meant to be. However, I do have this - [A New Year Begins](https://www.lifestream.org/a-new-year-begins/) - Welcome to 2026! We are looking forward to what God might have in mind for this year. Of course, we're open to being wrong, and he's free to take us down whatever road will best serve him. So the most important part of this year may be something I don't even see coming yet, like - [Presence above Principles](https://www.lifestream.org/presence-above-principles/) - Sometimes when I respond to an email, I know the answer is for more people than just the one asking. So, today, I let you look over my shoulder again as I respond to a very important question. I’ve been reading a yearly Bible plan this year, and came across a question that I thought - [From Despair to Fullness](https://www.lifestream.org/from-despair-to-fullness/) - Sara and I were recently in a religious environment that pins all its hopes on miracles. And although they have the occasional story to pull out that seems to prove the point, you ignore the hundreds of other people whose needs persist despite the same kinds of prayers and devotion. So when someone experiences a - ["A Quieter, Fuller Awareness of Presence"](https://www.lifestream.org/a-quieter-fuller-awareness-of-presence/) - My most ardent hope for anyone who crosses paths with me, my books, podcasts, or websites, is that they, too, come to experience the reality of a fuller awareness of God's presence at work in them. I pray the blinding veil of religious performance will be lifted from their eyes and that they will come - [It's Time Now Available in German](https://www.lifestream.org/its-time-now-available-in-german/) - The message of It’s Time: Letters to the Bride of Christ at the End of the Age continues to grow in my heart every day. As I watch world events unfold and listen to the breath of the Spirit, my heart is captured by his passion to bring his bride into the fullness of her - [A Wake-Up Call to the Bride](https://www.lifestream.org/a-wake-up-call-to-the-bride/) - Last week, I received an unsolicited review of my latest book, It’s Time: Letters to the Bride of Christ at the End of the Age. I am continually blown away by the emails, phone calls, and texts I'm receiving from people who are reading this book, and what I appreciate most is how these capture - [Affection, Presence, and Fullness](https://www.lifestream.org/affection-presence-and-fullness/) - Since posting Graham Cooke's words a few weeks ago about seeing God as our habitation, I've been thinking a lot about the progression of how that came to be in my own life. Three words have risen in my meditation on that, which I first shared in Greenville, SC, a few weeks ago. They have - [A Government I Can Embrace](https://www.lifestream.org/a-government-i-can-embrace/) - When I pray for the world and hold before God the agonies and travails of war, slavery, starvation, natural disasters, and darkness, I am usually in front of this globe in my studio. I try to see it as God sees it, in its totality first, then in specific hotspots around the world, and finally - [Finding the Trailhead to Love](https://www.lifestream.org/finding-the-trailhead-to-love/) - I just returned from a weekend in the South, meeting with many people in Atlanta, GA, and Greenville, SC, who had recently left the religious group they were part of for multiple generations. What a weekend! So many amazing people who were ready to honestly process their journey and sort out what was real from - [The Growing Buzz Around IT'S TIME](https://www.lifestream.org/the-buzz-around-its-time/) - I am amazed at the rising interest in my newest book, It’s Time: Letters to the Bride of Christ at the End of the Age. Many people are helping position this book to find its audience more easily. Someone sent me a list of books about the end times, and It's Time has found its - [Abiding in God as our Habitation](https://www.lifestream.org/abiding-in-god-as-our-habitation/) - On last Friday's podcast, I read a Facebook post by Graham Cooke, which a good friend in Calgary shared with me. Since that aired, many have requested a copy of what I read. It's not easy to find Graham's original post on his Facebook, so I am reposting it here. If we could get this - [Voices from the Road](https://www.lifestream.org/voices-from-the-road/) - Sara and I have arrived in Seattle for a brief stop, then we're on to Portland for the weekend. After that, we'll be taking a pretty direct route through California to our home. It is time to return and see what Father has for us there. The conversations I have with people on the road - [When Our Trajectory Shifts](https://www.lifestream.org/when-trajectory-shifts/) - Sara and I had a fulfilling weekend in Calgary, sharing with a group of people some of the dynamics essential to relational community, and then in the afternoon, Sara and I shared about God's faithfulness through our trauma story and how God shows up with his deepest love in our darkest places. Monday, we toured - [On Our Way to Calgary and Coeur d'Alene](https://www.lifestream.org/on-our-way-to-calgary-and-coeur-dalene/) - Having traveled from California to Denver, Rapid City, SD, Sheridan, WY, Bozeman, MT, we have arrived on the doorstep of Glacier National Park to spend a few days together. We are in the most magnificent RV Park we've ever seen. Last weekend we were in Yellowstone National Park, and yesterday we drove the Going-to-the-Sun Road - [Embracing Peace Amid the Chaos](https://www.lifestream.org/embracing-peace-amid-the-chaos/) - Every day this week, Sara and I have woken up to yet another horrible story in the news: Israel launching missiles at Hamas in Qatar Starvation in Gaza Russian drones shot down over Poland The assassination of Charlie Kirk These are certainly perilous times. My heart hurts with each news cycle as the world seems - [It's Finally Done!](https://www.lifestream.org/its-finally-done/) - We have made it to Colorado, though the trip out was not easy. We had some mechanical issues and severe weather to navigate, but we arrived on time and spent the first couple of days getting our issues resolved. We are now set up alongside a beautiful creek in Golden, CO, with a walking path - ["The Transforming Power of Divine Affection"](https://www.lifestream.org/divine-affection/) - Before we leave for our adventure to Colorado, Canada, and back again, let me give you some updates that might be of interest to you. If you're along our route, please let us know if you want to meet up with us, and possibly others. First, here is an interview just published by the Reader's - [Urgent Need in Kenya](https://www.lifestream.org/urgent-need-in-kenya/) - We got word today that the mother of one of our key people in Kenya passed away after a long battle with cancer. As these things work in Kenya, the hospital is holding the body until after the medical bill is cleared. The cost for medical and funeral expenses is almost $16,000.00. They have been - [In Celebration of The God Journey](https://www.lifestream.org/in-celebration-of-the-god-journey/) - This week, The God Journey celebrated our one thousandth episode after 21 years of slinging freedom all over the place. We've encouraged people to think outside the box of religious obligation and discover a connection to Jesus deeply steeped in his love, with a growing trust in what he is doing in the world. We - [Where the Wind Blows](https://www.lifestream.org/where-the-wind-blows/) - One of my favorite images of living by the Spirit comes from Jesus's conversation with Nicodemus. "The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit. (John 3:8)" We put so much effort - [Overflowing with Thanksgiving](https://www.lifestream.org/overflowing-with-thanksgiving/) - I got this the other day from our friends in Kenya: On behalf of International Gospel Equipping Ministries (IGEM), we would like to express our deepest gratitude and heartfelt appreciation for your unwavering partnership and support, which has spanned over fifteen years. Your love, sacrifices, and faithfulness in the mission of Christ have brought transformation - [Caught More Than Taught](https://www.lifestream.org/caught-more-than-taught/) - I am in Boise, ID this weekend sharing some of what it means to live loved through some of the brutal crises of life. We have some people here hurt from their association with a religious group that was overtly legalistic and has a significant number of their leadership involved in sexual predation of children. - [Chapter 21: And Then the End Shall Come](https://www.lifestream.org/chapter-21-and-then-the-end-shall-come/) - (Note: First, I am thrilled to announce that we've secured the necessary funds to rescue the water enterprise in Kenya. Thank you for your generosity once again. And now, here's the last chapter of It's Time: Letters to the Bride of Christ at the End of the Age. Whether he comes in the next fifteen - [Here We Go Again...](https://www.lifestream.org/here-we-go-again/) - I got a disturbing email today. After just completing a rescue at the petrol station near Kitale, we received word that the water enterprise in Forkland was closed by the government today. The picture above is of the inspectors carrying out the old bottling machine. Here's the email I received: Dear brother Wayne, The government - ["A Tender, Urgent, Spirit-infused Call"](https://www.lifestream.org/a-tender-urgent-spirit-infused-call/) - First, I want to thank all of you who helped us save the petrol station in Kenya, which supports impoverished families near Kitale. As of last Friday, we were short almost $5,000 from reaching our goal. Someone called that morning and wanted to provide whatever we still needed. So, we had all we needed to - [We Are About Half Way There](https://www.lifestream.org/we-are-about-half-way-there/) - Last week, I asked if you could help my friends in Kenya once again. They are about to lose the petrol station we built for them at a government auction due to nonpayment of fees they were unaware they owed. The profits from this station support an orphanage and education center, as well as help - [Once Again, Help for Kenya](https://www.lifestream.org/once-more-help-for-kenya/) - Sara and I are back from our anniversary celebration in Alaska. We saw such immense beauty and thoroughly enjoyed our ten days together exploring this rich land. We saw some fantastic scenery and had some rich conversations reflecting on our journey together. We arrived home Sunday and are getting back at it around here. For - [Fifty Years of Wonder](https://www.lifestream.org/fifty-years-of-gratefulness/) - Sara and I were married on May 17, 1975. Tomorrow, we will celebrate fifty years together, and we both feel incredibly grateful not only for the gift the other has been to us but also for God's help in navigating the last fifty years together to greater freedom and wholeheartedness. I used to think fifty - [Chapter 20: Stand By](https://www.lifestream.org/chapter-20-stand-by/) - Chapter 20: Stand By Note: This is the twentieth in a series of letters written for those living at the end of the age, whenever that comes in the next fifteen years or the next one hundred and fifty years. We have already released the first part of this book in print. You can also - [Gayle Erwin and the Servant Heart of Jesus](https://www.lifestream.org/gayle-erwin-a-servant-goes-home/) - In the last few years, I've used this page to express my appreciation for the older brothers in Christ who helped shape my life. They've included Dave Coleman, who helped me write So You Don't Want to Go to Church Anymore, Kevin Smith from Australia, Jack Gray of New Zealand, Tom Mohn of Tulsa, and - [Chapter 19: Children of the Day ](https://www.lifestream.org/chapter-19-children-of-the-day/) - Note: This is the nineteenth in a series of letters written for those living at the end of the age, whenever that comes in the next fifteen years or the next one hundred and fifty years. We have already released the first part of this book in print. You can also access the previous chapters - [Progress on the Home Front](https://www.lifestream.org/progress-on-the-home-front/) - I don't like using this page to share my medical progress. Still, I continue to hear from people who are reticent to get in touch with me for fear that I don't have the strength or time to handle their communication or that they want to give Sara and me the privacy to navigate this - [Resurrection Song](https://www.lifestream.org/resurrection-song/) - I've written about Jenny before. She's my favorite contemporary poet, writing from a deep place of pain as she negotiates the aftermath of a virus that caused severe M.E. (Myalgic Encephalomyelitis: inflammation of the brain and spinal cord). She is unable to sit up because of the strain on her cardiovascular system that has, for - [When Systems Come Crashing Down](https://www.lifestream.org/when-systems-come-crashing-down/) - Ian Campbell invited me to join him on his Insight Incorporated podcast, and the finished product dropped yesterday. It is called Love, Rest, and Play with God, but he also covered a wide range of topics and current events in my journey. Here's an excerpt from the podcast: Our insecurities are like our fears; they - [Chapter 18: Holding God’s Pain ](https://www.lifestream.org/chapter-18-holding-gods-pain/) - Note: This is the eighteenth in a series of letters written for those living at the end of the age, whenever that comes in the next fifteen years or the next one hundred and fifty years. We have already released the first part of this book in print. You can also access the previous chapters - [When God Is Silent](https://www.lifestream.org/when-god-is-silent/) - I probably get the question in various forms two or three times per month. "Why is God silent?" I understand, having had that same question in my younger years. I cried out in excruciating pain to hear anything from God and felt like I was all alone in the universe. Why is he sometimes silent, - [Kicking Self-Righteousness out of the Park](https://www.lifestream.org/kicking-self-righteousness-out-of-the-park/) - I was invited back to appear on a podcast in the UK entitled Off-Grid Christianity. Host Martin Purnell explores Christianity beyond the typical Sunday morning institutions. He has a probing mind and drills down into the last two years of my journey since I was first on his podcast in 2023. Here's their blurb about - [Chapter 17: Embracing God in Your Pain](https://www.lifestream.org/chapter-17-embracing-god-in-your-pain/) - Note: This is the seventeenth in a series of letters written for those living at the end of the age, whenever that comes in the next fifteen years or the next one hundred and fifty years. We have already released the first part of this book in print. Or you can access the previous chapters - [What Others Are Saying about It's Time](https://www.lifestream.org/what-others-are-saying-about-its-time/) - I hope this means my new book hasn't gone to the dogs already. People have been sending pictures as well as comments, so if you haven't ordered a copy yet here's what others are saying about my new book, It's Time: Letters to the Bride of Christ at the End of the Age. "Thank you - [Chapter 16: The God-Shaped Life, Part II](https://www.lifestream.org/chapter-16-the-god-shaped-life-part-ii/) - Note: This is the sixteenth in a series of letters written for those living at the end of the age, whenever that comes in the next fifteen years or the next one hundred and fifty years. We have already released the first part of this book in print. Or you can access the previous chapters - [Chapter 15: The God Shaped Life, Part I](https://www.lifestream.org/chatper-15-the-god-shaped-life-part-i/) - Note: This is the fifteenth in a series of letters written for those living at the end of the age, whenever that comes in the next fifteen years or the next one hundred and fifty years. We have already released the first part of this book in print. Or you can access the previous chapters - [It's Time Part 1 Is Now Available in Book Form](https://www.lifestream.org/its-time-part-1-is-now-available-in-book-form/) - Tomorrow is the official release date for my newest book, but it is already available on Kindle or in print from Amazon. We are still in the process of getting it released by other e-book providers. This book is close to my heart and timely enough to publish the first part while I'm still working - [Medical Update and New Book Release](https://www.lifestream.org/medical-update-and-new-book-release/) - I haven't given you all a medical update in some time; I know because of the emails I get asking what's happening. So, here's what's going on. My back continues to heal from surgery. I began physical therapy last week to help strengthen the muscles around my back. I can't do much athletic stuff yet. - [Chapter 14:  By Every Word…](https://www.lifestream.org/chapter-14-by-every-word/) - Note: This is the fourteent in a series of letters written for those living at the end of the age, whenever that comes in the next fifteen years or the next one hundred and fifty years. Once complete, I’ll combine them into a book. You can access the previous chapters here. If you are not - [Chapter 13: Riding the Wind](https://www.lifestream.org/chapter-13-riding-the-wind/) - Note: This is the thirteenth in a series of letters written for those living at the end of the age, whenever that comes in the next fifteen years or the next one hundred and fifty years. Once complete, I’ll combine them into a book. You can access the previous chapters here. If you are not - [To All the Women I've Known](https://www.lifestream.org/to-all-the-women-ive-known/) - I grew up in a conservative community, on a grape vineyard in Central California. In life and sports, making jokes at the expense of girls and women was as natural as breathing. We did it on the golf course, the baseball diamond, or when a classmate didn't do well on a quiz. When we made - [Chapter 12: Rise and Shine](https://www.lifestream.org/chapter-12-rise-and-shine/) - Note: This is the twelfth in a series of letters written for those living at the end of the age, whenever that comes in the next fifteen years or the next one hundred and fifty years. Once complete, I’ll combine them into a book. You can access the previous chapters here. If you are not - [Chapter 11: Love, Rest, and Play](https://www.lifestream.org/chapter-11-love-rest-and-play/) - Note: This is the eleventh in a series of letters written for those living at the end of the age, whenever that comes in the next fifteen years or the next one hundred and fifty years. Once complete, I’ll combine them into a book. You can access the previous chapters here. If you are not - [Guesting on Another Podcast](https://www.lifestream.org/guesting-on-another-podcast/) - First, from the deepest place in our hearts Sara and I want to express our gratitude to all of you this Christmas season. Thank you for your engagements with us over the year and your love and support for Sara's journey through trauma and now mine through a bit of cancer. I tell people all - [Featured Books: Finding Church and Beyond Sundays](https://www.lifestream.org/featured-books-finding-church-and-beyond-sundays/) - With only a few weeks before the end of 2024, we continue on a guided tour through some of Wayne's books with a couple of his "church books": Finding Church and Beyond Sundays. Two for one! Over the final three weeks of this year, we'll continue to highlight (at least) one book per week, and - [For Such a King](https://www.lifestream.org/for-such-a-king/) - This quote popped in my inbox this morning from The Plough, taken from an article by Kelsi Folsom: I am ignited with my own litany of longings: For a king whose miracles aren’t only for those who can afford them. For a king who will shut down hospitals because our healed bodies don’t need them. - [Featured Book: A Man Like No Other](https://www.lifestream.org/featured-book-a-man-like-no-other/) - We continue on a guided tour through some of Wayne's books with one of his more unique books: A Man Like No Other. This is an illustrated life of Jesus, with paintings visualizing moments in the life of Jesus while Wayne, along with his friend, Brad Cummings, tell the stories of those images with words. - [A Fresh Wave for He Loves Me](https://www.lifestream.org/a-fresh-wave-for-he-loves-me/) - While I am sidelined with my recovery from back surgery and some chemo, God seems to be stirring something with my book He Loves Me. In the last week I've had numerous emails about this book. Some people are starting book studies with friends or doing podcasts about it. It's so much in one week - [Featured Book: So You Don't Want to go to Church Anymore?](https://www.lifestream.org/featured-book-so-you-dont-want-to-go-to-church-anymore/) - We continue on a guided tour through some of Wayne's books with the book that first introduced me to Wayne Jacobsen. The "Jake Book", as it was then referred to, was released online chapter-by-chapter, and after catching up with what was already released I could not wait for the next one. What Jake was experiencing - [I Will Miss You, Tony](https://www.lifestream.org/i-will-miss-you-tony/) - Tony Campolo passed away last week, and though I'm a bit late, I want to acknowledge his powerful contribution to Christian thought around the world and to my own life personally. I never had the chance to meet him or hear him speak in person, but decades ago, his books and recordings challenged and inspired - [Featured Book: He Loves Me](https://www.lifestream.org/featured-book-he-loves-me/) - As we approach the end of the calendar year we thought it would be good to highlight a few of Wayne's books available here through Lifestream, and we're offering a couple ways to save a little bit, too. Over the next few weeks we'll highlight a couple books per week, and offer bulk discounts on - [An Angel at My Door](https://www.lifestream.org/an-angel-at-my-door/) - If you haven’t heard the podcast from last week or read this blog, you may not appreciate all that's happening here. I’m currently battling bone cancer that destroyed vertebrae in my back, causing me to have surgery there. But yesterday, I think I caught an angel on my Ring camera. I had been battling nausea - [Featured Book: A Language of Healing for a Polarized Nation](https://www.lifestream.org/featured-book-a-language-of-healing-for-a-polarized-nation/) - As we approach the end of the calendar year we thought it would be good to highlight a few of Wayne's books available here through Lifestream, and we're offering a couple ways to save a little bit, too. Over the next few weeks we'll highlight a couple books per week, and offer bulk discounts on - [Featured Book: Live Loved Free Full (365 daily reflections)](https://www.lifestream.org/featured-book-live-loved-free-full-365-daily-reflections/) - As we approach the end of the calendar year we thought it would be good to highlight a few of Wayne's books available here through Lifestream, and we're offering a couple ways to save a little bit, too. Over the next few weeks we'll highlight a couple books per week, and offer bulk discounts on - [How Do You Withdraw Love?](https://www.lifestream.org/how-do-you-withdraw-love/) - I'll provide a health update after I share this brief quote that crossed my computer this morning and stirred my heart. This is a more profound treasure in the mine of love. You cannot fairly hope in God's gracious love towards you in your brokenness if you also don't share it with those who haven't - [Taking Some Time to Heal](https://www.lifestream.org/taking-some-time-to-heal/) - For all our best laid hopes and plans, it’s the things you don’t see coming that have the most profound impact in how life unfolds Sara and I have a few detours thrown our way over our lifetimes, which has helped us to live feely in the present and not too dismayed when times turn - [Chapter 10: Only One Thing Matters](https://www.lifestream.org/chapter-10-only-one-thing-matters/) - Note: This is the tenth in a series of letters written for those living at the end of the age, whenever that comes in the next fifteen years or the next one hundred and fifty years. Once complete, I’ll combine them into a book. You can access the previous chapters here. If you are not - [The Prayers of a Just Person](https://www.lifestream.org/the-prayers-of-a-just-person/) - Most of you will be familiar with James 5:16, “The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.” What springs to mind when you think of this Scripture? Doesn’t it seem that our sinlessness is a pre-condition to having an effective prayer life? But that doesn’t make any sense if the process of transforming - [Oops again!](https://www.lifestream.org/oops-again/) - I am really embarrassed to say that the God Journey After-Show we had scheduled with Tobie van der Westhuizen from South Africa next weekend has had to be delayed another week. He informed me yesterday that he had an irresolvable scheduling conflict that would prevent him from joining us that day. He was profoundly sorry - [Thank You, Thank You, and Oops!](https://www.lifestream.org/thank-you-thank-you-and-oops/) - I’ve got two quick things to update you on. First, we are so grateful for those who have responded to the need in Kenya to rescue the orphanage we built fifteen years ago. Torrential rains have caused the land to shift, and without your help, the government would have shut it down. In just a - [Living Loved on Steroids](https://www.lifestream.org/living-loved-on-steroids/) - It feels like someone walked into my office and unfurled a treasure map on my desk. "There's gold there," he said, waving his hand across the aged parchment. It was more a puzzle than a map. There were no hills, rivers, or oceans but words, images, and symbols. It looked familiar, but I couldn't see - [Devastation in Kenya Continues](https://www.lifestream.org/devastation-in-kenya-continues/) - The torrential rains that destroyed the crops in North Pokot a few months ago now threaten to wash out the original orphanage we helped to build in 2009. If you remember the story, we helped rescue 45 orphans from a slum near Eldoret who were living in their sewage. Thanks to your generosity, we built - [Fierce Hope and Power Unleashed](https://www.lifestream.org/fierce-hope-and-power-unleashed/) - These books couldn't be more different. One is a memoir of a woman whose young husband's unfaithfulness destroys all her dreams and hopes and how God rebuilt her life in the aftermath. The other is a fictional story about a woman who must fight with everything in her to rescue the world from the ravages - [Seeing the End from the Beginning](https://www.lifestream.org/seeing-the-end-from-the-beginning/) - Many of you wrote me about the videos I shared of Sara's new garden. It is a joy to live in the middle of this. But there's another story here. Sara saw this garden before we ever moved into his house and if you saw what the yard looked like when we bought the place, - [Chapter 9: Eyes to See, Ears to Hear ](https://www.lifestream.org/chapter-9-9-eyes-to-see-ears-to-hear/) - Note: This is the ninth in a series of letters written for those living at the end of the age, whenever that comes in the next fifteen years or the next one hundred and fifty years. Once complete, I’ll combine them into a book. You can access the previous chapters here. If you are not - [Do You Want to Talk with Me?](https://www.lifestream.org/do-you-want-to-talk-with-me/) - The last few years have brought a lot of change to the trajectory of my journey. Living loved is taking me to places I've never considered and brought more joy and fullness to my life than I've ever known. I've shared most of the changes in that journey on the weekly podcast as well as - [Painting with Flowers](https://www.lifestream.org/ever-the-gardener/) - Never lose an opportunity of seeing anything beautiful, for beauty is God’s handwriting. Ralph Waldo Emerson My wife paints with flowers, and what an amazing job she does. We've lived at our new home for just a little over a year and I wanted to share Sara's latest garden with so many of you who - [May You Bloom and Grow Forever](https://www.lifestream.org/may-you-bloom-and-grow-forever/) - I never expected to be undone in the middle of a theatrical production of The Sound of Music, but I was. I tell this story in today’s podcast, Unmanipulatable, but I wanted to share it here as well for those who might miss it there. Last Saturday, Sara and I went to see this musical - [Chapter 8: Love What Is True](https://www.lifestream.org/chapter-8-love-what-is-true/) - Note: This is the eighth in a series of letters written for those who will be living at the end of the age, whenever that comes. Once complete, I’ll combine them into a book. You can access the previous chapters here. If you are not already subscribed to this blog and want to make sure - [Is There Any Vengeance in God?](https://www.lifestream.org/is-there-any-vengeance-in-god/) - Proposal: There is no vengeance in God's agony for the sin of the world. I'm putting that out there, hoping to start a conversation with many of you. I grew up believing God was incredibly vengeful. The Old Testament writers convinced me. Their writings were full of God-is-going-to-get-you passages against Israel's enemies, and even against - [Chapter 3: This Scares Me to Death ](https://www.lifestream.org/chapter-3-this-scares-me-to-death/) - Note: This is the third in a series of letters written for the bride of Christ who are alive at the end of the age. Once complete, I’ll combine them into a book. You can start with Chapter 1 here. If you are not already subscribed to this blog and want to make sure you - [Chapter 7: The Power of Tenderness](https://www.lifestream.org/chapter-7-the-power-of-tenderness/) - Note: This is the seventh in a series of letters written for those who will be living at the end of the age, whenever that comes. Once complete, I’ll combine them into a book. You can access the previous chapters here. If you are not already subscribed to this blog and want to make sure - [A Culture of Abuse](https://www.lifestream.org/ending-a-culture-of-abuse/) - I listened to this yesterday and how wish everyone else would too. It isn't easy to listen to, but this presentation by Sheila Wray Gregoire, an author and researcher on sexual abuse offers some critical information for us to understand the culture of abuse that permeates Christianity. According to her research, much of evangelical teaching - [And the Lessons You Will Learn](https://www.lifestream.org/and-the-lessons-you-will-learn/) - Not only did we go to some amazing places, talked with a lot of incredible people, but we also learned so much about each other and how God is working in us. Every day is an adventure in the life of Jesus no matter where we are. I love how he shows up in the - [The People You Will Meet...](https://www.lifestream.org/oh-the-people-you-will-meet/) - We meet many people in RV Parks who are traveling to National Parks or other points of interest. We've seen some interesting sights, too, including forests, beaches, historic towns, Churchill Downs, and even the new Sphere in Las Vegas. But what governs our travel is the people we meet and the invitations people extend to - [The Last Leg of a Beautiful Trip](https://www.lifestream.org/the-last-leg-of-a-beautiful-trip/) - As Sara and I turn toward home, our hearts are filled with joy from this time together, and the countless conversations we've had with people from all over the U.S. We even had people fly in or drive great distances to be with us for some of our gatherings. There were also many spontaneous opportunities - [Oh, The Places You'll Go...](https://www.lifestream.org/oh-the-places-youll-go-2/) - It's weird setting out on a trip, unsure of where you'll go, how long you'll stay, and when you'll return. This is our third such excursion across the U.S. Each day begins with an early morning walk with our dogs. I take one early for about two miles, and Sara joins me for the next - [Chapter 6: Following the Lamb](https://www.lifestream.org/chapter-6-following-the-lamb/) - Note: This is the sixth in a series of letters written for those who are alive in Jesus at the end of the age. Once complete, I’ll combine them into a book. You can access the previous chapters here. If you are not already subscribed to this blog and want to make sure you don’t - [Chapter 5: The Tender Call](https://www.lifestream.org/chapter-5-the-tender-call/) - Note: This is the fifth in a series of letters written for the Bride of Christ who are alive at the end of the age. Once complete, I’ll combine them into a book. You can start with Chapter 1 here. If you are not already subscribed to this blog and want to make sure you - [Chapter 4: Who Are You to Write This?](https://www.lifestream.org/chapter-4-who-are-you-to-write-this/) - Note: This is the fourth in a series of letters written for the Bride of Christ who are alive at the end of the age. Once complete, I’ll combine them into a book. You can start with Chapter 1 here. If you are not already subscribed to this blog and want to make sure you - [Seeing God as He Really Is](https://www.lifestream.org/time-to-head-home-2/) - Some in the religious establishment have so disfigured God that people see him as a demanding tyrant who orchestrates horrible tragedies to punish or train them. They don't know God as a loving Father or Jesus as a gracious Redeemer who is not manipulating the chaos of darkness to torment them into obedience; Father and - [Holding on to Love](https://www.lifestream.org/holding-on-to-love/) - Sara and I are making a big turn up the east coast this week and begin our journey westward on Monday, with stops in Lexington and Louisville this weekend. From there, it looks like we're going to go through St. Louis and Kansas City to visit our son in Denver. If you're along that way - [A Day of Rich Celebration](https://www.lifestream.org/today-our-hearts-are-grateful/) - We woke up today in Richmond, VA after a beautiful two days in Charlottesville, VA, with long-time friends, the kind of people you just enjoy hanging out with. We also woke up today celebrating forty-nine years as a married couple, and we will be having lunch today with the man who officiated at that ceremony. - [Help Desperately Needed in Kenya](https://www.lifestream.org/once-again-the-kenyans-need-our-help/) - I don't have time for long explanations with our current travel schedule, but our friends in Kenya once again find themselves in dire straits. For those who don't know, a few years back we helped rescue over 200,000 people in Pokot who were dying from a drought and had no fresh water. We not only - [Sara's Story of Hope and Healing](https://www.lifestream.org/sara-knocks-it-out-of-the-park/) - Sara and I are in Charlotte, NC. The first day we got here, Vince Coakley asked me to be on his radio show. He hosts a Transformation Tuesday segment, and wanted us to share our story. Unfortunately, Sara had a conflicting appointment, so I went to the studio alone. We had a great conversation. (It - [Chapter 1: A Call for the Bride](https://www.lifestream.org/calling-to-the-bride/) - Wayne, a couple of years ago you posted a video from the remains of a wildfire about something God put on your heart regarding Creation groaning in its futility for the sons and daughters to be revealed. What you heard was, “It’s time.” Do you remember that? I have had the same stirring on my - [The Deepest Love in the Darkest Place](https://www.lifestream.org/the-deepest-love-in-the-darkest-place/) - It doesn't matter how dark it is around you, how alone you feel, or how lost you think you are, God's love is able to find you. I have experienced the deepest expressions of his love in the darkest places I've ever endured. In our worst moments, he is there, maybe not in ways we - [Good News for Zoey](https://www.lifestream.org/good-news-about-zoey/) - Many of you were touched by the blog yesterday, and have written to express your love and prayers for us and for Zoey. Thank you. (That's her above a few days before she tore her ACL.) I hate posting another blog so soon, but so many of you did not see the update I added - [Stranded in Pensacola (*Updated)](https://www.lifestream.org/stranded-in-pensacola/) - And yes, I realize there are worse places to be stranded. One of the dangers of an RV trip is the number of things that can go wrong that can alter the best-laid plans. Unfortunately our big, lovely dog, Zoey, tore her ACL romping on the beach with our new puppy last weekend here in - [Better Explored than Explained](https://www.lifestream.org/better-explored-than-explained/) - No, I've not become a rapper! That photo was taken Saturday morning in a conversation where I was trying to shield myself from the sun. But, I can wear that look! Yesterday, Sara and I left the Austin area to continue our journey to the east. We've added new stops in Pensacola, Atlanta, Jekyll Island, - [Chapter 2: Is This Really Where It Ends? ](https://www.lifestream.org/chapter-2-is-this-really-where-it-ends/) - NOTE: This is the second in a series of letters written for the bride of Christ who are alive at the end of the age. I don’t know how often they will appear, but once complete, I’ll combine them into a book. If you are not already subscribed to this blog and want to make - [An Update from the Road](https://www.lifestream.org/an-update-from-the-road/) - This weekend we finish up in Austin, TX before heading to a two-day stop in College Station, TX. Then, we are off to further points east, as we stay on I-10 through Louisiana and Mississippi before a ten-day stay in Alabama. We'll stop first along the beach near Pensacola, FL and then go upstate to - [Can You Hear Your Name?](https://www.lifestream.org/can-you-hear-your-name/) - Back in 2015, Anne, a friend of mine, sent me a poem about the Bride of Christ that had taken shape in her when reading Jeremiah. I shared it on an episode of The God Journey. After listening to a recent podcast on prayers for the Bride and my first three chapters of my new - [On Our Way](https://www.lifestream.org/on-our-way/) - We took advantage of Easter Sunday to get a head start on our transcontinental trip. We celebrated Jesus' resurrection yesterday with our family and then struck out on a rainy Sunday morning ahead of the Easter traffic and are now on the outskirts of Phoenix. This morning we are going to walk with some friends - [Free of Shame and Full of Love](https://www.lifestream.org/free-of-shame-and-full-of-love/) - Due to the fact that Sara and I will be leaving soon, we're doubling-up on our study of He Loves Me. This weekend we'll be tackling two more chapters. Chapter 20 is about living free from shame in our relationship to the Father though Jesus's work on the cross. Chapter 21 is about swimming in - [Lifestream Going Mobile - Update](https://www.lifestream.org/lifestream-going-mobile-update/) - A lot of you have asked about our travel plans this spring, and it seems we have a little more clarity on where we might wander. To be honest, these are "windblown trips", without a lot of fore planning because of the spontaneous opportunities that seem to come up wherever we go. They are a - [Managing Sin and Having Faith](https://www.lifestream.org/managing-sin-and-growing-in-trust/) - I think we got it backwards when I was growing up. We were told relationship with Jesus depended on us managing our sin well—sincerely trying to abstain from it, meeting with accountability groups, and when we failed, we had to make sure we confessed by telling God how sorry we were and (nobly, though falsely) - [The Water Is Flowing](https://www.lifestream.org/the-water-is-flowing/) - This is a special thank you for all who gave or prayed with us to find the resource to help restore water to one of the tribes in Kenya whose solar array was destroyed by high winds and blowing debris. They had been without water for three months. We were able to raise enough to - [A Life Lived in Love](https://www.lifestream.org/a-life-lived-in-love/) - This weekend we'll begin the fourth section of He Loves Me, where I wrote about what it means to live loved. It's one thing to believe God loves me with our head, and another to grow in that love as the defining reality of our lives. Knowing we're loved as a belief will only take - [To the Eclipse and Beyond . . .](https://www.lifestream.org/to-the-eclipse-and-beyond/) - Sara and I will soon be packing up the RV and heading out again with our two dogs—the first trip for our new puppy. The total solar eclipse on April 8 is the catalyst for this trip. I saw one in 2017 with my son in Wyoming as I was helping him move to Denver. - [Tragedy in Kenya](https://www.lifestream.org/tragedy-in-kenya/) - A few years ago we helped five starving tribes (over 100,000 people) in North Pokot each to develop a water and agricultural project to give them life. They had no water and had to travel overnight to the nearest well and bring back water to survive. We drilled wells, provided the infrastructure for people to - [What's Going On Around Here?](https://www.lifestream.org/whats-going-on-around-here/) - Let me take this opportunity to share some of what's going on around here these days. First, for those in the San Diego area, I'm headed that way this weekend and will be gathering with people from the area who want to discuss the relational journey this Saturday, November 16, from 10:00 am to 5:00 - [Finding Church Now Available in Audio](https://www.lifestream.org/finding-church-now-available-in-audio/) - Imagine you laying back in your easier chair or being caught in an exasperating commute to work and me sitting right beside you reading to you from Finding Church. OK, that doesn't even sound fun to me. I wouldn't sit next to you and read, we would get to talk. But the audio version of Finding - [Engage #24: The Adventure Of A Lifetime](https://www.lifestream.org/engage-24-the-adventure-of-a-lifetime/) - https://vimeo.com/82318756 The final episode makes it clear that we haven’t arrived yet, but merely stand on the edge of the most amazing adventure available to us—how can we explore the vastness of God’s love and character not only in this age, but also for all eternity? On this last day of the year, I get - [Engage #23: That Your Joy Might Be Full](https://www.lifestream.org/engage-23-that-your-joy-might-be-full/) - https://vimeo.com/82312737 Everything God does in our lives is so that his joy might be in us and that our joy might be full. He makes a way for us to be at home in him and he disciplines us so that we can find the fruitfulness and fulfillment of his life instead of being tyrannized - [Engage #22: Tuning To God's Frequency](https://www.lifestream.org/engage-22-tuning-to-gods-frequency/) - https://vimeo.com/80968243 Many of us were taught to find security in the approval of others, monetary success, religious activity and belonging to the right group. What if those aren’t the best signals to follow? It may seem difficult to separate the static of the world from his frequency, but it really isn't. Here are some insights - [Engage #21: The Only Thing That Counts](https://www.lifestream.org/engage-21-the-only-thing-that-counts/) - https://vimeo.com/79627383 We find our way into the simplicity of following him as we ignore the obligations and expectations that others can put on us and live in the confidence that there’s only one thing that matters to God—that whatever we do is the fruit of a growing trust in him expressing itself in our love - [Engage #20: Letting God Win Our Trust](https://www.lifestream.org/engage-20-letting-god-win-our-trust/) - https://vimeo.com/77878850 Faith is not a tool we’re supposed to produce to manipulate God to do what we want. God wins us into faith by showing us who he is and how he is working in our lives. The more we grow to trust him the less we’ll react to trouble by trying to save ourselves - [Engage #19: Life In the Spirit](https://www.lifestream.org/engage-19-life-in-the-spirit/) - https://vimeo.com/77545158 You do not learn to live this life in Jesus by wrapping your head around a different set of principles. You actually grow to understand this life as you respond to the Spirit guiding you into his truth. Over time the draw of the Spirit will become more powerful than the pull of the - [Engage #18: One Step At a Time](https://www.lifestream.org/engage-18-one-step-at-a-time/) - https://vimeo.com/74319843 Few of us really live in the moment, where God is most easily seen. At times we live in the past by our regrets or by trying to recapture some past experience with him. Sometimes we live absorbed in the future with anxieties about what might happen, or trying to fulfill the plans and - [Engage #17: A Life of Love](https://www.lifestream.org/engage-17-a-life-of-love/) - https://vimeo.com/74022714 Jesus invites us into a kingdom that thrives in love. Learning to live in the reality of his love for us and sharing that love with others, leads us away from the tyranny of always having to have our own way. Then instead of seeking what we want, we can lay down our lives - [Engage #16: NATO Living](https://www.lifestream.org/engage-16-nato-living/) - https://vimeo.com/70888272 Our trust in God is undermined every time we try to win God to our agenda and measure his love for us based on our own expectations. If we can live not attached to the outcomes we desire, we’ll discover that he knows best about everything and will lead us into far greater joy - [Engage 15: What About Sin?](https://www.lifestream.org/engage-15-what-about-sin/) - https://vimeo.com/70813396 Religion is a shame-management system that only increases our captivity as we try to be better for God. The reason God forgave our sin in Christ, is so that we can come to know him without the shame of our failures and by doing so become transformed by his love. Engage is our unfolding - [Engage #14: What About the Bible?](https://www.lifestream.org/engage-14-what-about-the-bible/) - https://vimeo.com/70812255 The Bible was never meant to be a rule book filled with condemnation, but the story of humanity coming to understand God’s nature over thousands of years. Learn to read it that way and it will be a valuable resource of insight and wisdom into God and how he works in the world. Engage - [Engage #13: A Quiet Place](https://www.lifestream.org/engage-13-a-quiet-place/) - https://vimeo.com/70201888 Just blazing through a noisy and demanding world will not make it easy for us to know him. He is found in the quiet of our hearts and sometimes a quiet place can help us settle into his reality. Engage is our unfolding video series designed to equip and encourage people to explore their - [Engage #12: When God Seems Distant](https://www.lifestream.org/engage-12-when-god-seems-distant/) - https://vimeo.com/70200344 Sometimes despite our most ardent prayers, God seems distant. But he’s not. He’s always making himself known, it’s just that we may be looking in all the wrong places for him. Engage is our unfolding video series designed to equip and encourage people to explore their own relationship with God. We are adding a - [Engage #11: Sharing Your Journey](https://www.lifestream.org/engage-11-sharing-your-journey/) - https://vimeo.com/67232019 It is Jesus' joy to knit each of us into the family he is building in the earth. As you learn to follow him he will bring others into your life that can share the conversations that will encourage each other to live in him more deeply rather than bog each other down with - [Engage #10: The Freedom To Fail](https://www.lifestream.org/engage-10-the-freedom-to-fail/) - https://vimeo.com/67224821 Learning to follow Jesus is a process in which you'll make your share of mistakes. Unless you give up the illusion of trying to be perfect, you’ll never have the freedom to discover the joy of learning to live in him. Engage is our unfolding video series designed to equip and encourage people to - [Engage #9: Praying for Real](https://www.lifestream.org/engage-9-praying-for-real/) - https://vimeo.com/64177158 Prayer is not trying to get God to do what we want, but communicating with him about the issues and circumstances that concern us. It doesn’t happen in a prescribed period each day, but becomes a never-ending conversation where he lets us in on his insight. Engage is our unfolding video series designed to - [Engage #8: Following Him Not an It](https://www.lifestream.org/engage-8-following-him-not-an-it/) - https://vimeo.com/63967304 Jesus didn’t invite us to follow his rules or traditions about him, he called us to follow him and we do that by learning recognize how he speaks to us. Engage is our unfolding video series designed to equip and encourage people to explore their own relationship with God. We are adding a new - [Engage #7: Relaxing Into His Reality](https://www.lifestream.org/engage-7-relaxing-into-his-reality/) - https://vimeo.com/63966540 Living in God’s reality doesn’t come by trying to get the things we want from him, but learning to receive what he is already giving us. Engage is our unfolding video series designed to equip and encourage people to explore their own relationship with God. We are adding a new video every two weeks - [Engage #6: Becoming an Active Learner](https://www.lifestream.org/engage-6-becoming-an-active-learner/) - https://vimeo.com/59823879 We are used to being spoon-fed what others think we ought to know about God. Until we take responsibility for our own journey, we’ll never learn to look to him to teach us. Engage is our unfolding video series designed to equip and encourage people to explore their own relationship with God. We are - [Engage #5: With Him Not For Him](https://www.lifestream.org/engage-5-with-him-not-for-him/) - https://vimeo.com/59823495 If you constantly find yourself doing things for God, then learn to stop. God does not need you to get his attention or affection, but to simply learn to walk with him. Engage is our unfolding video series designed to equip and encourage people to explore their own relationship with God. We are adding - [Engage #4: Surrender](https://www.lifestream.org/engage-4-surrender/) - https://vimeo.com/59784351 When you’re convinced enough that God is, you’ll want to learn that surrendering to his desires for you over your own agenda for your own life, is the way to open the door for this relationship to grow and deepen. Engage is our unfolding video series designed to equip and encourage people to explore - [Engage #3: How Do You See Him?](https://www.lifestream.org/engage-3-how-do-you-see-him/) - https://vimeo.com/59783928 Engage is our new video series designed to equip and encourage people to explore their own relationship with God. We debuted the first one two weeks ago and will add a new video every two weeks on Wednesday. Of course the most important part of this process is not the videos, but the time - [Engage #2: Starting Fresh](https://www.lifestream.org/engage-2-starting-fresh/) - https://vimeo.com/59776198 Engage is our new video series designed to equip and encourage people to explore their own relationship with God. We debuted the first one two weeks ago and will add a new video every two weeks on Wednesday. Of course the most important part of this process is not the videos, but the time - [Engage #1: A New Video Series](https://www.lifestream.org/engage-1-a-new-video-series/) - https://vimeo.com/59018898 We are unveiling the first video in our Engage series on this blog. Eventually these will move to their own page on our new website, but that has been delayed briefly. Engage is my attempt to equip and encourage people to explore their own relationship with God. Unfortunately, many people who want to know - [The Jesus Lens - Seventh Dialog Session](https://www.lifestream.org/the-jesus-lens-seventh-dialog-session/) - During our recording sessions, Wayne paused to answer questions from those in attendance. This is some of the dialog that followed sessions 19 through 23. The Jesus Lens: Seventh Dialog Session - Here is some of the interaction that followed Wayne's teaching. If you'd like to add your questions to some of the material you're - [The Jesus Lens #24 - Let the Journey Continue](https://www.lifestream.org/the-jesus-lens-24-let-the-journey-continue/) - The final audio in our new series about the wonder of Scripture and how to read and interpret it through the revelation of Jesus. The Jesus Lens #24: Let the Journey Continue - By viewing all of Scripture as one continuous story culminating in the revelation of Jesus Christ we can continue to explore a - [The Jesus Lens #23 - The Return to Israel](https://www.lifestream.org/the-jesus-lens-23-the-return-to-israel/) - The twenty-third audio in our new series about the wonder of Scripture and how to read and interpret it through the revelation of Jesus. The Jesus Lens #23: The Return to Israel - Over 106 years the exiles return from Babylon to rebuild the temple and their nation under some inspiring leaders as the prophets - [The Jesus Lens #22 - The Collapse of the Kingdom](https://www.lifestream.org/the-jesus-lens-22-the-collapse-of-the-kingdom/) - The twenty-second audio in our new series about the wonder of Scripture and how to read and interpret it through the revelation of Jesus. The Jesus Lens #22: The Collapse of the Kingdom - The northern kingdom falls to Assyria, and the southern kingdom to Babylon as God continues to woo his people back inside - [The Jesus Lens #21 - The Kingdom Divided](https://www.lifestream.org/the-jesus-lens-21-the-kingdom-divided/) - The twenty-first audio in our new series about the wonder of Scripture and how to read and interpret it through the revelation of Jesus. The Jesus Lens #21: The Kingdom Divided - After Solomon’s reign the kingdom of Israel fractures and corruption in the monarchy and the unfaithfulness of the people to continue to destroy - [The Jesus Lens #20 - The Books of Wisdom](https://www.lifestream.org/the-jesus-lens-20-the-books-of-wisdom/) - The twentieth audio in our new series about the wonder of Scripture and how to read and interpret it through the revelation of Jesus. The Jesus Lens #20: The Books of Wisdom - How do we read the books of wisdom and poetry that we find in Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and the Song of Songs - [The Jesus Lens #19 - The United Kingdom](https://www.lifestream.org/the-jesus-lens-19-the-united-kingdom/) - The nineteenth audio in our new series about the wonder of Scripture and how to read and interpret it through the revelation of Jesus. The Jesus Lens #19: The United Kingdom - Rejecting God’s desire to lead them himself, Israel asks for a king and the first three kings provide a significant period in the - [The Jesus Lens - Sixth Dialog Session](https://www.lifestream.org/the-jesus-lens-sixth-dialog-session/) - During our recording sessions, Wayne paused to answer questions from those in attendance. This is some of the dialog that followed sessions 15 through 18. The Jesus Lens: Sixth Dialog Session - Here is some of the interaction that followed Wayne's teaching. If you'd like to add your questions to some of the material you're - [The Jesus Lens #18 - What Was God Thinking?](https://www.lifestream.org/the-jesus-lens-18-what-was-god-thinking/) - The eighteenth audio in our new series about the wonder of Scripture and how to read and interpret it through the revelation of Jesus. The Jesus Lens #18: What Was God Thinking? What was God going doing through all the centuries of falleness and then subservience to the law before Jesus came and why is - [The Jesus Lens #17 - The Rise of a Nation](https://www.lifestream.org/the-jesus-lens-17-the-rise-of-a-nation/) - The seventeenth audio in our new series about the wonder of Scripture and how to read and interpret it through the revelation of Jesus. The Jesus Lens #17: The Rise of a Nation - Exodus through Ruth continue the narrative as God takes slaves from Egypt and brings them back to the land of promise - [The Jesus Lens #16 - How It All Got Started](https://www.lifestream.org/the-jesus-lens-16-how-it-all-got-started/) - The sixteenth audio in our new series about the wonder of Scripture and how to read and interpret it through the revelation of Jesus. The Jesus Lens #16: How It All Got Started - Genesis and Job begin the Old Testament story, one with the origins of the creation, its downfall and how God begins - [The Jesus Lens #15 - The Rescue](https://www.lifestream.org/the-jesus-lens-15-the-rescue/) - The fifteenth audio in our new series about the wonder of Scripture and how to read and interpret it through the revelation of Jesus. This one begins our run through the Old Testament view of God and it builds on the previous sessions. The Study Guides and Powerpoint Presentations should be up later today on - [The Jesus Lens - Fifth Dialog Session](https://www.lifestream.org/the-jesus-lens-fifth-dialog-session/) - During our recording sessions, Wayne paused to answer questions from those in attendance. This is some of