Sojourning.

Seeing and greeting from afar, acknowledging today, and desiring a better one.

[derekdevine]

Sabbatical 2018

Sabbatical 2018. What a gift. Thank you, Father.

[derekdevine]

Changing the world sounds grand, until you consider how poorly we do even at changing our own little lives… Indeed, I sometimes wonder if breathless rhetoric about changing the world is actually about changing the subject – from our own fitfully suppressed awareness that we did not ask to be brought into this world, have only vaguely succeeded at figuring it out, and will end our days in radical dependence on something or someone other than ourselves. Beware of world changers, they have not yet learned the true meaning of sin.

Andy Crouch, “Culture Making”

[derekdevine]

Happy Evacuation Day, New York City!

[nythroughthelens]

Autumn in her flaming dress of orange, brown, gold fallen leaves… . . . Happy October 1st (my favorite month) 🍂 Central Park, New York City 🍂 (at New York, New York)

[nythroughthelens]

Central Park, New York City . . Miss this. Ready for Autumn 🍁 (at New York, New York)

[nythroughthelens]

Autumn, Central Park, New York City . . (ready for hoodie weather + crunching through + jumping into leaves) (this is another Autumn) (at New York, New York)

[derekdevine]

Empty wrappers strewn Scattered across the sidewalk Leaves of yesterday

A Haiku For November 1

[derekdevine]

God made man in his own image and man returned the compliment.

Blaise Pascal

Father, we’ve tried to make you out of our image. And so we who hate ourselves assume you hate us too. Forgive us. Draw us into your gospel.

[derekdevine]

May all your expectations be frustrated, may all your plans be thwarted, may all your desires be withered into nothingness, that you may experience the powerlessness and poverty of a child and sing and dance in the love of God, who is Father, Son, and Spirit.

Brennan Manning quoting Larry Hein in “Abba’s Child”

Father, what good news. Frustrate my expectations. Thwart my plans. Wither my desires into nothingness. All that I may experience the joy and hope of my place in your love, adopted as your son.

[juliayusupov]

[derekdevine]

Happy October.

“Freedom Tower Through Leaves” via @juliayusupov

[derekdevine]

We have liftoff! 

“From the day children begin to walk on their own to the day when ‘a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife,’ they are growing into their own capacity to make something of the world. Parents’ power is not permanently absolute but must decrease as their children’s power increases if their children are to fully flourish. And with aging come natural limits on the parents’ ability to make something of the world, just as their children are reaching the prime of their own natural power.” - Andy Crouch, “Playing God”

[litverve]

And every year there is a brief, startling moment When we pause in the middle of a long walk home and Suddenly feel something invisible and weightless Touching our shoulders, sweeping down from the air: It is the autumn wind pressing against our bodies; It is the changing light of fall falling on us.

Edward Hirsch, “Fall” (via litverve)

Today was it. Autumn wind pressing against our bodies. The changing light of fall falling on us.

[derekdevine]

Beautiful late September day. The first taste of autumn.

[litverve]

Autumn approaches and the heart begins to dream

Matsuo Bashō, trans. Sam Hamill (via litverve)

Amazing how true this is. There’s a freshness and newness to each new season. Especially the epic thrill of autumn that flows into Advent and Christmas.

[derekdevine]

Soaking in the last of summer’s sun.

[derekdevine]

“Father, by your Spirit, bring revival, To our church, our city, and our souls. Light us ablaze and make us whole!”

“...if my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land.” 2 Chronicles 7:14

Bring revival! Breathe on us! Amen! In Jesus’ name!

(Apostles Brooklyn)

[derekdevine]

Atlantic Antic 2017. I love this borough. Thank you, Father, for Brooklyn.