Welcome To Slingstones
With images from the life of King David and the Prophet Zachariah this introductory episode explains the name and vision for our weekly podcast.
An Awareness exercise (Part One)
This week we seek to learn how to position ourselves to be present to the presence of God.
An Awareness Exercise (Part Two)
In part two of our Awareness Exercise we continue to practice being present to the presence of God.
EVENTS
To Encounter God & Grow
RESOURCES
Books, Videos & More
Some Kind
Of Crazy
For the last few years I have been on a journey not of my own choosing. One that has taken me to places I wanted to forget and stretched me beyond my desired comfort. Yet through the encouragement of trusted friends and the coaxing of the Spirit of God, I realized it was time to tell my story. The whole story. The parts, people, and places I have left behind, but have undoubtedly shaped who I am today. It is an ironic gift that by bringing them into the light (and print) I see with renewed clarity how the Great Author and Perfecter has woven my drama into His magnificent narrative. It is my prayer that, as you read Some Kind Of Crazy, you will join me in the coal mining townships of western Pennsylvania, glean from the tales of my blue collar family, and bask in the grace of Jesus Christ who uses it all for His glory.
Videos
My Journey
My story begins at a crossroads. Not at a stop sign or traffic light, but at the intersection of brokenness and blessing, the place where wounds meet healing, and light blinds darkness in the presence, power, love, and truth of Jesus Christ.
By the early 1990’s I had planted one of the fastest growing churches in the United States, been the head of a theological seminary, written books, and had an international speaking itinerary. I was headed for the top rung of the Christian leadership ladder. But as the external pressure collided with internal turmoil (another crossroads) I spiraled into a debilitating breakdown that landed me in a psychiatric facility in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Instead of climbing the ladder of success I began to descend into a journey not of my choosing. A journey where I wrestled with unaddressed issues from the past. A journey of increasing intimacy with God. A journey that demanded that I lean into a trusted community.
As time passed, my transformation became apparent to family, friends, and church community. I began to speak publicly about God meeting me in the darkest places in my life and healing deep emotional wounds. That deeply personal experience become the framework for a new approach to helping hurting people find healing and wholeness in God. I began to interweave what I learned from the behavioral sciences with practices of Christian spirituality; eventually creating what now is called Formational Prayer.
These insights moved from one-on-one sessions to small group discussions, from weekend retreats to our first official training event. Those humble beginnings became a movement that seeks to empower Christians on the journey to wholeness.
For the last two decades, my organization, Healing Care, has hosted events throughout North America, equipping thousands of professional counselors, pastors, physicians, and lay leaders to help hurting people experience healing in Christ.
It is my prayer that we continue to write a story that matters, a story that is fueled by the Spirit of God as we invite others to combine their journey with ours to encounter, experience, and respond to God.