the dialog that followed sessions 12 through 14. The Jesus Lens: Fifth Dialog Session - Here is some of the interaction that followed Wayne's teaching. If you'd like to add your questions to some of the material you're - [The Jesus Lens #14 - John's Letters And Revelation](https://www.lifestream.org/the-jesus-lens-14-johns-letters-and-revelation/) - The fourteenth audio in our new series about the wonder of Scripture and how to read and interpret it through the revelation of Jesus. The Jesus Lens #14: John's Letters and Revelation - Finally, John’s three letters and his Revelation provide the last words in the New Testament narrative, both a celebration of his love - [The Jesus Lens #13 - The Later Letters](https://www.lifestream.org/the-jesus-lens-13-the-later-letters/) - The thirteenth audio in our new series about the wonder of Scripture and how to read and interpret it through the revelation of Jesus. The Jesus Lens #13: The Later Letters - Paul’s later letters—1 & 2 Timothy and Titus— along with Peter’s two letters and Jude’s dealt with false teachers, suffering, and how to - [The Jesus Lens - Fourth Dialog Session](https://www.lifestream.org/the-jesus-lens-fourth-dialog-session/) - During our recording sessions, Wayne paused to answer questions from those in attendance. This is some of the dialog that followed sessions 10 and 11. I'm sorry I should have included it earlier, but this one got past me. So it will be a bit out of order in the podcast rotation. The Jesus Lens: - [The Jesus Lens #12 - The Middle Letters](https://www.lifestream.org/the-jesus-lens-12-the-middle-letters/) - The twelfth audio in our new series about the wonder of Scripture and how to read and interpret it through the revelation of Jesus. The Jesus Lens #12: The Middle Letters - As their individual journeys began to play out in church communities Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, Philemon, and Hebrews were written to help them learn - [The Jesus Lens #11 - The Early Letters](https://www.lifestream.org/the-jesus-lens-11-the-early-letters/) - The eleventh audio in our new series about the wonder of Scripture and how to read and interpret it through the revelation of Jesus. The Jesus Lens #11: The Early Letters - As the believers walked out their newfound relationship with Jesus, issues emerged that required greater clarity. James, 1 & 2 Thessalonians, Galatians, 1 - [The Jesus Lens #10 - The Elliptical Playground](https://www.lifestream.org/the-jesus-lens-10-the-elliptical-playground/) - The tenth audio in our new series about the wonder of Scripture and how to read and interpret it through the revelation of Jesus. The Jesus Lens #10: The Elliptical Playground - The truth Scripture describes is not always a linear set of propositions, but an unveiling of two or more seemingly contradictory revelations. The - [The Jesus Lens - Third Dialog Session](https://www.lifestream.org/the-jesus-lens-third-dialog-session/) - During our recording sessions, Wayne paused to answer questions from those in attendance. This is some of the dialog that followed sessions 8 and 9. The Jesus Lens: Third Dialog Session - Here is some of the interaction that followed Wayne's teaching. If you'd like to add your questions to some of the material you're - [The Jesus Lens #9 - The Most Dangerous Person in Christianity](https://www.lifestream.org/the-jesus-lens-9-the-most-dangerous-person-in-christianity/) - The ninth audio in our new series about the wonder of Scripture and how to read and interpret it through the revelation of Jesus. The Jesus Lens #9: The Most Dangerous Person In Christianity - Everyone interprets Scripture on some criteria, the most dangerous ones are those who don’t think they do and presume to - [The Jesus Lens #8 - Those Early Believers](https://www.lifestream.org/the-jesus-lens-8-those-early-believers/) - The eighth audio in our new series about the wonder of Scripture and how to read and interpret it through the revelation of Jesus. The Jesus Lens #8: Beginning At the End, The Gospels - Luke-Acts is one continuous narrative that bridges the life of Jesus while he was on earth with the life of - [The Jesus Lens #7 - The Gospels, Part II](https://www.lifestream.org/the-jesus-lens-7-the-gospels-part-ii/) - The seventh audio in our new series about the wonder of Scripture and how to read and interpret it through the revelation of Jesus. The Jesus Lens #7: The Gospels, Part II - Begin in Mark with a quick overview of the life of Jesus then view more of the details in Matthew and John. - [The Jesus Lens #6 - Beginning at the End, The Gospels](https://www.lifestream.org/the-jesus-lens-6-beginning-at-the-end-the-gospels/) - The sixth audio in our new series about the wonder of Scripture and how to read and interpret it through the revelation of Jesus. The Jesus Lens #6: Beginning At the End, The Gospels - Getting to know the Jesus of Scripture through the Gospels is critical to understanding the rest of the Bible. See - [The Jesus Lens #5 - The Word of God](https://www.lifestream.org/the-jesus-lens-5-the-word-of-god/) - The fifth audio in our new series about the wonder of Scripture and how to read and interpret it through the revelation of Jesus. The Jesus Lens #5: The Word of God - When we started calling the Bible the “Word of God” we unwittingly substituted a book and its principles for a vibrant relationship - [The Jesus Lens - Second Dialog Session](https://www.lifestream.org/the-jesus-lens-second-dialog-session/) - During our recording sessions, Wayne paused to answer questions from those in attendance. This is some of the dialog that followed sessions 3-4. The Jesus Lens: Second Dialog Session - Here is some of the interaction that followed Wayne's teaching. If you'd like to add your questions to some of the material you're hearing in - [The Jesus Lens #4 - The Jesus Lens](https://www.lifestream.org/the-jesus-lens-4-the-jesus-lens/) - The fourth audio in our new series about the wonder of Scripture and how to read and interpret it through the revelation of Jesus. The Jesus Lens #4: The Jesus Lens - The climax of Scripture is found in the person of Jesus and only be reading all of it through his eyes can we - [We Are Following the Lamb](https://www.lifestream.org/we-are-following-the-lamb/) - As Sara and I were walking our dogs through the neighborhood a couple of weeks ago, we noticed the license plate above on the front of an oversized pick-up truck. We've lived in this neighborhood less than a year and it's pretty clear where the angst-driven people live by their bumper stickers and yard signs. - [The Jesus Lens #3 - The Story of Redemption](https://www.lifestream.org/the-jesus-lens-3-the-story-of-redemption/) - The third audio in our new series about the wonder of Scripture and how to read and interpret it through the revelation of Jesus. The Jesus Lens #3: The Story of Redemption - We can understand the shifting insights of Scripture only as we read it as a progressive revelation of God to people who - [The Jesus Lens - First Dialog Session](https://www.lifestream.org/the-jesus-lens-first-dialog-session/) - During our recording sessions, Wayne paused to answer questions from those in attendance. This is some of the dialog that followed our first two sessions. The Jesus Lens: First Dialog Session - What were people thinking after the first two sessions? Here is some of the interaction that followed. If you'd like to add your - [The Jesus Lens #2 - Who is God Really?](https://www.lifestream.org/the-jesus-lens-2-who-is-god-really/) - The second audio in our new series about the wonder of Scripture and how to read and interpret it through the revelation of Jesus. The Jesus Lens #2: The Jesus Lens - The climax of Scripture is found in the person of Jesus and only be reading all of it through his eyes can we - [The Jesus Lens #1 - The Starting Point](https://www.lifestream.org/the-jesus-lens-1-the-starting-point/) - Today we're beginning to release the audio from my recent recording in Indianapolis about how he engages Scripture in his own personal journey. Culminating forty years of study and devotional reading, The Jesus Lens is designed it help people understand how to read and interpret Scripture as the story of God's unfolding revelation of himself - [Transition 8: The Transformed Life](https://www.lifestream.org/transition-8-the-transformed-life/) - How do people live who are growing in the freedom of relationship instead of the bondage of religion, and what impact do they have on the world? Wayne offers seven attributes that he has seen in people who live this journey. For more information on this series you can check the Transition page at Lifestream. - [Transition 7: Processing the Journey](https://www.lifestream.org/transition-7-processing-the-journey/) - Transition 7: Processing the Journey - Questions and discussion from the previous sessions as to how we can each live in the reality of Father’s affection for us. For more information on this series you can check the Transition page at Lifestream. You can also subscribe to any new audio postings via iTunes. https://www.lifestream.org/wp-content/uploads/audio/transitions/transition7h.mp3 Download - [Transition 6: How God Changes Us](https://www.lifestream.org/transition-6-how-god-changes-us/) - Transition 6: How God Changes Us - Living in the reality of his love gives us a new focus that frees us from sin, grows our trust in him and shapes our lives to reflect his glory in the world. For more information on this series you can check the Transition page at Lifestream. You - [Transition 5: Walking in the Reality of the Cross](https://www.lifestream.org/transition-5-walking-in-the-reality-of-the-cross/) - Transition 5: Walking In the Reality of the Cross - A look at how Jesus translates his incredible work on the cross to the freedom in our own lives of living in relationship with him and his Father. Download the Getting It handout will help you follow some of the dialog here. For more information on - [Transition 4: The Cross: Cure not Punishment](https://www.lifestream.org/transition-4-the-cross-cure-not-punishment/) - Transition 4: The Cross, Cure Not Punishment - the cross was not the sacrifice God needed to love you, but the cure we needed to live a peace in him. As we look at the cross from God's perspective, we will see that his work was so much greater than mere punishment of sin could - [Transition 3: Sin and Shame](https://www.lifestream.org/transition-3-sin-and-shame/) - Transition 3: Sin and Shame - The disease of sin and shame infects us all and blinds us to God's reality, must be dealt with if we are going to enter into the relationship of affection Father wants with us. For more information on this series you can check the Transition page at Lifestream. You - [Transition 2: Three Roads to Travel](https://www.lifestream.org/transition-2-three-roads-to-travel/) - Transition 2 - Three Roads to Travel: The Parable of the Incredible Father shows us that there are two ways to run from God-rebellion and religion, and only one way to live in him-in a relationship of affection. For more information on this series you can check the Transition page at Lifestream. You can also - [Transition 1: At Home in God](https://www.lifestream.org/transition-1-at-home-in-god/) - As we begin "Currents" the new Lifestream podcast, we will be listing the Transition recordings first so people can access them on their iPods and other podcast players. Transition 1: At Home in God - By looking at Jesus' final words to his disciples in the upper room, we can discover exactly how Jesus wanted - [Losing our Consciousness of Sin](https://www.lifestream.org/losing-our-consciousness-of-sin/) - It is horrifying that we took the beauty of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and used it to construct a sin-management system. Instead of freeing us from the power of sin, it only made us more captive to its longings and temptations. I was preoccupied with my sin and failures most of my life, well - [The Last Lesson . . . , Part 2: Unmerited Rejection](https://www.lifestream.org/the-last-lesson-my-father-taught-me-part-2/) - (Note: This is the second installment of a three-part story entitled The Last Lesson My Father Taught Me. It begins with a great tragedy before God turns it into a story of redemption and freedom, though not in the way most would think. . You can read Part 1 here and Part 3 here. Unmerited - [The Last Lesson . . . , Part 3: A Deeper Faith](https://www.lifestream.org/the-last-lesson-my-father-taught-me-part-3/) - (Note: This is the third and final of The Last Lesson My Father Taught Me. You can read Part 1 here, and Part 2 here. Or, you can download a PDF of the entire article here. ) To a Greater Freedom I told you that this lesson in unmerited rejection would prove to be - [The Last Lesson My Father Taught Me](https://www.lifestream.org/the-last-lesson-my-father-taught-me/) - (Note: Today, I am posting the first installment of a three-part story that is intensely personal. It begins with a great tragedy before God turns it into a story of redemption and freedom, though not in the way most people would think.) My dad was one of my greatest heroes. Not only was he a - [Misunderstanding the Atonement](https://www.lifestream.org/misunderstanding-the-atonement/) - Today, Sara and I head off for some gatherings in San Diego this weekend. We are looking forward to what Father has there. Let me leave you with this as we go: One of the greatest misunderstandings people have of Scripture is that God needed a sacrifice to love us. Jesus came in his humanity - [Trying to Protect Jesus](https://www.lifestream.org/trying-to-protect-jesus/) - Last week, my friend Luis had a dream he shared with me that has left a mark in my heart as well. Here's how he recounted it to me: Luis was in the mountains engaged with a hoard of wicked beasts who were trying to devour people around him. These were not animals, but terrifying - [Opportunities to Explore Together](https://www.lifestream.org/opportunities-to-explore-together/) - I am truly blessed by the people God has related me to and the conversations I get to experience with people who are passionately exploring God's reality in their own lives. I have tasted of the manifold wisdom of God as it is scattered in the body of Christ throughout the world and I am - [The Best New Year's Prayer](https://www.lifestream.org/the-best-new-years-prayer/) - I have some of the most amazing friends all over the world. Yesterday, I woke up to this New Year's greeting in my inbox from a good friend in Ohio: Happy New Year! I hope all your plans for the coming year are completely thrown off wack and blown out of the water by underestimating - [When You Don't Get the Miracle You Want, Part 12](https://www.lifestream.org/when-you-dont-get-the-miracle-you-want-part-12/) - This is the last posting of our continuing story of Alan and Lynn that began as In the Shadow of Death. Despite their best theological certainty that God would heal her, Lynn passed away from metastasized breast cancer. Alan is left to deal not only with his grief, but also with his view of a God - [When That Love Touches You...](https://www.lifestream.org/when-that-love-touches-you/) - "Peter, do you love me?" Why would Jesus care about being loved by Peter? He is Almighty God enthroned in the presence of thousands of adoring angels. He can command obedience simply because he is the greatest power in the universe. Why would he be seeking Peter’s love? We seem to be far more comfortable - [Connecting with my Nineteen-Year-Old Dad](https://www.lifestream.org/connecting-with-my-nineteen-year-old-dad/) - During the Christmas break, I spent some time with my nineteen-year-old dad. Our family recently discovered letters my father wrote home to his parents when he went off to join the army during World War II. They begin with his basic training and follow his journey through Texas to Maryland to England, to the front - [May Your Heart Be At Rest](https://www.lifestream.org/may-your-heart-be-at-rest/) - There is nothing like a heart at rest in the Father's love beneath the soothing glow of his goodness, especially when everything in your life tells you not to rest. It's easy to do when your circumstances are pleasant and joyful. Many of you will celebrate the next few days with family and friends who - [The Reality We Relax Into](https://www.lifestream.org/the-reality-we-relax-into/) - From the day we brought Mandy, a six-week-old golden retriever puppy, into our home, she has been enthralled with our seven-year-old lab/retriever mix named Zoey. First, Mandy overwhelmed Zoey, trying to relate to her as she had with her mom and the litter of puppies in her previous home. She had no idea how to - [Oops, My Bad!](https://www.lifestream.org/oops-my-bad/) - I completely botched the announcement for the next live, online, He Loves Me conversation. I originally got the date wrong and now Sara and I have had a shift in our schedule that means I now have to move the time up half an hour. I'm so sorry for the confusion and inconvenience this causes. - [You No Longer Need to Fear God](https://www.lifestream.org/you-no-longer-need-to-fear-god/) - In the earliest days of my faith, my view of God was stoked by fear. He was a stern and demanding judge, offended by humanity’s failures, and only the death of Jesus made it tolerable for him to be with us. Fear was also a primary tool my parents used to motivate our behavior. I - [Grateful Even in Letting Go](https://www.lifestream.org/grateful-even-in-letting-go/) - For those of us in the States, today is Thanksgiving Day. Though its origin isn't the cleanest story in our history, setting aside a day to remember God's goodness despite human frailty is beautiful for all of us. But how can you be grateful when your life is wrecked with pain or your year is - [Finding Church in Russia](https://www.lifestream.org/finding-church-in-russia/) - Finding Church, my take on discovering and living in the church Jesus is building in the world, rather than the facsimile we humans try to build, is now available in the Russian language. You can find more information here. And to celebrate with our Russian friends, Lifestream is offering a 15% discount for any of - [The Gift of Tom Mohn](https://www.lifestream.org/the-gift-of-tom-mohn/) - When people ask me what books most shaped my life and spiritual journey, I tell them it has never been books; it has always been people. While I've read many excellent books and been enlightened by many of them, what has most impacted my journey is the older brothers and sisters I've known who have - [The Tyranny of the Favor Line](https://www.lifestream.org/the-tyranny-of-the-favor-line/) - The next gathering of the He Loves Me Book Discussion will take place on Saturday, November 11, at 1 p.m. Pacific Time. You can find the link for this conversation on the Group Page on Facebook, or if you are not a member of Facebook, you can write me for a link. These conversations are held - [The Trajectory of Truth](https://www.lifestream.org/the-trajectory-of-truth/) - Sara and I have just begun a fresh reading through Romans to hold what we've been learning about trauma and sin up to the light of Paul's understanding of redemption. In the first chapter, Paul mentions "the righteousness that comes by faith," which is the theme of the entire book—how God does by grace what - [You Have No Idea](https://www.lifestream.org/you-have-no-idea-2/) - It's never a bad day to put some generosity in the world. A good friend wrote me this week to let me know how the October 31 reading in Live Loved Free Full inspired an act of generosity that lay before him on the very day he was reading it. The reading encouraged him to - [The Thrill of His Presence](https://www.lifestream.org/the-thrill-of-his-presence/) - It's one of my favorite epigraphs in He Loves Me. At the beginning of Chapter Five are these words: The great danger facing all of us . . . is that someday we may wake up and find that we have been busy with husks and trappings of life and have really missed life itself. - [Love Is a Pain](https://www.lifestream.org/love-is-a-pain/) - Sara and I are set to arrive home today from our seven-week trip across the middle part of the United States. This trip has been remarkable and challenging in so many ways, but in all, well worth it. We've shared the ups and downs with our podcast audience in the last few weeks and won't - [Holding God's Pain](https://www.lifestream.org/holding-gods-pain/) - I was asked last week how I was praying about the current strife in the Middle East. That would have been far easier for me to answer a few decades ago when my world was conveniently divided into a home team and an away team. God loves the home team and those who acknowledge him. - [Going Home!](https://www.lifestream.org/going-home/) - When I traveled without Sara, my favorite day was when I traveled home. That's not as significant when she is with me because home is wherever Sara is, and right now, that is in an RV outside of San Antonio, TX. Nevertheless, it is time to head home to the place prepared for Sara in - [How Do You End Your Day?](https://www.lifestream.org/how-do-you-end-your-day/) - At day's end, where does your mind wander? As you assess your day, do you predominantly contemplate the places you fell short or the moments that made you grateful? When I was pounding the religious treadmill, I always found myself far more aware of my mistakes than my joys. I'd go to bed aware of - [Life on the Narrow Road](https://www.lifestream.org/life-on-the-narrow-road/) - Sara and I visited the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum in Springfield, Illinois, last week as part of our RV trip around the heartland. One room in the museum included scores of cartoons published upon his election, scorning and mocking him for his physical attributes and ideals. President Lincoln didn't pay them much attention, - [Where Trust Grows](https://www.lifestream.org/the-journey-to-deeper-trust/) - Sara and I have left Little Rock and headed into South Texas, with stops in Waco, Austin, Wimberley, and Bulvedere (San Antonio) over the next 12 days. Details are on the travel page. We are having a wonderful time seeing what adventures and conversations God has for us each day. We've been talking a lot - [Relationships that Thrive](https://www.lifestream.org/relationships-that-thrive/) - Great relationships are some of the best treasures we get to enjoy in this world of chaos—those where you can laugh together or cry together while deeply caring for each other wherever our journey takes us, especially when they are seeing something differently than I am. Not all relationships are fantastic, however. Some can be - [Your Silence Was Not Absence](https://www.lifestream.org/your-silence-was-not-absence/) - "I've never heard him speak to me or felt his love for me." Unfortunate words! And I've heard them a lot over the years, the frustrated feeling one has when they feel that God is silent. David expresses that pain well in the Psalms, saying he would be as one going down to the pit - [He Loves Me - Chapters 2 and 3](https://www.lifestream.org/he-loves-me-chapters-2-and-3/) - Don't let the demands of legalistic Christianity blind you to the incredible friendship that a Loving Father and his Son want to have with you. The friendship Jesus shared with his disciples was the model for the relationship he extends to you. He wants to be the voice that steers you through every situation, the - [The Roads We Go Down](https://www.lifestream.org/the-roads-we-go-down/) - The ground Sara and I have traversed this year is extraordinarily beautiful, and I mean that in multiple ways. Not only are we learning more about Sara's trauma and what freedom looks like for her, but we are also seeing things about God's heart and freedom for lost hearts that are rocking our world. Some - [Learning a Life of Love](https://www.lifestream.org/learning-a-life-of-love/) - Why is it easier for us to believe that God doesn't love us than to rest in the reality that he does? And why are we more easily dragged into the obligation of religious performance than we are drawn into a growing trust in God's love? Both have much to do with the nature of - [Where Freedom Grows](https://www.lifestream.org/where-freedom-grows/) - For frequent God Journey listeners, you’ve heard Sara, Kyle, and me discuss the possibility that God may look at our sin quite differently than we do. Even mentioning the word ‘sin’ in a blog post is a risk since most people will tune out at the mere mention of the word. Especially in religious settings, - [The Conversations that Matter](https://www.lifestream.org/the-conversations-that-matter-2/) - Years ago, I heard a mission statement someone had crafted: “I want to have conversations that matter with people who care.” When I heard it, I knew instantly that this was the part of my life I treasured most. Above any recreational pursuit, athletic competition, or entertainment option, what I enjoy most is having a - [Responsible to Obey, or Free to Love?](https://www.lifestream.org/responsible-to-obey-or-free-to-love/) - In an email exchange with a friend, he made this observation: “If there are no other species out there (in the universe) unless created by Father, we are responsible to obey him. That’s our responsibility. He will bring the end of the age in his time.” Reading it, I felt a ping in my yuck - [Triumph Out of Tragedy](https://www.lifestream.org/triumph-out-of-tragedy/) - Mark is a former pastor before his addiction caught up to him. He’s been writing me from the Portland area for a few years. I want you to hear how Jesus has taken a shipwrecked life and shaped it into a treasure others can be touched by. I’ll let him tell his story in - [Finally Home](https://www.lifestream.org/finally-home/) - He is finally home. If you’ve read my books and listened to the podcast, you know the impact my dad had on my life and faith. Last Saturday morning, at 98 years of age, my dad passed from life in this age to life in the full-on splendor of Jesus, something he has been longing - [Excruciatingly Beautiful](https://www.lifestream.org/excruciatingly-beautiful/) - The phrase "excruciatingly beautiful" first appeared in an email from a friend in Ohio. He told me he had been through a painful betrayal and that God was teaching him how to forgive. "It is excruciatingly beautiful," he wrote. I've never seen those two words used together anywhere. When I typed 'excruciatingly beautiful into my - [Shocked Again at Father's Timing](https://www.lifestream.org/shocked-again-at-fathers-timing/) - I love the way Father weaves himself into the fabric of our day. I hadn't seen the notes pictured above for decades. I forgot I even had them until I picked up a tablet off my desk, and there they were sitting beneath. Look at the date: "2/12/75." How they got there, I have no - [A White Rainbow](https://www.lifestream.org/a-white-rainbow/) - I didn’t know such a thing existed until I saw it in the wild. Even then, it was difficult to believe my eyes. It looked like a rainbow, but it was completely white. It even had a fainter, secondary rainbow beneath the full one. The picture above doesn't do it justice. I found it while - [Life Under the Mountain](https://www.lifestream.org/life-under-the-mountain/) - What a joy to know that Father always watches over us no matter what life throws at us. He is a refuge as certain as the rising sun and as steady as a granite mountain. One of the things that drew us to this neighborhood was the breathtaking views of Mt. Boney (just over Sara’s - [He Is Enough](https://www.lifestream.org/he-is-enough/) - Come away, my beloved! There! Did you hear it? Maybe it was just a few notes, but even a bit of it will begin to breathe hope into your exhausted heart. You’ll recognize it as the soothing melody inviting you beside his quiet waters where peace and tranquility will wash over your fear and grief. - [The Melody in the Wind](https://www.lifestream.org/the-melody-in-the-wind/) - Can you hear it? It is the Song of the Ages, still playing beneath the stresses and strains of this world, fresh from your Father’s heart. Regardless of all that’s going on around you, it invites you into his reality. It’s not the loudest song in the wind. Fears and anger will scream louder. The - [Letting Jesus Fight for Us](https://www.lifestream.org/letting-jesus-fight-for-us/) - If you haven’t listened to our current podcast about Vengeance, Mercy, and Justice, it’s something I’ve been noodling on for a few weeks. It started with this quote from Adam Smith, “Mercy to the guilty is cruelty to the innocent.” Too often, our society “lets off” those who are well-connected at the expense of those - [Waves of Joy](https://www.lifestream.org/waves-of-joy/) - It has been a while since I have had the chance to post some of my thoughts. The last month of settling into our new home has brought a host of challenges, decisions, and work. I’ve managed to keep up with The God Journey podcasts because I greatly enjoy those conversations. We just posted Episode - [Powerful Word in Times of Trouble](https://www.lifestream.org/powerful-word-in-times-of-trouble/) - "There is a friend who sticks closer than a brother." (Proverbs 18:24) Dave Coleman was one of those friends for me. He was a man of immense wisdom, rock-solid integrity, and deep love. I don't know why he took a liking to me, but he's one of those friends where the conversations always go deep, - [The Trajectory of Transformation](https://www.lifestream.org/the-trajectory-of-transformation/) - After four years and a dozen conversations, Jake is finally relishing the fruit of the transformation that has happened in him over that time. Their final conversation celebrates so many wonderful things I enjoy when people I know move away from Christianity as an obligation into a meaningful relationship with a Father who has genuine - [The God-Shaped Life](https://www.lifestream.org/the-god-shaped-life/) - It’s the most amazing process in the universe—how Jesus finds us in the twistedness of our sins, doubts, fears, and illusions. He rescues us not only by his death on the cross to cleanse our sins but also to invite us into a friendship with him that untwists what has been damaged in our hearts. - [Finding Our Connection with God](https://www.lifestream.org/finding-our-connection-with-god/) - "They led me into a relationship with God that I’ve only dreamt about." I can't tell you how much those words mean to me. That's the reason for all the writing and podcasts I have done over the years, so that someone else can find their way into an intimate connection with God that changes - [A Love Stronger than Our Greatest Fear](https://www.lifestream.org/a-love-stronger-than-our-greatest-fear/) - Today, Sara and I leave for a bit of a working vacation out to Hawaii. We'll be sharing with a fellowship in Honolulu next Sunday (April 30), but we'll mostly be on Maui, savoring God's work in this last season of our lives and preparing our hearts for what lies ahead. Before we go, I - [Pretense Is No Refuge](https://www.lifestream.org/pretense-is-no-refuge/) - This is what I struggle with most for those who claim to follow Christ and yet have no compassion for those who have wandered through difficult places. In an email last week, a former pastor who has battled alcohol addiction for decades added this comment at the end of the email: You also have no - [His Children Revealed](https://www.lifestream.org/his-children-revealed/) - This weekend I spoke at a conference in Kenya. Unfortunately, I didn’t get to travel there to be with them personally, but they asked if I would send a video of any word I might to encourage the hundreds of pastors gathering in Kitale last weekend. If you want to see the video, you can - [Want to Get Together?](https://www.lifestream.org/want-to-get-together-2/) - Here are a few opportunities to hang out with me if you'd like. Two happen next week, one is just a podcast, and the other is in February 2024 in Israel: The Jake Colsen Book Club Learning to follow Jesus as he reveals himself in each of us is the adventure of spiritual life. Institutions - [It's Not About Boxing](https://www.lifestream.org/its-not-about-boxing/) - Yes, Luis does look fierce in the ring as he trains them to recognize and deflect any attack. This is him helping a local gym of MMA hopefuls perfect their boxing technique. Most of the time, he's with far younger kids in the corner of an abandoned church parking lot. I'll be honest; I don't - [One Year Ago Today](https://www.lifestream.org/one-year-ago-today/) - On April 11, one year ago, I spent most of the day flying home from a ten-day trip around the Carolinas, looking forward to being in Sara’s arms again. I hadn’t the foggiest notion that I was about to drive off a cliff at 180 miles per hour. My first indication that all was not - [The Day God Died](https://www.lifestream.org/the-day-god-died/) - Twenty-eight years ago, my relationship with God shifted on this one discovery—Jesus did not die to appease the wrath of an offended God. Instead, he died holding our sin and shame in the all-encompassing presence of the Father until it was consumed in his love, and our redemption was won. As we approach this Easter - [Next Year in Jerusalem](https://www.lifestream.org/next-year-in-jerusalem/) - Two months ago, to my complete shock, Sara said, “I wonder what it would be like to visit Israel again with the work God has done in my heart.” “Do you want me to take you there?” I asked. She nodded. “Just us, or do you want to invite some others to go with us?” - [The Jake Colsen Book Club - Chapter 11](https://www.lifestream.org/the-jake-colsen-book-club-chapter-11/) - Taking flight is a triumphant chapter in So You Don't Want to Go to Church Anymore. After the long process of poking holes in Jake's illusions about God and what it means to follow him, Jake is finally finding his footing on a better trailhead as he begins to learn how to live out a life - [Weep with Those Who Weep](https://www.lifestream.org/weep-with-those-who-weep/) - Can you imagine what it would be like to be at your lowest moment and have someone safe enough to share your deepest hurts, doubts, and fears and have them listen carefully to hear your heart and hold your emotions soothingly and safely without the need to minimize your pain, fix your thinking, or even - [Completing the Work God Gave Us](https://www.lifestream.org/completing-the-work-god-gave-us/) - Fifteen years ago, God linked our hearts with a group of believers in Kenya who had been captured by the message of He Loves Me, even as they were caught in the tribal post-election violence that ravaged Kenya in 2008. When I met Michael, he had already taken a dozen parentless children into his home - [Don't Run from the Pain](https://www.lifestream.org/dont-run-from-the-pain/) - Last week I wrote about the agony of God for the brokenness of his Creation and how our sufferings can be a way of fellowshipping with his inside of ours. Once we see that the presence of Jesus and personal pain are not at opposite poles of the universe, we can find the freedom to - [The Trust He Wins in Us](https://www.lifestream.org/the-trust-he-wins-in-us/) - I've watched too many Christians struggle to trust God more as if that is something they are supposed to do. If you've ever been down that road, you know that it leads to a vast wasteland. We can only pretend to trust him more, and that will fail us when we most need it. Trust - [When Something Horrible Comes Your Way](https://www.lifestream.org/when-something-horrible-comes-your-way/) - Over the past sixteen days, we have traveled almost 2908 miles from Thousand Oaks, CA, to Duluth, MN, and we are having a wonderful trip. We've moved from 100 degree days in Wyoming and Denver, to waking up to a 40-degree morning. Sara and I are having the most wonderful conversations with each other and - [The Man of Sorrows](https://www.lifestream.org/the-man-of-sorrows/) - (The graphic above was taken from the cover image of A Man Like No Other, art by Murry Whiteman with text by Wayne Jacobsen and Brad Cummings) It’s hard to imagine that these words would describe the most authentic personification of love to ever live on this planet, but this is how Isaiah foretold it: - [Off-Grid Christianity](https://www.lifestream.org/off-grid-christianity/) - Here's what happens when a journalist from Ireland wants to talk to me about my life outside the traditional boundaries of Christianity and asks some intensely personal questions. You can listen to the podcast here, which released yesterday. Martin Purnell is the host of this series of podcasts for those who feel disconnected from church-as-we've-come-to-know-it. They - [Suffering Means You're Human](https://www.lifestream.org/suffering-means-youre-human/) - Jesus promised us so much joy and victory following him that it can be disorienting to encounter enduring times of pain and suffering. I’ve known many followers of Jesus who wrestle more with the perplexity of how God could have “allowed” them to suffer than the suffering itself would have demanded. It at least adds - [FINDING CHURCH Now Available in French as Découvrir l'église](https://www.lifestream.org/finding-church-now-available-french-decouvrir-leglise/) - The book on the left is one of the first copies of Finding Church in French. The man on the right is my good friend Silvio Viotti who translated the work as he as done with many of my other books. He has done all this as a labor of love simply to make these works available - [Another Israel Trip on the Horizon?](https://www.lifestream.org/another-israel-trip-on-the-horizon/) - My photography site reminded me that six years ago today, I was in Israel with this team, including my daughter and my niece, a host of good friends, and some brand new people to get to know. We had a fantastic time, first in Petra with a smaller group, then ten more days up the - [Until His Love Overwhelms You](https://www.lifestream.org/until-his-love-overwhelms-you/) - All of our attempts to live a Godly life will continue to frustrate and fail us until his love overwhelms us. When you know how deeply loved you are by God you will go on a journey that will continue to open your eyes to the lies you tell yourself and the truths of God - [Lessons of a Lifetime](https://www.lifestream.org/lessons-of-a-lifetime/) - This blog is a copy of our Winter 2023 newsletter that we sent out earlier this morning. You can sign up here if you want to be on that list. Winter 2023 This past year has been quite a roller coaster for Sara and me, and we are both so grateful for all the love, - [Changing a Nation One Life at a Time](https://www.lifestream.org/changing-a-nation-one-life-at-a-time/) - The new bedding has arrived. For those not keeping up with our friendships in Kenya over the last 14 years, the people who listen to The God Journey or read my blogs here at Lifestream have given over three million dollars to rescue an impoverished region of Kenya. We started by supporting a new orphanage - [Trauma Conversations and Book Clubs](https://www.lifestream.org/trauma-conversations-and-book-clubs/) - Manipulative people detest when they lose their power over someone else. Manipulation is a game constantly played in human relationships. We often get caught in it because we love the people playing, and we don’t want to risk losing their friendship if we don’t keep them happy. Such a life, however, will not lead you - [When Trauma Comes Knocking](https://www.lifestream.org/when-trauma-comes-knocking/) - Joy in life comes not from trying to control your circumstances but by being ready to respond with God's heart in whatever happens to you. When people ask us what we have in mind for 2023, part of me laughs inside. We rarely get to live according to our plans; life is too chaotic for - [You Can't Murder Hate](https://www.lifestream.org/you-cant-murder-hate/) - Profound words from a man of great wisdom who lived that reality through greater hostility than I can imagine: Through violence you may murder a murderer, but you can't murder murder. Through violence you may murder a liar, but you can't establish truth. Through violence you may murder a hater, but you can't murder hate - [What Does God Hold in His Heart?](https://www.lifestream.org/what-does-god-hold-in-his-heart/) - As I hold the Ukrainian people in my heart these days, I find myself wondering what God must feel as he watches over his children in that part of the world. Last month, I received an email from a friend in Ukraine, and I have held its contents in my heart ever since. It has - [Insights for Your Journey](https://www.lifestream.org/insights-for-your-journey/) - Happy New Year, everyone. I know people make plans and resolutions, but you never know what a year might bring. For Sara and me, last year completely took us by surprise—–both in the depth of pain, an incredible process of healing, and the fruit of joy and peace that came from all of it. On - [When Christmas Doesn't Find You Joyful](https://www.lifestream.org/when-christmas-doesnt-find-you-joyful/) - We hope this finds each of you in a season of great joy and with a growing hope for what he might have in mind for you in 2023. Sara and I are celebrating a great redemption in our lives as this year comes to an end. Against all odds, God delivered us from certain - [A Pathway to Living Loved](https://www.lifestream.org/a-pathway-to-living-loved/) - Tomorrow, I'll post my last blog of the year. I'm excited to share that with you, but I woke up this morning with a desire to respond to many of the emails I get about helping people discover just how deeply loved they are by God. My email box often vacillates between two kinds of - [Writing the Final Chapter](https://www.lifestream.org/writing-the-final-chapter/) - Sara and I are currently in Arlington, TX, for a couple of days, and then we'll begin writing the final chapter of our RV trip around the U.S. And what a trip it has been. The team is still together; the joy continues to grow. If you haven't listened to Wayne's Happiest Day Ever, you - [Another Emergency in Kenya](https://www.lifestream.org/another-emergency-in-kenya/) - [Update on Friday, November 11: As of this morning, we have received all of the funds needed for this project. Thanks for your incredible generosity toward these incredible children and those who are managing for their care. Of course, the needs will continue there, so if you want to send extra, I'm sure they will - [Heading Home](https://www.lifestream.org/heading-home/) - This. Has. Been. So. Much. Fun. The return to innocence tour has been an absolute delight on a personal level. It has given me extended time with Sara and our dogs, the healing that keeps flowing from Father's heart, and the fantastic conversations and friendships Jesus keeps letting us explore. We are both so grateful - [The Seven Best Thoughts So Far](https://www.lifestream.org/the-seven-best-thoughts-so-far/) - A few more days in Virginia—Lynchburg, to be exact—and then we turn westward for the long drive home. We have been traveling through autumn colors since early September in Duluth and have immersed ourselves in its beauty. I want to be like that in the autumn of my life, letting God’s beauty shine through me - [The Decision Is In](https://www.lifestream.org/the-decision-is-in/) - We are nearing peak leaf color here in NW Ohio, and it is fabulous. Sitting out in the backyard with a group of people yesterday with a cascade of leaves occasionally spilling out of the trees around us was nearly magical. The conversations were even better as we shared God's life together, struggled with issues - [Our Readers Are So Amazing](https://www.lifestream.org/our-readers-are-so-amazing/) - Sara and I arrived in Ohio yesterday in what seems to be an incredibly providential sense of timing. For the last week, Sara has had a new emerging memory about a harrowing childhood incident, and its unfolding climaxed on her birthday last Thursday. We think this may prove to be a tremendous gift from - [The Gift of Sight in the Valley of Pain](https://www.lifestream.org/the-gift-of-sight-in-the-valley-of-pain/) - Two nights ago, I sat among giants. Five people, each of them, had come face-to-face with a conflict between their consciences and the system of power that held the keys to their salary and advancement. And they each chose to follow their nudging consciences growing deep within them. For three of them, it was a - [Finding God's Rhythm in the Darkness](https://www.lifestream.org/finding-gods-rhythm-in-the-darkness/) - It's finally out! I read this book over a year ago to Sara on one of our driving trips to Denver to be with our son. It's the second part of the three-part Velieri Uprising, a series of books that take on big themes like identity, spiritual warfare, and human conflict in a fictional setting. - [Can You Help Us Yet Again?](https://www.lifestream.org/can-you-help-us-yet-again/) - Sara and I have come vertically through Michigan and landed close to Benton Harbor in the southwest. God has seemingly opened a wide door here with lots of connections I tried to get to a few months ago, before our Unforeseen Circumstances. And new doors open every time I check my email. It's going to - [The Jake Colsen Book Club - Chapter 6](https://www.lifestream.org/the-jake-colsen-book-club-chapter-6/) - The next meeting of the Jake Colsen Book Club has been set. For those interested, we work through So You Don't Want to Go to Church Anymore chapter by chapter in a series of Zoom sessions where you can share your insights or ask questions. You don't have to have been to a previous one - [Moving On](https://www.lifestream.org/moving-on/) - This week we will be working our way through Michigan. That's the team up top on an early morning walk to the Peninsula Lighthouse near Rapid River. It's been glorious here with the people we've spent time with and some new folks we met. Also, Sara and I were the only ones in the RV - [On to the Upper Midwest](https://www.lifestream.org/on-to-the-upper-midwest/) - Today we finished up in Colorado and are heading up north to Wyoming to spend some time with my podcast co-host Kyle Rice and his family in Torrington, WI. We've had a number of options from there but what has most settled in our hearts is a wide open door in Duluth, MN and then - [Recapturing Innocence](https://www.lifestream.org/recapturing-innocence/) - We know that Sara had her innocence stolen at four years old. Instead of growing up with the heart of a playful child, she lived guarded, navigating the terrors of the trauma she didn't understand. Instead of a carefree childhood, she learned to survive, especially when criticized. Retreats have not been one of Sara's favorite - [Glad That's Over!](https://www.lifestream.org/glad-thats-over/) - What a crazy weekend! We packed up 47 years of married life and had to find a place for those things in an 1100 square foot apartment, a 330 sq ft motor home, and even after we gave loads of stuff away we still needed to rent some storage bays. Thanks to the help of - [Thank You, from Forkland in Kenya](https://www.lifestream.org/thank-you-from-forkland-in-kenya/) - Let me offer my thanks and gratitude of our friends in Kenya for the recent rescue of three hundred abandoned children in the community of Forkland. We have supported a school there for over a decade because it provides education for students whose parents cannot afford it. Earlier this year, during a deep drought, hopeless - [Love With a Hook](https://www.lifestream.org/love-with-a-hook/) - John happens upon Jake while he is fishing on the shore of Nellie Lake, eight thousand feet up in the Sierra Mountains and a five-mile hike from the nearest road. Here's a snippet of their conversation: “If I remember right, doesn’t your marquee out front promise, WHERE LOVE IS A WAY OF LIFE!” It took me - [Into the Wind](https://www.lifestream.org/into-the-wind/) - Here are two important items I want my friends to know: First, the next gathering of the Jake Colsen Book Club will be next Saturday, August 20, at 1:00 pm PDT. I know that’s a bit early in Australia and a bit late for Europe, but I’ve got people from both asking to be included. - [When God Seems Boring...](https://www.lifestream.org/when-god-seems-boring/) - I had this email exchange a few months back with a friend in Nigeria who hit a dry patch in his journey. I'm sure he's not alone in this struggle or his questions, so I thought I'd share that conversation here: I'm going through a crisis in my life right now, and I would have - [The Unintended Consequences of Well-Meaning Prayers](https://www.lifestream.org/the-unintended-consequences-of-well-meaning-prayers/) - (First, a personal note: It finally caught up to me. I'm blaming my visit to Disneyland last week to celebrate a granddaughter's graduation from middle school though I don't know for sure if that's where I got it. But early Monday morning, I came down with symptoms of COVID-19, and a test later that day - [Love Seasoned over a Lifetime](https://www.lifestream.org/love-seasoned-over-a-lifetime/) - A good friend of mine, Jack Gray, passed away last week. That's him with his wife Margaret alongside Sara and me when we first met them in 2004. Many have heard me talk about Jack over the years. He was born in Scotland, served as a missionary surgeon in the Congo at the time of - [Where Love Thrives](https://www.lifestream.org/where-love-thrives/) - Love can only thrive where truth reigns. Thirty-five years ago, Sara and I had some friends over for dinner. At the end of the evening, as we walked with them to their car, the husband pulled me aside to tell me something. "Do you know that you talked about yourself all night and what you're - [The Revelational Adventure](https://www.lifestream.org/the-revelational-adventure/) - Every day I wake up to the amazing adventure of walking with God through whatever might unfold in my day. Sometimes that is full of joy and wonder; at other times, it's an unforeseen calamity that challenges me to the core of my being. Following him, as best I see him each day, is the - [Some Book News](https://www.lifestream.org/some-book-news/) - The Jake Colsen Book Club First, the second installment of the Jake Colsen Book Club, to explore the content of So You Don't Want to Go To Church Anymore, will meet this weekend on Saturday, June 18, at 4:00 pm PDT. I loved the conversation around the first chapter, which you can see here if - [Life at Father's Pace](https://www.lifestream.org/life-at-fathers-pace/) - Three years ago, in the woods of western Virginia, I heard a man say, "Life moves at the speed of relationships." I immediately resonated with that. My life has traveled mainly at the speed of achievement. Get that book done, that podcast produced, or that trip scheduled. Of course, I made time for relationships around - [The Jake Colsen Book Club](https://www.lifestream.org/the-jake-colsen-book-club/) - This book has helped thousands of people gain a different perspective about our human effort to replicate Jesus' church and discovered that some of the rumblings in their heart weren't as crazy as they might have first thought. It has also gotten people thrown out of Bible college for reading it, been the source of much - [The Tide Has Turned](https://www.lifestream.org/the-tide-has-turned/) - I've not talked about this a lot on my blog, but I have on recent episodes of The God Journey. Six weeks ago, when I arrived home from my trip to the Carolinas, I stumbled into a tragic situation that completely took me by surprise. It was catastrophic and I told listeners of the podcast that - [Control Is an Illusion](https://www.lifestream.org/control-is-an-illusion/) - You never know how even the most casual comment can profoundly impact the trajectory of someone's journey. In the early 2000s, I visited a fellowship in Nottingham, England, on a couple of occasions within a few years. I remember those visits with a smile and enjoyed the pastor and his family where Sara and I - [Allowing My Past to Catch up to Me](https://www.lifestream.org/allowing-my-past-to-catch-up-to-me/) - On last week's podcast and today's at The God Journey, Kyle and I talk about dealing with the long-term effects of unresolved childhood trauma. On my recent trip to North Carolina, a good friend of mine, Dana Andrechyn, shared with me a poem she wrote that captures so well what it is like to run from - [When Serving Turns to Exploitation](https://www.lifestream.org/when-serving-turns-to-exploitation/) - I'm going to lift a quote from an email I wrote to my webmaster the other day about some changes being made for one of the platforms we use to get out information. "It seems all these platforms start to serve a need people have, then end up exploiting people to fill a need they - [Kenya Update: Gratefulness](https://www.lifestream.org/kenya-update-gratefulness/) - I got some delightful news from the people we've been helping recently in Forkland and Bungoma in Kenya. I wanted to share it with you. This young man above narrates a brief video below of thanksgiving for the school supplies purchased for the students at Forkland and the 300 youth who were abandoned there a - [What Is He Showing You?](https://www.lifestream.org/what-is-he-showing-you/) - My friend, Luis, shared with me a dream he had where he and Jesus were sitting on a park bench. Jesus asked him why Jonah did what he did. After Luis offered some of his thoughts, he finally turned the question back to Jesus. "Because he made it about himself." Those words have reverberated in - [He's Got This!](https://www.lifestream.org/hes-got-this/) - I'm going to let Hilda write my blog today. I received this email from her a few days ago: I really enjoyed the Urban Mystic podcast you were on. So much of what you said made me sit back quietly and ponder on the ideas. One of those things was “God being on the other side of - [In the Jaws of Destruction](https://www.lifestream.org/in-the-jaws-of-destruction/) - I was invited to come to Ukraine in 2018 to help people explore the content of He Loves Me, which had earlier been translated into Russian. What a wonderful people and beautiful country! The picture above is off of the cover of a book they gave me in appreciation for my time there. It celebrated - [A Miracle of the Father's Provision](https://www.lifestream.org/a-miracle-of-the-fathers-provision/) - At the end of last week, I got a painful email from our friends in Kenya, reporting on the progress of the 300 children who had been abandoned by parents and other relatives on the doorstep of a school they operate in Forkland to help children who would not get an education otherwise. This is the - [Kenya, and the Beauty of Silence](https://www.lifestream.org/kenya-future-travel-and-the-beauty-of-silence/) - I almost want to apologize for the picture at the top of this blog. I know these pictures are used gratuitously to make people feel guilty and give to overseas mission outreaches. I've never done that, and that's not why I use it here. This is one of the orphans we are helping at the - [Generosity as Justice](https://www.lifestream.org/generosity-as-justice/) - I’m on my way to Charlotte this morning for time with God’s people in the area—some have been dear friends for years, and others I’ll be meeting for the first time. I’m so looking forward to this trip. I was going to post a blog about our day-long conversation this coming Saturday about learning to ride - [A Difficult But Joyful Task](https://www.lifestream.org/a-language-of-healing-still-finding-inroads/) - Sara and I are taking this week off for a trip to Colorado, including some time with our son. And, as soon as I get back, I’ll be headed into the Carolinas for a couple of weeks. On Saturday, April 2, I’m going to host a day-long conversation at a farm near Lake Wylie, SC - [The Best Conversation I've Ever Had...](https://www.lifestream.org/the-best-conversation-ive-ever-had/) - I couldn't fit it all in the title, but this is the best recorded conversation about my spiritual journey that I've ever had. I've been waiting to share it with you since we recorded it in late November. It just dropped this past Friday, and I'm so excited that others can now hear it. Tim - [No Better Place to Be](https://www.lifestream.org/no-better-place-to-be/) - There’s probably not a week that goes by or a trip I take where these two questions don’t come up. This email asked them as succinctly and clearly as they’ve ever been asked. I thought some of you might also be interested in the answers. I hope that someday I’ll be able to travel somewhere - [Voices from Ukraine](https://www.lifestream.org/voices-from-ukraine/) - My post yesterday brought a load of response from people in the know about what the Ukrainians are facing and how you can best help them. Check the comments in my previous blog if you want to hear about other places you can send funds. First, this is from Timmy, the friend who coordinated my - [Help for Ukraine](https://www.lifestream.org/help-for-ukraine/) - The picture above was taken at a gathering I was part of outside Kyiv in Ukraine in 2018. I find my heart grieving every day for this war and what it may mean for them and their families. I've written about them before and in response I've got a lot of questions as to the - [Not Everyone Has to Understand You](https://www.lifestream.org/not-everyone-has-to-understand-you/) - In interacting with some people about my last post on All Heaven Applauds, I realized I had left out something that's incredibly important that will help you deal with people who lie about you to discredit you. I've added it to the original post, but I also wanted to call attention to it here as - [All Heaven Applauds](https://www.lifestream.org/all-heaven-applauds/) - Have you ever been the victim of a well-placed lie? Did it cost you valuable relationships because someone spread rumors about you that others believed were true? If you have, you're not alone. Treachery and deceit are an ever-present undercurrent of the human story. Some people think nothing of fabricating stories, exaggerating details, and spreading - [Russians and Ukrainians in Dark Days](https://www.lifestream.org/russians-and-ukrainians-in-dark-days/) - I was in Russia in 2012 and in Ukraine in the summer of 2018. Since a few of my books have been translated into Russian, I have connections on both sides of the escalating tensions in that part of the world. Sadly, the greed and insecurities of our world leaders continue to force the everyday - [A Word of Thanks from Kenya](https://www.lifestream.org/a-word-of-thanks-from-kenya/) - Last month, we were asked to help once again in Kenya with their continued drought, which has worsened this year. In response to their request for $14,000, you gave over $17,000 to help them. They have just returned from distributing the food and supplies to the aged and nursing mothers, which the picture above depicts. - [Beloved Through the Year in Germany](https://www.lifestream.org/beloved-through-the-year-in-germany/) - I just received a copy of my new devotional, Live Loved Free Full, in its German translation—Geliebt durchs Jahr, which I think translates to Beloved Throughout the Year. This is the sixth book Glory-World Medien has published of mine, and you can see them all at the bottom of the page for this one. This - [Relationships that Matter](https://www.lifestream.org/relationships-that-matter/) - This morning, I'm at the airport, ready to catch a flight to cold and rainy Nashville. I had to postpone this trip from January because of some COVID concerns, and it's a good thing we did. That weekend they had a massive snowstorm that shut down the city. This time, it is hopefully just rain. - [A Heavy Heart for my Friends in Ukraine](https://www.lifestream.org/a-heavy-heart-for-my-friends-in-ukraine/) - In September of 2018, I was invited to Ukraine and met many incredible, passionate believers there. When I see Ukraine in the news, I don't think of a country over there somewhere; I think of those people I got to know during those few days. I sat with them at meals, worshiped with them in - [The Call of the Bride](https://www.lifestream.org/the-call-of-the-bride/) - “Listen! My beloved! Behold, he is coming, Climbing on the mountains, Leaping on the hills!” Song of Songs 2:8 The Spirit and the Bride say, “Come!” Revelation 22:17 Lift up your heads, O gates, And be lifted up, O ancient doors, That the King of glory may come in! Psalm. 