Blog – Page 26 – Joel Bidderman

My Beloved: Stacking Stones Part VIII

So, the twelfth stone on top of this Joshua 4 monument is a person, and that person is my wife. The last season on life and ministry would not have been what it was, and is, without her. I've learned so much about love and courage from her.I remember being a twenty-something mountain boy, staring up at the stars, contemplating that the starry sky, so unfathomable and huge, full of granduer, mystery, and stillness, was a similar display to the starry show that Abraham watched as G-d said, "Count them if you can...so shall your offspring be" (paraphrased Gen 15:5). And to think that (as the Rich Mullins song put it), "one star he saw had [...]

2014-08-18T22:34:45+00:00By Joel|love and marriage, Stacking Stones|

Who Am I? : Stacking Stones Part VII

Who am I? Sounds like a loaded question. And depending on the day you might get a different answer. Yes, I am Joel. I want to be more Jesus than me. But usually I'm me. I used to think that my 20's were all about figuring who I am. Mostly, I found out who I'm not. Sometimes it was positive, sometimes it was not. I learned that I fell short of my ideals 98% of the time, during the other 2% I was just confused. Blessedly clueless. My eleventh stone in my Josh 4 monument is not that I figured out who I am. I've given up on that one. In my efforts to serve others [...]

2014-08-18T22:34:45+00:00By Joel|memories, Stacking Stones|

The nature of man, the poor, and our general depravity: Stacking Stones Part VI

I'm finally getting settled (more or less) in the northern life of MN. That is, I'm getting a routine somewhat established to make life feel less like chaos and more like we (our family) is heading in an intentional direction. Sure, already, there are many things that I'm excited about, but before I go there, I must finish stacking stones. I realize that I've only stack 9 of 12, and I haven't neglected the task, but I've been meditating on it pretty regularly. Stone number 10 of the Arizona season of my life has been the scholarly, introspective & contemplative effort that I put into praying, learning, and understanding poverty. Finishing my degree in sociology was [...]

2014-08-26T03:19:00+00:00By Joel|memories|

Whispers of sovereignty: Stacking Stones Part V

Today I've been sitting outside quite a bit (praying, working on my computer, thinking, etc), and I decided that one 'stone' in my Josh 4 memorial is nature. Not just generalized - nature as a concept - nature, but those moments when I get to commune with God. God often speaks to me through nature...not like a 'being one with nature kind of way,' but rather, nature being a sanctuary where my heart and mind can be still, and where I can pause and experience a 'come Lord Jesus' moment (being one with my Creator). God speaks loudly to me in the quiet (which may be paradoxical when put like that), that is, He speaks powerfully [...]

2014-08-18T22:34:45+00:00By Joel|Abandonment, Jesus Christ, nature, prayer, Stacking Stones|