JONATHAN C DOW
Entry Points of Grace
"Hey, can you hold the door for Me?"
Not too long ago, my wife and I drove to a place to which we had never been. A sense of uneasiness crept in as unanticipated traffic slowly drained the surplus time before our scheduled appointment. The stress increased when our GPS unashamedly proclaimed, “you have arrived” when we clearly had not. Trying to maximize our . . .
Posted in: #encouragingothers#guidance#relationships
Go Online
An uber, Uber Lesson
Recently, my wife and I had a long overdue dinner with friends. While catching up, we discovered that one of them had become an Uber driver. Having heard so much about it, I was curious to hear what the Uber experience was like from the driver’s perspective. Primary in my mind was this question, “How do people find you?” . . .
Your Days of Hiding are Over
Not too long ago, I quietly slid into a pew after arriving late to a worship experience. The service had begun almost an hour prior to my work shift ending, but I went anyway, hungry for fellowship with God and with God’s people. Settling in, I gratefully engaged as people gathered in prayer around a particular individual. As they . . .
Posted in: #characterdevelopment#fear#identityinchrist
Look Up
A Simple Lesson from a Near-Miss
One of my recent challenges has been learning to navigate the complicated maze of hallways in a large hospital complex. After my second almost-collision with a fellow employee, I began to pause and listen for footsteps as I approached intersections. While this hesitation method was definitely more successful, it was not foolproof.
. . .
Posted in: #guidance#relationships#workplace
Partial Download
Grace between "Initially" and "Eventually"
One of the variables of working in a large city is traffic. Accidents, construction, and erratic drivers all can contribute to a stressful commute. So, anticipating delay on my daily 21 mile drive into downtown Nashville, I intentionally leave my home early. Most of the time, by the grace of God, I arrive with a little time to spare.
. . .
Posted in: #guidance#hope#technology
Hurt and Profit
An Unexpected Highway Incident
Recently while traveling on an interstate, a vehicle zoomed by me that lassoed my meandering thoughts. Having been on the road for 7 hours, I was a bit tired. While some of the weariness was indeed physical, there was more to it. My heart was numb with murky melancholy thinking about the anniversary of my sister’s untimely death, saying . . .
Posted in: #characterdevelopment#grief#healing#hope
Back to the Recipe
When my children come home for a weekend, I often make pancakes on Saturday morning. I usually double the recipe to ensure we have plenty, including an extra one for the dog who faithfully waits by the griddle in hopeful expectation.
Over the years, it has been my practice to assemble all of the dry ingredients in one bowl and all of the . . .