24:7 The Spirit and the - [Recognizing the Seasons](https://www.lifestream.org/recognizing-the-seasons/) - First, a word about my last blog about the call of the Bride. I didn't want to say much about it there; I just wanted it to hang out there to see how it resonated with others. I've appreciated hearing that so many others have sensed a similar call in their hearts. That blog post was - ["You Won't Find Me Here"](https://www.lifestream.org/you-wont-find-me-here/) - I love how God works to invite us into his reality, even over the course of years of frustration and pain. I get emails like this because something I wrote or said plays into it, but I am more excited about how Father finds us and draws us into his life, even if it takes - [Living on the Edges](https://www.lifestream.org/living-on-the-edges/) - Sean Kennedy, an author, and friend from the UK, wrote me about my most recent podcast with Mary, a new believer finding her legs on a relational journey against the religious voices that want to draw her into the captivity of guilt and obligation. He wrote about living on the edges in a way I - [A Difficult Day Ahead](https://www.lifestream.org/a-difficult-day-ahead/) - Today I say my final goodbye to Dave Coleman, a close friend for over thirty years. I wrote about him and our work together in a previous blog when he passed away. His family has asked me to facilitate the celebration of his life at a memorial service today, and I have no idea how - [Seven Attributes of God's Glory](https://www.lifestream.org/seven-attributes-of-gods-glory/) - The Incarnation did not end when Jesus ascended from planet earth after his resurrection. He was only its beginning. His work on the cross was to begin a new creation—where men and women become so transformed by his love that they reflect his glory in the world—God with us. Don't just celebrate the first Incarnation - [Watch What God Will Do](https://www.lifestream.org/watch-what-god-will-do/) - One of the reasons I post stuff like my It’s Time video or the blog on Joyfully Sober is to listen to what else the Spirit of God is whispering in people’s hearts around the world. Paul indicated that the best any one of us sees is like looking through a dimmed mirror (I Corinthians - [Joyfully Sober](https://www.lifestream.org/joyfully-sober/) - (Note: This is a copy of newsletter I sent out quarterly-ish out to my email list. If you you're not on it and want to be you can sign up here.) First, I want to express my gratefulness for the rain that has fallen on Southern California this month. We've been in a severe drought - [A Distant Fire](https://www.lifestream.org/a-distant-fire/) - I got this email a couple of weeks ago from Jack, a good friend in South Carolina. He describes so well what religious obligation can do to destroy the great adventure of engaging the transcendent God of the universe and learning to follow him through the brokenness of this age. Life in him is full - [Best Use of The Jesus Story](https://www.lifestream.org/best-use-of-the-jesus-story/) - Two things happened yesterday, almost back to back. First, I read the following email from Chelsea, a friend in Idaho: If you remember my 7-year-old son was very much struggling with going to church, and it's become clear these past few weeks that I will be staying home with him and having intentional one-on-one time on Sunday - [When Spiritual Panic Creeps In](https://www.lifestream.org/when-spiritual-panic-creeps-in/) - 'Tis the season to be panicked....” OK, not really, but that’s how it feels for many people. Meeting all the expectations for a meaningful holiday season, navigating the toxic people in your family, or marking the passing of another year without the changes you had hoped to see in your life, can draw our minds - [A Compass for Your Heart](https://www.lifestream.org/a-compass-for-your-heart/) - I just received word that my new devotional, Live Loved Free Full, has just been released in German. I'm so happy to let my readers there know it is now available in their language. It's called "Loved Throughout the Year, with the subtitle "365 impulses to live loved, free, and fulfilled". The Publisher is Glory - [So Sweet to Be Home](https://www.lifestream.org/so-sweet-to-be-home/) - When you travel as I do, you don't always get to choose your ride! I found this old truck on a Christmas Tree farm, just out the front door from the home I was staying in near Orlando. No, we didn't take a ride in it; we just had some fun with it. I got - [Dave Coleman Is on the Incredible Journey](https://www.lifestream.org/dave-coleman-is-on-the-incredible-journey/) - For those of you reading Live Loved Free Full, on November 30, you read an exchange I had with Dave Coleman that graciously changed the trajectory of my life. Dave passed from this life and began the incredible journey for which we are all destined on that same morning. I love the way Father does - [He Reveals; We Respond](https://www.lifestream.org/he-reveals-we-respond/) - I was a guest on a podcast yesterday recorded by two South Africans, one still in his home country, and the other recently moved to Holland. What a delighful conversation. They asked me questions about my journey that pulled things out of me in ways I had never shared before. I saw some of my - [Transitions, Again](https://www.lifestream.org/transitions-again/) - What I love about Transitions being available free of charge is that I can pass on the work it is doing in others without others thinking I am only promoting something for sale. Already the mp3 files from this series have been downloaded almost 700 times. I am so deeply grateful for how this series - [The Changes His Love Brings](https://www.lifestream.org/changes-his-love-brings/) - I receive some of the most amazing emails in my inbox, detailing people’s stories and how intersecting some of my books or podcasts has helped affirm what the Spirit had already been speaking into their hearts. I don’t always get to meet those who write them, though. On my most recent trip, I got to - [Can Institutions Be Redemptive?](https://www.lifestream.org/can-institutions-be-redemptive/) - I got this email from a young seminarian who feels called to work within the Methodist church, even beyond the split many anticipate in the next few months. I’m sure others of you would be interested in this exchange: One of the reasons I wanted to talk to you is because of your view concerning - [Transformational Love](https://www.lifestream.org/transformational-love/) - If God's love could only comfort us in our weakness and could not transform us to live in his glory, it would not be enough. Thankfully, learning to live in his love puts us in the place to see our world through his eyes. Love and truth coupled together is what fuels his transformation in - [A Grateful Heart](https://www.lifestream.org/a-grateful-heart/) - I just got back from Virginia and Maryland and leave next week for a swing through Florida. I look back with profound gratefulness at every moment on this trip and the conversations I had with so many people, some enduring great hardship and struggle, others responding to Jesus' invitation to come closer and to follow him - [Finding My Peace in Him](https://www.lifestream.org/finding-my-peace-in-him/) - "God wants to wean us from depending on earthly circumstances for peace." I read that statement yesterday in a little book I found on my desk the other day. I don't even remember who sent it to me or when. It is called On Being Led by the Spirit written by David Morsey. This simple booklet - [Friends and Friends of Friends: Living in the Relational Church - Part 11](https://www.lifestream.org/friends-and-friends-of-friends-living-in-the-relational-church-part-11/) - By Wayne Jacobsen BodyLife • September 2007 Since I first wrote The Naked Church twenty years ago now, I have searched for a definition of the church that encompasses her majesty and yet explains in simplicity who she is and how she functions in the world. At first I thought that could be answered in - [The Narrow Road](https://www.lifestream.org/the-narrow-road/) - Living Loved • Winter 2013 Current Issue I had just spent the weekend in a country home talking with a group of people about living in the Father's love. Afterwards two of them drove me to the airport nearly two hours away. The questions continued until we were close to the airport. Finally, a twenty-one - [Betrayal, Forgiveness, and Reconciliation](https://www.lifestream.org/bodylife-betrayal-forgiveness-reconciliation/) - By Wayne Jacobsen Living Loved • Spring 2012 The world does not need one more example of people who claim to be Christ-followers while they blow up close friendships for whatever personal gain they may seek. We have too many already. Unfortunately, Christians have a far greater reputation for self-serving than they do for self-sacrifice. - [Betrayal, Forgiveness, and Reconciliation](https://www.lifestream.org/betrayal-forgiveness-and-reconciliation-blog/) - What a weekend! I gathered with some folks near my old stomping grounds, not far from where I grew up and where I served on a church staff for five years in the earliest days of my post-university and just-married life. People came from all over this part of California, including people that were in - [The Church Jesus is Building](https://www.lifestream.org/the-church-jesus-is-building/) - By Wayne Jacobsen Living Loved • Winter 2011 "What do you think the church is going to look like ten years from now?" I get asked that question almost everywhere I go. People assume that my travels and correspondence give me a wider view of God's work in the world. And while it may be - [Quiet Lives of Profound Consequence](https://www.lifestream.org/quiet-lives-of-profound-consequence/) - By Wayne Jacobsen Living Loved • Autumn 2011 They are all over the world. I've met them everywhere--men and women who have been seasoned with the joy of living loved and are capable in the simplest of conversations to encourage others along that journey as well. You can sit in their homes and be at - [How Do I... ?](https://www.lifestream.org/how-do-i/) - By Wayne Jacobsen BodyLife • March 2010 "How do I...?" Probably 80% of the questions I get begin with those three little words. I shudder now when I hear them, though I don't always show it. Believe me, I understand well enough. It used to be three of my favorite words, too. How do - [Bait and Switch](https://www.lifestream.org/bait-and-switch/) - By Wayne Jacobsen BodyLife • May 2009 Trading the Vibrant Life of Jesus for a Ritualistic Religion Called Christianity. I saw the sign a year ago in Georgia: Live Free for Three Months. It was a developer's marketing strategy for a declining housing market. When I saw it, however, I wasn't thinking about houses. I - [The Power of Living In Love](https://www.lifestream.org/the-power-of-living-in-love/) - By Wayne Jacobsen BodyLife • June 2008 Life has taken some crazy turns for me since the last one I wrote in September. I will still continue to do these from time to time, but they will not be often or regular. This one is a bit different as well. Here are three related snapshots - [Windblown: What Life in Him Looks Like](https://www.lifestream.org/windblown-what-life-in-him-looks-like/) - By Wayne Jacobsen BodyLife • February 2007 He was a religious leader who sought Jesus out in the dark of night. He knew Jesus' miracles were proof that God was with him and he wanted to be part of his kingdom. But he had no idea what it would demand from him. Perhaps Nicodemus wanted - [The Language of Community](https://www.lifestream.org/bodylife-the-language-of-community/) - By Wayne Jacobsen & Dave Coleman BodyLife • September 2006 I'm currently reading So You Don't Want to Go to Church Anymore into audio files for a soon-to-be-released CD. [Edit: We have finished the audio book. You can find more information here.] It has been fun to re-visit the language that has been such a - [The Real Question](https://www.lifestream.org/the-real-question/) - By Wayne Jacobsen BodyLife • March 2006 As I travel among the body of Christ one of the questions I am asked the most is, what do I see Jesus doing in his church today? Am I excited or discouraged by what I see? Before I answer that here, let me admit at the outset - [Reveling in the Freedom to Follow](https://www.lifestream.org/reveling-in-the-freedom-to-follow/) - By Wayne Jacobsen BodyLife • July 2006 To be honest, most of the mornings I lived bogged down by the demands and agendas of religion, I woke up defeated. I'd look at the clock dreading what the day might hold and wondering how I could get everything just right so God could do incredible things - [Tree Town - A Parable For Our Times](https://www.lifestream.org/tree-town-a-parable-for-our-times/) - By David Hebden* and Wayne Jacobsen BodyLife • November 2005 There was a town much like any other town, except it had no trees. A disease had wiped them out so long ago that no one living today even remembered they had existed. They had grown accustomed to the barren landscape. One day a young - [Feasting on the Tree of Life](https://www.lifestream.org/feasting-on-the-tree-of-life/) - By Wayne Jacobsen with David Hebden and Paul Young BodyLife • August 2005 For those who don't think we truly died that day in the Garden of Eden when Adam and Eve chose the knowledge of good and evil over the Tree of Life, you only have to look at the human drive for personal - [The Nut Test](https://www.lifestream.org/the-nut-test/) - BodyLife Archive • September 1997 By Wayne Jacobsen "You mean I'm not nuts!" No statement has been spoken to me more often by such a wide variety of people than this one. Sometimes it's a question. Sometimes it's spoken with great joy, other times with quiet relief. I've heard these words in virtually every state - [I Don't Believe You](https://www.lifestream.org/i-dont-believe-you/) - Four times in a brief conversation, he looked me in the eye and angrily stated, "I don't believe you." This came from a close friend, one with whom I've walked for many years. He was asking me some direct questions, and I was answering them honestly. However, he wasn't getting the answers he wanted, and - [Why Are You So Afraid?](https://www.lifestream.org/why-are-you-so-afraid2/) - Most days, I get an email from someone reading Live Loved Free Full, telling me how much the reflection of that day was perfectly tailored to a specific circumstance in their life, or it was just the encouragement they needed for that day. The other day someone said it was their favorite from all the - [Alaska, Virginia, and Maryland](https://www.lifestream.org/alaska-virginia-and-maryland/) - I used to get frustrated when things didn't work out the way I had planned. Not anymore. I've seen God open up so many other opportunities when original plans go awry that now I find myself a bit excited when something doesn't work out the way I thought it would. I find myself excited to - [What Do You See?](https://www.lifestream.org/what-do-you-see/) - I got an email a few days ago with this picture in it and this comment: "It is difficult to understand how anyone would consider its life as less than a butterfly." I smiled when I read that. Several years ago, I would have seen this as less than a butterfly, especially if it were - [Only the Hungry](https://www.lifestream.org/only-the-hungry/) - Living Loved - Fall 2021 Note: this is a copy of my infrequent newsletter, sent out Wednesday. When I returned from Australia a couple of decades ago, having heard a powerful narrative about what happened between a Father and a Son on a cross that secured our freedom to embrace a loving Father, I still - [Ever Wanted to Read the Divine Comedy?](https://www.lifestream.org/ever-wanted-to-read-the-divine-comedy/) - This isn't for everyone, I'll admit that at the outset. For years, I've wanted to read The Divine Comedy by Dante. It is one of the classics of Christian literature, a poem about Hell, Purgatory, and Paradise, told in one hundred short cantos (short poetic chapters). Come with Dante as he descends into hell and - [Wherever He Asks...](https://www.lifestream.org/wherever-he-asks/) - It isn't easy to know how much travel to do these days negotiating around COVID. Being vaccinated, I'm not worried about myself, but I don't want to be the cause of others spreading it around. But I do have some travel taking shape this fall as long as it seems prudent to do so. Lectures - [A Gifted Woman In Tragic Circumstances](https://www.lifestream.org/a-gifted-woman-in-tragic-circumstances/) - I've introduced you to Jenny Rowbury before*. Though I've never met her in person, our hearts have been connected through her parents and her poetry. Jenny is an incredible woman. A vivacious and creative person, Jenny was struck down with a rare disease that has left her bed-ridden and in constant pain for over sixteen - [Can You Help Us Save a School in Kenya?](https://www.lifestream.org/can-you-help-us-save-a-school-in-kenya/) - Since we completed our major project in West Pokot over a year ago, those tribes continue to find their way forward with the resources we gave them. It is such an amazing story of redemption and hard work on their side and generosity on the part of so many of you. We raised over a million - [Where Love Can't Be Savored](https://www.lifestream.org/where-love-cant-be-savored/) - Living in the freedom of God’s love will make you a better lover of people, but that doesn’t mean everyone will be able to recognize that love. Instead, some will accuse you of not loving them because you don't cater to their destructive whims. God knows this well as he lived it himself. Jesus was - [Finding the Fulfilling Path](https://www.lifestream.org/finding-the-fulfilling-path/) - Tomorrow morning, I fly out for a weekend in Wichita and Kansas City to spend time with people in various stages of their journeys. It has been a long time since I've had this kind of weekend, and even though we're in the midst of a fresh surge in COVID, we're going to be careful - [Start with What Is](https://www.lifestream.org/start-with-what-is/) - Yes, that's me above still on vacation, now with just our three grandkids. They do keep us hopping and playing, which is good for the soul. Every time I get the chance to ski, I dread jumping into the cold water, wondering if I still have what it takes to get up on the skis, - [Navigating Toxic Relationships](https://www.lifestream.org/navigating-toxic-relationships/) - Have you ever been in an exchange with an angry friend or relative who kept twisting everything you said until you begin to wonder if you are out of your mind? And I don't mean over a conversation or two, but over years berating you with angry accusations that don't make any sense or seem - [He is Always There](https://www.lifestream.org/he-is-always-there/) - I sat with a man recently who has walked with God for over fifty years. I’ve seen him go through amazing adventures with God, help countless others find faith in the storms of life, and stay true to him in times of great suffering. But a medical emergency threatened all of that. He looked at - [The Rising Tide...](https://www.lifestream.org/the-rising-tide/) - For the past six months, a dozen of us from around the world have met on Zoom every couple of weeks to seek to listen to God's heart about the turmoil in the world and to agree with him in prayer for what he wants to do in the world. This bi-weekly touchstone has shaped - [Raphael Returns](https://www.lifestream.org/raphael-returns/) - I can't wait to share this part of the story with you. If you haven't yet listened to the My Friend Luis podcast, now might be a good time to get started. When we finished those twelve episodes, Luis and I thought we had told an amazing story of redemption and God's intervention in the - [The Shepherd Is at Work](https://www.lifestream.org/the-shepherd-is-at-work/) - Yes, Sara and I are reading my new devotional book together, and though it feels a bit weird, we are enjoying how God is freshening in our hearts those realities he's been inviting us to embrace for over twenty-five years. This is from June 26, a reminder that following him is the only way to - [It’s Time to Take Wing, Again!](https://www.lifestream.org/its-time-to-take-wing-again/) - I doubt few people enjoyed the COVID stay-at-home orders more than I did. After twenty-five years of constant travel, it was a joy to be home with Sara for such a prolonged period as well as to work on some projects that were on my heart—the My Friend Luis podcast, a new daily devotional Live - [Out of the Shadows is now Available](https://www.lifestream.org/out-of-the-shadows-is-now-available/) - Out of the Shadows, the first book in the Velieri Uprising, was written by someone I know since she was fourteen. I love this story and what it sets up for the future books in this series. I've been so excited to have people I know finally read this book. Here's what I wrote as - [Any Questions for Luis?](https://www.lifestream.org/any-questions-for-luis/) - Putting My Friend Luis together as a podcast has truly been one of the most exhilarating experiences of my life. However, my friendship with Luis is the greater gift here. We continue to share God's life together as we walk with each other through the twists and turns of life. Doing so continues to open up new - [A Divine Wink?](https://www.lifestream.org/a-divine-wink/) - I had an interesting experience the other day that still leaves me tickled and touched. The photo above was taken in the men's restroom at a gas station off of the Wheeler Ridge exit of Hwy 99. I was returning from a trip to visit my dad in the hospital shortly after he had a - [Meet Me in the Middle](https://www.lifestream.org/meet-me-in-the-middle/) - A couple of weeks ago on The God Journey, Kyle and I briefly discussed Tyler Perry's invitation on the most recent Academy Awards TV broadcast: “I refuse to hate someone because they’re Mexican or because they are black or white. Or LGBTQ. I refuse to hate someone because they’re a police officer or because they’re Asian. - [You Are Not Who You Think You Are](https://www.lifestream.org/you-are-not-who-you-think-you-are/) - You'll want to read this. No, not this blog, the new novel I want to tell you about. Out of the Shadows will debut in less than a month, and it will change the way you look at the world. It's been described as a cross between Bourne Identity and Hunger Games and while those - [Embracing God's Playfulness](https://www.lifestream.org/embracing-gods-playfulness/) - Spring Newsletter 2021 Playfulness is not the first thing people think of when they think of the Creator of the universe. Our religious interpretations of him often paint him as an austere, angry, or even terrifying presence. Such views help keep the people fearful instead of faithful, which makes them easier to manipulate. But how - [Embracing the Winds of Change](https://www.lifestream.org/embracing-the-winds-of-change/) - For those of you following this new story-telling podcast, episode 10 dropped this morning. This begins yet another transition in our story and sets up for what were to be the final two podcasts in this series. However... This story has taken yet another turn. I finished my part of editing the final podcast on - [The First Moment of Freedom](https://www.lifestream.org/the-first-moment-of-freedom/) - Sara and I are reading through my new devotional each day. Yes, it is a bit weird reading my own book and even stranger to be touched by it and freshly encouraged to draw into that space that makes my life more fruitful. This one especially touched my heart the other day. April 15 - - [It's Time!](https://www.lifestream.org/its-time/) - The last few months have been a strange time for me. As I was working on the new My Friend Luis podcast, I kept getting insight from the Spirit, signaling there was something ahead he wanted me to be ready for. These insights came in nudges from within, dreams and visions from other people, and - [On My Worst Day - A Must Read!](https://www.lifestream.org/on-my-worst-day-a-must-read/) - Looking for an compelling read this summer? I’ve just finished John Lynch’s latest book, On My Worst Day: Cheesecake, Evil, Sandy Koufax, and Jesus. Now I’m reading it again, this time aloud to Sara. In this book, John takes a look back at the milestone events in his life as God was trying to connect - [Father's Fingerprints](https://www.lifestream.org/fathers-fingerprints/) - I've not been posting much here or anywhere else lately because most of my time these days is spent talking to people and stitching together My Friend Luis. For those of you who have missed this, it is a new, twelve-episode, story-telling podcast of one of my closest friends and how God has worked in - [For Your Consideration](https://www.lifestream.org/for-your-consideration/) - First an announcement... I love hearing from so many of you how Live Loved Free Full is helping encourage your journey. Thanks for letting me know. Blue Sheep Media is providing quantity discounts for those who want extra copies to give to others. You can get ten copies for $150.00 or twenty copies for $300.00. - [My Friend Luis Episode 3](https://www.lifestream.org/my-friend-luis-episode-3/) - Episode 3 of My Friend Luis dropped this morning. This is one of my favorite episodes of the story of the friendship Luis and I have shared, and it sets up a lot that's still to come. One incredible story told over twelve episodes in an immersive format. What it shows about God and his ability - [Resurgence in Kenya](https://www.lifestream.org/resurgence-in-kenya/) - I am so amazed by the number of people who hold the Kenyans in their hearts. I am often asked for updates and am sure I probably don't provide enough. Last time I wrote toward the end of December, the people of Pokot had been through some devastating floods, destroying the villages, their crops, and - [With Gratefulness from Kenya](https://www.lifestream.org/with-gratefulness-from-kenya/) - Your response over the last ten days has been overwhelming. You have no idea how many lives you saved and how many families in North Pokot that you have blessed. So many of you came alongside these dear people who were ravaged by floods in the north of Kenya that we were able to send - [What About Ananias and Sapphira?](https://www.lifestream.org/what-about-ananias-and-sapphira/) - The trajectory of Scripture takes humanity from seeing the Creator of heaven and earth as an angry, demanding deity to encountering him as a loving Father who seeks to rescue his children from the ravages of sin and shame. Knowing that will help you work through those moments in Scripture that have often been preached - ["I Believed the Lie"](https://www.lifestream.org/prophets-for-profit/) - That was a headline I saw the other day of quoting a woman arrested for her part in the riot at the Capitol by Trump supporters on January 6. I didn't read the article, so I don't know if this was a real moment of self-awakening or simply an excuse to escape the charges against - [Follow His Path Not the Crowd](https://www.lifestream.org/follow-his-path-not-the-crowd/) - Someone sent my own quote back to me from one my office sent out last month, with these words: "Thank you so much for these 'Breath of Fresh Air' inspirational messages! The name is perfect, and the messages are greatly needed and much appreciated in these crazy, hectic, troubling times." Following Jesus and seeking the - [A Chronological List of Wayne Jacobsen's Books](https://www.lifestream.org/a-chronological-list-of-wayne-jacobsens-books/) - I get asked quite often for a chronological list of the books I've written. I figured it was time to put it in a place I could refer to easily and that search engines might pick up when people are looking for this information. Looking over the list makes me profoundly grateful for the opportunity - [My Advice for New Authors](https://www.lifestream.org/my-advice-for-new-authors/) - I often get asked by newer writers about finding a publisher or an agent that will consider their work. I don't have a lot to help them with there. I've never used an agent and find publishing companies too committed to the bottom line to publish the kinds of things I want to write. Often - [Nine Fatal Mistakes of Self-Publishing](https://www.lifestream.org/nine-fatal-mistakes-self-publishing/) - Yet another self-published book arrived on my desk last week. Just looking at it my heart sank. Regardless of what was inside the presentation of the book itself screamed, “Don’t read me!” Somebody had poured their heart and soul into that book, but it is highly unlikely that it will find an audience beyond the - [I Wrote This for You](https://www.lifestream.org/i-wrote-this-for-you/) - Last week in the high Sierras I recorded a short video on why I wrote Live Loved Free Full. You can view it here: https://vimeo.com/513869403. We've had a tough roll-out on this book, with production delays and then internal problems at Amazon that showed our book wasn't available even though they had copies. Fortunately, - [A Conversation about Racial Equity](https://www.lifestream.org/a-conversation-about-racial-equity/) - Last Sunday, I held a Zoom conversation with people who wanted to discuss some of the political climate we are in, especially as it has affected relationships with friends and family. We didn't record it, so nothing to share there, but we had a great time talking about putting our hope in God's kingdom, not - [Want to Zoom with Me on Sunday?](https://www.lifestream.org/want-to-zoom-with-me-on-sunday/) - I got this email last week, and it really touched me. I know this woman isn't alone. Many have come through this pandemic and election season confused about what is true and how to deal with people in our lives who seem to have fallen prey to many of the lies that are disarming the - [A Life-Long Companion](https://www.lifestream.org/a-life-long-companion/) - I am grateful to those of you who have taken the time to review my new book on Amazon. Thank you from the bottom of my heart. I hope they are helpful on people finding this book as an encouragement to the Spirit's work in them. You have no idea how much those reviews help - [A Dad and His Son](https://www.lifestream.org/a-dad-and-his-son/) - January 22 The father and son in the photo are obviously delighted with each other and the photo perfectly captures the joy, wonder, and affection that God wants to share with his children. “I’m a long way from that,” Glenn admitted after I had a chance to let the picture sink in, “but I know - [In the Eyes of a Son](https://www.lifestream.org/in-the-eyes-of-a-son/) - January 21 “Everything God is calling me to right now seems wrapped up in this picture,” Glenn told me as he laid the black and white photograph of father and son on the table. This was the first time I had been in Glenn and Elaine’s home. We sat down for breakfast a few hours - [Do You Love Me?](https://www.lifestream.org/do-you-love-me/) - January 19 It makes more sense to me now, why Jesus asked Peter the question he did after the resurrection: “Do you love me?” He didn’t want to know if Peter adored him, feared him, or was ready to serve him in the face of any conceivable threat. He just wanted to know he had - [Affection or Adoration?](https://www.lifestream.org/affection-or-adoration/) - January 20 What do you think? Would I rather sit on the couch with my children while they tell me what an incredibly awesome father I am, repeating the same words again and again so I am sure to get the message; or would I rather take a walk with them, talking about their - [We Are All Beautiful in His Eyes](https://www.lifestream.org/we-are-all-beautiful-in-his-eyes/) - January 18 Though our flesh can be seduced by the adoration of others, our Father doesn’t share the same ego. I know many people who sacrifice the affection of their family for their success in the workplace, but God isn’t wired that way. I think he would treasure affection over adoration any day of the - [He Has Chosen You](https://www.lifestream.org/he-has-chosen-you/) - January 17 Nyssa was adopted into her family. Her parents first laid eyes on her when she was eleven days old and knew her entire condition before they threw wide the doors of their home and invited her in. Jim told me he was initially reticent to adopt a child with so many special needs. - [A Girl and Her Daddy!](https://www.lifestream.org/a-girl-and-her-daddy/) - January 16 “Majesty, worship his Majesty . . .” The familiar words rolled off my lips as I sat among a group of believers from all over the western United States who had gathered to share their experiences in relational church. It was Sunday morning and we were just beginning with a chance to sing - [Seven Characteristics of the Deluded](https://www.lifestream.org/seven-characteristics-of-the-deluded/) - #post_contentSeven characteristics in people who are unknowingly living under delusion. - [The Fatherless Epidemic](https://www.lifestream.org/the-fatherless-epidemic/) - January 15 “I think my dad hates me,” she said through her sniffles, choking back the sob that hung in her throat. Then she detailed the fight they’d had the night before. Her dad was upset about the provocative way she often dressed, and she was certain he had no respect for her choices. I - [Where to Begin?](https://www.lifestream.org/where-to-begin-2/) - January 14 What do you think? Do you want a relationship with God based on fear or the endearment of his own character and love? If you don’t know how to do that, find someone who does and ask him or her if they will help you. Don’t look for someone to tell you exactly - [The Most Engaging Invitation](https://www.lifestream.org/the-most-engaging-invitation/) - January 13 Far from being the kill-joy that religion makes God out to be, or the excuse for our injustices to others, God becomes a valued companion in this journey called life. When you know who this amazing God is, “Be holy as I am holy” is not the most onerous command in Scripture, but - [Three More Reasons](https://www.lifestream.org/three-more-reasons/) - January 12 Let’s continue yesterday's reading with three reasons that you might want to follow God that don’t include fear of the afterlife. The third reason for me is because navigating successfully through a broken Creation is beyond my best resources and wisdom. Self-indulgence leads to the corruption and injustice that not only diminishes my - [Two Fearless Reasons to Follow God](https://www.lifestream.org/two-fearless-reasons-to-follow-god/) - January 11 Some Christians tell me that people will not serve God unless we terrify them with the possibility of hell. I disagree. I can think of five great reasons anyone would want to follow God that have nothing to do with fear. Let’s look at two of them today and three more tomorrow. First, - [What If?](https://www.lifestream.org/what-if-2/) - January 10 I sat on a deck in the High Sierras surrounded by pine and cedar trees with a young man who did not grow up with any kind of spiritual influence in his life. He and his fiancée had asked me to marry them, so we were talking about what kind of involvement they - [God, the Rescuer](https://www.lifestream.org/god-the-rescuer/) - January 9 Many people misunderstand the Old Testament—they conclude that God is the executioner in the redemption story. Stories like Noah’s Ark, Sodom and Gomorrah, and Canaan’s Conquest are enough to convince people that God is a terrifying presence out to destroy in anger the world he created. Nothing could be further from the truth. - [A More Compelling Reason](https://www.lifestream.org/a-more-compelling-reason/) - January 8 So, back to our question of a couple of days ago: Would you want to follow God if there were no hell? Fear of hell was just about the only reason people got saved when I was young. No one wanted to jump through all those religious hoops unless the consequences of not - [A Father Like No Other](https://www.lifestream.org/a-father-like-no-other/) - January 4 – A Father Like No Other God’s desire for you since the first day of Creation was to invite you past your fear of him, so you can discover what it means to love him. He offers you an intimate friendship that will transform you as he becomes the all-consuming passion of your - [Fear or Shame Won’t Help](https://www.lifestream.org/fear-or-shame-wont-help/) - January 7 In the early days of my journey, fear and shame were constant if unwelcome companions. I was constantly afraid I wasn’t doing enough for God to like me, and I was ashamed of my sinful desires. My shortcomings and failures were always before me since he commanded us to be as holy as - [Why Follow After God?](https://www.lifestream.org/why-follow-after-god/) - January 6 “Would you follow God if there was no hell?” Someone asked me that a few years ago, and my immediate reaction was, “Of course I would.” If he had asked me that when I was younger, I doubt I would have answered with such certainty. Back then, my relationship with God was more - [Who Is He Really?](https://www.lifestream.org/who-is-he-really/) - January 5 Scripture paints two seemingly contradictory portraits of God. As the holy God, he is shown to be unapproachable in his purity, willing to mete out unspeakable torment on his Son, and ready to consign the unrepentant to eternal agony in hell. He is also portrayed as a tender Father, so loving that the - [First Love](https://www.lifestream.org/first-love/) - Since the delivery of the print edition of my new devotional book, Live Loved Free Full was delayed due to COVID issues in production, I will be posting the daily readings here until it is available. The e-book is already out on Kindle if you prefer that version. I'm sorry we couldn't get you this book as - [Settle for No Substitutes](https://www.lifestream.org/settle-for-no-substitutes/) - January 2 – Settle for No Substitutes Isn’t the record of most of our lives littered with significant periods where we wandered away from his love, seeking other things to carry our spiritual life? Devoid of his presence, we are hounded by fear, guilt, and the delusion that we can earn that love by just - [There's No Fear in Love](https://www.lifestream.org/theres-no-fear-in-love/) - January 3 – There’s No Fear in Love Fear and love cannot exist side by side in the human heart. Though the Psalmist tells us that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, it is only the beginning. John discovered that perfect love casts out fear and that true wisdom is gained - [What the World Needs Now](https://www.lifestream.org/what-the-world-needs-now/) - 2020 was a disaster on so many levels, the greatest of which was a worldwide pandemic that we couldn’t even take on as a common enemy with a united front. Instead, we politicized it with everyone did what was right in their own eyes without regard for a greater common good. So, half our population - [Let Your Soul Feel Its Worth](https://www.lifestream.org/let-your-soul-feel-its-worth/) - I posted this thought last year, and it came back to me repeatedly throughout the year as people would write and tell me how it had changed the trajectory of their lives. Through it, they recognized how unworthy they felt in their own failures and how distant from the very love that could transform them. - [Wayne's New Book Delayed](https://www.lifestream.org/waynes-new-book-delayed/) - I was just notified late Friday that my new book. Live Loved Free Full will not be available by the end of the year as we were originally promised. We knew we were on a tight timeline to get this out by January, and unfortunately, it didn't all come together as we had hoped. Our - [You Won't Want to Miss This](https://www.lifestream.org/you-wont-want-to-miss-this/) - I don't expect my closest friends to listen to all 781 of the podcasts I've recorded, or even most of them. I don't expect them to listen week after week, and I find it awkward when someone apologizes to me for not keeping up with the podcasts. Most people over our fifteen-year run listen for a - [Don't Let Fear Determine Your Path](https://www.lifestream.org/dont-let-fear-determine-your-path/) - I got a text recently from someone about an exchange we had six years before. You may never know what these words you said to me in 2014 have meant to me. There is so much pressure living in the “Bible belt” but I think I finally realize through this pandemic and having time to - [A Special Gift a Long Time Ago](https://www.lifestream.org/a-special-gift-a-long-time-ago/) - In memory of a special day I spent with Walter Hooper in the home of C.S. Lewis - [Relationships Make Us Rich](https://www.lifestream.org/relationships-make-us-rich/) - Remember to treasure the people who encourage you best on your spiritual journey - [A Fresh Wind is Blowing ](https://www.lifestream.org/a-fresh-wind-is-blowing/) - Do you know how in advance of a storm, the wind can pick up suddenly, change direction, and bring in a scent of rain? I have a growing sense that the same thing is happening with God’s Spirit. The wind of his Spirit has shifted. Have you felt it? In the last couple of weeks, - [Would You Like to Help Me Launch My New Book?](https://www.lifestream.org/would-you-like-to-help-me-launch-my-new-book/) - I love surprises, and this one is a surprise even to me. My new book, Live Loved Free Full, releases December 22, 2020. It had been sitting on my computer for more than a decade, and I had no idea what a gem it was until I opened it recently. Someone else had put this together - [Happy Birthday to Our Little Book](https://www.lifestream.org/happy-birthday-to-our-little-book/) - A year ago today, I released my latest book, A Language of Healing for a Polarized Nation, along with my coauthors Arnita Taylor and Bob Prater. In the year since, our culture has only grown more polarized, regretfully. We're not blaming the book for that. We always knew a book about peacemaking would be a - [At Peace No Matter What](https://www.lifestream.org/at-peace-no-matter-what/) - Someone sent my own quote back to me a few days ago, telling me how much it had encouraged them. This thought always draws my heart back to a better place, as well. Our world is a mess, no doubt about it. I wish there had been no virus, that our country wasn't so polarized - [A Daily Guide to Living Loved, Free and Full](https://www.lifestream.org/a-daily-guide-to-living-loved-free-and-full/) - The world bombards us with its anxieties and distractions while religion often draws us onto the performance treadmill of doing our best for God. With all of that, how will we ever sustain a journey that leans into Father’s love and faces every circumstance in the growing confidence that we can know his ways and - ["This Book Has Been My Friend"](https://www.lifestream.org/this-book-has-been-my-friend/) - I'll let Lauren handle my blogging duties today. I've gotten many emails like this over the past nearly-twenty years that "The Jake Story" started to appear in the world. Dave Coleman and I started releasing chapters over twenty years ago at JakeColsen.com. No one knew who was writing it at the time, but the story - [What's In Your Heart?](https://www.lifestream.org/whats-in-your-heart/) - I've known John and his wife Jenny for almost twenty years. Transplanted to England from South Africa, we met them through our friends in Ireland and have enjoyed many rich times of fellowship with them. He's just published a new book and one that I think many of you will enjoy. It's called What's in - [Politics Divide; Only Love Redeems](https://www.lifestream.org/politics-divide-only-love-redeems/) - “How blessed is the man who has made the Lord his trust, and has not turned to the proud, nor to those who lapse into falsehood.” Psalm 40:4 Honestly, I couldn’t help it. I read this a few Sunday mornings ago, and the first thought in my head was “President Trump.” He creates more fake - [Language of Healing Live - 2 pm (PDT) Today](https://www.lifestream.org/language-of-healing-live-2-pm-pdt-today/) - In a week or so, this contentious U.S. election will be over and regardless of which side wins the election, how do we recover from the polarization that has been fostered during this campaign? That will be our topic this afternoon on another episode of Language of Healing Live at 2:00 pm PDT. I'll be - ["You Have No Idea!"](https://www.lifestream.org/you-have-no-idea/) - It’s now been three weeks and a day since I had my surgery. Someone asked how I felt this morning and I told them today when I woke up I already feel like you’ve been run over by three busses. But that’s better than the seven busses last week, or the twelve the week before - [Putting Some Encouragement Into Your Day](https://www.lifestream.org/putting-some-encouragement-into-your-day/) - I've never had so much fun recycling. We do it, of course. We live in California, and you can't take everything to landfills. We recycle everything we can, including banana peels, which go back to making compost for Sara's garden. But my own writings? It really hadn't occurred to me even a few weeks ago - [Did You Enjoy Your Breath of Fresh Air This Week?](https://www.lifestream.org/did-you-enjoy-your-breath-of-fresh-air-this-week/) - Last week we began a new service here at Lifestream. We started a three-day-a-week email to encourage people to take a beat and reflect on some aspect of God’s work in them and the world around them. A lady in Pennsylvania is selecting quotations from my various books, podcasts, blog posts, and articles I’ve written - [A Breath of Fresh Air](https://www.lifestream.org/a-breath-of-fresh-air/) - From the smokey haze of California, a breath of fresh air sounds pretty awesome. To draw a deep, clean breath can clear the mind, and exhaling can refocus our spirit. "I can't breathe," has become a too-often used refrain this year whether it's black men under the knee of a racist police officer, a patient - [Busting Up Your Bias - Going Live Today at 2 pm](https://www.lifestream.org/busting-up-your-bias-going-live-today-at-2-pm/) - How do our perceptions of people groups who may be of a different color, different faith, or different sexuality affect how we relate to them? Many people can't recognize their own biases, especially those that lead to injustice and unfairness for others. Recognizing we all have biases and learning how to manage them is an - [Is America a Racist Country?](https://www.lifestream.org/is-america-a-racist-country/) - I woke up yesterday to this email from a really close friend: "Do you believe there is systemic racism in this country? Do you think we are a racist country? I was just curious about what you thought as I couldn't tell from what I have listened to and what you've written." Great question, and - [A Conversation We Desperately Need](https://www.lifestream.org/conversation-we-desperately-need/) - One of the big themes for A Language of healing for a Polarized Nation is the importance of nuance. Political realities in our world push us toward one extreme or the other—binary thinking. It's all or nothing! Those narratives are killing us. Last night, I had dinner with a police friend of mine. Hearing him talk about - [Perfectly in Process](https://www.lifestream.org/perfectly-in-process/) - Remember that song I wrote about a few weeks ago, that uplifting melody playing softly in the background of the chaos going on around us? I hope you're still listening, leaning into its rhythm, and letting its lyrics soften your soul? The more I give place to that song in my heart, the more easily - [Coming Home to the Sierras](https://www.lifestream.org/coming-home-to-the-sierras/) - I look forward every year to our time in the Sierras where my 95-year-old father lives. I love everything about this area—the pines and cedars, granite boulders, the blue water of an alpine lake, a starry night sky clear enough to see the Milky Way with ease, wild lupin, the crunching of dirt, pine needles, - [Once More, Into the Breach](https://www.lifestream.org/once-more-into-the-breach/) - We were given an incredible assignment by the Lord to help rescue 120,000 people from certain starvation in North Pokot. We announced a couple of months ago that we had completed that task, and the four villages were now functioning on their own with the resources we helped them develop. Over these past five years, I - [Pardon Me, Your Tribe is Showing](https://www.lifestream.org/pardon-me-your-tribe-is-showing/) - I will be doing a live Zoom session today at 2:00 pm PDT with my coauthors of A Language of Healing for a Polarized Nation, Bob Prater and Arnita Taylor. Today's conversation will focus on themes from Chapter 3 about the pluses and minuses of tribalism and how it affects our life. It is so easy - [Finding a Refuge in Love](https://www.lifestream.org/finding-a-refuge-in-love/) - I don't think anyone has sent me flowers before. But yesterday, I got an email from a friend in Oregon with a picture of two bouquets of roses. Mark Warner is a former pastor and former alcoholic who knows the dark side well. His email was titled: Why I Take Flowers to Two 95 Years - [Cultivating Compassion - Live Today](https://www.lifestream.org/cultivating-compassion-live-today/) - Instead of adding more anger or fear to the turmoil of our times, what if we added more compassion? One of the attributes of a peacemaker is cultivating a compassionate heart for those who are different from us, especially those who are marginalized. Even Jesus said, that "mercy triumphs over justice." We're exploring how we - [The Song Beneath the Virus](https://www.lifestream.org/the-song-beneath-the-virus/) - Can you hear it? It's the Song of the Ages, still playing beneath the virus and all that's changed in our world. It is fresh from your Father's heart, inviting you into his reality. It's not the loudest song in the wind. Fears of the virus and daily body counts will ring louder. The rancor - [The Rudeness of Religion](https://www.lifestream.org/the-rudeness-of-religion/) - I heard this from a friend the other day and loved what it unveiled about his heart. "I am only beginning to realize how rude my faith made me." I love that. As people grow more tender in his love, they begin to recognize how adherence to religion doesn't transform us. Instead, it just reroutes - [We Have Completed the Work...](https://www.lifestream.org/we-have-completed-the-work/) - It's one of my favorite passages in Acts. Paul and Barnabas return from their first missionary journey and report back to the church in Antioch that, "they had completed the work God gave them to do." When does that ever happen? Our religious culture doesn't think in terms of tasks that can be done and - [The Prayer of Faith](https://www.lifestream.org/the-prayer-of-faith-2/) - It is one of the great conversations I enjoy with people when I travel. What is faith, and how does it influence our prayers? Since I haven’t been traveling during this coronavirus, I thought I would respond to this email online. First, here is the email: I have been pondering some of the things you - [Don't Put Me in Your Binary Box](https://www.lifestream.org/dont-put-me-in-your-binary-box/) - You will be able to understand better my blog and my podcast if you don’t assume I’m in your binary box. I reject them all. I can think beyond the false boxes politicians, media, and sometimes friends try to put me in. I think you do, too. I helped write a book about that where one of - [Language of Healing Live!](https://www.lifestream.org/language-of-healing-live/) - I will be doing a live Zoom session today at 2:00 pm PDT with my coauthors of A Language of Healing for a Polarized Nation, Bob Prater and Arnita Taylor. Today's conversation will focus on themes from Chapter 2 and asks why we might want to learn to speak a language of healing into the - [There Is a Better Conversation Going On](https://www.lifestream.org/there-is-a-better-conversation-going-on/) - Yes, I wanted to get your attention. I don't triple-dog-dare anyone to do anything, though I would love for you to think through the issues the author lays out in that chapter. Please don't let the media that amplifies the most extreme voices on the left and the right rob you of the important conversations - [A Fork In the Road](https://www.lifestream.org/a-fork-in-the-road/) - First, Sara and I had a great trip to Denver to be with our son and his girlfriend, Karen. We put on a lot of miles, over a thousand each way. We took our two dogs with us in a rented RV so we could maintain our anti-COVID bubble. It all worked out great. Well, - [We're Taking a Bit of a Break](https://www.lifestream.org/were-taking-a-bit-of-a-break/) - This morning we head off in our rented RV to visit our son in Denver. Road Trip! We are doing this instead of flying so we have our own little coronavirus protective bubble as we traverse four states. So, we have a few miles to cover and a chance to visit with him. Thus, things - [Going Live Today at 5:00 PDT](https://www.lifestream.org/going-live-today-at-500-pdt/) - First, I want to let you know we have completed The Jesus Story, a twelve-week video class that I did for my grandchildren about appreciating the Bible as the treasure map that can lead us to an adventuresome life in Jesus. These twenty-minute videos are designed to help other parents and grandparents have a similar - [This Can't Keep Happening](https://www.lifestream.org/this-cant-keep-happening/) - Two more horrible images of racism were added to the national lexicon of our racial divide