healthy faith Archives - Michael Rose

What is Spiritual Bypassing?

Posted on April 3, 2023April 4, 2023 by Michael Rose

Their loved one was palliative with only a couple of days to live. Everything medical that could be done had been done and her cancer-ravaged body was plain worn out. The goals of care were to keep her comfortable. Her husband vacillated from ‘this is Gods will’, “fighting the enemy to the end” and “staying…

“God gives but doesn’t share”

Posted on August 6, 2020August 11, 2020 by Michael Rose

This little saying was in my inbox the other morning. It is a snippet from Mountains Beyond Mountains by Tracy Kidder, the story about a person named Paul Farmer and his work in Haiti, Peru, Cuba and Russia. Farmer is a physician and medical anthropologist spending his career working to improve healthcare for some of the poorest…

Hope from the Ashes

Posted on June 10, 2020July 27, 2020 by Michael Rose

Andrea and I went hiking a few days ago in Waterton National Park. It is a lovely treasure just a couple of hours’ drive from home. With COVID-19 restrictions being slowly lifted the park was being reopened on a limited basis so we took the opportunity to visit. We set out along a trail…

Fear Not but if you do that’s okay

Posted on April 2, 2020December 14, 2022 by Michael Rose

“Fear not” or something similar is said to be found approximately 365 times in the bible. That’s probably high but it seems to be a significant theme for folks and yet, beyond face value what is to be made of these two words? if we come from a legalistic tradition, we might understand these exhortations as…

From your Head to your Heart

Posted on February 5, 2020February 4, 2021 by Michael Rose

“You must descend from your head into your heart. At present, your thoughts of God are in your head. And God himself is, as it were, outside you, and so your prayer and other spiritual exercises remain exterior. Whilst you are still in your head, thoughts will not easily be subdued but will always be whirling about, like snow in winter or clouds…

Friendly Fire

Posted on January 1, 2020January 17, 2020 by Michael Rose

One of my struggles has always been feeling like I am misunderstood. As such, I had developed a propensity to over-explain to in effort to reduce being misunderstood. I have worked over the years to reduce the need to over-explain and I’m making good progress. But sometimes there’s a snag. Sometimes the odd person, often…

Human Being versus Doing. Towards Wholeness

Posted on October 30, 2018October 30, 2018 by Michael Rose

I am not alone when I admit I have wrestled with the being versus doing dichotomy. In essence, it’s a longing to live more authentically, to experience meaning in those things we do and not feeling disconnected from our sense of being whether by mindless rote, guilt or unhealthy obligation. I know that this was…

Games we play to Avoid Dealing with Emotional Pain

Posted on April 19, 2018September 28, 2018 by Michael Rose

I’m a little Tea Pot… when I get all steamed -up hear me shout! A familiar nursery rhyme but what an interesting allegory when we are talking about heart-wounds, stress and emotional pain. Picture yourself as a tea-pot (or kettle). Add some water, some heat, and when water boils, steam (energy) is released through the…

Missing God in both Success and Failure

Posted on August 28, 2017August 28, 2017 by Michael Rose

Why is it that when I sense a leading from God and follow through, the results so profoundly determines my hindsight? If things fit together with ease and all goes well I am confident that I have indeed heard God. Alternately, if things blow up in my face, I am suddenly stricken with a rash…

Confronting my Sacred Violence

Posted on October 15, 2016October 12, 2016 by Michael Rose

As I continue to wrestle with my own violence, and the violence of my tribe, I am aware how I (we) often whitewash our violence with a smile, a bible verse or rationalize our aggression in the name of God (or God causes) as if the end somehow justifies the means. Violence, even sacred violence…