Grace or gimmick?
As I’ve written before, I rarely get snide remarks in this ministry. One of these rare moments occurred a few months ago when a very...
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ASK ME FOR A BLESSING
God's grace is meant to be shared
- Jan 11, 2019
- 2 min
Travel companions against trafficking
Today is National Human Trafficking Awareness Day. As I once told a man who asked for a blessing, anti-trafficking work is a cause close...
- Dec 29, 2018
- 2 min
No bother
One prayer request I frequently get is for guidance from God. Someone is at a crossroads, is not sure whether to stay in a relationship,...
- Nov 30, 2018
- 2 min
Bursting into tears
“I’m an atheist. My girlfriend is a Christian. And we can’t even talk about religion without her bursting into tears. Can you help?” ...
- Oct 30, 2018
- 2 min
Exposed by the light
I haven’t been at this ministry long, but long enough to have noticed a recent trend. I’m hearing from more and more women about sexual...
- Sep 14, 2018
- 2 min
Eucharistic famine
Last week, I had two people back-to-back tell me they’d left church for 10 plus years. One had returned a few years ago, and one was...
- Aug 9, 2018
- 2 min
A string of sacredness
My church isn’t far from a hospital, so I sometimes get people on their way there for treatment, or a procedure, or to visit a loved one....
- Jul 27, 2018
- 2 min
Prayer changes things; prayer changes us
Earlier this week, I was walking near Herald Square (always a busy part of Manhattan) and came upon a group of people wearing red aprons...
- Jul 5, 2018
- 2 min
Walking hearts
One of the most common prayer requests I receive is that of parents seeking prayer for their children. Children who are sick or stressed,...
- Jun 12, 2018
- 2 min
A bleeping blessing
My neighborhood recently had its annual street fair. This involves closing off five or six blocks along Park Avenue so that people can...
- Jun 1, 2018
- 2 min
Tattoos and testimonies
Every once in a while, someone stops to share a powerful spiritual story with me. Often the person doesn’t identify as Christian, or...
- May 17, 2018
- 2 min
Phone it in (but in a good way)
Occasionally I get an email from someone who found me through this blog. The subject line will read “please pray for me” or something...
- May 4, 2018
- 2 min
Divine appointments
Do you ever run into someone unexpectedly, have a surprisingly meaningful conversation, and just know it wasn’t a coincidence? Those...
- Apr 19, 2018
- 1 min
Praise reports and lattes
This past week, I had the pleasant surprise of seeing and hearing from people I hadn't blessed in months. One stopped to tell me that my...
- Mar 30, 2018
- 2 min
Losing loved ones and Good Friday
“My friend died and I’m having a hard time.” “My wife just had a miscarriage.” “Today is the one-year anniversary of my father’s...
- Mar 15, 2018
- 3 min
Help my unbelief
A woman walked up to me and, with a knowing look in her eye, folded her arms across her chest (hands resting on opposite shoulders). This...
- Mar 1, 2018
- 2 min
Blessed by a cell phone
Many New Yorkers have a tendency (or at least a temptation) to be texting, talking, or emailing on our cell phones as we walk down the...
- Feb 22, 2018
- 2 min
Pursuit of happiness
To my knowledge, last week was the first time an atheist accepted a blessing from me. It wasn’t my usual blessing in the name of the...
- Feb 15, 2018
- 2 min
Hearts and ashes
Today I gave out ashes instead of blessings. It's both Ash Wednesday and Valentine's Day, an overlap that hasn't happened in over 70...
- Feb 9, 2018
- 2 min
Family burden
Sleek haircut. Sharp suit. Expensive watch. Late 30s / early 40s. Very rarely does a man fitting this description stop for prayer. I’m...
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