Author: Jon Gauger

It happened the other day—again. I'd spent a meaningful season in prayer, enjoyed time in the Word, launched into the day, and before long, I'd lost my sense of joy. In its place: a rumbly grumbly cauldron of discontent. There was no single moment I could point to where the joy got sucked out of things—but gone it was. Like others who’ve experienced this, I asked, who robbed my joy? After some uncomfortable introspection, I now know that for me, it can be any one of a thousand things: A discouraging email arrives from a colleague. A news website attacks…

A wooden deck is a thing of beauty. But neither wood nor beauty last. Hence, I found myself in the 100-degree heat, replacing a number of cracked deck boards.    In some cases, the warp and wear were apparent. Yet as I fastened new boards next to old, I was caught off guard. Several pieces that looked perfectly good on the surface turned out to have significant problems: rot.            Previously, I had slathered on the best stain/sealer the hardware store sells. And they looked perfectly healthy. But just beneath the surface, I found tunnels of hollowness….

It’s become a morning ritual. Yawning in the kitchen, my wife and I ask each other, How did you sleep? Often, the answer is, “Not so good.”  For many of us, there’s a story that usually tumbles out—accompanied by a complaint: Just for once, I’d like to wake up refreshed! How come I wake up feeling so exhausted! Now, I like (and need) sleep as much as the next person. A European study of almost 25,000 people demonstrated that sleeping six hours or less was associated with a 40 percent increased risk of developing cancer compared to folks getting seven…

The day was gray and unseasonably cold. On my hurried walk from the train station to Moody Radio’s studios, I saw a small bird trembling on the sidewalk. As I approached, the bird should have flown away or attempted to run away. It did neither. Was it sick? Injured? Born with a flying disability? I have no idea. He appeared well-fed. But if a bird can seem dejected, she/he certainly did, quivering on the cold cement. How like our world. Day after day, you and I go about our lives—typically in a hurry. Meaning that we walk past people—lots of…

When you pray at mealtimes, do you say the same things the same way? My guess is many of us tend to pray the same way—ad infinitum. But how would you feel if you were God and you heard, “Bless this meal to our body’s use” a hundred times in a row from the same person? Wouldn’t it begin to feel more like an automated phone message—your call is important to us—rather than the honest expression of a grateful heart? Considering the many ways the Lord has blessed, provided, rescued—and fed us, don’t you think we could invest just a…

While plopped on the couch one night, I placed an Amazon order for a ceiling fan. Would you believe it was perched on our porch the next morning at 6:30? Another time I ordered some office supplies at 11:00 am. By 3:00 that afternoon, guess what was waiting on our porch? Boy! Wasn’t all that long ago when TV marketers urged us, “Allow six to eight weeks for delivery.” But now, second-day-air is ancient history, and Fed-Ex overnight has ceased to dazzle. We have tasted—indeed, increasingly expect—same-day delivery. Yet, I wonder. Does all this click-today-get-today consumerism school us in unholy…

While still a tadpole himself, our son Tim liked fishing. Whenever we camped, Tim wanted to fish. But we were not always prepared. With two young kids in a pop-up camper, Diana and I thought we were doing great just to remember the cooler and the clothes, let alone bait for the fish. One unprepared weekend, we were desperate and asked George—whose trailer was next to ours—if by any chance he had any nightcrawlers we could “borrow.” He did and was only too glad to share. On another occasion, a fish swallowed Tim’s hook, and we had no extras. Would…

Do you ever marvel at the speed of evil? My dad will turn 89 this month. I recently asked him, “Is it just me, or do you feel like in the last 20 years or so, we’ve seen not just a shift toward evil, but a rush toward evil?” His response was a firm yes. When it comes to American morality, it’s not just that we’re plunging deeper and deeper into evil. It’s that we’re sliding at such an accelerated pace. Just ten or twenty years ago, what would have been considered ridiculous (by our secular society!) is now mainstream—normal….

Sadie is possibly the most adorable brown-eyed little girl you could ever meet. She's also charming, intelligent—and too old to be sucking her thumb. Nor is this lost on her mother, as evidenced in a recent conversation: Mom: Sadie! Take your fingers out of your mouth! Sadie: (Bats her long eyelashes) But mo-om…Don't you always say God made me? Mom: Yes… Sadie: And don’t you always say He made me perfect? Just exactly the way I am? Mom: Yes, but… Sadie: And doesn’t He know I am doing it RIGHT NOW? Mom: Sadie… Sadie: So REALLY, if you think about…

He is relentless. Unstoppable. And he seems to turn up just about everywhere at just the wrong time. I'm talking about my nemesis—and yours: Shame.  He’s the voice that accuses you. He’s two shots of Red Bull—at midnight. He’s the one who remembers every detail of every regret you’ve tried to forget. He's the broken record whispering your faith is too small, your prayers are too short, and your guilt is too great. That’s Shame. And he’s been on the trail—your trail—for a long time. Shame has many brothers and sisters. Unless I'm mistaken, you've met fear, resentment, and jealousy….