Category Archives: Devotional Reflection

Surprise! No one Expects Brain Plasticity! And Why It Impacts our Relationships and Our Spirit

Posted on November 8, 2014 by PaulVK

Surprise! No one expects brain plasticity! In The Body Keeps the Score the author writes Research from these new disciplines has revealed that trauma produces actual physiological changes, including a recalibration of the brain’s alarm system, an increase in stress … Continue reading →

Posted in Culture commentary, Devotional Reflection, Wisdom | 1 Comment

Why I Stick With My Calvinism

Posted on July 3, 2014 by PaulVK

I read a lot of blogs, some by Christians, some by atheists, a lot by doubters who sit in various chairs. I understand their doubts. I understand when believers abandon their faith. I love talking to honest skeptics who ask … Continue reading →

Posted in Devotional Reflection | 2 Comments

Of Captured Girls, NASA Apocalypse, Following the Frog, Isaiah and Believing

Posted on May 9, 2014 by PaulVK

“NASA Predicts Collapse of Civilization” This story went viral and so will continue to go viral via Facebook repackaged by the Facebook targeted virus makers. It gets hosed by more careful and less ambitious sources but the dynamic is instructive. … Continue reading →

Posted in Devotional Reflection, On the way to Sunday's sermon | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Thoughts on Confession and this Good Friday

Posted on April 18, 2014 by PaulVK

Voices is good for confession. It’s obscure enough that you can (probably) confess nearly anything and word wouldn’t get out. Happy are we. Our big confessions are of course not the organist we’re sleeping with or the money we’re embezzling, … Continue reading →

Posted in Devotional Reflection, Saved CRCVoices Posts | Tagged | Leave a comment

This Preacher’s Monday Morning Therapy

Posted on April 7, 2014 by PaulVK

Blog Reading I usually try to do some blog reading on Monday mornings. On some Monday mornings I’m particularly weary and needy. Not all, just sometimes. So I’m reading a particularly well done blog post by someone offering some very … Continue reading →

Posted in Devotional Reflection, Pastoral Identity | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Becoming Solid Selves in a Reactive Age

Posted on April 4, 2014 by PaulVK

The Reactive Age The hot topic this week is Brendon Eich stepping down under pressure for his 2008 donations to the Pro-Prop 8 side. He had a chance to recant but did not.  While this event touches on lots of thing … Continue reading →

Posted in book writing, Devotional Reflection | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

The Hiding Place

Posted on March 19, 2014 by PaulVK

Ever since I got an Audible account I’ve been ingesting audio books. For some reason I’ve done a number of them about WWII prison camps. I used Elie Wiesel’s “Night” in a couple of sermons. The best by far IMHO, … Continue reading →

Posted in Devotional Reflection | Leave a comment

Embracing Jesus-Fiction: Why Fiction Fuels Faith in a Skeptical Age

Posted on February 28, 2014 by PaulVK

Road to Cana I’m reading/listening to Anne Rice’s Christ the Lord: The Road to Cana (not finished yet) and am quite moved by it. I usually chafe at Jesus movies and Bible fiction. I am deeply conditioned by my obsessive Protestant … Continue reading →

Posted in book review, Culture commentary, Devotional Reflection, How to become a Christian, theological, Wisdom | Tagged | Leave a comment

My Public Folly

Posted on February 27, 2014 by PaulVK

Reading John Suk As regular readers of this blog will know I read all of John Suk‘s posts. John’s journey of doubt has fascinated me for a number of reasons. He’s from the same denomination, he was a high profile … Continue reading →

Posted in Devotional Reflection | 1 Comment

Wonder even in Suffering, A Christmas Meditation

Posted on December 24, 2013 by PaulVK

Atheist Billboards Christmas must be a strange season for atheists. It’s always this time of year that they choose to spend their money with their massive billboard campaign. These billboards don’t come cheap and I would guess the competition this … Continue reading →

Posted in Devotional Reflection | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment