thorns like the ones pressed upon Jesus' head as he was crucified

RED THORN PRESS

geometric shapes formed by sunlight and shadow

“THE GOSPEL IS THIS: WE ARE MORE SINFUL AND FLAWED IN OURSELVES THAN WE EVER DARED BELIEVE,

YET AT THE VERY SAME TIME WE ARE MORE LOVED AND ACCEPTED

IN JESUS CHRIST THAN WE EVER DARED HOPE.“

timothy keller

“Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place…” Mark 6:31. Jesus’ words to his twelve followers when they were overworked, under stress, and in need of greater connection to their teacher and to god the father. so, they headed off in a boat to a quiet place.
full disclosure: they never made it. on the way to “quiet” and “rest” they were intercepted by more people, more tasks, more demands. but it was always jesus’ intention that they pursue the quiet place, alone with him.
I’ve been pursuing quiet for a while now. Alone in the quiet with God’s word, I often find more than i had expected. It might be peace. sometimes it’s healing. many times, it’s inspiration.
these are words from out of the quiet.
portrait of writer Brent Stephen Kuhlmann