this week. Both have made my heart hurt this week. The first was the killing of a young, black man in Minneapolis by a policeman who persistently ground his knee into the man’s neck as he lay handcuffed and - [The Passion that Has Motivated My Journey](https://www.lifestream.org/the-passion-that-has-motivated-my-journey/) - Last week I got into a bit of an email exchange with someone reading the first book I published so very long ago: Tim: I’m reading the Naked church it’s probably an old unedited version because I printed it free off of one of your sites, and it’s in a three-ring binder large print. But - [A Conversation about Race](https://www.lifestream.org/conversation-about-race/) - Yesterday, my coauthors of A Language of Healing for a Polarized Nation hosted a Zoom conversation to discuss the public reaction to the Ahmaud Arbery killing in Georgia and the racial divide it exposes. Gil Michel, a friend, CPA and an inner-city pastor in Indiana moderated our discussion with a diverse panel who braved the conversation - [Can't We Have a Better Conversation?](https://www.lifestream.org/cant-we-have-a-better-conversation/) - In just a few hours, at 2:00 PDT today, I will be joining my coauthors of A Language of Healing for a Polarized Nation to discuss the public reaction to the Ahmaud Arbery killing in Georgia and the racial divide it exposes. People are quick to choose sides and vilify anyone whose opinion doesn't match - [Love Does Not Require Agreement](https://www.lifestream.org/love-does-not-require-agreement/) - I've got friends on both sides of the polarizing divide in our country, some who think religious conservatives are some of the worst people on the planet and some who think it is impossible for Democrats to believe in God. I've been questioned by people on both of those sides as to how I could - [A Peek At My Email](https://www.lifestream.org/a-peek-at-my-email/) - I don't post these emails because I like reading about myself on my blog. I've already read them and expressed my gratefulness to those who took the time to write me and to the Father for the way some of these things find their way into the world to encourage his people. I post these - [Language of Healing Goes Live!](https://www.lifestream.org/language-of-healing-goes-live/) - God was opening what could have been some incredible doors for A Language of Healing for a Polarized Nation before the pandemic shut everything down. People were planning book groups, we had an opening to get this message onto college campuses, and we were asked to do workshops in churches and communities to help people explore a - [It's Rarely the Words...](https://www.lifestream.org/its-rarely-the-words/) - During a trip on the East coast in 2016, I was asked to meet with a couple whose twenty-something daughter had been recently killed in a car crash. A friend of a friend asked if I could give them some time, so I met them for lunch during a free moment in my schedule. I - [Zooming Through the Pandemic](https://www.lifestream.org/zooming-through-the-pandemic/) - We certainly live in interesting times. We are experiencing a worldwide event that will shape our planet in ways we can't even conceive yet. This pandemic has sent most of us to our homes, restricted our travel and extended family time, and put many jobs and businesses in jeopardy. The economic fall-out from this pandemic - [The Jesus Story #5 - The Story that Leads Us to Jesus](https://www.lifestream.org/the-jesus-story-5-the-story-that-leads-us-to-jesus/) - After talking through the life of Jesus, and how the early followers discovered what it means to let the Risen Christ live in them, we start looking back at the Bible story that leads to Jesus' coming. This is a long story of God seeking to win people to himself as they continue to get - [Embracing Your Own Resurrection](https://www.lifestream.org/embracing-your-own-resurrection/) - I am a bit saddened this morning by all those who will celebrate the fact of the Resurrection today as if it guarantees them the hope, light, and joy they want. But so many will miss the reality of the Resurrection in their own lives. The fact of the Resurrection did nothing for the soldiers - [COVID-19 Finds Its Way to Kenya](https://www.lifestream.org/covid-19-finds-its-way-to-kenya/) - Can you imagine the changes the world has undergone in the last three weeks. How unthinkable this would have been if someone told you even two months ago that so many of us would be locked up in our homes and when we do venture out it would be with masks and gloves. Our health - [The Jesus Story #4 - Learning to Live in Jesus](https://www.lifestream.org/the-jesus-story-4-learning-to-live-in-jesus/) - After Jesus's resurrection, his new followers had to learn how to live in this new kingdom with Jesus on the inside instead of the outside. A number of those wrote letters to help explain it to others and those have been saved for us in the part of the New Testament between Acts and Revelation. - [The Pews Are Empty Again Today](https://www.lifestream.org/the-pews-are-empty-again-today/) - “This pandemic makes Beyond Sundays even more relevant and applicable!!!” That text came from a friend a couple of weeks ago when congregations were forced to cancel their Sunday services all across the country to flatten the proliferation of the coronavirus. This Sunday, once again, the pews were empty and on Palm Sunday at that. Even - [The Visible Becomes Invisible Again](https://www.lifestream.org/the-visible-becomes-invisible-again/) - As Jesus's body ascends to the Father, the disciples could no longer see him as they did before. But it wasn't long until they discovered that Jesus had come to live in them by his Spirit and now they would be the vessels through whom Jesus would make himself known in the world. Then the - [When the Invisible Became Visible](https://www.lifestream.org/when-the-invisible-became-visible/) - "The Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld his glory..." Reading about Jesus in The Gospels can help you learn to recognize the voice and the work of the Risen Jesus as he draws you into a relationship with him today. That's the theme of the second episode of The Jesus Story, - [The Scripture as a Treasure Map](https://www.lifestream.org/the-scripture-as-treasure-map/) - Well, we did it! We got through the first session of what we are now calling The Jesus Story. It is a simplification of The Jesus Lens, helping my grandchildren (ages 9-15) have an appreciation for the value of the Bible and some tools to help them enjoy it for the rest of their lives. - [The Scripture Story](https://www.lifestream.org/the-scripture-story/) - Beginning this Thursday, my daughter Julie and I will be offering a twice-a-week online class about The Story of Scripture. Originally designed as a brief course for my grandkids during the pandemic, we also decided to make it available to other interested families. This class will explore the story that runs through all of Scripture - [Social Distancing](https://www.lifestream.org/social-distancing/) - I've had a lot of people worried about us out here in California, the land of fruits and nuts, especially hearing the news that we are now under a "stay at home" order by our state. I recorded a podcast on the pandemic on Tuesday and when it aired today, it was already a bit - [Grounded!](https://www.lifestream.org/grounded/) - A week ago, who could have imagined all the changes our country would make to help stem the spread of the coronavirus? California has now closed all bars and pubs and is limiting any public events to fifty people or less. Doctors are recommending we limit contact to even fewer—as much as our work might - [How Deep Our Faith](https://www.lifestream.org/how-deep-our-faith/) - I was talking to a friend across the country Friday about California's ban on gatherings of more than 250 people while they try to slow the spread of the coronavirus in our state. He said he know of a pastor who was already defying that order. He was going to have services as usual this - [Living in Uncertain Times](https://www.lifestream.org/living-in-uncertain-times/) - What a difference twenty-four hours can make. Last night as I watched at my grandson’s little league game, the coronavirus was still a distant concern. Then, the president spoke, and suddenly major league and college sports teams were postponing their schedules. Cruise lines were canceling their trips; Broadway and Disneyland are closing. Now, it seems, - [Leaning into His Love](https://www.lifestream.org/leaning-into-his-love/) - For those of you in and around central Michigan, I'm headed there at the end of the month if the planes are still flying. But what I really wanted to share was this: A close friend from across the country wrote me a note last week. His adult son had been a bit down lately. - [Changing the World You Live In](https://www.lifestream.org/changing-the-world-you-live-in/) - My dad said he read the book, and he loved it, but he also added, "You're going to have a tough time getting people to read this book." A few days later, I got this note from a friend in Washington, "(This is) one of the most important books I have seen in a long, - [What If There Really Is Something More?](https://www.lifestream.org/what-if-there-really-is-something-more/) - I'm finishing up in Oklahoma City today and then headed up to Tulsa tomorrow. Arnita Taylor, one of my coauthors came up from Dallas, and we presented some of our material from A Language of Healing for a Polarized Nation (now available in audio) with a very engaged group last night. One of the exercises we - [Abandon Your Agenda and Embrace His](https://www.lifestream.org/abandon-your-agenda-and-embrace-his/) - I was invited this week to appear on Joseph Warren's podcast, The Broken Catholic, where he asked me to share some of my story. We had a great conversation about what it means to find our way into a meaningful and transformational life with Jesus. We talk about how we can align our hearts to - [Facilitating the Conversations That Matter](https://www.lifestream.org/facilitating-the-conversations-that-matter/) - A week or so ago, I wrote a blog about The Power of a Conversation. I would say that the vast majority of us have been more impacted by a meaningful conversation than listening to a lecture. I know many people see lectures as more fit for teaching, but honestly I do more effective teaching - [Some Possibilities in Europe](https://www.lifestream.org/some-possibilities-in-europe/) - I'll be in Europe this summer from May 15 until June 8. Some of that is personal, and some of that is available for whatever Father might have in mind. I'll be in the north of Europe and I have some free time between May 28 and June 2. So, if Father has something on - [The Audio Book is Now Available](https://www.lifestream.org/the-audio-book-is-now-available/) - We've had some interesting developments with A Language of Healing for a Polarized Nation. For one, the audio book was released yesterday, so those of you who would prefer to have someone read it for you, here it is! Bob Prater, Arnita Taylor, and I read our own words in the book, which really draws - [I Love How This Book Encourages So Many](https://www.lifestream.org/i-love-how-this-book-encourages-so-many/) - One of the great joys I have every day is opening my email. Yes, there is lots of pain in there as people are struggling with the brokenness of the world and how much religious obligation has twisted their view of God and themselves. But there's also lots of joy in it as people have - [The Power of a Conversation](https://www.lifestream.org/the-power-of-a-conversation/) - Newsletter - February 2020 I used to love lecturing, putting together a finely-crafted talk with illustrations and Biblical insights that seemed to touch people deeply. I enjoyed the cadence of a good speech, the flows of laughter and depth of emotions the perfect illustration could elicit. How much I loved being the guy on the - [When Character Matters Most](https://www.lifestream.org/when-character-matters-most/) - As another impeachment trial begins today, the second in my lifetime, I’m really left wondering if character matters to anyone anymore for our political leaders. The Democrats fought for a resounding “no” in the Bill Clinton sex scandals, and many of my Republican friends are pushing the same agenda now that their champion holds the - [Simple Church](https://www.lifestream.org/simple-church/) - Sometimes it is easy to miss the forest for the trees. I've spent a lot of time lately with people that are really excited about 'Simple Church.' I'd be excited about it too if it weren't capitalized. I'm all for simple church life. But 'Simple Church' is a way of doing church in homes with - [The Focused Life](https://www.lifestream.org/the-focused-life/) - Over the past few weeks I have been recording the audio version of In Season: Embracing the Father's Process for Fruitfulness, and then this weekend it was time to prune the four grapevines I have in my back yard. And it just so happens that I've been undergoing a bit of pruning in my spiritual - [Defining Life on the Extremes](https://www.lifestream.org/defining-life-on-the-extremes/) - I’m delighted so many of you are reading A Language of Healing for a Polarized Nation and are putting those things you’ve learned into practice. I love hearing that people are exploring new relationships with those who are different, discovering that understanding and respect is a freer way to live than in fear and animosity. I know - [O Holy Night](https://www.lifestream.org/o-holy-night/) - O Holy Night is my favorite Christmas carol. Sara and I listened to it as we got ready to go to bed last night. I reveled in my favorite lyric from it: "Long lay the world in sin and error pining, till He appeared and the soul felt its worth." Ever since Eden's Fall, the - [One Conversation at a Time](https://www.lifestream.org/one-conversation-at-a-time/) - Our hope for A Language of Healing for a Polarized Nation is that it would change the way people interact with those around them. I love the stories where that is happening. Here are two I got just last week that really touched me: Our publisher sent me this story after going into a Barnes - [The Moments That Bring Transformation](https://www.lifestream.org/the-moments-that-bring-transformation/) - Winter 2019-2020 Newsletter If you'd like to subscribe, fill out the form here. Do you know those moments when a nudge in your heart contradicts what you would choose to do? Those are the moments on which your transformation hangs. I can think of many occasions when the voice of the Spirit whispered through my illusion, - [Movie Opening: Like Dandelion Dust](https://www.lifestream.org/movie-opening-like-dandelion-dust/) - I got a ringside seat behind the scenes to watch this little movie grow up. I've known producers Bobby and Kevin Downes for years and watched them craft this Karen Kingsbury novel into a first-rate motion picture as an indie production. It has been well-received at film festivals and opens this weekend to the general - [Let's Change the Conversation...](https://www.lifestream.org/lets-change-the-conversation/) - When you combine courage with compassion, the world can change. The last two weeks have been crazy launching this A Language of Healing for a Polarized Nation, first in Dallas and then in Los Angeles. We found each audience incredibly engaged with wanting to change their own conversations from fear and suspicion to mutual respect - [The Current Crisis in Kenya: Update](https://www.lifestream.org/the-current-crisis-in-kenya-update/) - I wrote last week about the horrific crisis unfolding in West Pokot where we have been helping tribal groups of people recover from a sustained drought that completely changed their economy. For five years we have been investing over $1.5 million dollars to help them with food, water, medical, and educational needs as well as - [Crisis in Kenya](https://www.lifestream.org/crisis-in-kenya-2/) - EMERGENCY! EMERGENCY! EMERGENCY! You know I don't hype things here, especially when it has to do with money. But there is a crisis unfolding in Kenya, right where we have been working with several tribal groups. I realize we're past Giving Tuesday, or whatever crazy ploy was being used this week, but I have an emergency - [When You Don't Get the Miracle You Want, Part 13](https://www.lifestream.org/when-you-dont-get-the-miracle-you-want-part-13/) - Many of you followed the saga of Alan and Lynn (not their real names) the summer that began as In the Shadow of Death and finished as When You Don't Get the Miracle You Want. It's a prolonged email exchange with a man whose wife was dying of metastasized breast cancer despite their faith and belief - [Meet the Authors of A Language of Healing](https://www.lifestream.org/meet-the-authors-of-a-language-of-healing/) - Sara and I are just back from our week away, and it was glorious! Life is full now with getting our new book released and available. But first, let me assure everyone that Sara and I are doing fine in the face of all the wildfires going on in Southern California since our return. I've - [Launch Day!](https://www.lifestream.org/launch-day/) - Today is drop day! A Language of Healing for a Polarized Nation dropped this morning at retail outlets throughout the U.S. I've been living inside this book for nearly two years and it is such a relief to finally have it available in the world. We have had a group of advance readers already discussing - [The Puppy and the Garden](https://www.lifestream.org/the-puppy-and-a-garden/) - It's one of my all-time favorite stories, of Sara, her garden, and our new pup Zoey from three years ago. I've shared it all over the world, and even in a former blog post. But it showed up recently in an interview I'd done quite a while ago in a new video produced by Loren - [Farewell Kevin... And Thank You](https://www.lifestream.org/farewell-kevin-and-thank-you/) - The world is a bit poorer today, at the same time more of what I treasure has found his way into eternity. I found out this morning that my good friend from Australia, Kevin Smith, passed away peacefully on Sunday morning. I knew he had not been well and had endured great suffering and pain - [A Crazy, Crazy Few Weeks](https://www.lifestream.org/a-crazy-crazy-few-weeks/) - Why has this page been so quiet? Because the last few weeks have been a bit crazy, and the next couple will be the same. The above photo was my view last weekend, getting a walk in the woods as the day began. I was in Ohio on a two-day turn-around from Sara and my - [The Story Behind A Language of Healing](https://www.lifestream.org/the-story-behind-the-book/) - Sara and I are taking a break for a week so, please go easy on me email-wise while we are gone. This is Sara time, and perhaps the lull before the storm with the new book coming out and a bit of travel ahead. Amazing news today! We just found out today that Amazon placed - [The Prayer of Faith](https://www.lifestream.org/the-prayer-of-faith/) - I received an email last week from someone who had been recently diagnosed with a debilitating disease. He told me what he was trying with some alternative treatments and with learning to pray in a way that supposedly can command healing. I don't think he had read any of my blog, helping Alan and his wife deal - [Book Launch Events Announced in Dallas and Los Angeles](https://www.lifestream.org/book-launch/) - A Language of Healing for a Polarized Nation is the book we need at this critical moment in our history. At a time when many Americans are reduced to shouting past one another, the authors of this volume—three thoughtful, compassionate citizens—give us a roadmap to restore civility and respect across even our deepest differences. Filled - [We Don't Always Want What We Want](https://www.lifestream.org/we-dont-always-want-what-we-want/) - I am traveling through the south of Florida at the moment, having spent the weekend in Miami, and now headed up to the Sarasota/Tampa area for the weekend. Yesterday, I had an amazing lunch conversation reconnecting with someone I’d visited several years ago. He’d come here to plant house churches and ended up discovering that - [Do You Want to Help Launch My Latest Book?](https://www.lifestream.org/do-you-want-to-help-launch-my-latest-book/) - They made me do it and laughed at me as they watched me squirm in anguish. All my protests only brought more laughter. I have more social media than I can keep track of now, but the strategy for launching my newest book with co-authors Arnita Taylor and Bob Prater, A Language of Healing for a - [Life at the Speed of Relationships](https://www.lifestream.org/life-at-the-speed-of-relationships/) - No, that isn't the new Lifestream plane, nor am I asking you to buy it for me. I got back last week from a delightful trip to the south. Spent the first weekend with a delightful family south of Atlanta. The whole family (seven kids and spouses) read He Loves Me and So You Don't Want - [After a Marvelous Summer...](https://www.lifestream.org/after-a-marvelous-summer/) - I've been in Sara's presence every day for the last four months, as long a stretch as I can remember over the last twenty years. Any travel I did, we did together and it has been wonderful, even though the reason for doing so was to finish up a couple of books and help some - [When You Don't Get the Miracle You Want, Part 8](https://www.lifestream.org/when-you-dont-get-the-miracle-you-want-part-8/) - This is part eight of our continuing story of Alan and Lynn that began as In the Shadow of Death. Now Lynn has passed away from metastasized breast cancer in the face of a promise they both held in their hearts for her healing. Alan is left to deal not only with his grief, but - [In the Shadow of Death, Part 5](https://www.lifestream.org/in-the-shadow-of-death-part-5/) - This is a continuing email exchange between Wayne and a man who is struggling with healing, faith, love, trust, and mortality as his wife appears to be dying from metastasized breast cancer in the face of a promise they both held in their hearts for her healing. You can read from the beginning starting here. - [In the Shadow of Death, Part 1](https://www.lifestream.org/in-the-shadow-of-death-part-1/) - Last April, Alan wrote to me from what he feared would be his wife’s death bed. They were struggling because they both had a firm conviction that God was going to heal her. She had been diagnosed in late 2014 with metastasized breast cancer and given only months to live. Though she had defied those - [When You Don't Get the Miracle You Want, Part 11](https://www.lifestream.org/when-you-dont-get-the-miracle-you-want-part-11/) - This is part eleven of our continuing story of Alan and Lynn that began as In the Shadow of Death. Despite their best theological certainty that God would heal her, Lynn passed away from metastasized breast cancer. Alan is left to deal not only with his grief, but his view of a God he was certain - [When You Don't Get the Miracle You Want, Part 10](https://www.lifestream.org/when-you-dont-get-the-miracle-you-want-part-10/) - This is part ten of our continuing story of Alan and Lynn that began as In the Shadow of Death. Now Lynn has passed away from metastasized breast cancer in the face of a promise they both held in their hearts for her healing. Alan is left to deal not only with his grief, but - [When You Don't Get the Miracle You Want, Part 9](https://www.lifestream.org/when-you-dont-get-the-miracle-you-want-part-9/) - This is part nine of our continuing story of Alan and Lynn that began as In the Shadow of Death. Now Lynn has passed away from metastasized breast cancer in the face of a promise they both held in their hearts for her healing. Alan is left to deal not only with his grief, but - [The Old Testament Story Not to Be Missed](https://www.lifestream.org/the-old-testament-story-not-to-be-missed/) - A friend sent me this book, The Gift of the Jews: How a Tribe of Desert Nomads Changed the Way Everyone Thinks and Feels by Thomas Cahill. It's not a new book, having been initially published in 1998, but this is the first I'd heard of it. To be honest, I wasn't excited to read a historian's - [The Transformative Power of Living Loved](https://www.lifestream.org/the-transformative-power-of-living-loved/) - This is probably one of the best podcast interviews I've ever had the joy to participate in. And, not because I was particularly brilliant but because the host was so hungry to interact on the content of He Loves Me. I couldn't have been more surprised. I usually don't do things targeted to men because so much - [When You Don't Get the Miracle You Want, Part 7](https://www.lifestream.org/when-you-dont-get-the-miracle-you-want-part-7/) - This is part seven of our continuing story of Alan and Lynn that began as In the Shadow of Death. Now Lynn has passed away from metastasized breast cancer in the face of a promise they both held in their hearts for her healing. Alan is left to deal not only with his grief, but - [When You Don't Get the Miracle You Want, Part 6](https://www.lifestream.org/when-you-dont-get-the-miracle-you-want-part-6/) - We've switched the headline, but the story continues. This is part 6 of our continuing story of Alan and Lynn. Now that Lynn has passed away due to metastasized breast cancer, Alan is left to deal not only with his grief, but his view of a God he was certain would heal her. You can - [In the Shadow of Death, Part 4](https://www.lifestream.org/in-the-shadow-of-death-part-4/) - This is a continuing email exchange between Wayne and a man who is struggling with healing, faith, love, trust, and mortality as his wife appears to be dying from metastasized breast cancer in the face of a promise they both held in their hearts for her healing. You can read from the beginning starting here. - [With Prayers for Gilroy, El Paso, and Dayton](https://www.lifestream.org/with-prayers-for-gilroy-el-paso-and-dayton/) - Let me make a few comments about the tragic shootings last week in Gilroy, CA, and the two weekend shootings in El Paso, TX and Dayton, OH. Our community suffered a mass shooting only nine months ago where eleven young people and a sheriff's deputy were killed in a country-western club, hosting a college night. I've - [In the Shadow of Death, Part 3](https://www.lifestream.org/in-the-shadow-of-death-part-3/) - This is a continuing email exchange between Wayne and a man who is struggling with healing, faith, love, trust, and mortality as his wife appears to be dying from metastasized breast cancer in the face of a promise they both held in their hearts for her healing. You can read from the beginning starting here. - [Water, Water, Everywhere](https://www.lifestream.org/water-water-everywhere/) - Before I get to some great news from Kenya, I want to catch you up on a few things around here. Last week I was asked to appear with Vince Coakley on his Charlotte-based radio show and discuss the crisis of confidence people are having with the clergy. You can listen to that here. Additionally, - [In the Shadow of Death, Part 2](https://www.lifestream.org/in-the-shadow-of-death-part-2/) - This post is a continuing story begun in a previous blog, about Alan’s struggle with love, trust, and healing as his wife appeared to be dying from metastasized breast cancer in the face of a promise they both hold in their hearts for her healing. This second email came a few days after our first - [So, Why God?](https://www.lifestream.org/so-why-god/) - This is a copy of our quarterly newsletter sent out earlier this month. If you didn't get one and would like to stay in touch with what's going on around Lifestream you can sign up here. “Would you follow God if there was no hell?” Someone asked me that a few years ago and my - [The Joys and Pain of Collaboration](https://www.lifestream.org/the-joys-and-pain-of-collaboration/) - I owe you an apology. For the past few months, I've been talking about a book I was working on with a friend from France. I told you we were hopeful for a September release, and now that isn't going to happen. It is now quite unlikely at this point that you will ever get - [Sometimes It's Right in Front of Us](https://www.lifestream.org/sometimes-its-right-in-front-of-us/) - I received an email last week from a friend in Israel. He mentioned how much he and his wife were learning to relax in Father's love and care, but then added a hunger that had gone unfulfilled in their hearts: During this time, the Lord taught us a lot and fed us with his love. - ["My Worth As a Woman"](https://www.lifestream.org/my-worth-as-a-woman/) - I couldn't believe anyone would want to interrupt their vacation to drive all the way from San Francisco, just to have lunch with me. That's a six-hour drive! I had met this couple a year or so ago. Now, they were visiting California from the east coast and wanted to know if we could share a - [More Uncharted Roads](https://www.lifestream.org/more-uncharted-roads/) - First, a great quote: In last week's podcast, I read a quote taken from a June 2019 Atlantic article entitled, Abolish the Priesthood. An incisive read on its own merits that has application in the Evangelical church world as well, it contained this quote: The first reference to the Jesus movement in a nonbiblical source - [A Man Who Touched Many Lives](https://www.lifestream.org/a-man-who-touched-many-lives/) - I just found out that Eugene Peterson, author of The Message, and numerous other books passed into eternity today. I was touched by many of his books, but even more by his example as a man deeply committed to the truths of God, while remaining a generous and compassionate man in the world. I had - [Kenya: Springs Garden Mineral Water](https://www.lifestream.org/kenya-springs-garden-mineral-water/) - If you are following our continuing saga of helping people in a specific region of Kenya, you know that we had to drill a new well a few months ago or see a school closed down that was helping orphans and children living with drug-addicted parents in a place called Forkland. A flood last December - [Living Lighter](https://www.lifestream.org/living-lighter/) - Yesterday at lunch, a dear friend asked me what I had learned in the last ten years in my exploration of Father's affection. I first started thinking of lessons or truths I had gained, but then my mind quickly went to how differently this journey allows me to live. I am less worried about achievements, - [Do You Want to Be a John?](https://www.lifestream.org/do-you-want-to-be-a-john/) - If you haven't read So You Don't Want to Go to Church Anymore, you may not get the reference, nor the wonder of the comment. For those that haven't, that story is about a frustrated staff pastor meeting someone he thinks might be John, Jesus' disciple, still living in the 21st century. Do you remember - [Ending the Daisy-Petal Game](https://www.lifestream.org/ending-the-daisy-petal-game/) - I will spend the next two weeks in Europe helping people explore living loved. I'll be in Norway, Italy (Pescara), and Switzerland (first near Zurich and finishing up near Geneva). Before I go, I want to leave you with this little gift. Before I go, I got an email the other day from someone who - [Letting God Win Us](https://www.lifestream.org/letting-god-win-us/) - The events that Christians from all over the world will celebrate this weekend were not only to redeem humanity but to prove God's unrelenting love to win our hearts into a relationship with him. It's a recurrent theme on this blog and on my podcast at The God Journey. I want to call your attention today - [Streams of Water in the Wilderness](https://www.lifestream.org/streamswaterwilderness/) - My last blog offered my thanks for the incredible outpouring of support for people in Pokot. After I posted it, I got this new information from them. The map above will help you understand some of the details here. The drought and starvation are going on across the entire top of Kenya from Wajir to - [Thank You for Your Help](https://www.lifestream.org/thank-you-for-your-help/) - Last week I asked you to help my friends in Kenya. You responded. So many of you, in so many ways. Gifts large and small have all but covered their need. I am so grateful for your generosity that has overflowed in thanksgiving to God. The food has been purchased and distributed, and the people - [Kenya:  Amazing News and Tragic Need](https://www.lifestream.org/kenya-amazing-news-and-tragic-need/) - I'm in SF at the moment, on my way home from a beautiful weekend in Morgantown, West Virginia, and Pittsburgh, PA, but I couldn't wait to share with you an amazing joy among our friends in Kenya, and some new people in Pokot, hungry for food and for God. This is an emergency need, and - [Placed in the Hearts of Others](https://www.lifestream.org/placed-in-the-hearts-of-others/) - Some thoughts while waiting at Newark Airport this morning: This week, Sara and I have been in New York City with our oldest granddaughter. As she prepares to graduate eighth grade and start high school, we wanted to spend some time with her in a place she's always longed to see. The three of us - [Far Better Explored Than Explained](https://www.lifestream.org/far-better-explored-than-explained/) - When he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth. (John 16:8) Some things in life are better explored than explained such as an alpine trail lined with wildflowers, the Basilica Sagrada Familia in Barcelona, the shoreline of Galilee, or even chocolate ice cream. Explanations just can't do them justice. The - [Let's Stop Living by Our Labels](https://www.lifestream.org/lets-stop-living-by-our-labels/) - A couple of weeks ago, I was in Eureka, and someone read this portion of my book, Beyond Sundays, to me. They wanted to make some comments from it and ask me some questions. As they read it, I was reminded of how much I like this passage and how much it fits my heart. Any title - [Living Loved Is Real!](https://www.lifestream.org/living-loved-is-real/) - The email below is one of the best I've received because I know it comes out of real struggle and pain and into a reality that is available to all of us. I started corresponding with Amy this summer, first over a crisis that happened at work, and then with trouble in her marriage. In - [It's Right in Front of You](https://www.lifestream.org/itsrightinfrontofyou/) - I get so many emails from people trying to find a group of like-minded people or frustrated with the current political climate in which our country finds itself. These are troubled times indeed, but we are part of a kingdom that transcends everything in this age. Our God is working behind it all for his glory - [Delightfully Overwhelmed](https://www.lifestream.org/deliciously-overwhelmed/) - I'm off to Atlanta in the morning for a ten-day stay in Georgia and South Carolina. As I do, I've been reminded this week about all the ways others help us do what we've been asked to do in the world. Every year about this time we send out donation tax receipts to those in - [The Power of a Good Question](https://www.lifestream.org/the-power-of-a-good-question/) - A few years ago I was teaching 800 Kenyan pastors in a hornet-infested barn about the love of God. After sharing a bit of my story and laying the groundwork for living loved, I asked them what questions they might have about God's love that we could tackle in the next view days. Immediately the - [Upcoming Travel and Kenya Update](https://www.lifestream.org/upcoming-travel-and-kenya-update/) - It's been such a joy to be home for the last three and a half months to catch up with family and to advance the work on three books I'm currently pushing down the road—a novel called The City, written by a mom in France that unpacks the kingdom of God in a lovely way, - [Betrayal Is Not the End of the Road](https://www.lifestream.org/betrayal-is-not-the-end-of-the-road/) - My good friend in Tulsa, Tom Mohn, says that betrayal is one of those amazing things God uses to shape his life in us. I know it doesn't feel like it. It more likely feels like the end of the road when someone you love, and who you thought loved you, decides his own word - [If There Ever Was a Time...](https://www.lifestream.org/if-there-ever-was-a-time/) - If you've ever wanted to help with people so poor and so excluded from resources they cannot help themselves, this is it. Bad charity gives us a lot of reasons NOT to give, but this project in Pokot ticks all the right boxes for me. The need is genuine. This is one of the truly - [The Real Power of the Incarnation](https://www.lifestream.org/the-real-power-of-the-incarnation/) - [This is a copy of our December 2018 Email Blast. If you're not on our list you can sign up here. And if you include your name and address you'll also receive email notification if Wayne is traveling in your area.] The Lord is my strength and my song; He has become my salvation. (Psalm 118:14) - [Conversations About the Law and Freedom](https://www.lifestream.org/conversations-law-freedom/) - This week I was back on the set of A Christian and A Muslim Walk into a Studio for a conversation with Bob and Ermza about the Law and how Jews, Christians, and Muslims look at this differently. The episode is called A Follow-up Conversation With Wayne Jacobsen. I loved the conversation and think we not - [An Untapped Resource](https://www.lifestream.org/an-untapped-resource/) - I got to spend the weekend and then a three-hour drive with my dad this week. I realize I'm incredibly privileged to have a father like him. He was the epitome of character, integrity, graciousness, and willingness to follow God even at great risk to relationships he treasured. I watched him be lied about by - [The Craziest Thing I've Been Asked to Do](https://www.lifestream.org/the-craziest-thing-ive-been-asked-to-do/) - And it may be the most significant thing I do in my lifetime. Our outreach to brothers and sisters in Kenya and through them to the tribal people of Pokot, is the strangest connection God has invited me into. This is nothing I sought out or tried to accomplish. God brought it into my life - [Thanksgiving in the Midst of Pain](https://www.lifestream.org/thanksgiving-in-the-midst-of-pain/) - No one should have to bury their twenty-one-year-old daughter. It's just not right, especially when she was murdered in a senseless act by a broken man who somehow thought shooting up a local bar and grill would do something for his pain. Yesterday, Sara and I attended her funeral just to be with our community - [When Tragedy Comes Home](https://www.lifestream.org/when-tragedy-comes-home/) - I woke up this morning to my hometown being splattered all over the national news. Borderline Bar and Grill in Thousand Oaks, CA, which is less than two miles from my home, is now the scene of America's latest mass shooting. Last week it was a Jewish synagogue in Pittsburgh, before that a seemingly endless - [Letting God's Plans Unfold](https://www.lifestream.org/letting-gods-plans-unfold/) - Many of you know we are trying to make a movie of the story of Jake and John in So You Don't Want to Go to Church Anymore. We announced two years ago that we were going to make an opportunity for people to give towards this as a way to have some "passion" money - [Seeing How God Works](https://www.lifestream.org/seeing-how-god-works/) - Fall Newsletter from Lifestream For most of my life I've tried to do God's work, instead of doing mine. And, honestly, I wasn't very good at it. That didn't keep me from trying, however. That's why in recent years I've come to love the prayer Paul prayed for the Colossians and to make it my - [My Ukrainian Adventure](https://www.lifestream.org/my-ukrainian-adventure/) - My oldest brother, Rod, went to college with such a passion to be a missionary to the Soviet Union that he double-majored in Russian and in Biblical Studies. When the iron curtain finally fell, my brother was so hampered by his battle with multiple sclerosis that he was unable to go. He eventually died in - ["You Do Know You Can't Do This Without Jesus, Right?"](https://www.lifestream.org/you-do-know-you-cant-do-this-without-jesus-right/) - I spent last weekend at a camp in Maine, talking with people about a life in Jesus that is more than following religious doctrines or routines. Not all were impressed with my resume when I arrived. One person spoke out in an early meeting about how much she hated The Shack, even though she'd never - [From Canada to Kiev](https://www.lifestream.org/from-canada-to-kiev/) - I just got back from Canada and am getting ready to head out to Kiev. This will be the strangest trip I've ever taken to Europe. I had a friend a few years back go to Russia for three days and I thought, who would fly that far for three days? A few years later, - [If You Do Not Enjoy Him, You Will Not Long Follow Him](https://www.lifestream.org/if-you-do-not-enjoy-him-you-will-not-long-follow-him/) - If you know my wife, Sara, you know there are two things she loves other than family: gardens and dogs. The picture above is of her garden, in which she spends countless hours creating a beautiful space in the world. She's also one of the most conscientious dog lovers on the planet. Whenever a new - [She is Everywhere and She Is Glorious!](https://www.lifestream.org/she-is-everywhere-and-she-is-glorious/) - While on vacation in the Sierras a couple of weeks ago we connected with old friends we used to camp with in that area. The wife shared with us some pictures (one of which you can see above, and another further below) that she had taken on a trail we used to hike together. In - [Is It Summer Already?](https://www.lifestream.org/it-it-summer-already/) - No, I'm not talking about the physical calendar, but my spiritual one. (And the photo above is certainly not summer. I just couldn't resist sharing this family photo from a chilly hike up a mountain near Boulder, Colorado! We were all there to welcome my son's new dog into the family and to visit him - [Is He Really That Good?](https://www.lifestream.org/is-he-really-that-good/) - How do we know for sure whether God is loving and gracious, or cold and distant? I understand that you had some input on the story-line of the book the Shack. I have read the book and watched the movie. Do you think that is who God really is? It just seems too good to - [Differences Do Not Make Us Enemies](https://www.lifestream.org/differences-do-not-make-us-enemies/) - Many of you know I spent twenty-five years as a consultant and mediator in helping groups at odds with each other to stake out the common ground. What began in public education with conflicts over issues of religious liberty, expanded into some wide-ranging areas where I found ways to help people with differing agendas work - [Finding God in the Darkest Moments](https://www.lifestream.org/finding-god-in-the-darkest-moments/) - A great follow up to my blog post yesterday about Walking In the Fog is the podcast we posted today at The GodJourney.com: Finding Grace in Desperate Times. Even if you don't listen to the podcast regularly anymore, this is one not to miss. It's a conversation with a friend I've known for almost 30 years and - [Walking In the Fog](https://www.lifestream.org/through-the-fog/) - Earlier this week I was asked to explain one of the most difficult Scriptural passages from Paul's writings and they wanted me to tell them what Paul was thinking. To be honest, I don't know. And to be even more honest, I don't really care at this point in my journey. I picked this up - [It's Love, Not Fear that Will Change the World](https://www.lifestream.org/its-love-not-fear/) - Today I'm on my way to Maine to spend some time with people at a camp in Maine, and then I'll make my way down to Reading, MA before I return home. As I go, I thought I'd leave you with an email exchange I had recently.... It always saddens me how much religion uses - [Meet My Friend, Tom](https://www.lifestream.org/meet-my-friend-tom/) - Nope, sorry, no new podcast today at The God Journey today. We're still on hiatus but hope to have some new episodes up soon. In the meantime... I often get asked what podcasts I listen to and here's a new one that I would recommend. Tom Mohn is a seasoned brother on this journey who has - [We Have Returned!](https://www.lifestream.org/we-have-returned/) - You people are the best! No, not those in the photo, although they are pretty awesome, but I'm talking about you—the people who read this blog. Sara and I just returned from a ten-day vacation in the Caribbean we got to share with our kids and grandkids. We had such wonderful time and a what - [The Beginning of My Pharisectomy](https://www.lifestream.org/the-beginning-of-my-pharisectomy/) - Today, Sara and I leave on a ten-day vacation with our kids and grandchildren. We've been looking forward to this for a long time and having a break from our normal lives. However, that does mean our offices will be closed until Monday, July 2. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause, but we're - [Finding Our Way to a More Generous Conversation](https://www.lifestream.org/finding-our-way-to-a-more-generous-conversation/) - Are you as tired of all the rancor in our national dialog as I am? Do you know most of it is contrived to fan the flames of fear or advance someone's agenda? We can't seem to simply disagree anymore; we have to vilify our opponents in the hope of garnering enough support to force - [Learning to Live Loved](https://www.lifestream.org/learning-to-live-loved/) - I'm finishing up my two weeks on the east coast this weekend Raleigh, NC with an amazing group of people who have been through a lot of pain, but are still finding their way into what it means to escape the clutches of religion and embrace a life in the Father's love. So excited to - [Off to Virginia, North Carolina, and Maine (Eventually)!](https://www.lifestream.org/off-to-virginia-north-carolina-and-maine-eventually/) - After an awesome month at home, I'll be headed out this week to Virginia and North Carolina. I so enjoy the people I get to meet when I travel and realize how precious it is to get to spend so much time with people on this incredible journey of learning to live loved, and learning - [Conflicted Thoughts on a Day of Remembrance](https://www.lifestream.org/conflicted-thoughts-on-a-day-of-remembrance/) - Last November I was in Belgium amidst the cemeteries of the fallen in World War I. They were everywhere, in the middle of farms, along riverbanks. These men, mostly from England and Canada, were buried on the battlefields where their young lives ended. It was especially touching to me because my own father fought and - [A Christian and a Muslim Walk Into Common Ground](https://www.lifestream.org/a-christian-and-a-muslim-walk-into-common-ground/) - I was asked this week to appear again on the podcast, "A Christian and Muslim Walk Into a Studio", hosted by Bob Prater and Emad Meerza. Bob is a long time friend, and I'm really enjoying building a new friendship with Emad. This time I put them through their paces walking them through the Eight - [A New Farm in North Pokot](https://www.lifestream.org/a-new-farm-in-north-pokot/) - The last few weeks have been crazy and I've not had much time to update this page. And it looks like that might continue for awhile. I'm just back from nearly two weeks in New York, and after a day at home, a quick trip to Orange County, CA to share about He Loves Me - [When Spring Arrives Overnight](https://www.lifestream.org/when-spring-arrives-overnight/) - May 3 does seem a bit late for spring to arrive. But we were in upstate New York after a brutal winter. Four days before we were watching snow flurries. A day before Sara and I had taken a walk and commented on the dark, grey trees that lined the horizon. It was May, and - [So You Want to Start a House Church](https://www.lifestream.org/so-you-want-to-start-a-house-church/) - Do you want to read over my shoulder again? I had this email exchange this week with a brother the other day in New Mexico. I never know how to respond to stuff like this. I am blessed that people are willing to look outside the box and see what God is asking of them, - [Down an Uncertain Path](https://www.lifestream.org/down-uncertain-path/) - My last blog talked about restarting BridgeBuilders. This has been a weird time for me. I sense at times God's prodding to journey a bit down a road I thought had been long abandoned. To be honest, however, I'm a bit reluctant to open all this up again in this season of my journey. In - [Learning the Pace of Father's Vineyard](https://www.lifestream.org/learning-the-pace-of-fathers-vineyard/) - I always tell people if they are only going to read one book of mine, I hope it's He Loves Me. That material is what began an incredible process in my heart that continues to this day. I used to be motivated in my walk with God out of the fear that I couldn't be - [Who Did Jesus Die For?](https://www.lifestream.org/who-did-jesus-die-for/) - Good Friday and Easter weekend are upon us. And I returned home just in time from my ten days in Texas. This was one of those wild trips where I met so many people and experienced so many awesome opportunities. I did a video interview about my view of the church, and a future podcast interview - [The Mission Continues in Pokot](https://www.lifestream.org/the-mission-continues-in-pokot/) - Most of us don't even think about where our next meal will come from. We could probably live for a week or more just by the things we have stored in our homes. It's hard for us to even imagine the trauma of scarcity, of watching those we love suffer from lack of food and - [What Others Are Saying about BEYOND SUNDAYS](https://www.lifestream.org/others-saying-beyond-sundays/) - I love the emails and comments I've been receiving about Beyond Sundays. I'm so grateful for those of you who have ordered it, and also for those who are recommending it to friends and family or posting reviews online. All that really helps this book find the people it will help most. And the conversations - [Kenya: Expanding Irrigation to a New Village](https://www.lifestream.org/kenya-expanding-irrigation-new-village/) - As I get ready to leave for Europe today, I want to catch you up to speed on our activities in Kenya. The firstfruits of harvest at Ngetut Farm can be seen above. This is the fruit of a lot of work and generous donations from many of you. They are so happy now to - [Wayne Jacobsen Needs to Disappear](https://www.lifestream.org/wayne-jacobsen-needs-disappear/) - Now, don't take that headline too literally! I'm not. But I do hope it makes a point. Before I get to that point, however, let me tell you how overwhelmingly grateful I am for those of you who recommend my books, websites, or podcast to others. Since we don't do advertising here, word-of-mouth is the only - [Our Day Will Come](https://www.lifestream.org/day-will-come/) - It sure did! But that doesn't mean there weren't bumps along the way. Last week as part of the Ventura Star Storyteller Project, I shared a story from the earliest days of Sara and I getting to know each other. It has now been posted online. You can view the video here! It's a great - [Early Reviews for Beyond Sundays](https://www.lifestream.org/early-reviews-beyond-sundays/) - As I prepare to leave for Phoenix this weekend, I also found out a podcast aired today that I appeared on for Reports from the Spiritual Frontier. Love that name, by the way. It's an extensive interview on my journey and the passion behind Beyond Sundays. I've been deeply touched by the conversations I've had - [Retreat, Surgery, Storytelling, and Bridgebuilding](https://www.lifestream.org/retreat-surgery-storytelling-bridgebuilding/) - Now that Beyond Sundays is out, what's next? I get asked that a lot. Before I tell you, let me remind you that today is the last day to order Beyond Sundays at a $2.00 discount as part of our pre-publication special. If you haven't gotten in on it, you can do so here. You - [Look What Arrived Today!](https://www.lifestream.org/look-arrived-today/) - They're here and we'll begin shipping tomorrow. Beyond Sundays arrived from the printer's today and it's always a fun day to open the boxes and look at stacks and stacks of books that I've been working on for two years. However, our day took an unforeseeable turn. We are caring for my daughter's three children since - [First Review of Beyond Sundays](https://www.lifestream.org/first-review-beyond-sundays/) - Mike Edwards who blogs at What God May Really Be Like, just posted a review of my new book as a blog comment on my previous post. I thought those who might miss it there would be interested. Book Review: Beyond Sundays by Mike Edwards Wayne Jacobsen’s book He Loves Me was a gamechanger in - [Beyond Sundays Releases This Week](https://www.lifestream.org/beyond-sundays-releases-this-week/) - As I'm finishing up in North Carolina and prepare to head home tomorrow, we have just heard that we will have copies of Beyond Sundays in hand by this Wednesday. We will begin shipping pre-orders as soon as we get them. If you haven't pre-ordered your copy yet, you can still do so in the - [Beyond Sundays Hits the Airwaves](https://www.lifestream.org/beyond-sundays-hits-airwaves/) - Friday morning I will be discussing the release of my newest book with Vince Coakley on his radio show in the Greenville/Charlotte area. If you want to listen in you can do so here through the website. We will go live from 11:05 Eastern Standard Time, 8:05 Pacific. I always look forward to my lively - [Worthy of His Disappointment?](https://www.lifestream.org/worthy-of-his-disappointment/) - It was a short exchange, but hopefully a fruitful one. A man had written me about the hope of getting together some time. In his email he expressed some thoughts about a previous blog that gave me pause. When you ask the question, "Are you worthy of Love?", I had to think about it. Until - [Weaponized Love](https://www.lifestream.org/weaponized-love/) - No, you can't really! The title above should be the oxymoron of all oxymorons. There's nothing about real love that can be made into a weapon. But that doesn't keep people from trying, especially scared parents and religious people. They turn their twisted view of love into a weapon. When you've done enough, especially the - [A Conversation We Desperately Need](https://www.lifestream.org/conversation-desperately-need/) - We are in the final stages of publishing Beyond Sundays, and have set the release date as February 8, 2018. This is my newest title, adapted from a series of blog articles about the phenomenon of the "Dones", those who have given up on institutional Christianity not to forsake the way of Jesus, but in hopes of - [I Believe In a Redeemer](https://www.lifestream.org/i-believe-in-a-redeemer/) - A good friend sent me this story the other day.... At the time he was manager of the campus radio station at Oral Roberts University and a seminar speaker on campus in the late 1960s. One of the best sermons he ever heard happened one morning in chapel from Campus Chaplain, Tommy Tyson: Brother Tyson - [Truth Has Its Time](https://www.lifestream.org/truth-has-its-time/) - Among those things I know now, that I wish I'd known when I was twenty-two and fresh out of college with my Bible degree, is that you cannot convince someone that something is true if they are not ready to hear of it. Somehow I got the idea that "ministry" was about knowing the truth - [Are You Worthy of Love? ](https://www.lifestream.org/are-you-worthy-of-love/) - If you gave this question serous consideration, we probably need to talk. The saddest words I hear from people are those that wonder if they are worthy of God's love. That question is predicated on the biggest lie to find it's way into God's creation—that love can be earned. It can't. Nothing disproves that lie - [A Jake around Every Corner?](https://www.lifestream.org/jake-around-every-corner/) - Sometimes, somewhere beyond the cosmos, our Father must look over at Jesus and with a big smile on his face say, "Watch this..." This might be one of those times. I've had an email correspondence over the last few days with a woman in Australia that has brought more than a few smiles to my - [Finishing our Discussion on Finding Church](https://www.lifestream.org/finishing-discussion-finding-church/) - For the last eighteen months a group of us have been working through the themes of Finding Church chapter by chapter. We are now reaching the end of that study. The discussion, however, will remain up as other people can come along and start with chapter 1 and work through it now at their own - [Boundless Compassion](https://www.lifestream.org/boundless-compassion/) - It has been a long time since I have read a book that impacted me more than this one. In places I laughed out loud reading this book in a room by myself. In other places I cried at the challenges some kids have to face just because of where they were born. The book - [Why a