Chris Tomlinson's Blog: Crave Something More, page 15

The Orphan on the Jetliner

I am about to trade places on an airplane with the girl in the middle seat.  If you must know, I actually do have a preference:  window seat, right side of the airplane.  Exit seats and bulkhead seats are nice, and first class is even nicer.  But I don't mind the back of the airplane so long as I sit beside the right window.

I like to prop my right leg up on the back of the armrest right in front of me.  Doing so is comfortable, and it makes my back feel better on long flights.  However, I do ...

Lightning As Grace

Life seems so terribly urgent sometimes, even when it's not.  I am new to this online community of people who are no longer connected by mere bonds of blood, color, or geography, and I already feel the pressure to communicate with you, as if I've joined a conversation part-way through and have hours and hundreds of words to make up.

We are a connected people today, but you know all of this already.  We blog because we want our voices to be heard and because there is a community out there...

Did Jesus Really Claim To Be God?

Non-exhaustive answers to hard and relevant questions…

Question:  Did Jesus Really Claim To Be God?

Lots of people believe Jesus is God (I am one of them).  And lots of people believe He isn't (Richard Dawkins is one of them).  There are plenty of people on my side, and there are plenty of people on his side.  One thing is for sure:  we aren't both right.  Jesus is either God or He isn't; there's no middle ground on this question.

There are a number of authorities to which we can appeal to...

When Decisions Must Be Made

A prayer when the fear of uncertainty replaces trust in a faithful God.

Father, my heart cries to you from fear and doubt:
My path is unclear, and you are not to be found.
The road soon divides, and the darkness creeps in,
So my sight is neared to the next step in my path.
I will take the right or the left, so long as you lead,
But your voice is not near to my ear,
Nor can I feel your hand on my shoulder as I walk.
How long must I wait?  Should I wait, or should I go,
Taking the road that requires...

Why Theology Matters

Theology matters.

Here's what I mean.  I was on the skydiving team at the Air Force Academy, and each year, we would spend our Spring Break and Christmas Break training in Arizona or Florida.  As much fun as this was, one of the consequences of being on this team meant I could no longer look at the sky like I did before.  Before I began skydiving, the sky held no particular significance:  It was either cloudless, or it had clouds, and some were big clouds that made noise and dropped rain and o...

As Iron Sharpens Iron

A meditation in poem on Proverbs 27:17

How hot the flame that first applied

It's heat to lifeless elements,

Drawn from the ground and made alive

With power that was heaven sent.

As ore gave way to molten flow,

And iron rivers slowly cooled,

So rods that soon began to grow

Were fashioned into useful tools

To serve a cause t'was not their own,

But something larger than they knew,

And in this they were not alone

Yet acted like the chosen few.

Their own wisdom they did applaud
And boasted in their...

The Insufficiency and Sufficiency of Words

When others' words kindle my own fire:

Reflections on words by Abraham Piper @ Twenty Two Words Dot Com

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Sometimes people say that 22 words isn't enough to get my point across. To this, I say,…

…true.

If the goal is complete clarity, even 775,000 words is insufficient.

Fortunately, there are other reasons to write than being understood.

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My favorite comment about artists is this:  "Just because no one understands you doesn't make you an artist."  It's always fun to make fun of slightly vague...