Buddhist Catholic Contemplative Evangelical General Christian Hindu Jewish Latter-day Saint Muslim New Visions Progressive Christian

Beliefs

Topics

Columnists

Resource Library

Research Tools

Video

Podcasts

Thought Readers

Faith In Media Tracker

Newsletters

Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In Subscription Support

Follow Patheos

Home
Evangelical

2023-12-18T09:04:47-08:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Advent: Adjusting Expectations for Life

Last updated on: December 18, 2023 at 9:04 am By Paul Louis Metzger

0 Comments

Yesterday marked the third Sunday of Advent. This is the third of four reflections on Advent in 2023. The first reflection focused on Abraham who waited faithfully for the fulfilment of God’s promise involving the Messianic hope. The second focused on Zechariah and Elizabeth, who waited faithfully for God’s promise to give them a son who would prepare the way for the Messiah who would provide salvation for God’s people. This third reflection features Joseph, Mary’s husband, and the father... Read more

Family, Parenting and Religion

Uncategorized

Adjusting Expectations

Advent

Joseph

2023-12-10T08:38:16-08:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Advent: Full of Mixed Emotions

Last updated on: December 10, 2023 at 8:38 am By Paul Louis Metzger

0 Comments

Today marks the second Sunday of Advent. Advent is all about waiting, and waiting often involves mixed emotions. Waiting is so hard to do in any season of life, and in any age. Perhaps it is most difficult today in an instant gratification culture, where “we want the world, and we want it now” (Jim Morrison, lyrics to “When the Music’s Over,” The Doors). No matter how young or how old, it is difficult to wait and cope with mixed... Read more

Family, Parenting and Religion

2023-12-03T07:48:14-08:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Advent: More Than a Waiting Game

Last updated on: December 3, 2023 at 7:48 am By Paul Louis Metzger

0 Comments

Today is the first Sunday of Advent. Advent is about waiting. But it is far more and very different from a waiting game. The Cambridge Dictionary defines “waiting game” as a “situation in which you delay taking any action, so that you can watch how a situation develops and see what it is best for you to do.” Those of us who are experiencing crises don’t have the luxury to engage in such waiting games in which no action is... Read more

Uncategorized

Advent

Waiting Game

2023-11-24T09:57:41-08:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Thanksgiving Is Not Just a Day. Giving Thanks Is a Way of Life

Last updated on: November 24, 2023 at 9:57 am By Paul Louis Metzger

0 Comments

Cultivating a spirit of thankfulness is life changing. There’s a major difference between seeing life as a cup half empty (or less) and life as a cup half full (or more). This post is about seeing Thanksgiving not just as a day. Giving thanks is a way of life. We are nearing three years since my adult son’s catastrophic brain injury. I will not hide from the fact that so much has been taken away from him, his wife and... Read more

Health, Fitness and Religion

Uncategorized

Giving thanks

Thanksgiving

2023-11-13T19:44:32-08:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Explore the Space: Widening the Range of Emotions

Last updated on: November 13, 2023 at 7:44 pm By Paul Louis Metzger

0 Comments

This post is about the need to explore the space of widening the range of our emotions for human flourishing. Saturday had been a gloomy, rainy day. But the report I received upon arrival at my son Christopher’s adult care facility was hardly gloomy or rainy. Christopher had manifested a widening range of emotions on Saturday, as well as in recent days. I do not ever take his emotional activity for granted since his traumatic brain injury in January 2021.... Read more

Health, Fitness and Religion

Uncategorized

Explore the Space

Range of Emotions

2023-10-24T18:43:57-07:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

One Day at a Time: Living with Prolonged Trauma

Last updated on: October 24, 2023 at 6:43 pm By Paul Louis Metzger

0 Comments

This post is about the importance of taking one day at a time when living with prolonged trauma. Saturday evening was rough. I had just arrived at my adult son Christopher’s room in his care facility following a two-day leadership retreat I helped lead. As soon as I walked into Christopher’s room, his CNA urged me to get him to the hospital. She is the most amazing caregiver. She treats Christopher as if he were her brother. Christopher looked miserable... Read more