Wayne Jacobsen Book?](https://www.lifestream.org/wayne-jacobsen-book/) - I am appreciative to all of you who weighed in on my dilemma as to what to title my new book. There were a lot of great suggestions, and I appreciate being able to think this through alongside your input. At this point I think I'm going to go with: Beyond Sundays: Why Those Giving up - [Finding a Different Rhythm and a Better Journey](https://www.lifestream.org/finding-different-rhythm-better-journey/) - Finalizing my latest book for publication, I ran across these two paragraphs. They express better than any other the transformation I see in people all over the world who move beyond religion and embrace a different way of living: Following ritual and rules that others demand of you is still following law, even if we - [Lifestream Classic: The Call of the Shepherd](https://www.lifestream.org/lifestream-classic-call-shepherd/) - Before there was Jesus Calling, I wrote this article about the kinds of things the Shepherd whispers to help people who had lost a sense of his voice, to find their way back to him. Written in 2004 as part of a quarterly newsletter we used to send out, I was reminded of it in - [Thanksgiving from the Other Side of the World](https://www.lifestream.org/thanksgiving-side-world/) - I'm going to let my friend, Michael Wafula from Kenya share his Thanksgiving message with you. This is our man coordinating the distribution of our gifts on behalf of the people of Kenya and North Pokot. Above is a picture of our first agricultural project there as the sweet potatoes get close to harvest. You - [Torn Between Two Titles](https://www.lifestream.org/torn-two-titles/) - I'm finishing up my newest book, which I have tentatively called The Phenomenon of the Dones. I've written these chapters as part of my blog over the last two years and posted the last chapter, To the Saints Scattered..., a few weeks ago. Now I'm going through and revising all the chapters as well as - [Jake Colsen Rides Again](https://www.lifestream.org/jake-colsen-rides/) - I love how this book finds its way to people when they seem to need it most. What started as a fun project between two friends to try to tell a story of someone learning to live loved on a website, became a book that has sold way beyond my expectations. In addition, the free - [What a Way to Begin!](https://www.lifestream.org/what-a-way-to-begin/) - Last Friday afternoon I got the chance to baptize my granddaughter. She's just turning thirteen and this was her choice something she's been talking about for the past few months. Just before I left for Europe she asked me if I would baptize her when I got back. Would I? My heart melted. When I - [A Busy But Wonderful Season](https://www.lifestream.org/busy-wonderful-season/) - The last few weeks have been crazy for me and I'm hopelessly behind on everything. I spent two weeks with the delightful couple above, Gert and Katia, who had it on their hearts for me to come to France and spend some time with their friends who are just seeing the French and Dutch versions - [Three Years of FINDING CHURCH](https://www.lifestream.org/three-years-finding-church/) - Three years ago this month, we released Finding Church: What If There Really Is Something More? I love the way it has spread out into the world and touched so many lives, encouraging them to discover the church Jesus is building in the world. To celebrate we will be making the print version of this - [Who Is to Blame?](https://www.lifestream.org/who-is-to-blame/) - The quote below was written by a Jewish rabbi and theologian in 1955—thats two years after I was born. And yet, this process has continued, not just for Judaism, but also for Western Christianity. I hear complaints all the time about the decline of Christian influence in the societies of western culture. by Christians who - [To the Saints Scattered...](https://www.lifestream.org/to-the-saints-scattered/) - By Wayne Jacobsen, the final chapter of a book he’s writing about The Phenomenon of the Dones To the followers of Jesus scattered throughout the world, no longer attached to a specific congregation or denomination: Greetings from one of your kind and from Jesus himself. I pray this letter finds you growing in the affection of - [The Arrogance That Blinds Us](https://www.lifestream.org/arrogance-blinds-us/) - During Sara's recovery, which is going fantastically by the way, we found ourselves watching two different TV series. The first was Turn, the true story of spies for General George Washington during the Revolutionary War. I'll warn you it is a bit risqué in places, but we loved this series with an engaging story based - [Off to Europe at the End of the Month](https://www.lifestream.org/off-europe-end-month/) - This trip has been in the works for some time, but we wanted to make sure Sara was recovered from her surgery and able to safely handle things around here. Fortunately her recovery continues well and we sense it is time for me to take this trip to Europe. So from October 24 - November - [Revisiting The Nashville Statement](https://www.lifestream.org/revisiting-nashville-statement/) - A few of weeks ago I posted a blog about The Nashville Statement, and got a host of feedback from people, both those who loved what I wrote and those who thought I’d committed the unpardonable sin. It sad how angry Christians can get just by reading a different point of view. Here’s some of - [Heading Back to Europe](https://www.lifestream.org/heading-back-europe/) - Sara's recovery is still going well, and she looks to be pretty functional in another couple of weeks. I've been holding off confirming a trip to Europe this fall until we knew that she was recovered. For those in France and Belgium interested in hanging out with others on this journey, I want to let - [Symbol over Substance](https://www.lifestream.org/symbol-over-substance/) - I wonder how it feels to have your protest stolen. To be honest, I’ve never been a 49er or a Colin Kaepernick fan. When he sat down for the national anthem to draw attention to the inequities that still exists in our culture for people of color, I thought him disrespectful of our country. But - [Jesus Is Not Coming This Saturday Night](https://www.lifestream.org/jesus-not-coming-saturday-night/) - I just found out today that Jesus is coming back this Saturday night at 11:30, though I'm not sure what time zone that's calibrated for. It has something to do with the star alignment and Revelation 12:1-2. I DO NOT BELIEVE IT! This stuff comes up every few years with someone mixing a dangerous amount - [What Else Could He Mean?](https://www.lifestream.org/what-else-could-he-mean/) - My friend Jim sent me this comic the other day asking if I'd seen it. I've enjoyed a number of comics by "the naked pastor", but had not seen this one. I think he's right of course. He Loves Me is a great place to begin. Not sure he meant the book exactly, but why - [A Book for All Times?](https://www.lifestream.org/a-book-for-all-times/) - I got a good laugh out of this and thought you might as well. A Christian bookstore owner from upstate Wisconsin sent me the following email: I've been meaning to share something I thought you might be blessed by (or at least get a kick out of it). We've been stocking your books in our - [Some News on the Home Front](https://www.lifestream.org/news-home-front/) - I just have some quick notes to let you in on here since many of you have been asking and praying about Sara and what we're up to this fall. First, for those interested I'm going to be on The Vince Coakley Radio show tomorrow morning (Friday) at 11:05 Eastern Daylight Time (8:05 PDT) that airs - [Kenya: Water Flowing in the Desert...](https://www.lifestream.org/kenya-water-flowing-desert/) - Can you imagine what it's like for that man above to stand there with a hose, spraying water on the parched land to begin the first farming operation in this part of Kenya? These are nomadic people whose life was destroyed by a drought, and now they have the tools and resources to grow their - [Nashville Statement Takes Evangelicals the Wrong Direction](https://www.lifestream.org/nashville-statement-takes-evangelicals-wrong-direction/) - It seems the Pharisees gathered in Nashville last week and carved out a stand on morality, marriage, and sexuality that they say is “essential” to the faith. It’s called The Nashville Statement and is the work of 150 conservative religious leaders convened by The Council on Biblical Manhood and Womanhood. As soon as I saw - [Sometimes You Just Have to Be There](https://www.lifestream.org/sometimes-you-just-have-to-be-there/) - The above photo was taken by a friend of mine Kent Burgess, during yesterday's eclipse from somewhere near St. Louis. You can see additional ones on his website and Facebook page from the link above. As part of bringing my son back to Denver to begin a new job, we took the day to run - [Free Book: Living Beyond the Borders](https://www.lifestream.org/free-book-living-beyond-borders/) - Living Beyond the Borders, a new book by a friend of mine, John Langford in the UK. It is a feast for any hungry heart looking for the boundless joy of living in the Father's reality. Too often we live hemmed in by manmade borders that reduce our freedom in Christ to a set of - [Two Books You Might Enjoy](https://www.lifestream.org/two-books-might-enjoy/) - As summer winds down, let me commend two books to you, both by people I've come to know its they were writing their books. So I got to read them both before they were published. The first is Alter Girl, by Andrea Syverson. I met when we were both on a speaker's panel at the - [Life Outside the Box](https://www.lifestream.org/life-outside-the-box/) - Yesterday I joined Cliff Ravenscraft for his podcast, "Encouraging Others Through Christ," as we talked about what forms our spiritual life can take on when you are no longer involved in a traditional congregation environment. You can listen below, or click on the link above. We talked about where I'm at right now in my - [Do You Need Covering?](https://www.lifestream.org/do-you-need-covering/) - By Wayne Jacobsen, a new chapter for the book he’s writing on The Phenomenon of the Dones Perhaps no teaching has been used more to subjugate the will of one human to another than that of spiritual covering. Under the guise of spiritual authority, people are actually instructed to obey a religious leader even at - [I Lift My Eyes To the Mountains!](https://www.lifestream.org/lift-eyes-mountains/) - When I was a little boy our family always vacationed in the Sierra Nevada mountains above Fresno. No place on earth rejuvenates my heart and soul as much as some time spent in the pines, alpine lakes, and rocky outcroppings of the Sierras. That's where we are headed today to visit my dad and to - [FINDING CHURCH Discussion Continues](https://www.lifestream.org/finding-church-discussion-continues/) - Our book discussion on Finding Church has reached Chapter 17: Unity Without Conformity. This is one of my favorite chapters, because most people cannot imagine a unity of the church that does not come from manipulating political and institutional structures to get people to do what is right. But conformity will never produce the wholehearted - [Helping People Feed Themselves](https://www.lifestream.org/helping-people-feed/) - I still get a bit freaked when I see that 50% of our expenses last year went to help people in Kenya and South Africa. That's not how we designed Lifestream to function, but God had plans that went way beyond our own. If you haven't followed this saga over the past decade or so, - [A World Full of Love](https://www.lifestream.org/world-full-love/) - It was an interesting flight home from South Africa on Ethiopian Airlines. Because their movie selection wasn't the greatest I found myself on my iPad most of the way home with the interactive map playing on my TV screen. It was amazing how often I looked up and saw our plane flying over some place - [Homeward Bound from South Africa](https://www.lifestream.org/homeward-bound-south-africa/) - In just an hour I leave for the airport to begin my 32-hour door-to-door journey home from South Africa. I leave my 2.5 week stay with fond memories, overwhelming gratitude for all the care extended to me, and so many newfound friendships with people I've come to love whose journeys I admire out of the - [Lifestream Audio Close-Out](https://www.lifestream.org/lifestream-audio-close/) - We will no longer be selling CDs of Wayne's audio teachings here at Lifestream. Over the years the income we have derived from these sales has helped us pay for our websites and some of our other projects in the world, but the time of CD audio is passing so we're going to discontinue the - [Living In The Father's Delight - Part 4](https://www.lifestream.org/living-fathers-delight-part-4/) - [Letting Jesus Perfect Your Faith - Part 4](https://www.lifestream.org/letting-jesus-perfect-faith-part-4/) - [Letting Jesus Perfect Your Faith - Part 3](https://www.lifestream.org/letting-jesus-perfect-faith-part-3/) - [Letting Jesus Perfect Your Faith - Part 2](https://www.lifestream.org/letting-jesus-perfect-faith-part-2/) - [Letting Jesus Perfect Your Faith - Part 1](https://www.lifestream.org/letting-jesus-perfect-faith-part-1/) - [4 - A Soft Place To Land](https://www.lifestream.org/part-4-soft-place-land/) - [3 - Going Into Their World](https://www.lifestream.org/part-3-going-world/) - [1 - To Be Like Jesus In The World](https://www.lifestream.org/part-1-like-jesus-world/) - [2 - Letting People Have Their Journey](https://www.lifestream.org/part-2-letting-people-journey/) - [The Relational Church - Part 4](https://www.lifestream.org/relational-church-part-4/) - [The Relational Church - Part 3](https://www.lifestream.org/relational-church-part-3/) - [The Relational Church - Part 2](https://www.lifestream.org/relational-church-part-2/) - [The Relational Church - Part 1](https://www.lifestream.org/relational-church-part-1/) - [Sharing The Journey - Part 2](https://www.lifestream.org/sharing-journey-part-2/) - [Sharing The Journey - Part 1](https://www.lifestream.org/sharing-journey-part-1/) - [Seasons In The Vineyard - Part 4](https://www.lifestream.org/seasons-vineyard-part-4/) - [Seasons In The Vineyard - Part 3](https://www.lifestream.org/seasons-vineyard-part-3/) - [Seasons In The Vineyard - Part 2](https://www.lifestream.org/seasons-vineyard-part-2/) - [Seasons In The Vineyard - Part 1](https://www.lifestream.org/seasons-vineyard-part-1/) - [Abiding In The Vine - Part 2](https://www.lifestream.org/abiding-vine-part-2/) - [Abiding In The Vine - Part 1](https://www.lifestream.org/abiding-vine-part-1/) - [Discussion Time - 1](https://www.lifestream.org/discussion-time-1/) - [The Security of Father's Love - Part 2](https://www.lifestream.org/security-fathers-love-part-2/) - [The Security of Father's Love - Part 1](https://www.lifestream.org/security-fathers-love-part-1/) - [Discussion Time - 2](https://www.lifestream.org/discussion-time-2/) - [Discussion Time - 3](https://www.lifestream.org/discussion-time-3/) - [Part 3 - His Work, Not Ours](https://www.lifestream.org/part-3-his-work-not-ours/) - [Part 2 - Inside-Out, Not Outside-In](https://www.lifestream.org/part-2-inside-not-outside/) - [Part 1 - Revelation Not Routine](https://www.lifestream.org/part-1-revelation-not-routine/) - [Living In The Father's Delight - Part 3](https://www.lifestream.org/living-fathers-delight-part-3/) - [Living In The Father's Delight - Part 2](https://www.lifestream.org/living-fathers-delight-part-2/) - [Living In The Father's Delight - Part 1](https://www.lifestream.org/living-fathers-delight-part-1/) - [The Security of Father's Love - Part 4](https://www.lifestream.org/security-fathers-love-part-4/) - [The Security of Father's Love - Part 3](https://www.lifestream.org/security-fathers-love-part-3/) - [Pouring Out God's Love in a Broken Place](https://www.lifestream.org/pouring-gods-love-broken-place/) - Late yesterday, I arrived in Durban, South Africa after a 35-hour journey. My first stop this morning was in the township of Ntzuma, where we support an outreach to help AIDS infected people who need medical care and have no place to go. In Ntzuma nearly 50% of the population is HIV positive and the - [Why Every Day Is An Adventure](https://www.lifestream.org/every-day-adventure/) - I've just begun a two-week trip to South Africa, where I will be meeting with people in Durban, Cape Town, Mulzenburg, and finish up in the Johannesburg area. I have no idea what God has in store for me or the people I'll be with over that time. I don't go anywhere anymore with notes and - [Intentionally Relational](https://www.lifestream.org/intentionally-relational/) - By Wayne Jacobsen, a new chapter for the book he's writing on The Phenomenon of the Dones (Read a Spanish translation here.) I believe all those Scriptures about the body of Christ walking together in unity, encouraging each other daily, and sharing God’s wisdom and presence to express a fuller portrait of who he is and - [The Impact of Living Loved](https://www.lifestream.org/impact-living-loved/) - This week I am a guest on The Born to Be podcast with Daron Earlwine out of Indianapolis, IN. I had a wonderful time talking to Daron and appreciated the frank discussion we had about what it means to live loved, to discover the purpose God has for us on this broken planet, and our - [Do We Really Believe He Can Do It?](https://www.lifestream.org/really-believe-can/) - The Incarnation demonstrated that our fear of God was a perception on our part, rather than what God wanted or deserved. Jesus was among humanity and no one ran away in terror. What God had lost in Eden, he was finding again—a home among his Creation. The temples, cathedrals, and even our “church” buildings represent - [South Africa Is Up Next](https://www.lifestream.org/south-africa-next/) - I'm over half way through my east coast trip that began near Boston, took a swing up to northern Vermont and then arrived last night in Pennsylvania. Today I head down to Maryland and some interesting gatherings over the weekend. It's not too late to join us if you're nearby. You can get details and - [Four More Days...](https://www.lifestream.org/four-more-days/) - I've often said that I won't write a more significant book in my life than He Loves Me. That content is what changed the trajectory of my life from trying to appease God by my hard work and commitment, to learning how I could live inside the affection the Father already had for me. Unfortunately many people look at the title - [Going Live at 1:00 pm Pacific Time Today](https://www.lifestream.org/going-live-100-pm-pacific-time/) - I'm not sure what I'm getting into here, but I was invited by Bill Hale to appear on his radio show on the Liberty Works Radio Network this afternoon, starting at 1:00 Pacific Time (4:00 Eastern). They wanted to talk about my life, The Shack, and my past work with Bridgebuilders, so it should be - [He Loves You... He Really Does!](https://www.lifestream.org/he-loves-you-he-really-does/) - A few weeks ago a woman from Australia wrote me this note: I would just like to tell you about your book He Loves Me. The truth is that book blew me off the planet!!!! These are the reasons: When I was a child my parents and all other family were nonreligious and nonChristians. I am not against - [Headed for the East Coast](https://www.lifestream.org/headed-east-coast/) - Before an unexpected trip to the emergency room I was supposed to make this trip at the end of March. We have managed to reschedule it for the first twelve days of June. So in just a few weeks I'm going to back in Pennsylvania and Maryland for a weekend of fellowship and sharing. I'll - [In Celebration Our Offices Are Closed This Week](https://www.lifestream.org/celebration-offices-closed-week/) - No, it doesn't seem possible. Forty-two years ago this week, Sara and I were married and thus began an adventure that has exceeded both our expectations and in this season of our lives brings us great joy and support through the twists and turns of life. Who would have thought? We've had many friends not - [It Can Never Be Too Small](https://www.lifestream.org/can-never-small/) - Yesterday I spent time with at the Chippewa Correctional Facility in the upper peninsula of Michigan. My host in Potoskey is a volunteer there and set it up for me to come and meet with the prisoners. There are two sides to the prison so we did two hours on one side in the morning, - [How Do I Love My Transgendered Child?](https://www.lifestream.org/love-transgendered-child/) - The letters come in now two or three a month. They're all similar. In a moment of honesty an adult child has just informed their parents that they are transgendered or gay. Their question is always the same. "What do we do now?" Most parents are not prepared for this. Few have even thought about the - [Wayne Appears Saturday on Up For Debate](https://www.lifestream.org/wayne-appears-saturday-debate/) - First thing first. If you've not heard yet, I had a slight problem around here that forced me to postpone the trip I had planned to the East Coast over the next ten days. I woke up early Wednesday morning with excruciating stomach pains, and thought I'd had food poisoning from dinner out the night before - [Drawing a Line Where Lines Don’t Have to Be Drawn](https://www.lifestream.org/drawing-line-lines-dont-drawn/) - By Wayne Jacobsen, a new chapter for the book he's writing on The Phenomenon of the Dones “When I told my friends I’d left the church, they didn’t want to talk to me anymore.” I can’t tell you how many times I’ve had that conversation with people who are completely surprised that formerly close - [Explaining Jesus' Death to a Five-Year Old](https://www.lifestream.org/explaining-jesus-death-five-year-old/) - I just got this email this morning from a friend: Hey, my 5 year old has been asking, “Why did Jesus have to die for us?” It may just be too early for her to wrap her mind around this, but do you know of any resources or a way I might explain this to - [I'm Headed to Michigan and Wisconsin](https://www.lifestream.org/im-headed-michigan-wisconsin/) - This is the trip we planned for last year and never got to take. I was supposed to fly out November 11 to Appleton and move across Michigan until I ended in Flint. However, my doctors had other ideas and two days before I was supposed to leave they ordered me to cancel the trip - [The Gift of Encouragement](https://www.lifestream.org/the-gift-of-encouragement-2/) - Did I get one yesterday! The last few months have been difficult for a number of reasons, not the least of all is some health issues I've had to deal with. The health issues are getting behind me now, I hope, but some of the other stresses surrounding my life seem to be festering again. I get a - [It's the Process Not the Product that God is Focused On](https://www.lifestream.org/process-not-product-god-focused/) - The must frustrated Christians I know are those who compare themselves to perfection every day. Whether it's the perfect circumstances they seek or the perfect behavior they feel God demands, they constantly fall short of their own expectations and either get angry with themselves for not doing enough, or with God for not making their life the - [The Food Has Arrived](https://www.lifestream.org/the-food-has-arrived/) - A couple of weeks ago I told you that the drought in Kenya had returned this year and they were in need of an additional $8,000 to purchase food or people would starve to death. Thanks to your generosity we were able to share that food with them. We already send $10,000 per month over - [When Is THE SHACK Coming to Your Country?](https://www.lifestream.org/shack-coming-country/) - Brad Cummings, a co-writer on the book and producer on the film just put out this information: THE SHACK MOVIE crossed the $50M mark on Tuesday and it continues in wide release, so that's fantastic. And it's set to be released in BRAZIL April 6th--where the has sold some 5+ Million copies. Octavia Spencer is - [In Recovery Again](https://www.lifestream.org/in-recovery-again/) - Just when I thought I'd survived my birthday and was getting back to a more normal routine, a medical emergency again intervened. I woke up on March 22 in the middle of the night with severe abdominal pain. Thinking it was food poisoning from the night before I tried to ride it out. By 5:30 - [New Travel Dates Announced](https://www.lifestream.org/new-travel-dates-announced/) - Please note: This trip has been postponed due to unexpected surgery. This week I head for the East Coast with a weekend near Boston before I head over to Milbury, MA and then up into northern Vermont. I'll finish the trip with stops in Lancaster, PA, Hagerstown, MD and then have a weekend in Sykesville, MD through April - [The Thirst for the Limelight](https://www.lifestream.org/the-thirst-for-the-limelight/) - For over half my life I had an unrelenting desire to stand on a big stage to give voice to my thoughts and ideas. Oh, I thought I wanted to do it for God, since those who seemed to hold the stage spoke so poorly of his truth and rarely demonstrated his character off of it. I - [A New Challenge for our Friends in Kenya](https://www.lifestream.org/a-new-challenge-for-our-friends-in-kenya/) - Last year it was too much rain that caused diseases to run rampant, and you helped us buy medicines to keep people alive. This year there is no rain and the people in Pokot are starving. Here is our report from Michael: Dear brother Wayne, Greetings in the most powerful name of our Lord and - [Last Week Was Crazy!](https://www.lifestream.org/last-week-crazy/) - From the New York Premiere of The Shack movie, to our own home-town opening of the movie with 250 people who flew in and drove in to watch the movie with Brad and me, it was a wild week. It was fun to see so many people who have been God Journey listeners and Lifestream - [The Lies of Affluence](https://www.lifestream.org/the-lies-of-affluence/) - “Do you have any conflict enjoying the money you have in a world with so much need?” I had been invited by a friend to attend an investment seminar and there were some high rollers in the room. As I looked around, however, I was surprised to see so many facial expressions that seemed confused - [The Shack Opens Tonight](https://www.lifestream.org/shack-opens-tonight/) - Sara and I returned last night from New York where we attended the Worldwide Premiere of The Shack movie with Brad and Kelly Cummings and their daughter, Taylor. (Here are some short videos from our time there: from Central Park, from Times Square and from our hotel as we get ready to leave for the airport.) We walked the - [Who’s Afraid of The Big, Bad Shack?](https://www.lifestream.org/whos-afraid-big-bad-shack/) - Who’s Afraid of The Big, Bad Shack? By Wayne Jacobsen It turns out quite a few people are. As the movie adaptation of The Shack is set to release on March 3, I’m hearing increasing rumblings from people who want to denounce the story as dangerous for Christians to see. Mention the movie in your - [Not Scaring Others Off](https://www.lifestream.org/not-scaring-others-off/) - I know nothing of this author or his book, but I woke up to this in my inbox this morning. This is what I wish the Bible-thumpers would understand, and I wish I'd known it before I got into my 50s. If we could understand what he says here we will find ourselves in - [And What a Trip it Was! Israel 2017](https://www.lifestream.org/trip-israel-2017/) - Brad and I had a great time walking alongside thirty-two others who came so see Israel and Jordan with us. We got back last Sunday and I'm just beginning to dig my way out of the pile of work that found it's way to my computer while I was gone, especially with The Shack Movie set - [Bridge Building in a Contentious Culture](https://www.lifestream.org/bridge-building-contentious-culture/) - While I'm finishing up the tour in Israel with my podcast partner, Brad and a few of our friends, here is the second podcast I recorded with "A Christian and a Muslim Walk Into a Studio." This time we talked about my former work with BridgeBuilders, the state of our cultural dialog in America. This podcast - [Back to Israel!](https://www.lifestream.org/back-to-israel/) - I probably won't do this again. I don't see myself as a "tour operator" in Israel or anythwhere else. I much prefer being a tour operator to help people discover how to live freely in God's kingdom. But I promised I would go back, to get my daughter there, after my son and wife went - [A Special Showing of The Shack](https://www.lifestream.org/special-showing-shack/) - Brad Cummings and I will be hosting a special opening-weekend private showing of The Shack in Thousand Oaks, California on March 4, 4:00 p.m at the Muvico Theater in Thousand Oaks, California. After the movie we will have a brief question and answer session for those who’d like to stay on. Brad and I were co-authors - [Move Along Now, Nothing to See Here](https://www.lifestream.org/move-along-now-nothing-see/) - I have been so grateful for so many of you who have helped carry me through this surgery and recovery. I've received so many emails, cards, phone calls from so many of you, as well as shared walks and conversations that have made this all incredibly smooth. This is my last update regarding my heart surgery - [Have We Overplayed the Sermon Card?](https://www.lifestream.org/overplayed-sermon/) - By Wayne Jacobsen in a continuing series on The Phenomenon of the Dones. I SAT DOWN to lunch with a good friend of mine one Tuesday afternoon, while I was still a pastor at a local congregation. We couldn’t even get our order placed before he exploded with excitement over the sermon I had preached two days - [How Much Did Paul Get It Wrong?](https://www.lifestream.org/much-paul-get-wrong/) - By Wayne Jacobsen in a continuing series on The Phenomenon of the Dones. The sunshine was brilliant as we gathered in a field along the English coast with some of our friends from throughout Europe. I sat down next to Dave, a former South African now residing in Ireland. As we got reacquainted he asked with - [The Shack Movie: Caught Between Reality and Fiction](https://www.lifestream.org/shack-movie-caught-reality-fiction/) - “Missy was murdered right here.” The conclusion came with a wave of grief and sorrow I was not anticipating. It felt as if I stood on holy ground amidst the wooden boards of the dilapidated shack with shards of light piercing the semi-darkness from cracks in the walls. The hole in my heart was so vast I - [Happy New Year!](https://www.lifestream.org/happy-new-year/) - 2017 has arrived! Big deal! I'm not much on arbitrary dates like this. Oh, they are fun to celebrate with friends but I know for many dates like this haunt them for the lack of seeming progress they've made in their lives over the past year. But transformation doesn't come in giant leaps and resolutions, but - [Our Offices Closed This Week](https://www.lifestream.org/offices-closed-week/) - Due to the holiday season our office will be closed this week. We will open again on January 4. We apologize if that's an inconvenience to you in some way. Book and audio orders placed this week will be sent out early next. The good news, however, is that our 15% discount at the Lifestream Store - [You Can Help Jake Find His Way to the Big Screen](https://www.lifestream.org/can-help-jake-find-way-big-screen/) - One of the greatest days of my life was spending an afternoon with my daughter's well-marked copy of He Loves Me after she had returned from college shortly after it had been published. With her permission I got to read through the comments she'd written in the margin and enjoy what she highlighted. My daughter - [Christmas Gift Ideas](https://www.lifestream.org/christmas-gift-ideas/) - 'Tis the season and all that. Just found out we had two more sign-ups to go to Israel with us. I thought it was too late, but it turns out our reservations still allow us to sign up nine more people who might be able to go with Brad and I to Israel at the - [THE SHACK Heresy Revisited](https://www.lifestream.org/the-shack-heresy-revisited/) - My previous post on "Is The Shack Heresy?" has promoted the most comments (81) of any blog to date. It is the most read and has generated the most anger in some quarters. I said there that it does not bother me if people struggle with some of the theology in The Shack. It was - [THE SHACK Controversy Continues](https://www.lifestream.org/the-shack-controversy-continues/) - I received this today from someone I'd met a few years ago: Hey Brother, Sorry to see some people attacking you and The Shack. I don't agree with the extremism of their reaction. I read the book and it was a big blessing to me personally. How are you standing up? Have you formulated any - [Is THE SHACK Heresy?](https://www.lifestream.org/is-the-shack-heresy/) - We knew it would happen eventually. Frankly we thought it would happen far sooner and in far greater quantity than we have seen to date. But we knew The Shack was edgy enough to prompt some significant backlash, which is why so many publishing companies didn’t want to take it on at the beginning. I - [Shack Trailer Released Today](https://www.lifestream.org/shack-trailer-released-today/) - It's been a long time coming. I've been watching over Brad's shoulder for some time as this entire movie project has unfolded. It has been a long and arduous task and it is so rewarding to see the first fruits of that work come in the form of pictures (above) and today, finally, the first - [What Love Transforms](https://www.lifestream.org/what-love-transforms/) - When three different people send you a copy of the same book in the same week, you take note. About a month ago Sara and I were able to start reading Love Does by Bob Goff. We have found it a delightful read as Bob shares his adventures in learning to live inside of love, both - [Recovery Update #2](https://www.lifestream.org/recovery-update/) - Walking. Walking. Walking. It's a good thing I enjoy it, because that's the regimen now. I'm nearly two weeks out from open-heart surgery and according to my doctors I'm on the upside of the recovery curve. I was home after two days, have nearly stopped all pain meds and can function at about 80% of normal for - [Surgery Plus Seven](https://www.lifestream.org/surgery-plus-seven/) - It's been a slow, steady climb out of the trauma toward the light of normalcy again. It's just over there. I can see it from here, but it still eludes my grasp. Many of you keep asking for an update, so here it is. It's still hard to fathom that a week ago today a - [We're Taking a Break, to Fix One!](https://www.lifestream.org/taking-break-fix-one/) - I hoped this week to be leaving for the upper Midwest. Instead I'm headed for heart surgery this week barring some kind of incredible healing. Time, however, is running out for that. Unfortunately my heart is broken. I've was born with a defective valve in my heart and it has taken me about as far - [What Do I Do with Scriptures that Make God Scary? (57 minutes)](https://www.lifestream.org/what-do-i-do-with-scriptures-that-make-god-scary-57-minutes/) - Recorded in October 2009 at a retreat in South Africa, Wayne seeks to unravel the two seemingly contradictory depictions of God in the Bible and shows how reading Scripture as the progressive revelation of God's nature, that reaches its fulfillment in the Son Himself - the Word made flesh - resolves those contradictions. https://www.lifestream.org/wp-content/uploads/audio/transitions/scripture.mp3 Download - [What is the Gospel of Jesus Christ? (62 minutes)](https://www.lifestream.org/what-is-the-gospel-of-jesus-christ-62-minutes/) - Recorded in October 2009 at a retreat in South Africa, Wayne shares about the Gospel of Love that God communicated in the Son so that we could share a relationship with the Lord of Glory. https://www.lifestream.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/gospel.mp3 Download - [Until You Learn Powerlessness](https://www.lifestream.org/until-you-learn-powerlessness/) - Anyone who has not gone on journeys of powerlessness will invariably abuse power. A good friend sent me a recent devotional from Richard Rohr, thinking I would love it! I did! In fact I share it with Brad on tomorrow's podcast at The God Journey, but I wanted to highlight some of it here and - [Thinking the Worst of God](https://www.lifestream.org/thinking-worst-god/) - I had a great time in Knoxville over the weekend. I met so many wonderful people with great stories. I love the synergy of people being in the room on a similar journey and the insights it begins to open up around the room and long after. One of those who was with us returned - [Why Won't He Change Me Faster?](https://www.lifestream.org/wont-change-faster/) - I get the frustrated email all the time. "Wayne, it doesn't seem like anything is happening in me." People who go on a journey to learn to live in the love of the Father get impatient when change doesn't come as fast as they hope for. I understand. Many are used to intellectual change. I hear - [Jake and John Still Headed For the Movies](https://www.lifestream.org/jake-john-still-headed-movies/) - The Shack movie is being finalized for it's March 3 release. A trailer should be out in the next week or so, hopefully sooner. There are lots of moving parts to get all this through the studio machinery. On a less complicated note, this weekend the producer and screenwriter of the movie adaptation of So - [Waiting for Revival](https://www.lifestream.org/waiting-for-revival/) - By Wayne Jacobsen in a continuing series on The Phenomenon of the Dones. I hear it everywhere I go. “I believe we’re on the verge of a great revival.” People say it with that far away look in their eyes as they gaze deeply into the spiritual ether. I have no reason to doubt their sincerity - [What Do I Do to Live Loved? - (Recorded in Tulsa - June 2009)](https://www.lifestream.org/what-do-i-do-to-live-loved-recorded-in-tulsa-june-2009/) - The answer may surprise you. Living Loved is not something you accomplish at all; it is a reality you relax into as Jesus takes you by the hand and shows you how. https://www.lifestream.org/wp-content/uploads/audio/transitions/relax.mp3 Download - [Do You Know What I Appreciate About You?](https://www.lifestream.org/just-dont-enough/) - Three years ago for my birthday my daughter gathered letters from people all over the world who wanted to tell me what my life and friendship meant to them. That book is one of my most treasured possessions. Reading it is like attending my own funeral, things that people often don't appreciate about someone until - [When Life Frustrates You](https://www.lifestream.org/when-life-frustrates-you/) - Life rarely gives us what we want. How many of us have dreamed of things that bring us great joy but can't find any way to fulfill them in this age? We look at others who have the job we want, a better marriage than the one we struggle in, or with opportunities we wish we had. - [Communion At the Dining Room Table](https://www.lifestream.org/communion-at-the-dining-room-table/) - When your ten-year old granddaughter asks if we take have communion with our Easter dinner, the only reasonable answer is, “Of course!” I love that she’s had it enough here to think about it. I love that her mom and her had discussed Jesus serving it to his disciples as they were working through the - [It's Where Love Took Us](https://www.lifestream.org/love-took-us/) - "You have changed the lives of people who could not be able to feel or experience such great love... " You can read more in the letter below, but first let me set the stage. If you keep up with this blog, you know that we accidentally stumbled into a huge need in Africa. And I mean - [The Best Kind of Friend](https://www.lifestream.org/best-kind-friend/) - Love this quote and thought I'd pass it along today: When we honestly ask ourselves which persons in our lives mean the most to us, we often find that it is those who, instead of giving advice, solutions, or cures, have chosen rather to share our pain and touch our wounds with a warm and - ["He Cannot Love Me"](https://www.lifestream.org/he-cannot-love-me/) - After I sent out the our Lifestream Update for Fall about God's enjoyment of us as his kids, I got a few emails back from some individuals certain that was not true for them. One had the title I've used above. "He cannot love me!" The reasons in each email vary. If I only understood the choices - [Lifestream Update - Fall 2016](https://www.lifestream.org/lifestream-update-fall-2016/) - Does God Enjoy You? The Westminster Shorter Catechism of 1646 said that the chief end of man "is to glorify God and enjoy him forever." What a great statement and those words have resonated with many believers in the ensuing centuries. The God most Christians know, however, is not one to be enjoyed. Most people - [I Love Watching God Change People](https://www.lifestream.org/i-love-watching-god-change-people/) - Still no baby yet! My daughter is beginning to feel some contractions this afternoon, however, so it might not be long. Until then, I thought I'd share with you the transformtion going on in a life. Last week I got this email from a brother I met this fall and whose group I got to - [Our Progress in Pokot - One Year Out](https://www.lifestream.org/progress-pokot-one-year/) - A year ago we offered to see if we could find a million dollars over five years to help the people of Pokot build some infrastructure and seed some businesses that will help them build an economy out of the drought-riddled villages. We received half of that almost immediately from a single source, and we - [Stupid Things Said In the Name of Jesus](https://www.lifestream.org/stupid-things-said-in-the-name-of-jesus/) - By Wayne Jacobsen I’m growing convinced that much of Christianity has become a human religion loosely based on the teachings of Jesus, while missing the point of them all. Every week now I get links to blogs and articles of various pastors giving the 5, 8, or 12 reasons everyone needs to attend a local - [Monetizing Ministry](https://www.lifestream.org/monetizing-ministry/) - By Wayne Jacobsen in a continuing series on The Phenomenon of the Dones. You can also read this blog in Spanish: Monetizando el Ministerio. “Follow the Money!” Since Watergate it has been the prevailing wisdom to ferret out excess and corruption in our treasured institutions. There is something about money, especially in huge amounts, that causes - [Understanding the Dones](https://www.lifestream.org/understanding-the-dones/) - No one thought it was even possible. For years popular wisdom assured Christians that they couldn't leave their traditional congregation and survive spiritually. So when researchers discovered a large pool of people who done exactly that and were not only thriving in their faith but engaged with other believers as well as the world, they - [I'm Looking for 35 Million People](https://www.lifestream.org/im-looking-for-35-million-people/) - Nothing breaks my heart more than meeting someone who invested years of their life in religious service and for some reason never discovered how real God is and how deeply he loves them. The latest research by Josh Packard, author of Church Refugees, shows there are thirty-five million Americans who have left their religious institution - [Seven Markers That Will Help You When You’re Done](https://www.lifestream.org/seven-markers-that-will-help-you-when-youre-done/) - A Thrival Guide for Those Who Find Themselves Outside of Conventional Congregations According to the latest research people are leaving the local church congregation in droves. Many do so questioning whether God even exists, but many others continue to passionately follow Jesus convinced that the institution they belonged to was at odds with the spiritual - [The Conversations that Matter Most](https://www.lifestream.org/the-conversations-that-matter/) - Over thirty-five years ago I was with a group of pastors discussing where we felt most alive in “the ministry”. It didn’t take long for me to answer. It came in those moments when I stood on the edge of a stage, Bible in hand, expounding some Scripture with my voice raised, more words in - [Handling the Truth](https://www.lifestream.org/handling-the-truth/) - By Wayne Jacobsen Part 12 in a continuing series on The Phenomenon of the Dones. When did truth become more important than love? When I grew up in Christianity I was taught that you had to believe the truth to be saved. Of course loving each other was encouraged, but certainly not with the same - [Why People Are Leaving](https://www.lifestream.org/why-people-are-leaving/) - By Wayne Jacobsen Third in a series on the The Phenomenon of the Dones (Read: Part 1: The Secret is Out • Part 2: The Labels That Divide Us) What does it take for someone to leave a congregation of people they have loved and served alongside, often for decades? Why would they suddenly - [The Labels that Divide Us](https://www.lifestream.org/the-labels-that-divide-us/) - Second in a series on the The Phenomenon of the Dones (Read Part 1, The Secret is Out) In a study called Nones on the Rise, Pew Research put out their discovery a few years ago of a growing segment of the U.S. population that checks “none” as their religious preference instead of one - [CHURCH REFUGEES Could Be A Game Changer](https://www.lifestream.org/church-refugees-could-be-a-game-changer/) - By Wayne Jacobsen Fourth in a series on the The Phenomenon of the Dones (Read: Part 1 • Part 2 • Part 3) If you read one book about the church this year, you’ll want to read Church Refugees. Dr. Josh Packard and Ashleigh Hope are sociologists and while researching the current trends of people’s - [The Secret is Out!](https://www.lifestream.org/the-secret-is-out/) - First in a series on the The Phenomenon of the Dones It won’t be a secret much longer: You don’t have to participate in a local congregation to live out a transforming relationship with Jesus, experience the wonder of Christian community, or to find meaningful ways to extend his kingdom in the world. We’ve known - [An Invitation Not An Imposition](https://www.lifestream.org/an-invitation-not-an-imposition/) - This is part 9 in a series on The Phenomenon of the Dones Last October I was invited to participate on a panel that presented the statistics of the “Dones” and share my experience of being with people who no longer see the church as an institution. “The Future of the Church Summit” was designed to - [Five Factors Contributing to the Decline in "Church Attendance"](https://www.lifestream.org/five-factors-contributing-to-the-decline-in-church-attendance/) - Part 8 in a series about the Phenomenon of the Dones. According to sociologist, Josh Packard, thirty million people are no longer attend a local congregation but remain passionately engaged with their faith in Christ. That’s the same number of people who attend each weekend. Seven million of those are present in services “in body - [Reaching Across the Growing Divide](https://www.lifestream.org/reaching-across-growing-divide/) - By Wayne Jacobsen in a continuing series on The Phenomenon of the Dones. According to the latest statistics thirty-one million passionate followers of Jesus regularly attend a Sunday gathering, many of those believing local congregations are the only place a true believer can engage the church of Jesus Christ today. And we have thirty-one - [Do You Have Community?](https://www.lifestream.org/do-you-have-community/) - By Wayne Jacobsen in a continuing series on The Phenomenon of the Dones. The question is as ubiquitous as it is silly: “What Church do you go to?” It’s almost always the first thing Christians ask each other when they meet and it is the most divisive question in all Christendom. We think identifying the - [Getting Updates from Our Websites](https://www.lifestream.org/getting-updates-websites/) - But first, I came across this quote the other day by Christoph Friedrich Blumhardt from his book, Everyone Belongs to God. Immediately my heart resonates with this, but I realize how it is polar opposite to the way I used to think when I was younger. The hope then was to go from seeming powerlessness and - [The All New God Journey Site](https://www.lifestream.org/new-still-free/) - All new! Still free! If you haven't visited The God Journey website for awhile, now would be a good time. Brad is back as co-host and we have a full re-design of the website and the podcast to update the look. Still the same conversations, with new artwork and imagery and it's still free! Brad - [When Our Prayer Life Changes...](https://www.lifestream.org/prayer-life-changes/) - This process of inner transformation is fascinating to watch, in my own life and others. It's disorienting for many when their age-old religious practices start to shift. I know it was for me. One day you're doing a regimen of Bible reading and prayer, feeling good about yourself for ticking all the boxes. Then, they seem - [Engaging Him](https://www.lifestream.org/engage-2/) - Connecting with the Jesus and his Father as he makes himself known to you was meant to be the simplest thing in the world, until our religious approaches got us all twisted up in our own performance and we felt we had to try and make "it" happen on our own. Many people miss that - [Of Course It Would Be a Family](https://www.lifestream.org/of-course-its-a-family/) - Sara and I are just winding up a beautiful vacation in the Sierras, and that included an extended weekend where our family was able to join us, as well as a few others who often hang out with us when we get together. Our last meal was pizza on the deck and looking around at - [Be Warned](https://www.lifestream.org/be-warned/) - I've got some things I've been trying to write for this blog space, but have been too busy yet to get them done. I am thrilled, however, that The Shack is out and people are having so much fun with it. And I like how compelling it is for people who just see the cover - [Transformation is a Journey not an Achievement](https://www.lifestream.org/transformation-journey-not-achievement/) - When we live by religious rules and traditions we unwittingly shift into achievement mode, trying to do the best we can to live up to our standards and most days falling far short and bashing ourselves. That, however, is living by the law. The new creation offers us a new way to live, not by - [At Home In the Sierras](https://www.lifestream.org/at-home-in-the-sierras/) - Sara and I have arrived in the Sierras, Shaver Lake, CA our home away from home this time of year. I enjoy coming up here for a number of reasons. In the slower pace of summer it gives me a place to reflect on what God seems to be doing in my life and a - [How Much Do You Think You Know About God?](https://www.lifestream.org/just-think-figured/) - I couldn't resist sharing this thought above. I love it and it's a great reminder every day that we live. There is far more about God that we don't know, than what we think we know. That's especially true when we add in the conundrum of how much of God we think we know about him that - [Last Chance To Sign Up for Israel](https://www.lifestream.org/last-chance-sign-israel-tour/) - Registration closes in nine days! If you're interested in The God Journey tour of Israel with Brad Cummings and me, the time is at hand. August 1 is the cut-of date for registration we still have some slots for you if you'd like to join us. I know it is quite a time and cost commitment but - [The Story of Jake](https://www.lifestream.org/the-story-of-jake/) - For a book that was never meant to be a book I am amazed at how the story keeps traveling. So You Don't Want to Go to Church Anymore started as a website and a story serialized over four and a half years by two of us who wondered what the Apostle John might think of - [Finding God's Grace when Tragedy Strikes](https://www.lifestream.org/for-your-reading-pleasure/) - It is so easy to find God in the midst of life's joys. Finding him in the midst of our pain is another and perhaps no pain is deeper than the loss of a child. Two new books speak directly into this arena by people who know it all too well. These stories just don't wallow - [Recommended Summer Reading](https://www.lifestream.org/need-great-reading-summer/) - Earlier in the week I recommended two books about the tragic loss of a child and how God works triumph out of great tragedy. Today I want to recommend four other books for other books that deserve some consideration for your summer reading list: Judge Z - Irretrievably Broken by Tim Philpot (Paperback, 260 pages, self-published) Who - [Paradox Lost: Embracing the Mystery of God](https://www.lifestream.org/mystery-god-gets-lost/) - I have waited to post this review for a long time. I've been aware of this book a number of years, first hearing about it in conversations with the author who was being deeply touched by the mystery of God. Then through the writing process as he put those thoughts down and finally through the publication process. - [Leaving the Amish for Freedom in Christ](https://www.lifestream.org/breaking-free-legalism/) - I was handed this book by its authors during my recent trip to Canada. They came from Montana to join me in Calgary and I had time to hear part of their story of moving out of the Amish culture and finding greater freedom in Christ. I was amazed at the progress they had made in four - [Spirituality and Sexuality](https://www.lifestream.org/spirituality-and-sexuality/) - Recently Brad and I did a couple of podcasts on the issues of sexuality in our spiritual journeys, Let's Talk Sex, and No Need to Hide, and discovered just how separated people keep their sexuality from their spirituality. That's mostly due to the fact that religion attaches so much shame to our sexual appetites and - [Keeping Up With the Jacobsens](https://www.lifestream.org/keeping-up-with-the-jacobsens/) - Summer is here and I enjoy the slower pace when I'm not doing as much travel. My last trip for this spring/summer is to Nashville and Bowling Green next weekend. You can get details here if you want to join us. It's a short trip next week, and then I get to spend the rest - [The Things God Says](https://www.lifestream.org/things-god-says/) - Often I hear people say that God doesn’t speak to them. I never believe it. He’s been whispering his reality into your heart since you first took breath, it’s just that we’ve gotten used to listening to other voices until his fades into the background of our own fears and anxieties. The ubiquitous noise of - [Stupid Teachings About Prayer](https://www.lifestream.org/stupid-teachings-prayer/) - Just when you think bad theology has exhausted itself, it pokes up its ugly head yet again. This came in an email this week: (Can you help me with) the faith teaching that goes down the road of "Don't claim that!" and "Just repeat God's word over and over." and "We don't confess that!" and all - [Ignoring Jesus!](https://www.lifestream.org/ignored-scripture-past-1800-years/) - If there are words Jesus spoke that we have ignored more in Western Christianity than Matthew 23, I would have no idea what they would be. Every day in almost every Christian institution we live as if he never said these words or at least didn't mean them. Instead of giving you God’s Law as food - [Uhh... You Might Have that Story Wrong](https://www.lifestream.org/save-us-from-what/) - I guess this meme made the rounds on the Internet but somehow I missed it. It was posted as a blog comment yesterday at The God Journey in our spirited discussion about what salvation really means. Jesus knocks on the door saying, "Let me in." The voice from inside replies, "Why?" Jesus says, "So I - [The Latest from Lifestream](https://www.lifestream.org/lifestream-highlights-june/) - Helping People Find a Better Path As I write this, I've just returned from the east coast, in what proved to be an intense but fruitful time. So many people I met on this trip were in the throes of severe crisis, looking for a way to navigate their need with a loving Father alongside. - [Calamity in Kenya](https://www.lifestream.org/calamity-in-kenya/) - If it's not one thing, it's another. The lack of rain that caused such devastation in the land of Pokot, where we have tried to help over the past couple of years, has now reversed itself and this spring excessive rains have brought a new crisis to these beleaguered people. We have four coaches in the - [Our Israel Trip Had to Change Dates!](https://www.lifestream.org/israel-trip-changes/) - A funny thing happened on our way to a God Journey Tour of Israel... Lionsgate moved the release date of the film version of The Shack while Brad and I would have both been on the tour. Without warning they moved they switched the release of the movie from November 18, 2016, to March 3, - [FINDING CHURCH Book Discussion Beginning](https://www.lifestream.org/finding-church-book-discussion-beginning/) - For