At the conclusion of Chapter 1 (“An Emptier, Fuller Life”) of One Thousand Gifts, author Ann Voskamp hypothesizes that the devastating adversities that rip holes into our world and faith might in fact be places for us to see through to God. Ann wonders: ” . . . if the rent in the canvas of […]
Ann Voskamp’s (One Thousand Gifts) brother-in-law John, like her husband, is a farmer. The lessons he’s learned on the job trickle down to other areas of his life as well. Although John’s words specifically reference farming, they have a much broader application: “Farmers, we think we control so much, do so much right to make […]
Ann Voskamp, author of One Thousand Gifts, discusses the day her entire family “snapped shut to grace” in Chapter 1. Ann, whose name means “full of grace”, was only 4 years old at the time. Ann vividly remembers her younger sister toddling into the farm lane, wandering after a cat. The delivery truck driver never saw her. […]
Author Bill Hybels is the founding and senior pastor of Willow Creek Community Church in South Barrington, IL. Bill’s first whisper came to him while in 2nd grade, after listening to his teacher read the Old Testament account of Samuel and Eli(1 Samuel 3). His teacher then gave him a poem entitled “Samuel”, in which […]
Continuing his discussion of Philippians 2, author and pastor Bill Hybels (The Power of a Whisper) paraphrases the theme of that chapter this way: “Don’t be clutchers. Instead, become relinquishers.” Left to our own devices, the author states, we are “clutchers”, tenaciously holding on to our life’s achievements and possessions. In contrast, sacrificial obedience to […]
In Chapter 10 (“Just Say the Word”) of The Power of a Whisper, Pastor Bill Hybels relates the wonderful example of Gerry Crouchman, a South African whose response to God’s whisper was life-altering on numerous unforeseen levels. Although Gerry had grown up in a mainline denomination, his spiritual life was theoretical rather than practical. As […]
In Chapter 8 (“When God Speaks Through Others”) of The Power of a Whisper, author Bill Hybels asserts that “everybody needs a Nathan” to help us apply God’s Word to difficult situations in our lives, such as a ministry downsizing or position loss. Just as King David needed (and heeded) the wise counsel of Nathan […]
During my senior year at Luther South High School in Chicago, IL, I was the accompanist for the 71-voice A Cappella Choir, South’s concert ensemble. As December approached, we had the opportunity to record a Christmas album for Delta Records. The sessions took place on 2 midweek evenings following a full day of classes. The […]
Pastor Bill Hybels concludes Chapter 6 of The Power of a Whisper by reflecting on Jesus’ darkest night, in the Garden of Gethsemane. When darkness encroaches, the author states, “God will be near, he’ll seek us out and he’ll speak words of insight that cast light into darkened souls.” One seldom-noted moment in the Garden […]
Pastor Bill Hybels continues Chapter 6 of The Power of a Whisper by discussing 3 truths about God that he has learned through his dark nights of the soul: Truth #1- God is near. When Bill’s son Todd was a young boy, he had the habit of leaving his blanket (a nocturnal necessity) on the opposite […]
In Chapter 6 (“Light for Dark Nights of the Soul”) of The Power of a Whisper, Pastor Bill Hybels relates some dark nights he experienced early in Willow Creek’s church history. Willow Creek Community Church was 4 years old and had embarked on a building program that stretched church finances. At the same time various […]
In Chapter 5 (“God’s Written Whispers”) of The Power of a Whisper, author and pastor Bill Hybels discusses Romans 8:28 in a section entitled “The Truth about Trials”. He begins by describing a trial he went through several years ago. While in Asia, Pastor Hybels picked up a virus. After wrestling with that virus for […]