Spiritual Growth

“Beautiful River” and “Good Oak”

Posted on May 6, 2013 by Karen Thomas Olsen

I’m experiencing my second spring this year. I enjoyed an Arizona spring, and after flying to Ohio almost two weeks ago, I am now enjoying a lovely Ohio spring. Spring here is about a month behind our high desert spring. (Down in the Phoenix area, spring is earlier yet and of a different sort.) In very broad strokes, I see the beauty of Ohio as the beauty of a coy lady and the beauty of Arizona as the beauty of a scruffy faced man. Of course, every state has a variety of beauties, but these stand out to me.

I remember my mother showing me Continue reading →

Spelunking Expeditions

Posted on April 30, 2013 by Karen Thomas Olsen

Long ago and far away, when I was a young school teacher at Baymonte Christian High School in Scotts Valley, California (south of San Jose), I accepted an invitation by two other high school teachers to go spelunking. The three of us plus one high school senior headed out in “exploration clothes” (jeans and old clothes that covered a person well). The caves were nearby in Santa Cruz. The entrance was so obscure that it was not even noticeable to passersby. “Where are we going?” “What are we doing?” Lying on our stomachs, we slithered through narrow tunnels — first forward, then smooth turns to the right and left. We stayed close at each other’s heels.

Continue reading →

Asking Jesus into My Heart

Posted on April 16, 2013 by Karen Thomas Olsen

I don’t hear this expression much anymore, but when I was a little girl, I remember hearing Christians talk about “asking Jesus into your heart.” This was a way of describing how to become a Christian, how to be born again. Ask Jesus into your heart. Some little children have taken this quite literally, thinking that Jesus is inside their blood pumping organ.

We discover many expressions, idioms, and metaphors in Scriptures — phrases that Continue reading →

Categories: Being Like Jesus, Spiritual Growth | Tags: biblical idioms, Jesus in my heart | 2 Comments

Reaching a Summit

Posted on April 7, 2013 by Karen Thomas Olsen

Good morning! It may be later in the day for you, but pretend you are enjoying a lovely sunrise with me as you read. The sun is busy rising over the mountains, casting pastel hues. It’s a happy morning — cheerful skies lighting our hilly horizon. My heart is light and happy and relieved today. A load of responsibility has been lifted. I’ve been climbing a personal mountain, as some of you know. All of us have mountains to climb — placed before us by genes, heritage, circumstance, and those of our own choosing. Many mountains surround us. Some we must climb, and others, in our fascination, we choose to climb. We are determined to make an attempt.

Years ago, Continue reading →

Categories: Spiritual Growth, Uncategorized | 4 Comments

Mysterious God

Posted on March 30, 2013 by Karen Thomas Olsen

I share with you this Easter week end a rich poem by William Cowper (1774). This dear and sensitive friend of John Newton’s (author of “Amazing Grace”) lived a quiet, rather secluded, and reflective life. Sounds easy. It was not. This poem/hymn draws me to Cowper, a troubled soul. I hope you will read it slowly and carefully . Continue reading →

Categories: Joy & Suffering -- Good & Evil, Spiritual Growth | Tags: Easter, William Cowper | 3 Comments

I Look Unto the Hills . . .

Posted on March 23, 2013 by Karen Thomas Olsen

It’s early morning here in Prescott Valley, Arizona. I’m gazing out my front window: the Bradshaw Mountains in the distance and our American flag waving welcomingly over our front porch. A bit of pink blends with shades of blue in the gentle morning skies. Spring green is budding on our globe willow trees. Directly across our cul-de-sac, an ornamental plum tree is in full, confident bloom. Driving down a residential street yesterday, I witnessed a row of ornamental pear trees, covered completely in white blossoms. As my daddy would say, “I’m drinking it in!” Continue reading →

Categories: Spiritual Growth | Tags: Bradshaw Mountains, John 3:16, Practice God's Presence | 8 Comments

“God of the Ages”

Posted on February 15, 2013 by Karen Thomas Olsen

Margaret Clarkson published “God of the Ages” back in 1982, which I delightedly discovered in The Hymnal for Worship and Celebration. The words are set to a Gaelic melody probably familiar to you because it was made popular in the ’70s by Cat Stevens — “Morning Has Broken.” Such a lovely, delicate melody. Locating some biographical information about Margaret, I discovered that her story will lead us directly back to our reflections upon suffering. For now, we’ll consider her lyrics to this one song. Clarkson’s words are so rich exposing an expansive view of life and reality. Knowing the tune, you can sing along! Here are the words: Continue reading →

Categories: Spiritual Growth | Tags: God's Sovereignty, Lord, Margaret Clarkson, mercy, Morning Has Broken | 2 Comments

The Secret Things Belong to God

Posted on February 6, 2013 by Karen Thomas Olsen

It’s dark here. Dank and cool. Looking up, light seeps through a crack along the horizon. No. It’s a door! What is on the other side? Try the door. Will it open?

“The secret things belong to the LORD our God, but Continue reading →

Categories: Being Like Jesus, Spiritual Growth | Tags: like Christ, mystery, revelation | Leave a comment

Part II: For Goodness Sake: Evil, the Interloper

Posted on December 31, 2012 by Karen Thomas Olsen

Deep in our hearts we all long for goodness – goodness that is everywhere – in both motivation and result. Everything should be good, sensible, resilient, fair, kind, loving, beneficial. . . . Where does this longing for utopian happiness and justice originate? We know the answer. It originates in the heart of our Creator. Thus, it is good for us to consider that word, “creator.” Continue reading →

Categories: Joy & Suffering -- Good & Evil, Spiritual Growth | Tags: evil, good, Hell, Overcoming, Satan | 5 Comments

Part I: For Goodness Sake

Posted on December 20, 2012 by Karen Thomas Olsen

I had a post ready to publish last Friday, but then “the devil rolled into Newtown,” as I remember hearing the news anchor, Bill Hemmer, express. Most energy moves to the point of pain, so what I once had to say became unimportant. Language cannot express the suffering, so as the Scriptures explain, “We know that the whole creation groans and suffers the pains of childbirth together until now,” referring to the coming birth of “the glory that is to be revealed to us” in God’s eternal state when evil is banished (context of Romans 8: 18-30). “. . .We ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting eagerly. . . .” This passage also states that the Spirit of God groans for us because we are too weak to even know how to pray!

Continue reading →

Categories: Being Like Jesus, Joy & Suffering -- Good & Evil, Parenting, Spiritual Growth | Tags: Bill Hemmer, evil, God in suffering, good, meaning, Newtown Connecticut; suffering, Romans 8 | 1 Comment