I am convinced that this is a diary and not a blog this week but I do want to make some observations about Italian art. Today I saw Michelangelo’s David. I knew it would be the crowning moment of this tour. The first surprise is that it is magnificent but so tall. In a room…

We ALL have a part in sharing the good news of Jesus Christ. What is mine? What is yours? I just enjoyed a “Radical” podcast with David Platt and he talks about “holding the rope” for others in the field in hard places. He then lists what we can individually do: prayer unites, giving, and…

It only works if you pronounce their names in Italian. I loved Gianni and Teresa from Florence but they passed about a decade ago. There was a loyalty more than a love story but probably both. I have always been drawn to most things Italian but that was solidified when Cynthia Yoler referred her friends…

I know that I am not yet writing about the Discipleship Training but I will get to that. I am in the moment and processing. It is Sunday morning – a day of praise. I’m onto my day by noon in a caffe-bar. What I notice is that my compadres are just as likely to…

I don’t think Italy needs me but I still enjoyed Italy today. This is a long one but I have so many words. I ended my day at Cattedrale di Saint Maria del Fiore. I had toured yesterday and it is very near where I am staying. I’ll watch my home church on-line in the…

Today I learned that my friend, Rita’s, Mom passed away in February at age 107. What a remarkable feat! My own sweet Mother passed in 2008 at age 86. Oh how I miss her. It is true that you cannot do enough for a mom because when she is gone that is it for now….

I had never attended worship at Saint Paul’s Cathedral and had hours to wander. Evensong is described as, Christian worship that has been offered to God on this site for over 1400 years. By worshipping there, I became a part of this living tradition of prayer and thanksgiving to God for the gift of His…

It is my first full day in Florence, Italy, and I visited the Bargello Museo. It is walking distance from where I am staying and formally called Museo Nazionale del Bargello. I took too many photos and cried at one point. I am in a city that draws tourists to see sacred objects mostly in…

I think I understand “finishing well” and ‘finishing strong” but how about “leaving well”? At the final worship meeting at Wiler (in a converted barn) I entered and found a place. Most of us stood and the music began. The voices started to blend and I looked around at people I will not see again…

On January 9th I traveled with our team to East London. I have not written since January 6th. That is so wrong if you have been faithfully following this effort to “Know God and to make Him known”. All I can say is that serving is exhausting. I was inspired but could not seem to…