Tag Archives: prayer

My Mother’s Death: An Irrational Joy

Posted on November 23, 2023 by mitchteemley

My mother died on Thanksgiving Day and I have never felt more joy in my life. Am I mad or merely cold-hearted? Neither. I was raised believing in Me and Mom and Dad. And that was pretty much it. God … Continue reading →

Posted in For Pastors and Teachers, Memoir, Religion and Faith | Tagged , , , , , , | 164 Comments

When Mothers Mourn

Posted on September 13, 2023 by mitchteemley

My Featured Blogger this week is Karyn of Saturated in Seattle, whose words are bracing, heartbreaking, hopeful…essential. About herself, Karyn says, “This is me; all of me. Present. Authentic. Vulnerable. Always learning. Forever growing. Humble and yet sometimes proud. A … Continue reading →

Posted in Quips and Quotes, Writing and Blogging | Tagged , , , , , , , | 33 Comments

The Parable of the Good Mormon: Conclusion

Posted on August 28, 2023 by mitchteemley

Thought for the Week I’m not a Mormon, nor am I a fan of Mormon teachings. Yet I’d just retold the  story of the prodigal son as The Parable of the Good Mormon (click here to read part one). And … Continue reading →

Posted in For Pastors and Teachers, Memoir, Quips and Quotes, Religion and Faith | Tagged , , , , , | 48 Comments

A Life of Prayer

Posted on June 26, 2023 by mitchteemley

Thought for the Week I just found out my country’s National Day of Prayer happened over a month ago. The occasion, once widely covered by the media, is now just a side story at best. But no matter, I’m not religious … Continue reading →

Posted in For Pastors and Teachers, Humor, Memoir, Quips and Quotes, Religion and Faith | Tagged , , , , | 68 Comments

Dear Non-Believer…

Posted on April 6, 2023 by mitchteemley

Not everyone believes in God or in prayer ⇑ (I didn’t for many years, and quite a few of my friends and family members don’t). So I just wanted to take a moment to say, “I still love you (and … Continue reading →

Posted in For Pastors and Teachers, Humor, Quips and Quotes, Religion and Faith | Tagged , , , , , | 40 Comments

Awake in the Dark

Posted on February 19, 2023 by mitchteemley

Every time my friend Mark brought up the J-word (Jesus), I’d fire off a series of “well-how-do-you-explain-this?” questions, and he’d quickly change the subject. But what Mark didn’t realize was that I was genuinely searching. Just not in ways he … Continue reading →

Posted in For Pastors and Teachers, Humor, Memoir, Religion and Faith | Tagged , , , , , | 62 Comments

Preparing to Give Thanks

Posted on November 23, 2022 by mitchteemley

“Remember that what you now have was once among the things you only hoped for.” ~Epicurus “We can complain because rose bushes have thorns, or rejoice because thorns have roses.” ~Alphonse Karr “Piglet noticed that even though he had a … Continue reading →

Posted in Quips and Quotes | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 50 Comments

Celebrating My Weirdness

Posted on October 20, 2022 by mitchteemley

Photo by Quinn Buffing I have a love-hate relationship with my quirks. The feral ones that creep in through unpatched cracks embarrass me. On the other hand, there are the quirks I’ve consciously adopted and trained to do clever tricks. … Continue reading →

Posted in Humor, Memoir | Tagged , , , , , , , | 43 Comments

Be Real

Posted on August 28, 2022 by mitchteemley

“Humility makes us real.” ~Thomas Merton †

Posted in For Pastors and Teachers, Quips and Quotes, Religion and Faith | Tagged , , , , , , | 25 Comments

What is Real

Posted on July 31, 2022 by mitchteemley

“The prayer preceding all prayers is, ‘May it be the real I who speaks. May it be the real Thou that I speak to.’” ~C. S. Lewis ∞

Posted in For Pastors and Teachers, Quips and Quotes, Religion and Faith | Tagged , , , , , , | 12 Comments