those who would like to join me for a book discussion about my latest book, Finding Church, we are beginning that discussion today. If you haven't purchased the book yet, you can do so from us or from Amazon, or download the e-book or audio versions. It is also available in German and in - [A Mother's Day Story of Incredible Redemption](https://www.lifestream.org/a-mothers-day-story-of-incredible-redemption/) - A couple of years ago a dear sister wrote to me about some horrible pain in her life. Five years before her 24-year old daughter in the midst of severe pain took her own life. Other believers distanced themselves from her, wanting to find comfort in the misguided view that if she had been a - [Your Help Is Hurting! (Kenya Update)](https://www.lifestream.org/best-video-economic-development/) - "Your Help is Hurting!" Powerful word from one of the most positive videos I've ever watched about helping people trapped in poverty. It's not our charity they need, but an invitation into the marketplace and the tools to leverage their own creativity and industry that will provide for themselves. This video is only 7:32 minutes long, but it could - [Up Next: Maryland, Virginia and Alberta](https://www.lifestream.org/upcoming-travel-east-coast-canada-israel/) - My next two trips will take me to the east coast of the US in mid-May and then to Alberta, Canada in early June. Each of these invitations ha piqued my interest and provide times for others to come and join in if you'd like. For those who would like to join me in Maryland, - [Letting Jesus Build His Church](https://www.lifestream.org/letting-jesus-build-church/) - Yesterday, I published a new audio at FindingChurch.com called My Hope for His Church. (If you missed it, you might sing up for updated on that website. We are about to launch a book discussion of Finding Church and will be anchoring it there.) It includes a twenty-three minute audio clip drawn from my opening comments - [God's Slow and Glorious Work](https://www.lifestream.org/gods-slow-glorious-work/) - Opening my email every day is like going on a treasure hunt. I have appreciated the stories people have entrusted to me as they hold a longing in their heart for a more vital walk with God than they are yet experiencing. I get to be with them in the darkness and encourage them as - [The God Journey Goes to Israel](https://www.lifestream.org/a-return-to-israel/) - Two years ago I took my wife, son and 40 other people who have enjoyed my writings for an 11-day trip to the land of Israel. We had the time of our lives! Not only did we get to be where so much of redemptive history unfolded, but we also got to share it with - [Finding Freedom From the Machine](https://www.lifestream.org/finding-freedom-from-the-machine/) - -Last year I recommended an e-novel that a friend of mine was working on. It was called Within the Walls and actually was the first book of a trilogy. You can read my review of the first book here. This trilogy chronicles the life of Emilya Hoffman Bowes Brown—technological genius, collaborator in the newest wave of “tek” - [The Sheba Years](https://www.lifestream.org/the-sheba-years/) - It seems our lives are measured in dog years. Yesterday morning, on what would have been her thirteenth birthday, we put the remains of our beloved dog to rest in a corner of Sara's garden. And we cried, both at our loss of Sheba's presence and in celebration of the love we shared together for so long. We're - [One Brother’s Burgeoning Sexual Freedom](https://www.lifestream.org/one-brothers-burgeoning-sexual-freedom/) - In response to my recent article in BodyLife on Sexual Struggles on the Relational Journey, I received some wonderful emails from people in the midst of this struggle and from those who are deeply saddened by how our culture has cheapened sexuality in our day and how young people are succumbing to its seductions. It - [The Struggle for Sexual Freedom](https://www.lifestream.org/struggle-sexual-freedom/) - These two letters come from brothers I know personally and i thought their stories might be an encouragement and help to others. I know that God does not have a process for this kind of freedom that fits everyone, so please don't assume you can just do what the're doing. But hopefully they will encourage - [Wayne Goes Nomad](https://www.lifestream.org/wayne-goes-nomad/) - During my recent trip to the UK, I was asked to join Tim Nash and Dave Ward on their Nomad Podcast, to discuss Finding Church. I had just arrived in Coventry, England only way from Scotland to Wales. We borrowed a friend's office as we sat down to discuss the church Jesus is building. They had - [Sharing the Gospel In the Heart of Legalism](https://www.lifestream.org/sharing-gospel-heart-legalism/) - On Friday morning I was a guest on Vince Coakley's radio show out of Greenville, SC. It's a political talk show mostly, but they often have a faith focus on Friday. If you didn't get a chance to hear the show, they posted a podcast of it here. We talk about thinking outside the box in - [My Favorite Book](https://www.lifestream.org/my-favorite-book/) - Saw this quote the other day, and it rings so true for me: The most familiar books reveal more about themselves when we attend to them anew. And our growing experience allows us to approach our favorites from different angles. In a sense, rereading the same book produces new insights because the reader is a - [Live Radio Tomorrow!](https://www.lifestream.org/live-radio-tomorrow/) - As many of you know I'm in North Carolina hanging out with lots of people exploring this amazing life of Christ and how we can live more deeply in his love and grace. I've had so many great conversations already and so many more to come in the last four days here. On Friday at 11:05 - [When God Shapes A Family](https://www.lifestream.org/when-god-shapes-a-family/) - Well, we're back, and it was quite a trip! Being in Israel at all the historic sites where God unfolded his story of redemption is a moving and stimulating experience. I even got to be in some places I had not been before, like the high place Jeroboam built to keep people from going to - [Let Fruitfulness Overtake You](https://www.lifestream.org/let-it-find-you/) - I get this question a lot, from people who are growing a bit dissatisfied with their job and hoping to find a way into what they think is ministry and they hope a more fulfilling life. Here is what someone recently wrote me: I believe that the Lord wants to use me to help others - [Life Happened Here Once](https://www.lifestream.org/life-happened-here-once/) - It's an amazing moment when a butterfly hatches from her chrysalis, flexes her wings until they dry, and then takes flight discovering what it is like to be a butterfly instead of a caterpillar. We get to enjoy this little miracle in Sara's garden almost every year. But it never happens at the same place twice. Sometime next month thousands - [For the Next Couple of Weeks...](https://www.lifestream.org/quick-swing-uk/) - For the next couple of weeks I'll be overseas. I'll touch down in Dublin on Thursday and connect with some dear friends there. Then, I'll begin a quick swing through the UK, stopping in Northern Ireland • Dumfries, Scotland • Coventry, England • Newport, Wales, and finish up in London. It's quite a quick loop before - [Living Loved in North Carolina](https://www.lifestream.org/next-couple-weeks/) - In early April I'll be in North Carolina for 10 days, meeting in a variety of places and venues. If you haven't got the word yet, here is our schedule. I'm excited to include a weekend retreat up at Lake James for those who would like a more prolonged opportunity to meet others and process - [Leaning Into the Light: Ellen's Story](https://www.lifestream.org/leaning-into-the-light-ellens-story/) - This is a compelling story. I received it in an email last week as someone wanted me to know how much some of my things had touched them. But it is so much more than that. This is the honest struggle of someone who has grown up in a legalistic tradition, finding their way into - [I Hope to Lose, Too!](https://www.lifestream.org/i-hope-to-lose/) - Someone posted this little story on our God Journey blog this past week. I've not heard this story before, but I love what it says and found my heart screaming, "Me too!" A wise man was once asked, "Do you wrestle with God?" The wise man replied, "Yes." Then he was asked, "Do you hope to win?" - [Eleven: Sharing Your Journey](https://www.lifestream.org/eleven-sharing-your-journey/) - It is Jesus' joy to knit each of us into the family he is building in the earth. As you learn to follow him he will bring others into your life that can share the conversations that will encourage each other to live in him more deeply rather than bog each other down with the - [Wayne's Story Unfiltered](https://www.lifestream.org/waynes-story-unfiltered/) - Here it is... My story as best I can tell it, at least from this stage of the journey. This summer I was approached by two men who wanted to interview me for a documentary they are working on about people who have left religious institutions. They were planning to come to California but when my - [And the Winner Is....](https://www.lifestream.org/and-the-winner-is-2/) - Actually there is no winner. Over three hundred of you offered your thoughts and suggestions to me through Facebook, email, and blog comments to my recent post about book cover designs for The Phenomenon of the Dones. Thank you all for your help. It is greatly appreciated. My artist on this project commented how amazing - [When Scripture Terrifies Me](https://www.lifestream.org/when-scripture-provokes-fear/) - I realize a lot of well-meaning people think that fear will endear people to God. They pull out any passage that can be interpreted to terrify people, thinking that fear will lead people to holiness. Well-meaning perhaps, but horribly ignorant of the Gospel itself. Jesus taught us that only love leads to holiness. Fear will - [The Phenomenon of The Dones](https://www.lifestream.org/the-phenomenon-of-the-dones/) - Living Loved • Winter 2016 Current Issue The Phenomenon of The Dones By Wayne Jacobsen This article is also available in Spanish: El fenómeno de los hasta aquí (the dones) Sixty-five million Americans who were once regular attended a local congregation no longer do.About thirty-five million of those no longer self-identify as Christian, but over thirty-one million - [Which Cover Works for You?](https://www.lifestream.org/which-cover-gets-to-you/) - As regular readers here know, I've been writing another book online, this one a special report relating to the latest research on those being called the "dones", those who are giving up on the traditional congregational model for church and are looking for more relational realities. This series is designed to help people understand what's being - [Bubble Gum Alley and a Meeting with John](https://www.lifestream.org/bubble-gum-alley-and-a-meeting-with-john/) - Those of you that have read So You Don't Want to Go to Church Anymore will recognize the above photo. It was taken in San Luis Obispo, CA where the first chapter of the book was set. John disappears down this alleyway as Jake goes looking for him. We were there awhile back and thought - [Divorce Can Be a Triumph](https://www.lifestream.org/divorce-can-be-a-triumph/) - No, this isn't about Sara and me. Far from it, thankfully! But some conversations I had during my recent trip to Canada left me deeply affected by the pain others go through when they find themselves married to a bully. Divorce is always a tragedy, but that doesn't mean it can't be triumph as well, - [Hooked on a Feeling?](https://www.lifestream.org/hooked-on-a-feeling/) - (If you want to subscribe to this blog by email, fill out the form to your right. =====>) "If God loves me so much, why can't I feel his love?" I am convinced that the Father’s love through Jesus is a tangible reality in the life of a believer. We may begin this journey by - [A Tale of Two Magazines](https://www.lifestream.org/a-tale-of-two-magazines/) - I read two magazines last week. My father had a Charisma Magazine laying around and I had not seen one in almost 20 years since I gave up reading it because I felt I needed to take a shower when I did. It was filled with self-promotion, boasting, and exalting men and women instead of - [How Dry Is California?](https://www.lifestream.org/how-dry-is-california/) - On a hike the other day in the Sierras, I thought I'd see just how dry California really is. So, taking a page from Moses' book I spoke to the rock. I could split it in two easy enough, but as you can see in the picture above, I wasn't able to ge the water flowing. - [How Do We Know that We Are His?](https://www.lifestream.org/how-do-we-know-that-we-are-his/) - I had the following exchange earlier today and know that a lot of people wrestle with assurance and how we get it, especialy of our connection to God and our safety in his heart. Since this young man asked me what I thought I responded. Religion really wires us to appeasing God by our good - [The Political Battle of Our Time](https://www.lifestream.org/the-political-battle-of-our-time/) - I don't often use this space for political commentary, but a new election cycle is in full swing and though my hope for a better world is not invested in politics, I care deeply about governance in our society and the decline of quality in political leadership over the last fifty years. I am convinced - [Into Ever Wider Spaces](https://www.lifestream.org/into-ever-wider-spaces/) - Religious obligation makes our world narrower. The harder we work to keep God on our side, the more demanding and judmental we become of others. We resent those who seem to have more fun that we do and judge those who don't work as hard as we do. It makes us angry, bitter, and frustrated - [Five Hundred Episodes of The God Journey](https://www.lifestream.org/five-hundred-episodes-of-the-god-journey/) - Last week I taped the 500th episode of The God Journey with my former co-host, Brad Cummings joining me again. It will air this Friday morning. (We actually taped the 501st one as well, since we couldn’t stop talking!) When we began over ten years ago, I would never have guessed our little - [How His Church Takes Shape In the World](https://www.lifestream.org/how-his-church-takes-shape-in-the-world/) - As I was preparing for my trip to Indiana, two men I didn't know asked if I could come early to do some taping with them. They are working on a documentary about people moving beyond the congregational model to celebrate God's work in them. They asked if they could interview me to use it - [The Best Kind of Joy](https://www.lifestream.org/the-best-kind-of-joy/) - There is no such thing as the right place, the right job, the right calling or ministry. I can be happy or unhappy in all situations. I am sure of it, because I have been. I have felt distraught and joyful in situations of abundance as well as poverty, in situations of popularity and anonymity, - [You Can't Put It Back In the Box](https://www.lifestream.org/you-cant-put-it-back-in-the-box/) - It was one of the most exruciating "worship services" I've ever endured. As part of the conference I attended last week we were subjected to an experience that was put together by a worship design studio, whatever the wacky thing that is. There was singing, talk of God, and even communion. It was supposed to - [Last Trips of the Year](https://www.lifestream.org/last-trips-of-the-year/) - I've just finalized my travel schedule to year's end, and if you want to join me somewhere along the way, you can contact the link below and come join us. I'll begin in Chicago, make my way into southern Wisconsin, and then off to northeast Ohio. I actually still have an evening free on Wednesday, - [FINDING CHURCH release in German](https://www.lifestream.org/finding-church-release-in-german/) - Glory World Medien has just released Finding Church in German. They have done many of my other books three and are calling this one, The Community of the New Creation. I'm surprised at the hunger in Germany for so many to think outside the box of religious obligation and discover that Jesus is building a - [Kenya Update: New Wells and Food for Widows](https://www.lifestream.org/kenya-update-new-wells-and-food-for-widows/) - It has been awhile since I've updated people on Kenya. While I don't talk about it much, I have spent about a quarter of my time this year just working out what we can do in Pokot and what God wants us to do. I don't want readers of the blog to feel badgered by - [What I Wish Every Father Knew about His Daughter](https://www.lifestream.org/what-i-wish-every-father-knew-about-his-daughter/) - It’s my daughter’s birthday today and I’ve been thinking of her all week and what it means to have a daughter who is turning thirty-(mumble-mumble). What an absolute joy it has been to watch her continue to grow as a wife, mother, and friend to so many and how she gives of herself to help - [Get Your Free Book](https://www.lifestream.org/get-your-free-book/) - Just a reminder that from now until January 31, we are sending out a free copy of In Season to everyone who places an order at Lifestream as our gift. And if you order a copy of In Season, you'll get two for the price of one. This is only for US addresses, since shipping - [Travel Plans 2016](https://www.lifestream.org/upcoming-trips/) - I announced at the beginning of the year that I've declared "Travel Request Bankruptcy" since my list of invites has gotten unimaginably long and some of those requests are now outdated. So if we're not currently in a conversation about my coming your direction and you've been waiting for me to let you know, please get - [How Healing Grows](https://www.lifestream.org/how-healing-grows/) - I love when healing comes suddenly, quickly and completely. God does that, but not nearly as often as many seem to think. This false expectation may be the result of too many altar calls where people come forward for prayer in hope that that alone will fix the probelm. Many go away feeling better, but - [What It Takes to Change the World](https://www.lifestream.org/what-it-takes-to-change-the-world/) - Since I was traveling and meeting new people yesterday, I heard very late about the events in Paris as my Facebook feed overflowed with grief and anger for the victims. What an incredible tragedy to see innocent people slaughtered in the name of an ideology that is ruthless and has no regard for human life! - [An Audience of One](https://www.lifestream.org/an-audience-of-one/) - Sara and I saw a movie recently about two national figures who had acted honorably even though most people didn't think so. They were the victims of false assumptions and accusations by people who didn't know what was true or didn't care. Instead of being celebrated as the heroes they were, they were vilified by - [Spotlight: A Movie Worth Watching](https://www.lifestream.org/spotlight-a-movie-worth-watching/) - I spent most of my day in tears yesterday. I spent the morning watching another rough cut of the movie adaptation of The Shack. I found myself deeply moved by the retelling of this story. Tears welled up often with a tenderness for the work of God in the midst of human tragedy. I'm not - [Change, Change, Change!](https://www.lifestream.org/change-change-change/) - They say no one likes change except a wet baby. I remember using that line in a sermon years ago to great laughs. It's not so funny anymore. I've actually come to enjoy change, well at least most of them. No, I don't enjoy when Sara moves things in the house from their usual spot - [The Latest From Lifestream](https://www.lifestream.org/the-latest-from-lifestream/) - This has truly been an amazing year in so many ways. Sara and I enjoy the place that God has given us to help encourage others on their journey and the perspective it gives us of his work in the world. These are truly amazing times we live in. Over the past few weeks we've - [His Incarnation Changed Everything](https://www.lifestream.org/his-incarnation-changed-everything/) - The story has become so commonplace it’s easy to miss the wonder of it all. The transcendent God, who created everything, took on our humanity to live inside his own creation. (The painting of Joseph and Jesus at left is from A Man Like No Other.) Nine months in a young woman’s womb, years in - [Jesus Lens Videos Now On-Line](https://www.lifestream.org/jesus-lens-videos-now-on-line/) - I continue to be blessed by the responses I'm getting to the Jesus Lens audio that we released a few weeks ago on the Lifestream Currents Podcast. Some people love it and it has helped them read the Scriptures with joy and clarity they have not known before. Others are struggling through it, knowing that - [Learning to Live Loved: Part One](https://www.lifestream.org/learning-to-live-loved-part-one/) - This is part one of a two-part, lengthy interview done with some documentary filmmakers in Indiana. We spent an hour and twenty minutes by a campfire, on a late summer’s evening, talking about my life and writings, and learning to live loved. https://vimeo.com/139705448 - [World Premiere: Engage: Letting God Build a Relationship With You](https://www.lifestream.org/world-premiere-engage-letting-god-build-a-relationship-with-you/) - We are unveiling the first video in our Engage series on this blog. Eventually these will move to their own page on our new website, but that has been delayed briefly. Engage is my attempt to equip and encourage people to explore their own relationship with God. Unfortunately, many people who want to know God - [One: Why Engage](https://www.lifestream.org/one-why-engage/) - Introducing this new video series and how you might incorporate it in your own personal journey of knowing Father, Son, and Spirit. - [On the Road Again](https://www.lifestream.org/on-the-road-again-2/) - After having four uninterrupted months at home with friends and family, it looks like its time to hit the road again, and perhaps the airport. Sara has recovered well from her surgery and though I’m not going whole-hog into an extensive travel schedule, there are some invitations that I felt led to accept and some - [The Way: Freedom](https://www.lifestream.org/the-way-freedom/) - Sara and I recently started reading a new book together. It isn’t easy for us to find books that we both enjoy. We’re incredibly picky because we want something that’s fresh and new to our journey, but also has depth and challenges the way we already think. But a friend of mine recently sent me - [The Way: Getting Along With Others](https://www.lifestream.org/the-way-getting-along-with-others/) - Here are some more thoughts that have touched us from The Way by E. Stanley Jones. If you want some backgound on this book, please see my earlier blog about it. I found this especially applicable to some of the thoughts and conversations I’m having about community these days: People cannot get along with each - [Coming to Grips With God’s Love](https://www.lifestream.org/coming-to-grips-with-gods-love/) - I love honesty. As I’ve often said, “The truth will set you free, but it will really mess with you first.” Freedom is risky and discovering that God is loving and kind enough for you to let him into the most broken places of your life can look intimidating at the outset, especially if you’ve - [The Way: Jesus](https://www.lifestream.org/the-way-jesus/) - Here are some more thoughts that have touched us from The Way by E. Stanley Jones. If you want some backgound on this book, please see my earlier blog about it. Here’s something he wrote about God: If I were to sit down and try to think out the kind of God I would like - [Are You a Mystic?](https://www.lifestream.org/are-you-a-mystic/) - For the first time in four months, I’m going to wake up early in the morning and head for an airport. It has been awesome to be home with Sara for such a long stretch as she recovered from surgery and to have time with friends and family locally. Though I am not looking forward - [Learning to Live At Rest](https://www.lifestream.org/learning-to-live-at-rest/) - I just got in from Tulsa late yesterday and have a lot of backlog to sort through before I leave for Visalia tomorrow. As I was working in my study, some movement caught my eye just outside my window. It was a red-tail hawk cruising by my second story study. That’s not uncommon here since - [Introduction](https://www.lifestream.org/introduction/) - We'll begin the story of Scripture at its climax: the Incarnation of Jesus Christ who was the exact representation of the Father. Below you'll find links to either watch the video presentation, or to listen or download the audio version as they become available. If the links are inactive, it's because they are not ready - [Two: Starting Fresh](https://www.lifestream.org/two-starting-fresh/) - If you've lost hope that God wants to have a meaningful relationship with you, due to pass disappointments or struggles, maybe you need to start fresh by opening the door to a conversation with him instead of trying to earn one. - [Three: How do you see Him?](https://www.lifestream.org/three-how-do-you-see-him/) - When you go to God, what image do you have of him in your mind? If it's anything less than a tender, loving Father, that may be where he wants to start with you. - [Four: Surrender](https://www.lifestream.org/four-surrender/) - When you're convinced enough that God is, you'll want to learn the joys of surrendering to his desires for you, over your own agenda for your life. - [Another Chapter In Our Kenya Story](https://www.lifestream.org/another-chapter-in-our-kenya-story/) - Many of you who have followed this blog over the years know we have a wonderful connection with brothers and sisters in Kenya and have been able to help them with food, clothing, education, micro-loans for jobs, and care for widows and orphans. Two years ago we completed an orphanage for 72 children who were - [Be Seekers of Truth](https://www.lifestream.org/be-seekers-of-truth/) - My friend, Jack Gray of Auckland, NZ turned 90 years a couple of weeks ago. He’s one of the men I spent some time with last year as part of what I’m affectionately calling now my, “Old Coot Tour!” He’s one of those brothers and sisters who’ve spent multiple decades living life inside a relationship - [Learning to Live At Rest II](https://www.lifestream.org/learning-to-live-at-rest-ii/) - I just saw him again, I think. That young hawk who was learning to fly last week is out swooping back and forth across my back yard. He’s still not as smooth as his parents, but he’s learning. He’s much more at ease now, not fighting the wind so much and not so desperate to - [An Interview About the Journey](https://www.lifestream.org/an-interview-about-the-journey/) - For those who don’t get enough of my voice, this is the interview I did for Rob and DeAnna Duplantis on Freedom Radio in Beaumont, Texas last month. You can view it here. - [You Are Already Clean (Excerpt)](https://www.lifestream.org/you-are-already-clean-excerpt/) - Outside my window this morning, spring is exploding here in Southern California. It is not only gorgeous, but it has invited Sara back out into the garden to plant a new season of flowers. All the leaves on the trees are fresh and clean, the daffodils are up and the redbuds are vivid with color. - [The Shack Screenplay & Other Items](https://www.lifestream.org/the-shack-screenplay-other-items/) - People continue to ask me if there will ever be a movie made of THE SHACK. Honestly that was what we all wanted to do when I first got involved with the manuscript. We shaped the story with a movie in mind and published the book as the first step to making a movie that - [A Very Special Celebration](https://www.lifestream.org/a-very-special-celebration/) - I hold in my hands a treasure. It’s a book I will read and reread for the rest of my time here on this planet. Last night my daughter and grandkids came over to celebrate the start of this weekend that celebrates my 60 years of life. She brought a very special gift. For the - [Thanks to You The Work Progresses in Kenya](https://www.lifestream.org/thanks-to-you-the-work-progresses-in-kenya/) - It is always hard for me to use this space to ask for money to help the brothers and sisters in Kenya. I figure most folks are getting Kenya fatigue, and if you are, please feel free to not read any further. But then someone I meet will ask me about the orphans in Kenya - [What Really Matters!](https://www.lifestream.org/what-really-matters/) - Finally, the birthday gifts and party are now in the past, but what a weekend it was! I am so grateful to all who made this one special in so many ways. To have my home and yard filled with people I love and share the laughter and joy of family and long-time friendship was - [Reconciliation and Forgiveness](https://www.lifestream.org/reconciliation-and-forgiveness/) - There are few international stories in our time more compelling than the struggle for reconciliation and collaboration in post-apartheid South Africa. I have long been amazed by this story of oppressor and oppressed trying to find a way to build a society together and not to let vengeance hold sway, which so often happens in - [Part II Study Material](https://www.lifestream.org/part-ii-study-material/) - Download Presentation Download Study Notes Download Bible Discoveries - [Part III Study Material](https://www.lifestream.org/part-iii-study-material/) - Download Presentation Download Study Notes Download Bible Discoveries - [The All-New Lifestream.org](https://www.lifestream.org/the-all-new-lifestream-org/) - It's been eight months in planning so that we could make this website more accommodating to the people who come here, and more functional on the backside for Sara in the office. It was far more complicated than I imagined, but we're still excited to let you in on our new web site. I - [Five: With Him not For Him](https://www.lifestream.org/five-with-him-not-for-him/) - If you constantly find yourself doing things for God, then learn to stop. God does not need you to get his attention or affection, but to simply learn to walk with him. - [A Crazy Week Indeed](https://www.lifestream.org/a-crazy-week-indeed/) - What a crazy week! This one began in the Bay area of California with some great dialog. Not everyone loved it, however. We did have some people that wanted to promote some abusive views of God that others among us were trying to break free of. It was in interesting conversation to say the least. - [I'd Love to Know What He Knows Now](https://www.lifestream.org/id-love-to-know-what-he-knows-now/) - I was at the bedside of one of my closest friends when he passed into the next life about six years ago, my first thought was, "I'd love to know what he knows now." I felt that way again yesterday when I heard that Brennan Manning had passed away. I know he had been very - [Departing for Australia, Prepping for Carolina!](https://www.lifestream.org/departing-for-australia-prepping-for-carolina/) - In a few hours I’ll take wing for a three-week trip to Australia. There are so many exciting connections in store there, both from people I’ve seen before and for people I’ve only corresponded with. It should be fun But I’m also getting things arranged for an early June visit to North Carolina. There’s been - [Six: Becoming an Active Learner](https://www.lifestream.org/six-becoming-an-active-learner/) - We are used to being spoon-fed what others think we ought to know about God. Until we take responsibility for our own journey, we’ll never learn to look to him to teach us. - [Would You Want to Come With Us to Israel?](https://www.lifestream.org/would-you-want-to-come-with-us-to-israel/) - My trip to Israel in 1997 proved too far more impact on me than I ever thought it could. I promised someday to take Sara there. I wanted her to walk this land where God made Himself known in the world. The time has come to make good on that promise! And you are invited - [Seven: Relaxing into His Reality](https://www.lifestream.org/seven-relaxing-into-his-reality/) - Living in God’s reality doesn’t come by trying to get the things we want from him, but learning to receive what he is already giving us. - [Australia, Wildfires, & Joy at Home](https://www.lifestream.org/australia-wildfires-joy-at-home/) - It's good to be back from Australia and catch-up a bit on some sleep and tons of office stuff that piled up in my three-week absence. If you want to hear my reflections on my time in Australia as well as some comments on a recent Barna study that concludes Christians more reflect the spirit - [Unmediated Spirituality, Unmanaged Community, and Unmaintained Networks](https://www.lifestream.org/unmediated-spirituality-unmanaged-community-and-unmaintained-networks/) - While talking with a friend in Australia recently we were celebrating a vast network of friends throughout the world that Father has connected on this journey. The people span continents and yet through travel, Skype, and email connections have found a way to share their journeys together. It is truly friends and friends of friends - [Eight: Following Him Not an It](https://www.lifestream.org/eight-following-him-not-an-it/) - Jesus didn’t invite us to follow his rules or traditions about him, he called us to follow him and we do that by learning recognize how he speaks to us. - [Learning Not To Be a Jerk](https://www.lifestream.org/learning-not-to-be-a-jerk/) - It's the season for new graduates, in high school, colleges, and universities to mark a moment of significant transition in their lives. I don't know John Green, the author of The Fault in Our Stars, but I do know truth when I hear it. Here are some excerpts of his recent commencement address to - [Off to Carolina and Other Goodies](https://www.lifestream.org/off-to-carolina-and-other-goodies/) - I'm beginning to wonder if Israel's preoccupation with counting horses and chariots whenever they were threatened instead of relying on God to protect and care for them is the same mistake we make when we look to human-designed structures to keep us safe in Jesus. We are still looking to what man can do and - [Nine: Praying for Real](https://www.lifestream.org/nine-praying-for-real/) - Prayer is not trying to get God to do what we want, but communicating with him about the issues and circumstances that concern us. It doesn’t happen in a prescribed period each day, but becomes a never-ending conversation where he lets us in on his insight. - [Being Angry With God](https://www.lifestream.org/being-angry-with-god/) - I got this email over the weekend and loved it. She's really angry at God and wants to know if it's safe to let him in. I wish more people were like her. I meet so many people who have a deep anger or disappointment in God but are either too afraid of him to - [Ten: The Freedom to Fail](https://www.lifestream.org/ten-the-freedom-to-fail/) - Learning to follow Jesus is a process in which you'll make your share of mistakes. Unless you give up the illusion of trying to be perfect, you’ll never have the freedom to discover the joy of learning to live in him. - [Does God Allow Suffering?](https://www.lifestream.org/does-god-allow-suffering/) - I get emails like this a lot. They always break my heart and I hope my answer to this woman will help others struggling with the same question: Does God allow bad things to happen to us? Most Christians think so. They've been trapped in a false and simplistic theology that concludes that because God - [Life Is In the Blood](https://www.lifestream.org/life-is-in-the-blood/) - (Personal Note: I’m so sorry the website has been a mess over the weekend. The server it ties to has had a weekend of problems and that has made life difficult for a lot of people. I know how frustrating it can be to try to find a website that continues to get error messages. - [It's Not Even a Children's Book](https://www.lifestream.org/its-not-even-a-childrens-book/) - When Brad and I were asked to write the stories of Jesus to go with Murry’s paintings in A Man Like No Other, we wrote them for adults. They contain a lot of theology in those very short bits designed to help people unpack the story of Jesus from all the religious dressing we’ve added - [Update on Kenyan Orphanage](https://www.lifestream.org/update-on-kenyan-orphanage/) - Last weekend the brothers and sisters in Kenya dedicated the new gas station to the Lord's service. Children from Living Loved Care Centre were there to celebrate what the generosity of so many of you have provided. My heart overflows today at their excitement that God has provided a way for them to care for - [Differing Views of God](https://www.lifestream.org/differing-views-of-god/) - (Important Notice: Before I get to today’s blog I want to warn you that we’re going to shut Lifestream down for a couple of days beginning on Tuesday evening here in the States, to move it to a new server. I apologize for any inconvenience, but among the website issues we’ve had to resolve this - [Twelve: When God Seems Distant](https://www.lifestream.org/twelve-when-god-seems-distant/) - Sometimes despite our most ardent prayers, God seems distant. But he’s not. He’s always making himself known, it’s just that we may be looking in all the wrong places for him. - [Why Wouldn’t It Be Different?](https://www.lifestream.org/why-wouldnt-it-be-different/) - During my first trip to Israel, I was a little put off by how some of the people on the tour were trying to convert your Jewish guide, Abraham. They kept making snide asides to him as to why he didn’t accept Jesus as the Messiah. On the last day I found myself alone with - [Thirteen: A Quiet Place](https://www.lifestream.org/thirteen-a-quiet-place/) - Just blazing through a noisy and demanding world will not make it easy for us to hear know him. He is found in the quiet of our hearts and sometimes a quiet place can help us settle into his reality. - [Lifestream Podcast Feed Finally Fixed](https://www.lifestream.org/lifestream-podcast-feed-finally-fixed/) - Unfortunately when we converted to our new website in March, our feeds for my blog at Lifestream got lost, or were not connected properly. That has been a nightmare for all of us, especially for those of you lost feeds to the various ways you subscribed to the blog. I apologize for that and the - ["Living Loved" With Wayne Jacobsen](https://www.lifestream.org/living-loved-with-wayne-jacobsen/) - During my recent sojourn around North Carolina, Tami Rumfelt, a local radio DJ asked me to do an interview for her podcast audience about what it means to live loved, and how we get distracted from doing that by our religious performance. This interview provides a good overview of my passion to help people discover - [Fourteen: What About the Bible?](https://www.lifestream.org/fourteen-what-about-the-bible/) - The Bible was never meant to be a rule book filled with condemnation, but the story of humanity coming to understand God’s nature over thousands of years. Learn to read it that way and it will be a valuable resource of insight and wisdom into God and how he works in the world. - [Enjoying the Quiet](https://www.lifestream.org/enjoying-the-quiet/) - I don't think we're wired to live every moment in the public eye. At least I'm not. For the past six weeks I haven't done much on-line except continue to post the Engage videos that we've been taping. Part of that time included some vacation with the family, but a lot of it allowed me - [Fifteen: What About Sin?](https://www.lifestream.org/fifteen-what-about-sin/) - Religion is a shame-management system that only increases our captivity as we try to be better for God. The reason God forgave our sin in Christ, is so that we can come to know him without the shame of our failures and by doing so become transformed by his love. - [Youtubes](https://www.lifestream.org/youtubes/) - http://youtu.be/m6c3UP2Dy4A Part 1 http://youtu.be/N8chqf5C5HI Part 2 http://youtu.be/rr1I5FXOyvE Part 3 http://youtu.be/bH8FYWD2ypY Part 4 http://youtu.be/UIs-SuZOO7E Part 5 http://youtu.be/MnSt8d1aNLg Part 6 http://youtu.be/4unBvf6bCpM Part 7 http://youtu.be/Wc-YwGeD2AI Part 8 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zvzxLP14Fyc Part 9 - [What if Sin Is A Coping Mechanism?](https://www.lifestream.org/what-if-sin-is-a-coping-mechanism/) - The first time I heard it was after it had come out of my mouth. But I've been thinking about it a lot since. I was asked to speak at a local fellowship in Boise on Sunday morning last week. I asked them if they'd be more open to a conversation instead of a lecture, - [Clothes For Kenyan Children](https://www.lifestream.org/clothes-for-kenyan-children/) - I have so appreciated how so many of you have stood with us over the past few years to dare for 72 orphaned children in Kenya. I have appreciated that you have not gotten Kenya-fatigue and have continued to help as needed. I am amazed at how much resource we have put in their hands - [Sixteen: NATO Living](https://www.lifestream.org/sixteen-nato-living/) - Our trust in God is undermined every time we try to win God to our agenda and measure his love for us based on our own expectations. If we can live not attached to the outcomes we desire, we’ll discover that he knows best about everything and will lead us into far greater joy and - [Travel Updates: Israel, UK, and Dallas](https://www.lifestream.org/travel-updates-israel-uk-and-dallas/) - If you were planning to go to Israel with us, there are only two more days to register. Deadline is September 15 fopr the tour Sara and I will be hosting February 5-16. There are only five spots left to join our group, so you bettter hurry. And the deadline for sign-ups is this Sunday, - [Letting God Find Us In Our Pain](https://www.lifestream.org/letting-god-find-us-in-our-pain/) - Who hasn’t been in gut-wrenching pain, certain your circumstances are proof enough that the God of the ages doesn’t know or doesn’t care who you are? I get that email a lot from people yearning for their pain to be resolved so that can rest assured in his love. But that assurance doesn’t come our - [Israel Deadline Extended](https://www.lifestream.org/israel-deadline-extended/) - I know it came as a shock to me, and judging by your emails to many of you as well. The deadline to sign up for our February 5-16, 2014 trip to Israel was this past Sunday. Unfortunately that date had completely gotten past me and I know many of you were considering it who - [Seventeen: A Life of Love](https://www.lifestream.org/seventeen-a-life-of-love/) - Jesus invites us into a kingdom that thrives in love. Learning to live in the reality of his love for us and sharing that love with others, leads us away from the tyranny of always having to have our own way. Then instead of seeking what we want, we can lay down our lives for - [When God Finds You](https://www.lifestream.org/when-god-finds-you/) - Sara and I are having another incredible time on this trip to the UK. We spent a couple of days out on the westend of London with some new friends and some we've met before. Then we drove up to Scotland, stopping in two different places in northern England to gather with people who wanted - [Eighteen: One Step At a Time](https://www.lifestream.org/eighteen-one-step-at-a-time/) - Few of us really live in the moment, where God is most easily seen. At times we live in the past by our regrets or by trying to recapture some past experience with him. Sometimes we live absorbed in the future with anxieties about what might happen, or trying to fulfill the plans and hopes - [Learning to Say, "No Thanks."](https://www.lifestream.org/learning-to-say-no-thanks/) - Listen to this.... I mean really listen. There is so much wisdom in these few words: "The rush and pressure of modern life are a form, perhaps the most common form, of contemporary violence. To allow oneself to be carried away by a multitude of conflicting concerns, to surrender to too many demands, to commit - [Nineteen: Living By the Spirit](https://www.lifestream.org/nineteen-living-by-the-spirit/) - You do not learn to live this life in Jesus by wrapping your head around a different set of principles. You actually grow to understand this life as you respond to the Spirit guiding you into his truth. Over time the draw of the Spirit will become more powerful than the pull of the world - [One Flock And One Shepherd](https://www.lifestream.org/one-flock-and-one-shepherd/) - I know this blog has been relatively quiet this fall. That's because I'm spending the bulk of my time working on my next book, Finding Church: What If There Really Is Something More? This book is bringing together so many threads that have been dear to my heart over the past 40 years. It's the stuff - [Twenty: Letting God Win Our Trust](https://www.lifestream.org/twenty-letting-god-win-our-trust/) - Faith is not a tool we’re supposed to produce to manipulate God to do what we want. God wins us into faith by showing us who he is and how he is working in our lives. The more we grow to trust him the less we’ll react to trouble by trying to save ourselves and - [Our Friends In Kenya](https://www.lifestream.org/our-friends-in-kenya/) - A lot has been happening in Kenya over the past few months and I want to take a moment here to give you an update. I know how easily we can be fatigued with needs from overseas, but I have appreciated the number of you who have continued to carry this on your heart and - [Twenty-One: The Only Thing That Counts](https://www.lifestream.org/twenty-one-the-only-thing-that-counts/) - We find our way into the simplicity of following him as we ignore all the obligations that others can put on us live in the confidence that there’s only one thing that matters to God—that whatever we do is the fruit of a growing trust in him expressing itself in our love for others. Here - [The Gift of Contentment](https://www.lifestream.org/the-gift-of-contentment/) - Contentment. She's a great gift. You can have a lot and not be content with it, always scheming for more and envious of those who have it. And you can be content in the valley of the shadow of death, because you know you're not alone even there and that better days and better times - [Less Talking, More Living](https://www.lifestream.org/less-talking-more-living/) - I remember the first time I had even heard the notion. It ran so counter to everything I had learned before. "Jesus didn't come to teach us about God; he came to show us how to live with his Father." It sounded true when I first heard it, but I had no idea how to - [Twenty-Two: Tuning To God's Frequency](https://www.lifestream.org/twenty-two-tuning-to-gods-frequency/) - Many of us were taught to find security in the approval of others, monetary success, religious activity and belonging to the right group. What if those aren’t the best signals to follow? It may seem difficult to separate the static of the world from his frequency, but it really isn't. Here are some insights to - [A True Hero Has Left the Room](https://www.lifestream.org/a-true-hero-has-left-the-room/) - You cannot turn on the news today and not be confronted with the images of Nelson Mandela as the world mourns his passing and celebrates the legacy of healing that he fostered in South Africa. Since my first visit there, I’ve been deeply touched by his story. Everyone I met in South Africa, both black - [What God Needs To Shape Us](https://www.lifestream.org/what-god-needs-to-shape-us/) - An email exchange yesterday brought to mind one of my favorite podcasts from The God Journey, about the critical things God seems to need to help shape our lives as vessels of his love and care. These come from Tom Mohn, a dear friend of mine from Tulsa, OK. I don't think God has to - [¡Él me ama!](https://www.lifestream.org/el-me-ama/) - Este es el libro al cual he llamado frecuentemente, “el libro de mayor importancia que jamás vaya a escribir”. Ahora está disponible en Español. Este trabajo se ha logrado gracias al gran esfuerzo de personas de tres continentes. Estamos bien entusiasmados al añadir este recurso al menú de “Lifestream” y para celebrar su lanzamiento al - [Twenty-Three: That Your Joy Might Be Full](https://www.lifestream.org/twenty-three-that-your-joy-might-be-full/) - Everything God does in our lives is so that his joy might be in us and that our joy might be full. He makes a way for us to be at home in him and he disciplines us so that we can find the fruitfulness and fulfillment of his life instead of being tyrannized by - [Christmas Wonder](https://www.lifestream.org/christmas-wonder/) - As Christmas rolls around, Sara and I look back over the past year with profound gratitude at all that the Lord has let us be a part of this year. The most precious of all is, of course, the people we've met and good friends who have walked alongside us. We have been enriched in - [Twenty-Four: The Adventure Of A Lifetime](https://www.lifestream.org/twenty-four-the-adventure-of-a-lifetime/) - The final episode makes it clear that we haven’t arrived yet, but merely stand on the edge of the most amazing adventure available to us—how can we explore the vastness of God’s love and character not only in this age, but also for all eternity? - [A Five-Star Grace Book?](https://www.lifestream.org/a-five-star-grace-book/) - I'm amazed people track these things, but a friend of mine from New Zealand recently posted 11 books about living in Father's love and grace that have more than 100 5-star ratings on Amazon.com. He Loves Me was on that list. (You can view the entire list here, which includes some of my favorites.) I - [Finding Your Connection With God](https://www.lifestream.org/finding-your-connection-with-god/) - As much as I enjoy the process of getting the things God has put into my heart into book form, I am reminded over these past few months that my real passion is not writing books or traveling to speak to groups of people. My truest passion, other than engaging God mysellf, is to help - [One Touched Life](https://www.lifestream.org/one-touched-life/) - I got this email from a friend of mine last week who lives in Virginia: My 92 year old aunt who lives in a nursing home in California. Despite her age and being confined to a wheel chair much of the time, she has a very sharp mind. She spends her days reading the - [You Cannot Love What You Seek to Control](https://www.lifestream.org/you-cannot-love-what-you-seek-to-control/) - I thought others of you would be interested in this little exchange I had the other day. The only reason I’m posting it is because I get this question often as it’s a very real part of our journey and the shift in thinking that happens when we move beyond religion to live in the - [Make Pain Part of the Journey](https://www.lifestream.org/make-pain-part-of-the-journey/) - As I’ve been contemplating joy over the past few weeks my inbox has been filled with people going through serious seasons of pain. A young mother potentially facing a scary medical diagnosis, another losing a second child in a miscarriage and may not be able to have any more, a family facing bankruptcy, a father - [The Church In the New Creation](https://www.lifestream.org/the-church-in-the-new-creation/) - I get lots of email asking how the new book is coming along, so I thought it best that I answer here. For those who don't know I'm writing a book called Finding Church: What If There Really Is Something More? I had hoped to have the rough draft done before I depart next week - [Off to Israel](https://www.lifestream.org/off-to-israel/) - It's finally here. We've been planning this for over a year and I can't it is now time to go. This trip fulfills a promise to Sara after I was there seventeen years ago when she couldn't go and it was always a dream for her to do so. We decided to take along some - [An Urgent Call From Kenya for Help in West Pokot](https://www.lifestream.org/an-urgent-call-from-kenya-for-help-in-west-pokot/) - My friend, Michael, Wafula, who is also the director of IGEM, has been our man in Kenya to help in the post-election violence that devastated so many people in the region and left a trail of orphans and widows in its wake. I was just with him as he was our guest for the Israel - [So How Is the Book Coming?](https://www.lifestream.org/so-how-is-the-book-coming/) - I hear the question all the time, and actually I'm really grateful to know that others are carrying this process on their heart and are anxious to read it. For those that don't know, I'm working on a new book called Finding Church: What if There Really Is Something More? I want it to help - [Updates from Lifestream](https://www.lifestream.org/updates-from-lifestream/) - Life has been incredibly crazy of late and many of you have noticed I haven't done with my blog lately. Sorry! I'm gone again this week helping my parents continue to sort out the best choices for dealing with their new circumstances. So let me give you some quick updates: FINIDNG CHURCH: I am - [Next Up: Maryland and Virginia](https://www.lifestream.org/next-up-maryland-and-virginia/) - Later this month I'll be off to the east coast to spend a few days in Maryland and Virginia. I'll be in Knoxville, MD the weekend of April 24-27 with Dan and Joyce, You can contact them here if you'd like details for the weekend. On May 1 I'll be moving down to Richmond and - [I Am Overwhelmed with Gratefulness](https://www.lifestream.org/i-am-overwhelmed-with-gratefulness/) - Honestly, I don't know what to say. This morning I asked Sara to check on how much we had received for hunger and medical relief in West Pokot where over 600 families are starving to death as their rural economy has come unraveled by severe and prolonged drought. The estimated need was for $50,000 to - [Good Morning, Brother Pilgrim](https://www.lifestream.org/good-morning-brother-pilgrim/) - I haven't known him long, but I've treasured the opportunities we've had to crash hearts and minds on this incredible journey. Tom is an older brother in every sense of the word, one who has traveled many miles on his spiritual journey through all kinds of twists and turns and has come to this season - [Gethsemane](https://www.lifestream.org/gethsemane/) - Many of you have heard me speak of Jenny Rowbury before. She's a young woman in England, who in her first year at university became ill with a virus that caused severe M.E. (Myalgic Encephalomyelitis: inflammation of the brain and spinal cord). She has been bed-bound ever since and unable to sit up because of - [Kenya Update: When More Show Up Than You Planned For](https://www.lifestream.org/kenya-update-when-more-show-up-than-you-planned-for/) - Our team in Kenya arrived in the West Pokot region earlier this week to take food, water, and medical assistance to the 615 starving families of that region who have been devastated by the prolonged drought in that area. They had corn, beans, and water to distribute that would provide the sustenance they needed. - [What?!?!!? I'm the Keynote Speaker at TellitCon?](https://www.lifestream.org/what-im-the-keynote-speaker-at-tellitcon/) - I got a phone call a few weeks ago from an old friend asking if I'd be willing to speak at a conference for writers and film makers in Visalia, CA on June 20 and 21. The Tellit Conference is a two-day conference where aspiring professionals who desire to use their media talents and passions to - [Let the Church Be the Church!](https://www.lifestream.org/let-the-church-be-the-church/) - It's time to catch another big bird out of Los Angeles. Tomorrow I'm of to Maryland and Virginia for some conversations about this amazing life we have in Christ. I haven't done this in awhile and am looking forward to the people I'm going to meet and the life we'll share together. Before I - [An Incredible Report From West Pokot](https://www.lifestream.org/an-incredible-report-from-west-pokot/) - Last month we found out about 634 families who were starving to death in the northwest regions of Kenya, which is far beyond any government services or NGO outreach. Through your generosity in prayer within two weeks we received almost $50,000 to share with them in this outreach to bring water, food, and a medical - [It May Not Be What You Think It Is](https://www.lifestream.org/it-may-not-be-what-you-think-it-is/) - Finishing up in Virginia this weekend, and have had an awesome time. Today's podcast reflects on some of the experiences of my first week here. I'm really excited about the folks that will be coming together this weekend. I'm staying in the home of some amazing people who have weathered a deep tragedy in their - [God-smacked with Awe](https://www.lifestream.org/god-smacked-with-awe/) - I don't ever want to stop being amazed. Some people think that faith sets our expectations with such certainty that we should not be surprised when God does something incredible. I'm not personally partial to that tack. I like praying and following my heart as it looks through a darkened glass trying to sort out - [Rejoicing With Our