Reading for today: Psalm 94 and John 18:15-27 Wow, this got long but it is my favorite topic. Sorry. Read it in three settings. Just kidding. I like John. Apparently, John liked John. He often referred to himself as “the disciple that Jesus loved.” When all the disciples were choosing nicknames he said, “Call… Continue Reading
Author Archives: Dr. Mike Courtney
The Safe Place
Reading for today: Psalm 91 and John 18:1-14 My wife’s mother was terrified of storms. Under the little farm house where they lived (and my father-in-law still lives) was a rough-cut cellar, unfinished and dug out of the Tennessee limestone. It was dusty and dank and dark. They used it to spread out potatoes from… Continue Reading
Now I Lay Me
Reading today: Psalm 90 and John 17:6-25 We grew up in a parsonage. My father pastored small churches in the south and we made up a pretty significant percentage of the congregation. Mike, (my first name is Charles but if you ever use that our friendship is terminally over), Charlotta, Chonda, and Cheralyn. All started… Continue Reading
Celebration and Palm Sunday
Palm Sunday Reading: Psalm 92-93 and John 12:12-50 I know it’s Sunday. My plan all along on our 40 Days of Reconciliation was to write only Monday through Friday and not on weekends except Palm Sunday and Easter weekend. Traditionally the 40 days of Lent begins with Ash Wednesday and does not count weekends. So,… Continue Reading
She’s Just Yukky
Reading for today: Psalm 79 and John 11:17-44 Jakson started preschool at 4. Up to that point he had mainly been around only his older brother and some semi-adult men, like PoppyC, who probably played too rough and teased too much. Socializing with other kids was a challenge to say the least. One day,… Continue Reading
The Wild Pitch
Reading today: Psalm 73 and John 8:31-47 Josh was 8. It was the first year of kid pitch baseball. Up to that point the ball was on a T for the kids or the coaches lobbed a slow, easy ball over the plate. But this year, mano a mano, pitcher against hitter, baseball was going… Continue Reading
SHAME
Reading for today Psalm 71 and John 7:53-8:11 Let’s get this out of the way right up front. I’m late writing this devo. It’s 5:45AM when I am starting it. I’m usually long finished and it’s on its way through the magical internet by now. I went to a Chonda concert in Bowling Green last… Continue Reading
Giggling
Reading today Psalm 66, John 6:41-59 My wife has a terrible disease. It is apparently a genetic thing because her mother had it and both of her sisters have it. They all suffer from the “I can’t hide my giggles” disease. From our earliest time together I have watched her, and them, get tickled at… Continue Reading
Bread
Reading today: Psalm 65, John 6:15-40 Remember Richard Rohr. He says, “All language about God is necessarily symbolic and figurative. Actually all language is metaphorical. Words are never the thing itself; they can only point toward the thing, which is exactly why “The Word became flesh” (John 1:14). As James Finley, a CAC core faculty… Continue Reading
Do You Want to Get Well?
Reading today: Psalm 60 and John 5:1-15 Jesus asked great questions. “Who do people say that I am?” “Couldn’t you pray one hour?” “Whose picture is on the coin?” His questions were thought provoking, spirit probing. His questions often got right to the heart of the matter. He asked great questions. In John 5, not… Continue Reading