Health, Fitness and Religion

Uncategorized

One day at a time

Prolonged trauma

2023-09-17T13:17:38-07:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Automatism, Purposeful Activity, and Human Progress

Last updated on: September 17, 2023 at 1:17 pm By Paul Louis Metzger

0 Comments

How often is our behavior non-purposeful, without intention, and without conscious awareness? How often is our behavior purposeful, intentional, and conscious of others’ well-being? I got to thinking about this subject the past few days, as I reflected on the theme of automatism. This post reflects upon the need for purposeful regard for other persons’ wellbeing if we are to experience human progress. I mentioned “automatism” above. So, what is automatism? According to the American Psychological Association, automatism is “nonpurposeful... Read more

Family, Parenting and Religion

2023-09-10T11:41:06-07:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

On Spiritual Warfare: Bowing Down in Prayerful Obedience

Last updated on: September 10, 2023 at 11:41 am By Paul Louis Metzger

0 Comments

I was role-playing with my six-year-old granddaughter Jaylah the other day. She had her tired, old grandpa on his hands and knees as she stood confidently before me eye to eye. I was an alligator, and she was a fairy princess. At one point, she paused to reflect on what she would say next. She pondered and then proclaimed: “What’s that word again? Oh yeah, bow down to me!” What is a good-natured and tired alligator like me to do... Read more

Uncategorized

Prayerful obedience

Spiritual warfare

2023-09-03T10:00:45-07:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Searching for Conscious Control Amid Life’s Turbulent Storms

Last updated on: September 3, 2023 at 10:00 am By Paul Louis Metzger

0 Comments

I’m always searching for signs of conscious control when visiting my son Christopher at his adult care facility. To the nurse on duty or a CNA or a respiratory therapist I ask, “Have you witnessed any signs of conscious control in Christopher today?” or something to that effect. The same question surfaces when thinking about God and about my own approach to life. This post focuses on the importance of searching for and finding signs of conscious control amid life’s... Read more

Family, Parenting and Religion

Uncategorized

Conscious control

Turbulent Storms

2023-08-26T12:54:48-07:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Special Adaptations: It’s Never Too Late to Become a Platypus

Last updated on: August 26, 2023 at 12:54 pm By Paul Louis Metzger

0 Comments

My granddaughter Jaylah started talking about platypuses on the ride home from ballet practice the other day. I interjected: “I would like to be a platypus.” Jaylah immediately retorted: “That’s not possible, Grandpa. You’re a grownup…You’re a person.” Well, to her point, I cannot scientifically become a platypus as a grownup human person. Still, I want to become like this amazing creature. The platypus is a wonderful example of successful adaptation. This is a post on the importance of special... Read more

Health, Fitness and Religion

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision! What is this valley also called?

Select your answer to see how you score.

The valley of Jehoshaphat The valley of Kidron The valley of judgment The valley of Megiddo

Books by This Author Books by Paul Louis Metzger

See All Titles »

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Uncategorized

Select a Month June 2025 April 2025 March 2025 January 2025 December 2024 November 2024 October 2024 September 2024 August 2024 July 2024 June 2024 May 2024 April 2024 March 2024 February 2024 January 2024 December 2023 November 2023 October 2023 September 2023 August 2023 July 2023 June 2023 May 2023 April 2023 March 2023 February 2023 January 2023 December 2022 November 2022 October 2022 September 2022 August 2022 July 2022 June 2022 May 2022 April 2022 March 2022 February 2022 January 2022 December 2021 November 2021 October 2021 September 2021 August 2021 July 2021 June 2021 May 2021 April 2021 March 2021 February 2021 January 2021 December 2020 November 2020 October 2020 September 2020 August 2020 July 2020 June 2020 May 2020 April 2020 March 2020 February 2020 January 2020 December 2019 November 2019 October 2019 September 2019 August 2019 July 2019 June 2019 May 2019 April 2019 March 2019 February 2019 January 2019 December 2018 November 2018 October 2018 September 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012

TRENDING AT PATHEOS Evangelical