Friends in Kenya](https://www.lifestream.org/rejoicing-with-our-friends-in-kenya/) - Since I've come to see the church as an expanding set of relationships that share the life and love of Jesus, Sara and I have put all our eggs into the relational basket. Instead of building things, we've connected with people and watched as he continues to knit together friends and friends of friends throughout the - [Enjoying The Progress](https://www.lifestream.org/enjoying-the-progress/) - Our offices will be closed for the next week as Sara and I take a long-planned week away to celebrate our 39th wedding anniversary. So there may be some delay in answering emails or filling orders during that time. We apologize for any inconvenience that might cause. We are really looking forward to this - [A Last Minute Trip to Phoenix](https://www.lifestream.org/a-last-minute-trip-to-phoenix/) - I don't know if I've ever booked a trip this late, but it's been one I've been in discussions with for some time. Well, it is finally happening the weekend of May 29-June 2. There are a lot of personal engagements during this trip that I'm excited about and have been trying to schedule for - [Kenya Update: Transformation in Pokot](https://www.lifestream.org/kenya-update-transformation-in-pokot/) - The intervention in North Pokot is well underway. A couple of months ago our friends in Kenya discovered 120,000 tribal people who were being wiped out by a prolonged drought. Their economy has collapsed. They had no water and their unsanitary living conditions had allowed disease and death to run riot through their families. No - [Love Is Like A Fire](https://www.lifestream.org/love-is-like-a-fire/) - I subscribe to the Daily Dig hosted by the Daily Plough and get a short tidbit every morning from some amazing saints whose seasoned lives point down the road to a more vibrant, transforming faith. This morning they posted this quote from a twenty-three year old, written in the 1500s from a dungeon where he had - [Updates: TellitCon, Podcasts, and Kenya Pictures](https://www.lifestream.org/updates-tellitcon-podcasts-and-kenya-pictures/) - I'm going to lump a number of things into this update, since so much is going on. The TellitCon event scheduled for June 20-21 in Visalia, has been postponed due to a lack of enrollment for that date. Bummer! I was excited about some of the things on my heart to share with young storytellers, - [Faith At the Extremes](https://www.lifestream.org/faith-at-the-extremes/) - I visited my dad this weekend. This is not an easy time as my mom is in a nursing home after suffering what we assume were a series of strokes that has robbed her of mobility and affected her capacity to process life going on around her. I have always respected my dad as a - [Show Me You Are Real](https://www.lifestream.org/show-me-you-are-real/) - In my last blog post, I shared a bit about my dad and where he is on his journey today. It just so happens that yesterday my brother on his web site, ttp.tv, just posted an interview of my dad telling how this journey began. It's the first in a series, but gives you a - [Kenya Update: They Hit the Mother Lode!](https://www.lifestream.org/kenya-update-they-hit-the-mother-lode/) - We got some good news this morning from Kenya. As you know we've hired a well company to come in and dig three new wells in the northern regions where a severe drought has caused great disease and death, and the people have had to walk 40 kilometers to get water from the nearest well. - [Now, You Know Me](https://www.lifestream.org/now-you-know-me/) - At the end of last week I received the following poem in my email and was so touched by it that I shared it with almost everyone I was with this last weekend. So I wrote him to ask if I could share it on my blog and with his permission you'll find it below. - [Future Travel to Encourage People On the Journey](https://www.lifestream.org/future-travel-to-encourage-people-on-the-journey/) - As my work on the book winds down this summer, it looks like some more travel ahead as fall rolls around. I'm putting some of the finishing touches to the final chapters now and then will take one more spin through the whole thing before sending it out for editing. Hopefully I won't have to - [Coming To the End](https://www.lifestream.org/coming-to-the-end/) - At 4:35 pm Monday afternoon, I wrote the final sentence in my new book, Finding Church: What If There Really Is Something More? That's always a wonderful moment, akin to a builder turning the last screw in the dream house he's been building for his family, or a trucker turning off the freeway toward home - [Kenya Update: The Living Water Flows to a People In Need](https://www.lifestream.org/kenya-update-the-living-water-flows-to-a-people-in-need/) - Every picture below brings me untold joy at this amazing work God has done in Kenya through the generosity of people Kenya and the generosity of those who frequent my websites. Incredible! For God to do what he did he had to disillusion a young preacher, Michael Wafula, nine years ago to go on an - [Special July Sale for IN SEASON](https://www.lifestream.org/special-july-sale-for-in-season/) - For a farmer there is nothing like the firstfruits of summer. In a vineyard, that’s when the grapes are turning ripe enough to enjoy. I was out in my four-vine vineyard this morning and looked among the leaves and the picture below is what I found! The first bunches are turning ripe and what a - [The Ongoing Story in Kenya](https://www.lifestream.org/the-ongoing-story-in-kenya/) - I've got some new pictures to share with you from our friends in Kenya and some news to pass on. The wells in North Pokot have been completed and are fully functional. The schoolrooms and pharmacy superstructure is complete and they have begun finish work inside. The people there are so grateful to the volunteers - [Finding Church Cover Focus Group](https://www.lifestream.org/finding-church-cover-focus-group/) - In the home stretch now to finishing my new book. At the moment we're playing with the cover. We've been using the one in the thumbnail at left as we've been going through this process, but now some other ideas have emerged. The problem is I like them all! Good problem to have I guess. - [God Makes Himself Known in North Pokot](https://www.lifestream.org/god-makes-himself-known-in-north-pokot/) - “Greater love has no one than this, that someone dig a toilet in the hot sun for his friend.” No, that’s not how the Scripture reads, but it is true enough! This is way above washing dirty feet, that’s for sure. And way above helping a friend move. The outpouring of love from the Kenyans - [The God Days of August](https://www.lifestream.org/the-god-days-of-august/) - Late yesterday afternoon I sent Finding Church to my editor. I have been inside this manuscript since last August and it is always a funny feeling to send it off. Now I can’t touch it for the next two weeks and it couldn't have come at a better time. Afterwards Sara and I began our - [Saying Good Bye to Mom](https://www.lifestream.org/saying-good-bye-to-mom/) - Thank you for all the comments, emails, and cards expressing your love and concern for our family in this season. It is all much appreciated. Many want to know how we are doing, so I thought I’d let you know. Surprisingly we are doing well. There’s plenty of sorrow, certainly, but in it there is - [Time to Head Home](https://www.lifestream.org/time-to-head-home/) - I am amazed at the magnificence of God's timing that would allow Sara and I to spend a month with my father after the passing of my mom. It not only allowed us to help him with all the details of her passing, planning her celebration, and dealing with the endless paperwork, but also allowed - [Finding Church Now Available for Pre-ordering](https://www.lifestream.org/finding-church-now-available-for-pre-ordering/) - Finding Church is now headed for production. I have lived inside this book for more than a year. Every waking moment it is not far from my conciousness and so many conversations over the last year played into its development. Today I'm finally handing off the manuscript to the production folks, after all the editing - [Plans for Fall 2014](https://www.lifestream.org/plans-for-fall-2014/) - I'm in Lake Tahoe at the moment at a missions school for young people interested in discipleship and mission. We've had a good time talking about the difference between what is real in Christ and what is an illusion of religion. We seemed to jump into the deep end of the pool on the first - [Final Approach for Finding Church](https://www.lifestream.org/final-approach-for-finding-church/) - For those of you concerned about the process for getting my new book out, Finding Church is at the printers now and we working on getting e-books made and available. We are ramping up for our October 15 release date at it looks like everything is coming together to make that a reliable date. Having - [Some Medicine for West Pokot](https://www.lifestream.org/some-medicine-for-west-pokot/) - The team has just arrived back in Kitale from a visit to West Pokot and finalizing arrangements to open the dispensary. As you know we've been heavily involved in this area since ouf friends there discovered 120,000 people starving from drought and dying from disease in a region of the country that is beyond government - [Finally, Let the Torture End!](https://www.lifestream.org/finally-let-the-torture-end/) - I know it's been a long wait for many of you. I've had so many people cheering me to the finish line here in anticipation of reading my latest book, Finding Church. They have arrived at last and today we were able to get out a good chunk of the first pre-orders. It will take - [Connections and Conversations](https://www.lifestream.org/connections-and-conversations/) - I awake this morning to finish my time in Lexington, KY and head to Cincinnati, OH, for an all-too-brief one day visit. But this was a late add-on. I'd intended to go straight to Millersburg, OH today, but God opened some doors in Cincinnati and the people in Millersburg were generous enough to give up - [Next Up: Houston, San Antonio, Corpus Christi](https://www.lifestream.org/next-up-houston-san-antonio-corpus-christi/) - Yes, I know I'm just back from Kentucky and Ohio, but in a couple of weeks I'll be off again to South Texas on October 31 and staying in the area until November 9. I spend the first weekend in the Houston area, the week in San Antonio, and the second weekend in Corpus Christi. - [The Exhilaration of the Heart](https://www.lifestream.org/the-exhilaration-of-the-heart/) - I continue to be blessed and amazed by the early feedback from many reading Finding Church. Thanks for letting me know how this book has impacted you. Today we have revamped our FindingChurch.com website to help support this growing conversation, both for those inside out and outside of congregational settings. I'll be blogging over there - [We've Added A Night in Austin](https://www.lifestream.org/weve-added-a-night-in-austin/) - Early in November I'm headed for South Texas. Though I'd announced it earlier, we just shifted the schedule to add a night in Austin. Some people there wanted to know if I could stop by and my host in San Antonio was willing to give up an evening to bless them. So on Monday, November - [Helping Expand His Church In the World](https://www.lifestream.org/helping-expand-his-church-in-the-world/) - I love the way his church grows in the world. On a recent trip to Kentucky and upstate Ohio, someone from Cincinnati figured out I was probably passing through Cincinnati as I made my way up from Lexington. He wrote to say there were some people in Cincinnati that would be interested in meeting with - [Now Available Everywhere!](https://www.lifestream.org/now-available-everywhere/) - Good news for those of you waiting for Finding Church overseas! Finding Church is now available everywhere, at least by e-book. I'm sorry the expenses of International shipping are so exorbitant. But if you want hard copies of the book sent to overseas destinations, please write our office for a quote rather than trusting the - [What About Starting a Group?](https://www.lifestream.org/what-about-starting-a-group/) - I'm appreciating all the feedback I'm getting on Finding Church. I had an interesting conversation just this morning with someone who stopped by that I will tell you about down the road. Copies continue to fly off the shelves and interest remains strong at Amazon, which is our only outlet for the print version, though - [My Heart Can Hardly Contain the Joy](https://www.lifestream.org/my-heart-can-hardly-contain-the-joy/) - I loved reading this email from someone I only met a few weeks ago while in Ohio. I could hardly contain my joy too! The email I've received over the last week has assured me that this book is touching the places in people's hearts I hoped it would. I'll be sharing more fo them - [What's Going On Around Here?](https://www.lifestream.org/whats-going-on-around-here-2/) - What a whirlwind the last few weeks have been! Let me take a moment to update you on some of what's been going on around here. I had a great swing through south Texas over the last couple of weeks and found myself with people who were at incredible points of joy, struggle, or temptation - [One Act of Love - Update from Kenya](https://www.lifestream.org/one-act-of-love-update-from-kenya/) - “One act of love speaks more than millions of words…” You’ll find that in Michael’s report below as he shares just how much the people in North Pokot have opened to the Gospel because of the outpouring of generosity there by so many of you. Those are great words for anything that has to to - [A Place to Begin](https://www.lifestream.org/a-place-to-begin/) - We had a great time that Saturday as thirty-five people from all over the So. Cal area got together to meet each other and talk about their journeys learning to live loved, love others, and disentangle themselves from the kind of religious thinking that destroys our security in Father's affection and limits our ability to - [Simple Church: Unity Within Diversity](https://www.lifestream.org/simple-church-unity-within-diversity/) - A few months ago I was asked to contribute a chapter to a book being written by a number of authors about their passion for Jesus' church. Unfortunately it was at a time when I was too busy to meet the deadlines. As it came to publication, though, I was approached about writing the Foreword - [Finding God's Will](https://www.lifestream.org/finding-gods-will/) - I get a lot of these kinds of email from people wanting to know God's will for their life, and despite many prayers and hours contemplating what that might be, they don't think they are gtting any closer to an answer. Maybe we are asking God for information he can't really give, or at least - [The Jesus Lens: Recapturing Scripture's Beauty](https://www.lifestream.org/the-jesus-lens-recapturing-scriptures-beauty/) - I've met a lot of people on this journey who distort the Scriptures, most unwittingly of course. Some make it a legalistic rule book to bask others over the head with a disfigured view of God-as-bully, demanding people satisfy his demand or crushing them in his anger. Others dismiss the Bible as irrelevant, thinking God's - [Merry Christmas from Wayne and Sara](https://www.lifestream.org/merry-christmas-from-wayne-and-sara-2/) - Sara and I receive lots of Christmas cards and greetings from people all over the world and they overwhelm us with the joy of our connection to a vast and rich pool of friends who share many of our passions. I'm deeply blessed by all the people I know and love in the world. We - [Starting a New Year](https://www.lifestream.org/starting-a-new-year/) - The last few weeks have been filled with family and friends during this end-of-the-year season and I was able to complete my latest book. But more on that below. This last week has been a refreshing and restful time. I had a three-hour drive with my 89-year old dad just after Christmas getting him back - [A Better Way](https://www.lifestream.org/a-better-way/) - I got this email the other day and it really touched me. It was from someone I first met traveling in Pennsylvania some time ago, but we have stayed in contact and become good friends over that time. "As I continue to see the never-ending "church"/"christian" debates, promotions, and controversies scroll down my Facebook news - [Kenya: The Work in North Pokot Continues](https://www.lifestream.org/kenya-the-work-in-north-pokot-continues/) - If you haven't followed this blog, over the last nine months, through the generosity of many of you were were able to send over half a million dollars to help rescue over 120,000 tribal people in West Pokot, whose sparse economy had collapsed under the weight of a three-year drought. We were able to bring - [Coercion and Community](https://www.lifestream.org/coercion-and-community/) - Kareem Abdul-Jabbar was an outstanding collegiate and professional basketball player many moons ago and well-known convert to Islam. In a Time article this week he wrote about his reaction to the Paris bombings as a Muslim: "Ironically, terrorism is an act against the very religion the perpetrators believe in. It’s is an acknowledgement that the - [What Crazy Things Love Does](https://www.lifestream.org/what-crazy-things-love-does/) - Over the past couple of weeks Sara has been sending out donation receipts to those who have given so generously to Lifestream over the past year. Of course, the vast majority of that went to help in Kenya where people were so impacted by drought and disease. In the past twenty years I have continually - [Two New Interviews](https://www.lifestream.org/two-new-interviews/) - I love talking about two things: What does it mean to live in the affection of the Father and what does the church look like if it was a community of people sharing the Father's affection and not distorted by the institutional priorities that often mar her beauty. Last week I got to do both. - [Saying Yes to an Endearing Reality](https://www.lifestream.org/saying-yes-to-an-endearing-reality/) - I'm attending a discipleship class locally. I didn't know it was a discipleship class when I signed up. A friend of mine was goign to teach a class on Dallas Willard's Divine Conspiracy, one of my favorite books of all time. At the time I read it, it was a godsend in helping thing outside - ["I Love Being Us!"](https://www.lifestream.org/i-love-being-us/) - Someone I reconnected with in Atlanta last week sent me a story that they had written. I loved it and I asked permission to share it with you. There is so much in this little story that desribes my own journey as well, how God won me away from the cabin to explore so many - [Nightmare on the Hill](https://www.lifestream.org/nightmare-on-the-hill/) - I’m just taking a quick stopover in Chicago on my way back home today. After 11 days in the south and zooming past hundreds of congregations with names that conjure up images of peace and tranquility while at the same time hearing a constant stream of horrors stories about the way people were treated by - [Finding Church Visits Moody Radio](https://www.lifestream.org/finding-church-visits-moody-radio/) - This Saturday, March 7, I have been invited to be a guest on Moody Radio's "Up for Debate" show. This show, hosted by Julie Roys invites two people with opposing views to have a live call-in discussion about the topic. This week's topic: "Is Attending Church Manditory." It will air at 12:00 noon EST or - [The Need in Pokot Continues](https://www.lifestream.org/the-need-in-pokot-continues/) - Everywhere I go people continue to ask me about our friends in Kenya and especially the need in West Pokot. I appreciate that so many people are aware of this and continue to pray and give to help us rescue so many people who are in great need in that part of the world. It ## Pages - [Lifestream](https://www.lifestream.org/) - SIGN UP FOR TRAVEL UPDATES AND LIFESTREAM NEWS Lifestream Email Updates WAYNE’S TRAVELS View the current list of scheduled events. MORE FROM WAYNE’S BLOG All Audio/VideoBehind the ScenesEncouragementKenyaTravelogueUncategorizedWayne and Sara's JourneyWhat I'm Reading The Decision Is In We are nearing peak leaf color here in NW Ohio, and it is fabulous. Sitting out in the - [Lessons from the Rubble](https://www.lifestream.org/lessons-from-the-rubble/) - Lessons from the Rubble By Wayne Jacobsen BodyLife • November 2001 Last Saturday I stood with my wife and son at the place in Manhattan now known as Ground Zero. The massive buildings that had been the World Trade Center lie in a heap, shredded and charred. Nearly six weeks after the atrocities of September - [Connections](https://www.lifestream.org/connections/) - We are often asked if we know people in various parts of the country who are also seeking fellowship with people hungering for relational Christianity. We have begun a web page to facilitate any connections God might want to make with people through this page. We will list people's email address by state for those - [Product Cases (Bulk Discounts)](https://www.lifestream.org/lifestream-store/product-cases-bulk-discounts/) - Bulk discounts are available on each product page, pricing varies per product and quantity purchased. - [Who is Wayne Jacobsen?](https://www.lifestream.org/who-is-wayne-jacobsen/) - Simply put, I am the son of a farmer, a husband to Sara, the father of Julie and Andrew, and a grandpa to some delightful children. I consider myself a brother on a journey, willing to share what God has given to me in any way that will help others discover the joy of life - [Email Updates](https://www.lifestream.org/connect/email-updates/) - Stay in touch with us! Email List Options When you complete and submit the form below, you are requesting that we send you general updates from Lifestream, as well as Wayne's travel notifications, if he is traveling to your area and you include your physical address. Check the "Lifestream Blog Posts" box to receive Wayne's - [Just Love: How One Mistranslated Word Distorted the Gospel](https://www.lifestream.org/just-love/) - JUST LOVE is a Book that Wayne and Tobie van der Westhuizen of South Africa are finalizing for publication. You cannot pre-order it yet, but when we get everything set, we will announce it on my blog at lifestream.org. This book makes the case that our English translations distorted the text by substituting a made-up - [FAQ](https://www.lifestream.org/faq/) - Broken Relationships F. from the U.K.: The journey we have been on has been long and somewhat difficult. We have tried to keep away from all the good ideas that flood our land, choosing instead to trust all to Father-much easier said than done. We have been through many changes as a group; we have - [Free Books](https://www.lifestream.org/free-books/) - Many of the best resources we have on this website are available to you free of charge to help you find a meaningful and transforming relationship with God. We hope you find them to be a blessing in your life. He Loves Me: Learning to Live in the Father's Affection (PDF) So You Don't Want - [Order Information](https://www.lifestream.org/order-information/) - General Infomation When you check out you will be sent to PayPal's secure site, where you can either pay with your PayPal account if you have one, or with your own credit card. You do not need to sign up with PayPal to use your own credit card. It is safe and secure. You can - [How To Help](https://www.lifestream.org/how-to-help/) - Live Loved! The last thing this world needs is more people talking about relationship with God or better relationships among believers. What the world and believers alike are waiting for is people who will truly discover the joy and freedom of living as the beloved of God in a broken world. My greatest prayer is - [Overflowing with Thanksgiving](https://www.lifestream.org/overflowing-with-thanksgiving/) - I got this the other day from our friends in Kenya, and they wanted me to pass it on to you: On behalf of International Gospel Equipping Ministries (IGEM), we would like to express our deepest gratitude and heartfelt appreciation for your unwavering partnership and support, which has spanned over fifteen years. Your love, sacrifices, - [Wayne's Newest Book](https://www.lifestream.org/its-time/) - This latest book by Wayne Jacobsen is being posted online as it is being written. It is a series of letters to help prepare the last generation alive when Jesus returns. Here are the chapters that have been published on the blog: Part I: Part I: As the Day Approaches It’s Time Is this - [Free Resources from Lifestream](https://www.lifestream.org/free-resources/) - Many of the best resources we have on this website are available to you free of charge to help you find a meaningful and transforming relationship with God. We hope you find them to be a blessing in your life. Teaching & Equipping Learning to Live in the Father's Affection - Video (find on Audio - [International Translations](https://www.lifestream.org/international-translations/) - A guide to translations of Lifestream books, articles, and audio Chinese Authentic Relationships - Complete book Dutch NEW: Finding Church - Complete book in PDF, and in book form from Publishing House Shama He Loves Me - Complete book in PDF, and in book form from Publishing House Shama So You Don't Want to Go To Church Anymore - [Contact](https://www.lifestream.org/bridge-builders/contact/) - [References](https://www.lifestream.org/bridge-builders/references/) - [Related Links](https://www.lifestream.org/bridge-builders/resources/related-links/) - [First Amendment Center](https://www.lifestream.org/bridge-builders/resources/first-amendment-center/) - [Media](https://www.lifestream.org/bridge-builders/resources/media/) - Bridge Builders Navigation Bridge Builders [Home] Our Approach Website Overview Meet Wayne Jacobsen Common Ground Thinking Rules of Engagement We Can Help Mediation Services Training Presentation Consultations Articles Resources Media First Amendment Center Related Links References Contact Video and audio resources from BridgeBuilders Explore Similar Content Website Overview A Christian and a Muslim Walk Into - [Resources](https://www.lifestream.org/bridge-builders/resources/) - [Consultations](https://www.lifestream.org/bridge-builders/we-can-help/consultations/) - [Presentation](https://www.lifestream.org/bridge-builders/we-can-help/presentation/) - [Training](https://www.lifestream.org/bridge-builders/we-can-help/training/) - [Mediation Services](https://www.lifestream.org/bridge-builders/we-can-help/mediation-services/) - [We Can Help](https://www.lifestream.org/bridge-builders/we-can-help/) - [Rules of Engagement](https://www.lifestream.org/bridge-builders/our-approach/rules-of-engagement/) - [Common Ground Thinking](https://www.lifestream.org/bridge-builders/our-approach/common-ground-thinking/) - [Meet Wayne Jacobsen](https://www.lifestream.org/bridge-builders/our-approach/meet-wayne-jacobsen/) - [Website Overview](https://www.lifestream.org/bridge-builders/our-approach/website-overview/) - We have more to gain by pulling together than we do by pulling apart. Can we really turn angry adversaries into cooperative colleagues? Can we help polarized groups discover enough common ground to resolve their differences where everyone walks away a winner? We can and we have! We live in an age where competing worldviews - [Our Approach](https://www.lifestream.org/bridge-builders/our-approach/) - Finding Common Ground It doesn’t take much these days for a tranquil community to explode in conflict when any group of people feels that its rights are being trampled by new policies or other groups pushing their political agenda. Conflicts over issues as diverse as school reform, academic reform, sexual orientation, harassment, holiday celebrations, science - [Bridge Builders](https://www.lifestream.org/bridge-builders/) - Let’s Change the Conversation IN A WORLD WHERE ANGRY VOICES serve their agendas as the only just cause, where they demand their rights at the expense of others, and where our institutions are satisfied with narrow-margin victories that are easily overturned when the winds of power shift, how can a community avoid angry polarization? - [Jake Colsen: So You Don't Want To Go To Church Anymore](https://www.lifestream.org/free-resources/jake-colsen-so-you-dont-want-to-go-to-church-anymore/) - Welcome to JakeColsen.com Home of So You Don’t Want to Go to Church Anymore by Wayne Jacobsen and Dave Coleman What would you do if you met someone you thought just might be one of Jesus' original disciples still living in the 21st Century? That's Jake's dilemma as he meets a man who talks of - [Engage](https://www.lifestream.org/engage/) - These videos are a catalyst for you to explore what it means for you to have a relationship with God as your Father. While a personal friend would be far more effective, these videos are offered both to encourage people on their own journey as well as to equip people who want to help others. - [Donor Dashboard](https://www.lifestream.org/donor-dashboard/) - [Books](https://www.lifestream.org/lifestream-store/books/) - [Connect](https://www.lifestream.org/connect/) - The links below will help connect you to others interested in relational christianity. Contact Wayne and LifeStream Ministries Wayne's Travel Schedule Wayne's Blog Email Notifications Connections - [Make A Donation](https://www.lifestream.org/make-a-donation/) - If paying an invoice, please note the number of the invoice in the Notes field. Explore Similar Content Order Information Donation Confirmation Sharing With The World South Africa Is Up Next $ Donation Amount: Enter amount of contribution Make this donation every dayweekmonthquarteryear Phone Number Designated Fund Designated Fund General Contribution My Friend Luis Kenya - [LSRadio](https://www.lifestream.org/lsradio/) - [Sharing With The World](https://www.lifestream.org/sharing-with-the-world/) - We never intended to be a conduit to needs overseas, preferring that people have their own relationships with which to share their resources with others. But the expanding reach of some of Wayne's books has put us in touch with people and ministries overseas that are doing some wonderful relational outreaches. These are ministries we - [Recommended Reading](https://www.lifestream.org/books-audio/must-reads/) - People always want to know what books I'm finding helpful in my journey so we've begun to compile a list of books that help encourage the dynamics of relational Christianity. If you'd like to buy the book you can click on and you'll find yourself at Amazon.com. Lifestream Ministries receives a small referral commission from Amazon - [Other Books I Have Enjoyed](https://www.lifestream.org/other-books-i-have-enjoyed/) - A lot of writers influenced my thinking in my young days. I was a Tolkein and Lewis fan in my college years and beyond and I still pull off one of their titles from time to time and give it a luxurious read. My passion for relational church came from books in the 70s from - [Transition](https://www.lifestream.org/transition/) - This is some of the most significant teaching that Wayne does around the world to help people break free of the bondage of religion and embrace an affectionate and life-changing relationship with the Father, through the work of the Son and in the power of the Spirit. We felt impressed to make this available to - [Sexual Struggles on the Relational Journey](https://www.lifestream.org/sexual-struggles-on-the-relational-journey/) - Sexual Struggles on the Relational Journey By Wayne Jacobsen BodyLife • April 2005 Shocked!?!?! I hope not, some of you probably are and there's no doubt not everyone will see these sensitive things the same way I do. I know how hard it was for me to write this and to decide to make it - [The Church That Jesus Builds: Living in the Relational Church - Part 10](https://www.lifestream.org/the-church-that-jesus-builds-living-in-the-relational-church-part-10/) - The Church That Jesus Builds: Living in the Relational Churh - Part 10 By Wayne Jacobsen BodyLife • December 2004 "You want to know what I've learned this weekend?" the man said as he drove me to a Midwest airport early one morning. We'd just spent an incredible weekend together with a house church he'd - [The Call of the Shepherd](https://www.lifestream.org/the-call-of-the-shepherd/) - The Call of the Shepherd As put into words by Wayne Jacobsen BodyLife • May 2004 [I appreciate that the form of this piece can lend itself to misinterpretation. By putting it in the first person I am not claiming to quote Jesus directly or giving a prophecy. I simply wrote down as best I - [Breaking Free](https://www.lifestream.org/breaking-free/) - Can someone try too hard to walk with God? Absolutely! I know that sounds odd, but relationship with the Living God cannot be earned by human effort, even extensive human effort. And sometimes those trying the hardest to make it happen, find themselves furthest from it. It breaks my heart to find people there. Religion - [What Is God Asking Of You?](https://www.lifestream.org/what-is-god-asking-of-you/) - By Wayne Jacobsen BodyLife • September 2004 It's been there for quite a while - a sense that Jesus is asking something of you. It doesn't nag you at every moment, but often something will happen or something will be said that triggers your memory and brings it to your attention again. Suddenly you're aware - [Living in Two Worlds](https://www.lifestream.org/living-in-two-worlds/) - By Wayne Jacobsen BodyLife • February 2004 I can't begin to comprehend what it would be like to wake up tomorrow morning and find myself free of everything that hinders or distracts me from life in Jesus. No longer would I have to grope through the fog of my own selfishness to get a fading - [Thriving Outside the Box](https://www.lifestream.org/thriving-outside-the-box/) - Thriving Outside the Box By Wayne Jacobsen BodyLife • October 2003 I have never been able to enjoy looking at a bird in a cage, even if it is a nice cage. While it may provide a safe haven and contain all the food and water she will ever need it also prevents her from - [Sharing the Journey](https://www.lifestream.org/sharing-the-journey/) - Sharing the Journey By Wayne Jacobsen and Clay Jacobsen BodyLife • July 2003 Isn't it interesting that you can spend all day wandering through the busy streets of Manhattan without anyone noticing you, and yet anyone you pass on a hiking trail will not only notice you but usually will pause to find out where - [Shared Dependence: Living in the Relational Church - Part 9](https://www.lifestream.org/shared-dependence-living-in-the-relational-church-part-9/) - Shared Dependence: Living in the Relational Church - Part 9 By Wayne Jacobsen BodyLife • April 2003 In the last decade I've met thousands of believers all over the world and watched carefully as they seek to live out Christian fellowship in a variety of groupings - from twos and threes in spontaneous fellowship to - [We Already Have a Shepherd! Leadership in the Relational Church - Part 8](https://www.lifestream.org/we-already-have-a-shepherd-leadership-in-the-relational-church-part-8/) - We Already Have a Shepherd! Leadership in the Relational Church - Part 8 By Wayne Jacobsen BodyLife • December 2002 What did Jesus have in mind when he spoke of leadership among the incredible community of the Body of Christ? By Wayne Jacobsen in collaboration with Kevin Smith, a good friend from Australia. This article - [It's So Worth It!](https://www.lifestream.org/its-so-worth-it/) - By Wayne Jacobsen BodyLife • September 2002 Sara and I heard it over and over again as we struggled up the trail to Hanging Lake outside Glenwood Spring, Colorado. The trail winds uphill 1,000 feet in about a little over a mile. It's a tough climb with so little oxygen at 7,000 feet. But hikers - [The Third Road](https://www.lifestream.org/the-third-road/) - By Wayne Jacobsen BodyLife • June 2002 My father woke us up at 5:30 in the morning. We crawled out of our sleeping bags into the cold mountain air, ready for a fishing trip of a lifetime. Someone had told us that if we hiked out of the Dinky Creek campground up Rodman's road for - [The Joy of Letting Go](https://www.lifestream.org/the-joy-of-letting-go/) - By Wayne Jacobsen BodyLife • April 2002 When my daughter Julie invited me to go kayaking with her around the Channel Islands Harbor, I thought it would be a leisurely afternoon. As soon as I crawled off of the dock into the kayak for the first time, however, I realized I might have been a - [Why House Church Isn’t the Answer: Living in the Relational Church – Part 7](https://www.lifestream.org/why-house-church-isnt-the-answer-living-in-the-relational-church-part-7/) - Why House Church Isn't the Answer: Living in the Relational Church - Part 7 By Wayne Jacobsen BodyLife • February 2002 When 20 years of countless prayers didn't fix it, I had to conclude either that God was ignoring me, or that I was asking for the wrong thing. Anxiety used to be my constant - [Questions About Body Life](https://www.lifestream.org/questions-about-body-life/) - Questions About Body Life By Wayne Jacobsen BodyLife • August 2001 Sharing the journey has always been an important part of BodyLife. I am continually amazed at the people that God allows to cross our paths who are also paying the cost to follow his Spirit and discover how to live with God and live - [Why I Don't Go To Church Anymore: Living in the Relational Church - Part 6](https://www.lifestream.org/why-i-dont-go-to-church-anymore-living-in-the-relational-church-part-6/) - Why I Don't Go To Church Anymore: Living in the Relational Church - Part 6 By Wayne Jacobsen BodyLife • May 2001 Dear Fellow-believer, I do appreciate your concern for me and your willingness to raise issues that have caused you concern. I know the way I relate to the church is a bit unconventional - [Reasons to Run: Living in the Relational Church - Part 5](https://www.lifestream.org/reasons-to-run-living-in-the-relational-church-part-5/) - Reasons to Run: Living in the Relational Church - Part 5 By Wayne Jacobsen BodyLife • March 2001 "You must stay with him. That is only way God will bless." I heard the words, but was so shocked by them that for a moment I doubted my own ears. I was sitting at the table - [The Deepest Freedom](https://www.lifestream.org/the-deepest-freedom/) - By Wayne Jacobsen BodyLife • January 2001 The familiar voice on the phone brought back incredible memories of the friendship we had shared, even though it had been almost two years since we had last spoken. "What has God been doing in you?" he asked after we had exchanged pleasantries. Before I realized what - [Giving and Generosity: Living in the Relational Church - Part 4](https://www.lifestream.org/giving-and-generosity-in-the-relational-church-living-in-the-relational-church-part-4/) - By Wayne Jacobsen BodyLife • November 2000 "Follow the money!" The haunting words from Deep Throat, the unidentified Watergate informant for the Washington Post, proved to be the critical voice that unraveled the corruption in the Nixon White House. I find it an interesting echo of Ecclesiastes 10:19, "Money is the answer for everything." When - [The Spirit of Family: Living in the Relational Church - Part 3](https://www.lifestream.org/the-spirit-of-family-living-in-the-relational-church-part-3/) - The Spirit of Family: Living in the Relational Church - Part 3 By Wayne Jacobsen BodyLife • September 2000 No matter how independent we humans may try to be, there are times we can't help wanting to share with others. Special moments are like that. Over the past few months as Sara and I have - [Snapshots of Father's Love](https://www.lifestream.org/snapshots-of-fathers-love/) - Snapshots of Father's Love By Wayne Jacobsen BodyLife • July 2000 A Girl and Her Daddy! "Majesty, worship his Majesty..." The familiar words rolled off my lips as I sat among a group of believers from all over the western U.S. who had gathered to share their experiences in relational church. It was Sunday morning - [Freedom is Only the Beginning](https://www.lifestream.org/freedom-is-only-the-beginning/) - By Wayne Jacobsen BodyLife • May 2000 While in St. Louis in April after an outing looking to help some of the homeless in downtown a group of brothers took me to stand under the arch at 9:00 at night. We ascended the hill it sits on next to the Mississippi River just as a - [In Exactly the Same Way](https://www.lifestream.org/in-exactly-the-same-way/) - In Exactly the Same Way By Wayne Jacobsen BodyLife • March 2000 He didn't keep it to himself. It might have been impossible - even for God! To hold something so beautiful for himself was unthinkable. He had enjoyed it forever in the divine relationship of Father, Son and Spirit. He wanted to share it - [The Same Old Story](https://www.lifestream.org/the-same-old-story/) - The Same Old Story By Wayne Jacobsen BodyLife • January 2000 How quickly the Galatians had lost sight of it! According to Paul, they had had a clear revelation of the crucified Christ and the glory it produced. They had experienced a work of the Spirit that had captured their heart and had swept them - [The Hen and Her Chicks](https://www.lifestream.org/the-hen-and-her-chicks/) - By Wayne Jacobsen BodyLife • November 1999 The forest fire had been brought under control, and the group of firefighters were working back through the devastation making sure all the hot spots had been extinguished. As they marched across the blackened landscape between the wisps of smoke still rising from the smoldering remains, a large - [Living in the Relational Church - Part 2](https://www.lifestream.org/living-in-the-relational-church-part-2/) - Living in the Relational Church - Part 2 By Wayne Jacobsen BodyLife • September 1999 "Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another--and all the more as you see the Day approaching." (Heb. 10:24-25) I don't know of another Scripture that has - [Living in the Relational Church - Part 1](https://www.lifestream.org/living-in-the-relational-church-part-1/) - Living in the Relational Church - Part 1 By Wayne Jacobsen BodyLife • July 1999 "So, after 2,000 years, how do you think he's doing?" I can't resist asking that question whenever I'm studying Matthew 16 with a group of believers. There we find the only recorded instructions Jesus gave to his disciples about the - [Signposts On The Journey](https://www.lifestream.org/signposts-on-the-journey/) - By Wayne Jacobsen BodyLife • May 1999 You haven't really had an adventure until you rent a car and drive alone through the backroads of New England. The roads twist and turn in directions you wouldn't think possible. Even the locals can get confused. Last month riding with some friends, we tried to get from - [Daisy Petal Christianity](https://www.lifestream.org/daisy-petal-christianity/) - By Wayne Jacobsen BodyLife • March 1999 He loves me. He loves me not. He loves me. He loves me not. It is a game little girls play hoping to find out if the boy of their desires also desires them. As the daisy petals are torn from the flower one by one, the chant - [Rekindling Passion](https://www.lifestream.org/rekindling-passion/) - By Wayne Jacobsen BodyLife • January 1999 Can you remember the last time you awoke in the middle of the night, not to anxiety or fear, but to Jesus' invitation to spend some time with him? Or when last God's presence was so real neither of you needed to say anything and the minutes raced - [Painting Outside the Lines](https://www.lifestream.org/painting-outside-the-lines/) - Painting Outside the Lines By Wayne Jacobsen BodyLife • November 1998 Remember the old paint-by-number sets? Collies stretched out on a hillside. Fly fishermen casting over a forest stream. Autumn trees and distant mountains. Somewhere inside me must be a wanna-be artist, because I loved those things as a child. Even today as I channel - [Getting on Father's Page](https://www.lifestream.org/getting-on-fathers-page/) - By Wayne Jacobsen BodyLife • September 1998 He was used to people clearing their schedule for him. After all, he was a writer for Time Magazine, and who wouldn't be flattered enough by his request for an interview that they wouldn't drop everything to meet with him? One day he found someone who wouldn't, and - [By Every Word](https://www.lifestream.org/by-every-word/) - By Wayne Jacobsen BodyLife • July 1998 Isn't it amazing what people will do in God's name and never think twice about it? I stood in a beautiful cathedral in Albi, a small city in the south of France. Underneath its entrance was a dungeon. It was the focal point for a crusade launched against - [Every Day, Every Moment](https://www.lifestream.org/every-day-every-moment/) - By Wayne Jacobsen BodyLife • May 1998 There was never a moment in the last seven days of your life when Jesus wasn't present with you—fully aware of everything you were doing. Now, what do you think? Is that good news, or bad news? For most of my spiritual life that kind of thinking was - [The Businessman and the Beggar](https://www.lifestream.org/the-businessman-and-the-beggar/) - The Businessman and the Beggar By Wayne Jacobsen BodyLife • March 1998 Two men approached Jesus on his last journey to Jerusalem--a businessman and a beggar. The first was a righteous man who had meticulously kept the law all of his life. He only wanted to ensure that his efforts would be enough to secure - [The Most Exciting Days in History](https://www.lifestream.org/the-most-exciting-days-in-history/) - By Kevin Smith BodyLife • January 1998 As the last few years of the twentieth century flit away, much of our society is marked by a sense of disillusionment. Things have not turned out the way we once thought they would. The optimism of the '60s and '70s has given way to a harsh '90s - [Why Are You So Afraid?](https://www.lifestream.org/bodylife-why-are-you-so-afraid/) - By Wayne Jacobsen BodyLife • November 1997 From out of no where it seemed the storm had charged across the lake and threatened to sink the small boat and the disciples. Terrified they finally realize Jesus was asleep and awakened him. He looked in their frantic eyes and asked them one simple question. "Why are - [Welcome Home!](https://www.lifestream.org/welcome-home/) - By Wayne Jacobsen BodyLife • July 1997 The warm lights of the dinning room spill out through opened curtains into the growing darkness of the yard. The alluring aroma of dinner, tender conversation and cheerful laughter drift out through the open windows. What could be more inviting? But in the front yard the tension is - [What's In it For Me?](https://www.lifestream.org/whats-in-it-for-me/) - By Wayne Jacobsen BodyLife • May 1997 Over the last few years I've shared a meal or two with some incredible brothers and sisters. All of them had been involved in successful vocations or ministries at one point in their lives, most of them at the head of it, and yet all of them found - [Once In a Lifetime...](https://www.lifestream.org/once-in-a-lifetime/) - Once In a Lifetime... By Wayne Jacobsen BodyLife • March 1997 O Lord, the God who saves me, day and night I cry out before you. May my prayer come before you; turn your ear to my cry. For my soul is full of trouble and my life draws near the grave. I am counted - [What About Him?](https://www.lifestream.org/what-about-him/) - What About Him? By Wayne Jacobsen BodyLife • January 1997 "When you grow old... someone else will dress you and bring you where you do not wish to go." The words Jesus used were precise and abundantly clear. No one standing in that huddled group on Galilee's shore that morning misunderstood what he had just - [The Father's Delight](https://www.lifestream.org/the-fathers-delight/) - By Wayne Jacobsen BodyLife • November 1996 What greater sound is there than that of children laughing? I'm still hooked on it and mine are in their mid to late teens. As their father, nothing touches me more deeply nor gives me greater pleasure than watching them explode in laughter at some new experience or - [To Be Free of God??!!?!?](https://www.lifestream.org/to-be-free-of-god/) - By Wayne Jacobsen BodyLife • September 1996 "The wish to be free of God is the deepest yearning of man. It is greater than his yearning for God." The sentence leapt off the page and nearly took my breath away. I was reading Helmut Thielicke's, Between God and Satan, a provocative study of the temptations - [Going to the Root](https://www.lifestream.org/going-to-the-root/) - Going to the Root By Wayne Jacobsen BodyLife • June 1996 Talk about intimacy with God for very long, and the conversation almost always turns to how that is lived out in church life. Most people seem to recognize that the means by which we often "do church" does not always help foster that relationship - [Why Settle for Anything Less?](https://www.lifestream.org/why-settle-for-anything-less/) - By Wayne Jacobsen BodyLife • April 1996 The lone figure stood on the shore. They didn't recognize his form or his voice as he inquired about their catch, "You don't have any fish, do you?" The fisherman's worst torment when coming up empty. "Try the other side," the voice recommended. Only when they had cast - [To Trust or Not to Trust](https://www.lifestream.org/to-trust-or-not-to-trust/) - To Trust or Not to Trust by Wayne Jacobsen BodyLife • February 1996 Sara and I had spent almost a week among them. Invited to teach, we were also learning as we watched the simplicity of fellowship, worship and growth that this group of believers shared together. Finally, late one evening while sitting by the - [Living Loved Articles - Chronological Order](https://www.lifestream.org/category/living-loved-newsletter/) - [Living Loved Articles](https://www.lifestream.org/living-loved-articles/) - The following articles are from our flagship publication, Living Loved. They have been organized by content, so you can read those that most apply to where you are in the journey. You can also view these articles in Chronological Order if you prefer. Some articles have been listed in more than one space. We hope - [Advice for Authors](https://www.lifestream.org/advice-for-authors/) - When The Shack was in its heyday, we got many requests from authors about publishing their manuscripts. I wrote the following article for the Windblown Media website to help new authors think through publication options. Almost weekly I get asked about this article, so I am posting it here to make it easier for folks - [Our Passion](https://www.lifestream.org/our-passion/) - Relationship Not Religion! We are passionately committed to help people discover the joy and freedom of relational Christianity. It is our firm conviction that Jesus' death on the cross was to prepare for each of us a dwelling place in the heart of a loving Father and to free us to the kinds of relationships - [Lifestream #5: How Can I Live More Generously in a Broken World?](https://www.lifestream.org/lifestream-5-how-can-i-live-more-generously-in-a-broken-world/) - Wayne’s journey has led him to greater intimacy and joy in his spirituality, and to ever-deepening and more authentic relationships with others, both inside and outside of the body of Christ. As a bridgebuilder he has helped very diverse groups find the common ground that can lead to cooperation instead of polarization. Paul said that - [Embracing His Glory Audio Series](https://www.lifestream.org/embrace-glory/) - Embracing His Glory was originally a Tuesday morning series at The God Journey with Wayne sharing how God lets us experience his glory in our life and then how we reflect it to the world around us. Paul wrote that, "...Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. But we all, with unveiled - [Audio/Video Library](https://www.lifestream.org/audio-video-library/) - Free audio and video resources from Lifestream. Learning To Live Loved: Part One This is part one of a two-part, lengthy interview done with some documentary filmmakers in Indiana. We spent an hour and twenty minutes by a campfire, on a late summer’s evening, talking about my life and writings, and learning to live loved. - [Lifestream #4: How Do You Find Such Encouragement in the Bible?](https://www.lifestream.org/lifestream-4-how-do-you-find-such-encouragement-in-the-bible/) - Lots of people have a love/hate relationship with Scriptures. While comforted with such passages as Psalm 23 or John 10, they are also terrified by passages where God appears to be a demanding and destructive presence in the Creation. Those interpretations have come from religious institutions that want to hold people with fear instead of - [Lifestream #3: How can I live in increasingly trusting Jesus?](https://www.lifestream.org/lifestream-3-how-can-i-live-in-increasingly-trusting-jesus/) - One of the greatest freedoms of learning to live loved by the Father is that you’ll find yourself increasingly trusting him. Confident of his love for you, you won’t have to trust your own wisdom or efforts but learn to cooperate with his. He’ll show where your efforts got you off in the weeds and - [Lifestream #2: Where will I find the church Jesus is building?](https://www.lifestream.org/lifestream-2-where-will-i-find-the-church-jesus-is-building/) - Hint: His church is so much bigger than most people believe. Many of us were taught that the church meets in buildings every Sunday (or Saturday) morning, and if you want to be part of his church, you must attend one and be committed to its program. And yet, many of those programs never deliver - [Lifestream #1: How can I live every day in Father’s love?](https://www.lifestream.org/lifestream-1-how-can-i-live-every-day-in-fathers-love/) - Religion seeks to control us by manipulating our shame and our fear of God. The work Jesus, however, invited us into a relationship of intimacy and growing trust just like a child in the safety of her father's arms. Our transformation flows out of love and endearment not fear and obligation. It took me forty-two - [The Jesus Story: A Bible Overview for Young People](https://www.lifestream.org/the-jesus-story/) - During the coronavirus pandemic of 2020, Wayne taught his grandchildren an overview of Scripture, called The Jesus Story. This thirteen-part series of 20 minute lessons will help young people appreciate the value of Scripture and to have a set of tools that will help them explore it for a lifetime. The videos will show up - [The Heart Of Relational Church](https://www.lifestream.org/waynes-teaching-series/heart-relational-church/) - This series examines four ingredients that are critical to determine whether a group of people is truly sharing God’s life together, or simply practicing the illusion of it with religion. Drawn from themes in the book of I John, here are some of the motivations we need if we’re going to be an encouragement to - [Sharing The Journey - Cultivating Healthy Relationships with Other Believers](https://www.lifestream.org/waynes-teaching-series/sharing-journey-cultivating-healthy-relationships-believers/) - Drawn from Romans 14-15, here is some help in learning how to love God’s people freely, without manipulating or being manipulated by them. Part 1 https://www.lifestream.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/Sharing-The-Journey-Part-1.mp3 Download Audio Part 2 https://www.lifestream.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/Sharing-The-Journey-Part-2.mp3 Download Audio - [Thinking Outside The Box](https://www.lifestream.org/waynes-teaching-series/thinking-outside-box/) - This is a frank look at thinking outside the box of traditional religious structures. Whether you attend one regularly or not, your view of the Body of Christ will be enhanced by seeing the church in its relational reality, not as an institution. This series was recorded in an open conversation with people from a - [Letting Jesus Take Shape In You](https://www.lifestream.org/waynes-teaching-series/letting-jesus-take-shape/) - One of God’s greatest gifts is reordering our inner life so that we can live in the world as he did. Find out how he can accomplish this incredible work in you and then share his life through you in ways you never dreamed. 1 - To Be Like Jesus In The World https://www.lifestream.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/Shape-1-To-Be-Like-Jesus-In-The-World.mp3 Download - [Seasons In The Vineyard](https://www.lifestream.org/waynes-teaching-series/seasons-in-the-vineyard/) - This teaching Wayne did when he first wrote The Vineyard and traces the development of fruit through the four seasons and how those correspond to God’s work in our own lives to lead us to fruitfulness. This has not been available for awhile because of tape problems, but we were able to resurrect it using - [Abiding In The Vine](https://www.lifestream.org/waynes-teaching-series/abiding-in-the-vine/) - A companion to Wayne’s books on the vineyard, as he deals with God’s promises for a fruitful life and how we engage him to see those promises become a reality. 1 - Promises, Promises! https://www.lifestream.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/Abiding-In-The-Vine-1.mp3 Download Audio 2 - Remain in Me https://www.lifestream.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/Abiding-In-The-Vine-2.mp3 Download Audio - [Letting Jesus Perfect Your Faith](https://www.lifestream.org/waynes-teaching-series/letting-jesus-perfect-faith/) - This study through the book of Hebrews will help you learn depend on Jesus as the sole source of our trust in God and the one who will bring us to completion in him. 1 - Fixing Our Eyes On Jesus https://www.lifestream.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/Letting-Jesus-Perfect-Your-Faith-1.mp3 Download Audio 2 - Jesus, Our Pioneer https://www.lifestream.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/Letting-Jesus-Perfect-Your-Faith-2.mp3 Download Audio 3 - Jesus, - [The Relationship God Wants With You](https://www.lifestream.org/waynes-teaching-series/relationship-god-wants/) - Part 1 – Revelation Not Routine https://www.lifestream.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/Relationship-God-Wants-1-Revelation-Not-Routine.mp3 Download Audio Discussion Time - 1 https://www.lifestream.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/Relationship-God-Wants-Discussion-1.mp3 Download Audio Part 2 - Inside Out, Not Outside In https://www.lifestream.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/Relationship-God-Wants-2-Inside-Out-Not-Outside-In.mp3 Download Audio Discussion Time - 2 https://www.lifestream.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/Relationship-God-Wants-Discussion-2.mp3 Download Audio Part 3 - His Work, Not Ours https://www.lifestream.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/Relationship-God-Wants-3-His-Work-Not-Ours.mp3 Download Audio Discussion Time - 3 https://www.lifestream.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/Relationship-God-Wants-Discussion-3.mp3 Download Audio - [The Security of Father's Love](https://www.lifestream.org/waynes-teaching-series/security-fathers-love/) - This is a companion piece to He Loves Me! and will show you how God's wants you live every day confident in his love for you. Through Paul's teaching in Romans 8, you will see how God's love for you is all he needs to set you free from the bondage of sin, to carry - [Living In The Father's Delight](https://www.lifestream.org/waynes-teaching-series/living-fathers-delight/) - A study in 2 Timothy regarding how we live in a gospel of grace in a church world that seeks to be justified by works. 1 - The Father's Purpose https://www.lifestream.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/The-Fathers-Delight-1.mp3 Download Audio 2 - The Father's Faithfulness https://www.lifestream.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/The-Fathers-Delight-2.mp3 Download Audio 3 - The Father's Life https://www.lifestream.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/The-Fathers-Delight-3.mp3 Download Audio 4 - The Father's Delight https://www.lifestream.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/The-Fathers-Delight-4.mp3 - [Wayne's Travel Schedule](https://www.lifestream.org/connect/travel-events/) - Wayne travels to help people process the themes he writes about and shares on the podcast at The God Journey. Gatherings usually involve lots of conversation and time to get to know others from your area who are on a similar journey as well. If you’d like to tag something on to one of these trips, - [Wishlist](https://www.lifestream.org/wishlist/) - My wishlist on Lifestream | Wayne Jacobsen Product name No products added to the wishlist - [The Jesus Lens - Acts and the Epistles](https://www.lifestream.org/jesus-lens/the-jesus-lens-acts-and-the-epistles/) - Part II Study Material Download Presentation Download Study Notes Download Bible Discoveries Session 8: Those Early Believers Luke-Acts is one continuous narrative that bridges the life of Jesus while he was on earth with the life of Jesus in the early believers. Watch them grow, learn, make - [The Jesus Lens - The Old Testament](https://www.lifestream.org/jesus-lens/the-jesus-lens-the-old-testament/) - Part III Study Material Download Presentation Download Study Notes Download Bible Discoveries Session 15: The Rescue As we get to know the Jesus of Scripture and how the early believers processed that life in their own journey then we can go back to the Old Testament - [The Jesus Lens](https://www.lifestream.org/jesus-lens/) - Confusion abounds about the Bible and what it intends to say about God. Is he a demanding deity, or a tender Abba? How do we reconcile the Old and New Testament depictions of God and come away from reading the Bible inspired to greater trust in the Father rather than condemned in our failures? Many - [Contact Us](https://www.lifestream.org/contact-us/) - Contact Us Name * First Last * Last Email * Please make sure your email is entered correctly, or we won't be able to respond. Subject * Message * reCAPTCHA Submit If you are human, leave this field blank. Δ Lifestream Contact Information: Wayne Jacobsen: wa****@********am.org Lifestream Office: of****@********am.org - [Our Privacy Policy](https://www.lifestream.org/our-privacy-policy/) - Who we are Lifestream Ministries 1560-1 Newbury Rd #313 Newbury Park, CA 91320 Phone: (805) 598-7774 Fax: (805) 499-5975 Email: Please use our Contact Page Website: https://www.lifestream.org We value your trust. The following online privacy policy is intended to protect and secure the personally identifiable information (any information by which you can be identified) you provide - [Wayne's Teaching Series](https://www.lifestream.org/waynes-teaching-series/) - Several audio collections of Wayne's teaching that were previously available through the store in compact disc format are now available here to stream or download for free. Below are the titles available, each one linked to a page with the parts of that series of teaching. Links to related materials will also be available on - [The God Journey Showing and After Party of The Shack Movie](https://www.lifestream.org/god-journey-showing-party-shack-movie/) - [vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] The God Journey Showing and After Party of The Shack Movie [/vc_column_text][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner width=”5/6″][vc_column_text] The God Journey Shack Showing With Wayne Jacobsen and Brad Cummings – There will be a brief time after the film for question and answer and insights with the co-authors and producer of the film. Sorry, but this venue is currently - [Help us Send Jake and John to Hollywood!](https://www.lifestream.org/out-of-the-game/) - https://vimeo.com/194853440 Would you like to help us make a movie? We’ve completed a screenplay adapting the book So You Don’t Want to Go to Church Anymore to a movie tentatively titled Out of the Game. It is already garnering significant buzz from those who have read it. Jake is playing a game and doesn’t even - [Jake and John go to Hollywood - Lookbook](https://www.lifestream.org/out-of-the-game-lookbook/) - Jake and John go to Hollywood - Lookbook What is a "lookbook"? Hover over the image below (once it has loaded) and you can flip through the pages of the "lookbook" for the movie, Out Of The Game (the Jake and John movie). It will give you some behind-the-scenes information about the direction we're heading - [Lifestream Store - In Development](https://www.lifestream.org/store/) - [vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Welcome to the Lifestream store.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_text_separator title=”BOOKS” i_icon_fontawesome=”fa fa-book” i_size=”lg” title_align=”separator_align_right” border_width=”2″ add_icon=”true”] [vc_column_text]See all Books[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column el_class=”storefront-audio”][vc_text_separator title=”AUDIO” i_icon_fontawesome=”fa fa-headphones” i_background_style=”boxed” i_size=”lg” border_width=”2″ add_icon=”true”] [vc_column_text]See all Audio[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column el_class=”storefront-audio”][vc_text_separator title=”DOWNLOADS” i_icon_fontawesome=”fa fa-arrow-circle-down” i_background_style=”boxed” i_size=”lg” border_width=”2″ add_icon=”true”] [vc_column_text]See all Downloadable Resources[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row] Explore Similar Content The God Journey Showing and After Party of The Shack Movie Living Loved Articles – - [Lifestream Store](https://www.lifestream.org/lifestream-store/) - [Seminars and Visits](https://www.lifestream.org/seminars-and-visits/) - While my books, articles and audio resources are designed to encourage and help equip you to live this journey, we know that there is often no substitute for a face-to-face relationship. Although I cannot get to every group that would like me to come, I do try to go where God sends me knowing that - [Welcome to Lifestream](https://www.lifestream.org/welcome-to-lifestream/) - Please enjoy this welcome message from Wayne: This page is designed to help first-time visitors find their way around our web site. After reviewing any of the features below, please hit your BACK button to return to this page and continue the tour. Wayne's Blog - Updated every few days, this is the latest encouragement, - [A Couple Struggles with Pornography](https://www.lifestream.org/couple-struggles-with-pornography/) - This is the exchange I had with a young wife and mother struggling with her husband's addiction. I think it is important for all sides to see how this is not some victimless pursuit and how couples can work together to sort through the bondage and find freedom. This is the email I received: Have - [The Jesus Lens - Introduction and the Gospels](https://www.lifestream.org/jesus-lens/the-jesus-lens-introduction-and-the-gospels/) - We'll begin the story of Scripture at its climax: the Incarnation of Jesus Christ who was the exact representation of the Father. Below you'll find links to either watch the video presentation, or to listen or download the audio version as they become available. If the links are inactive, it's because they are not ready - [Living Loved - The Lifestream Newsletter](https://www.lifestream.org/living-loved-lifestream-newsletter/) - For 20 years Living Loved was Lifestream's flagship publication and ended in December 2015. All the previous articles, however, remain in the archive. Please choose what you would like to view: The Phenomenon of the Dones, Part 1: Thirty-one million people, or 1/7 of all adults in the U.S., once attended a local congregation but do - [Books & Audio](https://www.lifestream.org/lifestream-store) - [All Resources](https://www.lifestream.org/free-resources) - [Portuguese Version of Living in Father's Affection](https://www.lifestream.org/portuguese-version-of-living-in-fathers-affection/) - This is some of the most significant teaching that Wayne does around the world to help people break free of the bondage of religion and embrace an affectionate and life-changing relationship with the Father, through the work of the Son and in the power of the Spirit. We felt impressed to make this available to - [Transitions - Russian](https://www.lifestream.org/transitions-russian/) - This is some of the most significant teaching that Wayne does around the world to help people break free of the bondage of religion and embrace an affectionate and life-changing relationship with the Father, through the work of the Son and in the power of the Spirit. We felt impressed to make this available to - [French Version of The Cross](https://www.lifestream.org/french-version-of-the-cross/) - [vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]The following links are not translations of the original Transitions teaching, but they are recordings of Wayne teaching similar material in various languages where he was being translated. The following set of audio files contains teaching Wayne did on The Cross, to a French speaking audience. Session 1: Ce que Jésus est venu faire à - [German Version of Living Loved](https://www.lifestream.org/german-version-of-living-loved/) - The following links are not translations of the original Transitions teaching, but they are recordings of Wayne teaching similar material in various languages where he was being translated. The following set of audio files contains teaching Wayne did on The Cross, to a French speaking audience. Session 1 https://www.lifestream.org/wp-content/uploads/audio/transitions/MYF-Konferenz%202012%20-%20Session%201.mp3 Session 2 https://www.lifestream.org/wp-content/uploads/audio/transitions/MYF-Konferenz%202012%20-%20Session%202.mp3 Session 3 https://www.lifestream.org/wp-content/uploads/audio/transitions/MYF-Konferenz%202012%20-%20Session%203.mp3 - [About LifeStream](https://www.lifestream.org/about-lifestream/) - Find out who we are and what passions we hold in our hearts for God's work among his people. Wayne's Bio Wayne Jacobsen's bio and history. Our Passion It's about relationship, not religion - why we do what we do. Welcome to Lifestream There is a lot here and we don't want you to get - [Donation Confirmation](https://www.lifestream.org/donation-confirmation/) - Thank you for your donation! - [Transaction Failed](https://www.lifestream.org/transaction-failed/) - Your transaction failed, please try again or contact site support. - [Donation History](https://www.lifestream.org/donation-history/) - Please verify your email to access your donation history. Donation Email: - [Foreign Distributors](https://www.lifestream.org/books-audio/foreign-distributors/) - Australia - Limited selection, write for a full list Brazil - The Shack, So You Don't Want to Go to Church Anymore, He Loves Me, and Authentic Relationships at Sextente Chinese - Authentic Relationships France - He Loves Me and So You Don't Want to Go to Church Anymore from Le Bon Depot Germany - - [Audio](https://www.lifestream.org/books-audio/audio/) - [Video](https://www.lifestream.org/books-audio/video/) - [Books](https://www.lifestream.org/books-audio/books/) - [About](https://www.lifestream.org/about/) - [RSS Feeds](https://www.lifestream.org/rss-feeds/) - From Wikipedia: RSS Rich Site Summary (originally RDF Site Summary, often dubbed Really Simple Syndication) is a family of web feed formats used to publish frequently updated works—such as blog entries, news headlines, audio, and video—in a standardized format. An RSS document (which is called a "feed", "web feed", or "channel") includes full or summarized - [Signup for Lifestream Email](https://www.lifestream.org/signup-for-lifestream-email/) - Stay in touch with us! Here you can sign up for one or all of our mail lists. We will not sell or distribute this list to any other group or entity. Email Subscription Options: (Fields with * are required) Living Loved e-Mail Newsletter Lifestream Updates e-Mail Wayne's Travel Notifications Email address * First - [Living Loved - Quotes & Humor](https://www.lifestream.org/living-loved-quotes-humor/) - "We are in an age of religious complexity. The simplicity which is in Christ is rarely found amoung us. In its stead are programs, methods, organizations, and a world of nervous activities which occupy time and attention but can never satisfy the longing of the heart." - A. W. Tozer "Religion killed Christ. Or I - [Other Articles](https://www.lifestream.org/other-articles/) - Because of the kinds of email I get, I often hear wonderful stories of what God is doing to change lives in the world. I've finally made a place here on the web to share these stories with you. Other Articles by Wayne That Lot in Fairlee - This had been part of my old - [That Lot in Fairlee](https://www.lifestream.org/that-lot-in-fairlee/) - In the summer of 2004 Sara and I visited believers throughout New Zealand. Here is an incredible story of what happened when a group of people simply followed what Jesus had put on their heart to do. He won't lead everyone the same way, but you have to love how these were able to follow - [Beyond Prayer Requests](https://www.lifestream.org/beyond-prayer-requests/) - Wayne Jacobsen This article originally appeared in the Fall 2001 issue of Leadership Magazine. "I don't think I can pray that way for you." You'd thought I'd just cussed by the way the mouths around the table soundlessly fell open. The woman who had just asked us to pray that God would keep her teenage - [Leadership Conversation](https://www.lifestream.org/leadership-conversation/) - An email discussion with a brother in South Africa S.V., South Africa How do you fit the scriptures about elders and deacons into the relational church? I understand the Greek words, especially regarding deacons and the fact that elders should be seen more as the older Christians. In the Vineyard we believed in John Wimber's - [Leading with Conscience In an Age of Expediency](https://www.lifestream.org/leading-with-conscience-in-an-age-of-expediency/) - Wayne Jacobsen "So why did you come all this way just to see me?" It hadn't been that far really, only a three hour drive. I had scheduled other business in the area, but called him a few weeks before. I had never spoken with him previously, but we had for a time ministered in - [Tulsa World Interview](https://www.lifestream.org/tulsa-world-interview/) - Religion: Changing priorities BILL SHERMAN World Religion Writer - Tulsa World February 2, 2002 Author and speaker Wayne Jaconsen says more Christians are finding "the priorities of institutions and the priorities of the work of Jesus in our lives are really in opposition." Author finds growing interest in relational form of Christianity A growing number - [Introduction to Galatians](https://www.lifestream.org/introduction-to-galatians/) - Eugene Peterson Taken from The Message (This is a new translation of the Bible I find, for the most part, to highlight some incredible truths and the awesome beauty of God's heart. - Wayne) When men and women get their hands on religion, one of the first things they often do is turn it into - [The Danger of Meetings](https://www.lifestream.org/the-danger-of-meetings/) - Alan Richardson, St. Louis, MO Meetings have become the center stage in our understanding of what it is to be a Christian - the focus of our definition in what it means to follow Christ?They define our level of "commitment". They are the pivot point in our function as believers??.the center of our social lives, - [An Open Letter to the Persecuted Church](https://www.lifestream.org/an-open-letter-to-the-persecuted-church/) - Alan Richardson, St. Louis, MO My dear and beloved brothers and sisters. I may not have met you who are reading this letter, but my heart and my prayers are with you. You are an inspiration and encouragement to me. You are a marvel in the earth and a source of amazement to this world, - [The Matrix](https://www.lifestream.org/the-matrix/) - "The answer is out there, it's looking for you. And it will find you if you want it to." "I don't know if you're ready to see what I want to show you." "You may have spent the last two years looking for me, but I have spent my entire life looking for you. Now - [Recommended Books](https://www.lifestream.org/recommended-books/) - Listed below are books that have made an impact on my life. These two sections cover some of my favorites and necessities. Must Reads Other Books I Have Enjoyed - [Living Loved - Letters](https://www.lifestream.org/living-loved-letters/) - From Living Loved • Winter 2013 Shelly in Colorado Thank you for stunning the religion out of me and speaking in a tone of absolute love that gave me the freedom to leave employment at a church and find real community with the body of Christ. Last week a friend of mine was asked to - [Living Loved - LifeStream News](https://www.lifestream.org/living-loved-lifestream-news/) - From Living Loved • Winter 2013 A Clean Slate Over the past couple of years Sara and I have unwound the complications surrounding our lives at what we've felt was the Lord's request. That has allowed us to take a fresh look a the next season of our lives and ask God how we complete - [International Orders](https://www.lifestream.org/international-orders/) - Canadian and International Distributors We are aware of some overseas distributors who have some of our books available. If you'd like to order from them and save on shipping costs, please contact them at the email address provided. UK and Europe EuroBOOKS Aprilstraat 25 1335 BH Almere Netherlands Email Eurobooks Australia, New Zealand, and the - [Encouragement](https://www.lifestream.org/encouragement/) - Below are links to audio and print materials that will hopefully encourage you when you need it most. Audio Library Transition The Jesus Lens Other People's Stories - [Other People's Stories](https://www.lifestream.org/other-peoples-stories/) - Because of the kinds of email I get, I often hear wonderful stories of what God is doing to change lives in the world. I've finally made a place here on the web to share these stories with you. God Making Himself Known - a new believer returns to Ethiopia with a simple faith. Mother's - [Loved Into a New Sexuality](https://www.lifestream.org/loved-into-a-new-sexuality/) - By Brenda I listened to your podcast on 'Where is the Power?' and wanted to share some of my thoughts. I really do appreciate your emphasis on relationship. It's been the place of deepest wounding in my life and the deepest healing. The healing, as you guys know, is in the love relationship with the - [Healing Beyond a Daughter's Suicide](https://www.lifestream.org/healing-beyond-a-daughters-suicide/) - A couple of years ago a dear sister wrote to me about some horrible pain in her life. Five years before her 24-year old daughter in the midst of severe pain took her own life. Other believers distanced themselves from her, wanting to find comfort in the misguided view that if she had been a - [God Making Himself Known in Africa](https://www.lifestream.org/138-2/) - German Translation (PDF 263k) I have to be a bit vague on some of the details here, because the writer of these emails, Jamal (not his real name), lives in an area of Ethiopia dominated by Muslims who persecute those known to be Christians in that region. He was in the States on an education - [Guest Resources](https://www.lifestream.org/guest-resources/) - Listed below are Wayne's books. Click on a link to get more information about any book. John Beaumont Jack Grey Stan Firth Jenny Rowbory - [Stan Firth](https://www.lifestream.org/stan-firth/) - Custom and Command By Stan Firth $2.84 (Paperback - 88 pages) This book is not available here, but you can find it at Lulu.com. If you are not in the United States, there are International Distributors, (listed below the book on the left) that also have this book. Book Description If you don't know of - [John Beaumont](https://www.lifestream.org/john-beaumont/) - "It is my deep conviction that we must be wholly prepared to abandon anything that retards our moving toward the place where Christ is all and in all, where we come to overflow with that which has flowed over us. This is true even though we may have to forsake things we have been taught - [Jack Gray](https://www.lifestream.org/jack-gray/) - Sara and Wayne met Jack Gray during my New Zealand trip in the summer of 2004. Born in Scotland and trained as a surgeon, Jack and his wife Margaret spent thirteen years doing medical missionary work in the Belgian Congo (now Zaire) before the revolution in the early 1960s. In private practice after that first ## Recipes - [Post to Facebook Author Page](https://www.lifestream.org/uo-recipe/post-to-facebook-author-page/) - [Post to Instagram](https://www.lifestream.org/uo-recipe/post-to-instagram/) ## Donation Forms - [Donation to Lifestream](https://www.lifestream.org/donations/general-donation/) - [OFFLINE DONATIONS](https://www.lifestream.org/donations/offline/) - [TO Remembers](https://www.lifestream.org/donations/to-remembers/) - [Movie Insider Package](https://www.lifestream.org/donations/movie-insider-package/) - [DVD Plus Package](https://www.lifestream.org/donations/dvd-plus-package/) - [Movie Poster Package](https://www.lifestream.org/donations/movie-poster-package/) - [Special Thanks Package](https://www.lifestream.org/donations/special-thanks-package/) - [Co-Executive Producer Package](https://www.lifestream.org/donations/co-executive-producer-package/) - [Executive Producer Package](https://www.lifestream.org/donations/executive-producer-package/) - [DVD Package](https://www.lifestream.org/donations/dvd-package/) - [Kenya Relief](https://www.lifestream.org/donations/the-needs-in-kenya/) - [South Africa AIDS Outreach](https://www.lifestream.org/donations/aids-care-in-south-africa/) - [Out Of The Game](https://www.lifestream.org/donations/outofthegame/) ## Products - [A Man Like No Other](https://www.lifestream.org/product/a-man-like-no-other/) - Looking for quantity discounts? Please view our Case Product page. Book Description Jesus continues to be the most engaging person who ever lived, not only a man of compelling words, and incredible miracles, but also a man who treated others around him as they had never been treated before. Now, through the brush of award-winning - [So You Don't Want To Go To Church Anymore?](https://www.lifestream.org/product/so-you-dont-want-to-go-to-church-anymore/) - Jake Colsen, an overworked and disillusioned pastor, happens into a stranger who bears an uncanny resemblance (in manner) to the apostle John. A number of encounters with John as well as a family crisis lead Jake to a new understanding of what his life should be like: one filled with faith bolstered by a steady, - [Finding Church](https://www.lifestream.org/product/finding-church/) - Looking for quantity discounts? Please view our Case Product page. What if the church Jesus is building looks more like wildflowers strewn across an alpine meadow than a walled garden with manicured hedges? https://vimeo.com/140464073 If, like many other people, you have questioned whether there is something more to Jesus’ church than the religious institutions we’ve inherited after - [Beyond Sundays](https://www.lifestream.org/product/beyond-sundays/) - Looking for quantity discounts? Please view our Case Product page. From the Preface: In the last few decades sixty-five million Americans who once regular attended a local congregation, no longer do. About thirty-five million of those no longer self-identify as Christian, but over thirty-one million still do. This last group has been tagged “The Dones”, - [Live Loved Free Full](https://www.lifestream.org/product/live-loved-free-full/) - Isn’t it easier to awaken each morning pressed by the demands of life rather than aware of Jesus’s presence and his perspective to carry you through the day? This book was written to flip that narrative. As you relax into his affection, you will find it easier to recognize his fingerprints in your circumstances and - [He Loves Me, Second Edition](https://www.lifestream.org/product/he-loves-me-second-edition/) - Looking for quantity discounts? Please view our Case Product page. Also available in Spanish: Paperback, EPUB, and MOBI. "Be prepared to know God better and love him more. You hold in your hands a classic..." -- From the Foreward by Gayle D. Erwin Author, Jesus Style Understanding God's love requires not a classroom lecture but - [Just Love](https://www.lifestream.org/product/just-love/) - Coauthored with TOBIE VAN DER WESTHUIZEN, a Bible teacher, educator, and learning designer from South Africa, who holds a PhD in Higher Education and has spent decades teaching, writing, and communicating complex ideas with clarity and imagination. He is the owner and principal of Ridgefield Academy and blogs at JusticeofGod.com. From the back cover: This - [It's Time!](https://www.lifestream.org/product/its-time/) - You can also read this full book online here: https://www.lifestream.org/its-time/ From the back cover: “As I walk the hills where I live, rising amid the rustling leaves of a burgeoning dawn, I hear the refrain of the Song the Lamb—Jesus calling again to his beloved.” Wayne Jacobsen in IT’S TIME What if we’re currently living - [Authentic Relationships](https://www.lifestream.org/product/authentic-relationships/) - Are you tired of relationships that never seem to share the depths of spiritual life? Find out just how awesome Jesus-centered friendships can be... Book Description In a culture that promotes isolation and autonomy, this book reveals life-changing methods for creating healthy relationships and authentic community. Readers learn to apply New Testament principles that capture - [In Season](https://www.lifestream.org/product/in-season/) - Looking for quantity discounts? Please view our Case Product page Book Description The farmer knows not to look for grapes in spring, nor lament the barrenness of winter. Each season is critical in making his vineyard fruitful. The same is true for you. Fruitfulness is part of a cycle that includes promise and hope, perseverance - [Language of Healing Conversation Guide](https://www.lifestream.org/product/language-of-healing-conversation-guide/) - A Language of Healing for a Polarized Nation is an amazing book. You not only created the best format for a multi-author book, but also created a space where people can have transformative conversation. Our culture desperately needs this message, and the practical steps you provided in each chapter gave me hope that change can really - [A Language of Healing for a Polarized Nation](https://www.lifestream.org/product/a-language-of-healing-for-a-polarized-nation/) - When you combine courage with compassion, the world can change. Are you tired of the animosity and vitriol that fill our society at every mention of politics or religion, dividing us into two hostile camps on every possible issue? So are we. We’re looking for others who want to change the dialogue from the rhetoric - [So You Don't Want To Go To Church Anymore? [Audiobook]](https://www.lifestream.org/product/so-you-dont-want-to-go-to-church-anymore-audiobook/) - Wayne reads his own book, So You Don't Want To Go To Church Anymore with all the emphasis and passion he intended. This new version by Oasis Audio offers new professional packaging. Jake Colsen, an overworked and disillusioned pastor, happens into a stranger who bears an uncanny resemblance (in manner) to the apostle John. A - [The Shack](https://www.lifestream.org/product/the-shack/) - By Wm Paul Young (In collaboration with Wayne Jacobsen and Brad Cummings) For much more information on The Shack, please visit www.TheShackBook.com Wayne didn't write this book, but he helped in extensive re-writes and preparing this book for publication because of his passion for this story and what it demonstrates about God's ability to crawl - [Sharing In The Father's Affection [DVD]](https://www.lifestream.org/product/sharing-in-the-fathers-affection-dvd/) - Many have asked for a full DVD copy of Wayne's video about Father's affection that has been on the website for some time. Now it is available for any who would like to order it. You can view Internet version here as Wayne shares about the incredible invitation Jesus offered us of an affectionate relationship - [The Naked Church, Third Edition](https://www.lifestream.org/product/the-naked-church-third-edition/) - "This book is an unabashed invitation to stop trying to make God fit into our lives, and make our lives fit God's unearthly scheme." -- Marshall Shelley, Senior Editor, Leadership Journal Book Description Are you confused? Burned out? Disillusioned by your church experience? Discover how intimacy with the Living God and his family can fulfill - [He Loves Me [Audio Book]](https://www.lifestream.org/product/he-loves-me-audio-book/) - Wayne reads his own book, He Loves Me, with all the emphasis and passion he intended. You can listen to a sample MP3 available in our Audio Library. - [The Jesus Lens: Reading Scripture in Light of His Revelation](https://www.lifestream.org/product/the-jesus-lens-reading-scripture-in-light-of-his-revelation/) - If you've ever felt that the Bible was too long, too confusing, or full of unresolved contradictions THE JESUS LENS was designed for you. This revelation penned through the hearts of people across centuries was never intended to be read as the owner’s manual for religious training, but as an unfolding story of God making - [¡Él me ama! ("He Loves Me" en Español)](https://www.lifestream.org/product/el-me-ama-he-loves-me-en-espanol/) - "Prepárate para conocer mejor a Dios y lo ama más. Usted tiene en sus manos un clásico... " - Desde el Prólogo por Gayle D. Erwin Autor, Jesús Estilo Entender el amor de Dios no requiere una conferencia aula, sino un largo baño. En él me ama, Wayne Jacobsen llena la bañera y nos invita ## Travel Events - [Bloomfield, NY (Rochester)](https://www.lifestream.org/travel-event/bloomville-ny-rochester/) - Conversations with friends. Let me know if you want to join in. - [Toronto, ON](https://www.lifestream.org/travel-event/toronto-on/) - Plans are coming together for a visit to Canada at the end of August. There will at least be some gatherings outside of Toronto, about an hour to the east. But I'm also open to seeing what else God might want to arrange when I am in the area. If you want to schedule something - [Overland Park, KS](https://www.lifestream.org/travel-event/overland-park-ks/) - The Just Love Conversations My coauthor, Tobie and I will facilitate a series of conversations to explore how God’s love and life flow into us, and then out from us to fill the earth with his glory. We will gather at the Westbrooke Church 9777 Antioch Rd, Overland Park, KS 66212 Our Schedule: Thursday, July - [Lowville, NY](https://www.lifestream.org/travel-event/lowville-ny/) - Conversation with people on the journey, including an Open Deck BBQ on Saturday afternoon for anyone who wants to come. ## Categories - [Uncategorized](https://www.lifestream.org/category/uncategorized/) - [Audio/Video](https://www.lifestream.org/category/audio-video/) - Downloadable audio and video content - [Living Loved Newsletter](https://www.lifestream.org/category/living-loved-newsletter/) - Newsletter from LifeStream – Living Loved. Includes downloadable PDFs, and translations to other languages. - [Transitions](https://www.lifestream.org/category/transitions/) - This is some of the most significant teaching that Wayne does around the world to help people break free of the bondage of religion and embrace an affectionate and life-changing relationship with the Father, through the work of the Son and in the power of the Spirit. - [Engage](https://www.lifestream.org/category/engage/) - Engage with Wayne Jacobsen. Discover your relationship with Father. - [Behind the Scenes](https://www.lifestream.org/category/behind-the-scenes/) - [Church Life](https://www.lifestream.org/category/church-life/) - [Culture Watch](https://www.lifestream.org/category/culture-watch/) - [Encouragement](https://www.lifestream.org/category/encouragement/) - [Growing in Trust](https://www.lifestream.org/category/growing-in-trust/) - [Helping Others](https://www.lifestream.org/category/helping-others/) - [In the World](https://www.lifestream.org/category/in-the-world/) - [Intimacy](https://www.lifestream.org/category/intimacy/) - [Jesus Lens](https://www.lifestream.org/category/jesus-lens/) - [Living Loved](https://www.lifestream.org/category/living-loved/) - [Marriage and Family](https://www.lifestream.org/category/marriage-and-family/) - [Podcast](https://www.lifestream.org/category/podcast/) - [Travelogue](https://www.lifestream.org/category/travelogue/) - [What I'm Reading](https://www.lifestream.org/category/what-im-reading/) - [Finding Church](https://www.lifestream.org/category/finding-church/) - [Lifestream News](https://www.lifestream.org/category/lifestream-news/) - [Phenomenon of the Dones](https://www.lifestream.org/category/phenomenon-of-the-dones/) - [Kenya](https://www.lifestream.org/category/kenya/) - [The Security of Father's Love](https://www.lifestream.org/category/waynes-teaching-series/security-fathers-love/) - [The Father's Delight](https://www.lifestream.org/category/waynes-teaching-series/fathers-delight/) - [The Relationship God Wants With You](https://www.lifestream.org/category/waynes-teaching-series/the-relationship-god-wants-with-you/) - [Letting Jesus Perfect Your Faith](https://www.lifestream.org/category/waynes-teaching-series/letting-jesus-perfect-your-faith/) - [Abiding In The Vine](https://www.lifestream.org/category/waynes-teaching-series/abiding-in-the-vine/) - [Seasons In The Vineyard](https://www.lifestream.org/category/waynes-teaching-series/seasons-in-the-vineyard/) - [Letting Jesus Take Shape In You](https://www.lifestream.org/category/waynes-teaching-series/letting-jesus-take-shape-in-you/) - [Sharing The Journey](https://www.lifestream.org/category/waynes-teaching-series/sharing-the-journey/) - [The Relational Church](https://www.lifestream.org/category/waynes-teaching-series/the-relational-church/) - [Wayne's Teaching Series](https://www.lifestream.org/category/waynes-teaching-series/) - [Beyond Sundays](https://www.lifestream.org/category/beyond-sundays/) - [In the Shadow of Death](https://www.lifestream.org/category/in-the-shadow-of-death/) - [Language of Healing](https://www.lifestream.org/category/language-of-healing/) - [Wayne and Sara's Journey](https://www.lifestream.org/category/wayne-and-saras-journey/) - [Struggle and Pain](https://www.lifestream.org/category/struggle-and-pain/) - [The Lifestream Podcast](https://www.lifestream.org/category/the-lifestream-podcast/) - Subscribe to the podcast of occasional audio recordings posted to the Lifestream Blog – https://www.lifestream.org/category/the-lifestream-podcast/feed/ - [It's Time](https://www.lifestream.org/category/its-time/) - [Jesus](https://www.lifestream.org/category/jesus/) - [Bridge Builders](https://www.lifestream.org/category/bridge-builders/) - Archive of the Bridge-Builders.org website ## Tags - [Living The Journey](https://www.lifestream.org/tag/living-the-journey/) - [The Importance of Living Free](https://www.lifestream.org/tag/the-importance-of-living-free/) - [Religion vs. Relationship](https://www.lifestream.org/tag/religion-vs-relationship/) - [New Testament Church Life](https://www.lifestream.org/tag/new-testament-church-life/) - [Foreign Translations](https://www.lifestream.org/tag/foreign-translations/) - [Intimacy with God](https://www.lifestream.org/tag/intimacy-with-god/) - [Relationship with Other Believers](https://www.lifestream.org/tag/relationship-with-other-believers/) - [Current Events and Trends](https://www.lifestream.org/tag/current-events-and-trends/) - [Phenomenon of the Dones](https://www.lifestream.org/tag/phenomenon-of-the-dones/) - [Wayne Jacobsen](https://www.lifestream.org/tag/wayne-jacobsen/) - [Leaving Church](https://www.lifestream.org/tag/leaving-church/) - [Embracing His Glory](https://www.lifestream.org/tag/embracing-his-glory/) - [delusion](https://www.lifestream.org/tag/delusion/) - [light](https://www.lifestream.org/tag/light/) - [darkness](https://www.lifestream.org/tag/darkness/) - [political turmoil](https://www.lifestream.org/tag/political-turmoil/) - [Lifestream](https://www.lifestream.org/tag/lifestream/) - [Relationships](https://www.lifestream.org/tag/relationships/) - [Relational pain](https://www.lifestream.org/tag/relational-pain/) - [Drought in Kenya](https://www.lifestream.org/tag/drought-in-kenya/) - [Lifestream. hell](https://www.lifestream.org/tag/lifestream-hell/) - [heaven](https://www.lifestream.org/tag/heaven/) - [suffering](https://www.lifestream.org/tag/suffering/) - [God's justice](https://www.lifestream.org/tag/gods-justice/) - [God's mercy](https://www.lifestream.org/tag/gods-mercy/) - [The god Journey](https://www.lifestream.org/tag/the-god-journey/) - [Ukraine](https://www.lifestream.org/tag/ukraine/) - [Christians in Ukraine](https://www.lifestream.org/tag/christians-in-ukraine/) - [help Ukraine](https://www.lifestream.org/tag/help-ukraine/) - [Reliant Fund](https://www.lifestream.org/tag/reliant-fund/) - [racial divide](https://www.lifestream.org/tag/racial-divide/) - [A Language of Healing](https://www.lifestream.org/tag/a-language-of-healing/) - [racism](https://www.lifestream.org/tag/racism/) - [skin tone](https://www.lifestream.org/tag/skin-tone/) - [Bob Prater](https://www.lifestream.org/tag/bob-prater/) - [Arnita Taylor](https://www.lifestream.org/tag/arnita-taylor/) - [racial healing](https://www.lifestream.org/tag/racial-healing/) - [Forkland School](https://www.lifestream.org/tag/forkland-school/) - [help in Kenya](https://www.lifestream.org/tag/help-in-kenya/) - [caring for orphans](https://www.lifestream.org/tag/caring-for-orphans/) - [trauma](https://www.lifestream.org/tag/trauma/) - [Christmas sadness](https://www.lifestream.org/tag/christmas-sadness/) - [God with us](https://www.lifestream.org/tag/god-with-us/) - [Emmanuel](https://www.lifestream.org/tag/emmanuel/) - [Jake Colsen](https://www.lifestream.org/tag/jake-colsen/) - [So You Don't Want to Go to Church Anymore](https://www.lifestream.org/tag/so-you-dont-want-to-go-to-church-anymore/) - [won to trust](https://www.lifestream.org/tag/won-to-trust/) - [faith](https://www.lifestream.org/tag/faith/) - [disappointment with God](https://www.lifestream.org/tag/disappointment-with-god/) - [Kenya](https://www.lifestream.org/tag/kenya/) - [generosity](https://www.lifestream.org/tag/generosity/) - [orphans and widows](https://www.lifestream.org/tag/orphans-and-widows/) - [IGEM](https://www.lifestream.org/tag/igem/) - [Good Friday](https://www.lifestream.org/tag/good-friday/) - [Easter](https://www.lifestream.org/tag/easter/) - [Atonement](https://www.lifestream.org/tag/atonement/) - [the cross of Jesus](https://www.lifestream.org/tag/the-cross-of-jesus/) - [salvation](https://www.lifestream.org/tag/salvation/) - [vengeful deity](https://www.lifestream.org/tag/vengeful-deity/) - [Sara Jacobsen](https://www.lifestream.org/tag/sara-jacobsen/) - [Redeeming Love](https://www.lifestream.org/tag/redeeming-love/) - [healing](https://www.lifestream.org/tag/healing/) - [marriage](https://www.lifestream.org/tag/marriage/) - [relational repair](https://www.lifestream.org/tag/relational-repair/) - [Lifestream. So you Don't want to Go to Church Anymore](https://www.lifestream.org/tag/lifestream-so-you-dont-want-to-go-to-church-anymore/) - [Israel tour](https://www.lifestream.org/tag/israel-tour/) - [Working through Trauma](https://www.lifestream.org/tag/working-through-trauma/) - [Romans 8](https://www.lifestream.org/tag/romans-8/) - [Children of God Revealed](https://www.lifestream.org/tag/children-of-god-revealed/) - [God-Shaped Life](https://www.lifestream.org/tag/god-shaped-life/) - [justice](https://www.lifestream.org/tag/justice/) - [mercy](https://www.lifestream.org/tag/mercy/) - [Adam Smith](https://www.lifestream.org/tag/adam-smith/) - [Micah 6:8](https://www.lifestream.org/tag/micah-68/) - [vengeance](https://www.lifestream.org/tag/vengeance/) - [white rainbow](https://www.lifestream.org/tag/white-rainbow/) - [God's glory](https://www.lifestream.org/tag/gods-glory/) - [Creation](https://www.lifestream.org/tag/creation/) - [the playful God](https://www.lifestream.org/tag/the-playful-god/) - [Dr. Clyde Kilby](https://www.lifestream.org/tag/dr-clyde-kilby/) - [Oral Roberts University](https://www.lifestream.org/tag/oral-roberts-university/) - [C.S. Lewis](https://www.lifestream.org/tag/c-s-lewis/) - [J.R.R. Tolkien](https://www.lifestream.org/tag/j-r-r-tolkien/) - [adventure](https://www.lifestream.org/tag/adventure/) - [confirmation](https://www.lifestream.org/tag/confirmation/) - [He Loves Me](https://www.lifestream.org/tag/he-loves-me/) - [Live Loved Free Full](https://www.lifestream.org/tag/live-loved-free-full/) - [Sin](https://www.lifestream.org/tag/sin/) - [healing from sin](https://www.lifestream.org/tag/healing-from-sin/) - [accountability](https://www.lifestream.org/tag/accountability/) - [trust](https://www.lifestream.org/tag/trust/) - [living free](https://www.lifestream.org/tag/living-free/) - [Rest](https://www.lifestream.org/tag/rest/) - [Merry Christmas](https://www.lifestream.org/tag/merry-christmas/) - [Cease striving](https://www.lifestream.org/tag/cease-striving/) - [God's goodness](https://www.lifestream.org/tag/gods-goodness/) - [God's love](https://www.lifestream.org/tag/gods-love/) - [Spiritual warfare](https://www.lifestream.org/tag/spiritual-warfare/) - [Jesus](https://www.lifestream.org/tag/jesus/) - [My Friend Luis](https://www.lifestream.org/tag/my-friend-luis/) - [Lifestream. Turning Our Back on Jesus](https://www.lifestream.org/tag/lifestream-turning-our-back-on-jesus/) - [fear](https://www.lifestream.org/tag/fear/) - [The Cross](https://www.lifestream.org/tag/the-cross/) - [Unmerited rejection](https://www.lifestream.org/tag/unmerited-rejection/) - [the gift of suffering](https://www.lifestream.org/tag/the-gift-of-suffering/) - [family conflict](https://www.lifestream.org/tag/family-conflict/) - [It's Time](https://www.lifestream.org/tag/its-time/) - [End Times](https://www.lifestream.org/tag/end-times/) - [Second Coming](https://www.lifestream.org/tag/second-coming/) - [Apocalypse](https://www.lifestream.org/tag/apocalypse/) - [Lifestream. Letters to the Bride](https://www.lifestream.org/tag/lifestream-letters-to-the-bride/) - [The End of the Age](https://www.lifestream.org/tag/the-end-of-the-age/) - [New Creation](https://www.lifestream.org/tag/new-creation/) - [Lifestream Mobile](https://www.lifestream.org/tag/lifestream-mobile/) - [Call to the Bride](https://www.lifestream.org/tag/call-to-the-bride/) - [loving others](https://www.lifestream.org/tag/loving-others/) - [free from shame](https://www.lifestream.org/tag/free-from-shame/) - [shamelessly free](https://www.lifestream.org/tag/shamelessly-free/) - [Facing our Fears](https://www.lifestream.org/tag/facing-our-fears/) - [Anne McGown](https://www.lifestream.org/tag/anne-mcgown/) - [the awakening bride](https://www.lifestream.org/tag/the-awakening-bride/) - [complacency](https://www.lifestream.org/tag/complacency/) - [bondage](https://www.lifestream.org/tag/bondage/) - [Deepest Love in the Darkest Place](https://www.lifestream.org/tag/deepest-love-in-the-darkest-place/) - [redemption](https://www.lifestream.org/tag/redemption/) - [anniversary](https://www.lifestream.org/tag/anniversary/) - [Kenya relief](https://www.lifestream.org/tag/kenya-relief/) - [Gratefulness](https://www.lifestream.org/tag/gratefulness/) - [sexual abuse](https://www.lifestream.org/tag/sexual-abuse/) - [evangelical scandals](https://www.lifestream.org/tag/evangelical-scandals/) - [sex scandals](https://www.lifestream.org/tag/sex-scandals/) - [marriage and family](https://www.lifestream.org/tag/marriage-and-family/) - [Lovers of Truth](https://www.lifestream.org/tag/lovers-of-truth/) - [The Matrix](https://www.lifestream.org/tag/the-matrix/) - [The Sound of Music](https://www.lifestream.org/tag/the-sound-of-music/) - [Bloom and Grow Forever](https://www.lifestream.org/tag/bloom-and-grow-forever/) - [Sara's Garden](https://www.lifestream.org/tag/saras-garden/) - [beauty and rest](https://www.lifestream.org/tag/beauty-and-rest/) - [Sara's Creation](https://www.lifestream.org/tag/saras-creation/) - [The Secret Garden](https://www.lifestream.org/tag/the-secret-garden/) - [Is 46:10](https://www.lifestream.org/tag/is-4610/) - [Corrie Napier](https://www.lifestream.org/tag/corrie-napier/) - [Fierce Hope](https://www.lifestream.org/tag/fierce-hope/) - [surviving marital unfaithfulness](https://www.lifestream.org/tag/surviving-marital-unfaithfulness/) - [Tessa Van Wade. Power Unleashed](https://www.lifestream.org/tag/tessa-van-wade-power-unleashed/) - [The Velieri Uprising](https://www.lifestream.org/tag/the-velieri-uprising/) - [orphanage](https://www.lifestream.org/tag/orphanage/) - [Forkland](https://www.lifestream.org/tag/forkland/) - [Rescue](https://www.lifestream.org/tag/rescue/) - [Climate change](https://www.lifestream.org/tag/climate-change/) - [James 5:16](https://www.lifestream.org/tag/james-516/) - [prayer](https://www.lifestream.org/tag/prayer/) - [righteousness](https://www.lifestream.org/tag/righteousness/) - [50](https://www.lifestream.org/tag/50/) - [Featured Book](https://www.lifestream.org/tag/featured-book/) - [angels](https://www.lifestream.org/tag/angels/) - [acts of love](https://www.lifestream.org/tag/acts-of-love/) - [Tony Campolo](https://www.lifestream.org/tag/tony-campolo/) - [The Kingdom of God is a Party](https://www.lifestream.org/tag/the-kingdom-of-god-is-a-party/) - [It's Friday](https://www.lifestream.org/tag/its-friday/) - [Sunday's Coming](https://www.lifestream.org/tag/sundays-coming/) - [government](https://www.lifestream.org/tag/government/) - [Isaiah 9:6](https://www.lifestream.org/tag/isaiah-96/) - [for such a king](https://www.lifestream.org/tag/for-such-a-king/) - [The Plough](https://www.lifestream.org/tag/the-plough/) - [the government on his shoulders](https://www.lifestream.org/tag/the-government-on-his-shoulders/) - [soon-coming King.](https://www.lifestream.org/tag/soon-coming-king/) - [Gaze with God](https://www.lifestream.org/tag/gaze-with-god/) - [love rest play](https://www.lifestream.org/tag/love-rest-play/) - [Rethinking God with Tacos](https://www.lifestream.org/tag/rethinking-god-with-tacos/) - [Gratitude at Christmas](https://www.lifestream.org/tag/gratitude-at-christmas/) - [Rise and Shine](https://www.lifestream.org/tag/rise-and-shine/) - [Preparing the Way](https://www.lifestream.org/tag/preparing-the-way/) - [suffering and pain](https://www.lifestream.org/tag/suffering-and-pain/) - [self-righteousness](https://www.lifestream.org/tag/self-righteousness/) - [Martin Purnell](https://www.lifestream.org/tag/martin-purnell/) - [Off-grid Christianity](https://www.lifestream.org/tag/off-grid-christianity/) - [justice v. righteousness](https://www.lifestream.org/tag/justice-v-righteousness/) - [God's silence](https://www.lifestream.org/tag/gods-silence/) - [fellowship of his sufferings](https://www.lifestream.org/tag/fellowship-of-his-sufferings/) - [Love rest and play](https://www.lifestream.org/tag/love-rest-and-play/) - [systems come crashing down](https://www.lifestream.org/tag/systems-come-crashing-down/) - [trust in God](https://www.lifestream.org/tag/trust-in-god/) - [Jenny Rowbury](https://www.lifestream.org/tag/jenny-rowbury/) - [Resurrection Song](https://www.lifestream.org/tag/resurrection-song/) - [comfortable in uncertainty](https://www.lifestream.org/tag/comfortable-in-uncertainty/) - [false political prophets](https://www.lifestream.org/tag/false-political-prophets/) - [Gayle Erwin](https://www.lifestream.org/tag/gayle-erwin/) - [The Jesus Style](https://www.lifestream.org/tag/the-jesus-style/) - [Stand firm](https://www.lifestream.org/tag/stand-firm/) - [Kenya orphanage](https://www.lifestream.org/tag/kenya-orphanage/) - [petrol station](https://www.lifestream.org/tag/petrol-station/) - [Second Coming of Jesus](https://www.lifestream.org/tag/second-coming-of-jesus/) - [The Bride of Christ](https://www.lifestream.org/tag/the-bride-of-christ/) - [The Longing of Creation](https://www.lifestream.org/tag/the-longing-of-creation/) - [Pokot](https://www.lifestream.org/tag/pokot/) - [Windblown](https://www.lifestream.org/tag/windblown/) - [led by the spirit](https://www.lifestream.org/tag/led-by-the-spirit/) - [Wayne's travels](https://www.lifestream.org/tag/waynes-travels/) - [Reader's House](https://www.lifestream.org/tag/readers-house/) - [Finding Church](https://www.lifestream.org/tag/finding-church/) - [end of the age](https://www.lifestream.org/tag/end-of-the-age/) - [distressing news](https://www.lifestream.org/tag/distressing-news/) - [finding peace in chaos](https://www.lifestream.org/tag/finding-peace-in-chaos/) - [Following Jesus](https://www.lifestream.org/tag/following-jesus/) - [Calgary](https://www.lifestream.org/tag/calgary/) - [Coeur d'Alene](https://www.lifestream.org/tag/coeur-dalene/) - [Glacier National Park](https://www.lifestream.org/tag/glacier-national-park/) - [Graham Cooke](https://www.lifestream.org/tag/graham-cooke/) - [abiding in Christ](https://www.lifestream.org/tag/abiding-in-christ/) - [making God our habitation](https://www.lifestream.org/tag/making-god-our-habitation/) - [spiritual disciplines](https://www.lifestream.org/tag/spiritual-disciplines/) - [God's presence](https://www.lifestream.org/tag/gods-presence/) - [practicing presence](https://www.lifestream.org/tag/practicing-presence/) - [eschatology](https://www.lifestream.org/tag/eschatology/) - [finding hope](https://www.lifestream.org/tag/finding-hope/) - [the end of the world](https://www.lifestream.org/tag/the-end-of-the-world/) - [The Leturn of the Lord](https://www.lifestream.org/tag/the-leturn-of-the-lord/) - [real presence](https://www.lifestream.org/tag/real-presence/) - [yearly devotional](https://www.lifestream.org/tag/yearly-devotional/) - [relationship over religion](https://www.lifestream.org/tag/relationship-over-religion/) - [religious obligation](https://www.lifestream.org/tag/religious-obligation/) - [the presence of God](https://www.lifestream.org/tag/the-presence-of-god/) - [Christmas](https://www.lifestream.org/tag/christmas/) - [Christ in you the hope of glory](https://www.lifestream.org/tag/christ-in-you-the-hope-of-glory/) - [pain and difficulties](https://www.lifestream.org/tag/pain-and-difficulties/) - [loneliness](https://www.lifestream.org/tag/loneliness/) - [the miracle you need](https://www.lifestream.org/tag/the-miracle-you-need/) - [Lifestream Ministries](https://www.lifestream.org/tag/lifestream-ministries/) - [Just Love](https://www.lifestream.org/tag/just-love/) - [why Jesus](https://www.lifestream.org/tag/why-jesus/) - [unique](https://www.lifestream.org/tag/unique/) - [principles or presence](https://www.lifestream.org/tag/principles-or-presence/) - [unforced rhythms of grace](https://www.lifestream.org/tag/unforced-rhythms-of-grace/) - [anxiety prayers](https://www.lifestream.org/tag/anxiety-prayers/) - [leaning into peace.](https://www.lifestream.org/tag/leaning-into-peace/) - [tobie van der westhuizen](https://www.lifestream.org/tag/tobie-van-der-westhuizen/) - [Gospel](https://www.lifestream.org/tag/gospel/) - [righteousness v. justice](https://www.lifestream.org/tag/righteousness-v-justice/) - [justice v](https://www.lifestream.org/tag/justice-v/) - [transformation](https://www.lifestream.org/tag/transformation/) - [why Jesus saved you](https://www.lifestream.org/tag/why-jesus-saved-you/) - [injustice](https://www.lifestream.org/tag/injustice/) - [living loved](https://www.lifestream.org/tag/living-loved/) - [justice without law](https://www.lifestream.org/tag/justice-without-law/) - [multiple myeloma](https://www.lifestream.org/tag/multiple-myeloma/) - [blood cancer](https://www.lifestream.org/tag/blood-cancer/) - [International Myeloma Foundation](https://www.lifestream.org/tag/international-myeloma-foundation/) - [living with myeloma](https://www.lifestream.org/tag/living-with-myeloma/) - [prayers for healing](https://www.lifestream.org/tag/prayers-for-healing/) - [justice written on our hearts](https://www.lifestream.org/tag/justice-written-on-our-hearts/) - [Reformation](https://www.lifestream.org/tag/reformation/) - [imputed righteousness](https://www.lifestream.org/tag/imputed-righteousness/) - [entering the kingdom](https://www.lifestream.org/tag/entering-the-kingdom/) - [what it means to be saved](https://www.lifestream.org/tag/what-it-means-to-be-saved/) - [the fulfillment of justice](https://www.lifestream.org/tag/the-fulfillment-of-justice/) - [trusting in the darkness](https://www.lifestream.org/tag/trusting-in-the-darkness/) - [walking in love](https://www.lifestream.org/tag/walking-in-love/) - [persistent need](https://www.lifestream.org/tag/persistent-need/) - [chronic pain](https://www.lifestream.org/tag/chronic-pain/) - [Wayne's literary history](https://www.lifestream.org/tag/waynes-literary-history/) - [summer retreat](https://www.lifestream.org/tag/summer-retreat/) - [inhabit his love](https://www.lifestream.org/tag/inhabit-his-love/) - [deconstruction](https://www.lifestream.org/tag/deconstruction/) - [spiritually disillusioned](https://www.lifestream.org/tag/spiritually-disillusioned/) - [the long conversation](https://www.lifestream.org/tag/the-long-conversation/) - [moving from obligation to love](https://www.lifestream.org/tag/moving-from-obligation-to-love/) - [live loved](https://www.lifestream.org/tag/live-loved/) - [Kenya aid](https://www.lifestream.org/tag/kenya-aid/) - [sharing the gospel](https://www.lifestream.org/tag/sharing-the-gospel/) - [rethinking the Gospel](https://www.lifestream.org/tag/rethinking-the-gospel/) - [anticipate with God](https://www.lifestream.org/tag/anticipate-with-god/) - [a world made right](https://www.lifestream.org/tag/a-world-made-right/) - 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