I was just talking to my 5-year old about this today! His Christian prceshool doesn’t allow them to dress up for Halloween and he was asking why they don’t celebrate Halloween but we do. So it got me thinking again while I was explaining to him without any loaded Christianese. I told him a long time ago the holiday got started because people weren’t following God, but that we can celebrate it in a way that honors God. I think it’s okay to celebrate it. I don’t think this is a deal-breaker. It is rooted in pagan history, true, but then again so is Easter. Isn’t Christ about redeeming all things? Do you let your children go to parks? Libraries? Because there is just as much freedom to honor God there as there is to disobey him. And certainly lots of those funders and planners for those things are very, very secular. Doesn’t mean we should avoid all things except church. There is freedom in Christ to find ways to honor him in secular things. They can’t know we are Christians by our love if we’re not interacting. This Halloween we are having a non-Christian friend over for lunch and a playdate and an excuse to dress the kids up (since they wont wear costumes to school). And we will let them pick a few houses to trick or treat at.

Mr. Yancy, I thought I should qualify my comments on Psalm 103. First, of course I am thankful that God forgives our iniquities, and heal our diseases. However, as they are written together, one could conclude that if I am not healed from my disease, then am I forgiven? Let me give you an example, A couple years back, I was a part of a care team to care for a gentleman with pancreatic cancer in his home. In the first few months, this man claimed he did not see christian faith as important to him. I did not push the issue. However, as he got sicker, he would ask more questions, and eventually he would not let me leave until I prayed for him. As it turned out, his last few weeks of care required hospitalization. Upon visiting him. he declared as I walked in the hospital room “I am still on the fence.” So I asked him, Haven’t you claimed you have sinned, He said “ya of course.” Haven’t you said you believe Jesus died for those sins, and you excepted by faith to have Jesus forgive you. He said yes I have. I replied ” buddy you are in” and you should of seen the smile on his face. After talking, he said that as his answers for healing did not get answered, he was unsure he was forgiven. All i had for him is, it’s a step of faith, but to tell the truth, I too would of loved to see the healed. Rob

My best attempt is in ‘The Jesus I Never Knew.’ You can never figure him out or put him in a box. What I found, though, is that Jesus responded to any shred of faith with healing–with the one exception in his home town where there was no faith, as you mentioned. That does not carry the promise that all people everywhere will be healed but it is a strong clue that God’s desire for us is health and wholeness, and anything other than that is a grief to God as much as to us. –Philip

Dear Avril,
You express your heart very tenderly, and sadly. What you describe, no written communication could solve. I sense the kind of loneliness that can only be met person to person. So often our feelings of closeness to God mirror or feelings of closeness (or lack thereof) to friends and kin; as you say, you’ve been without those. I deal with gaps in a relationship with God in books like Disappointment With God and especially Reaching for the Invisible God, but as I say words can only do so much. I hope you pray for, and gain, the courage to connect with those around you.
Philip

Firstly thank you for the privilege to read & write to you.

I’ve read most of your books and i love your honesty and i admire the work that you write & do. I was moved especially on your work with Dr Brand and awed by both your selflessness.

I am writing to day mainly to seek your views on :-

“I have grown to be indifferent and am all of a sudden feeling that God is too far or almost missing in my life or he has left me out of his plans”. The reason i say this is that i’ve hardly had anything that i loved or desired that i am beginning to question what is Love? Who is love? There’s so much void and emptiness and longing for a change FOR the better….. for years i’ve been toiling alone and seeing myself being all alone and the years catching up without communication with friends or kin has taken a toll on my faith. i know what i believe but i don’t know if the faith i hold can sustain me any longer. My whole life thus far i had been living with “keeping the silence & making the most of what i can given the many challenges despite me being physically abled. I want to do the things i love but maturity, age & have nots are all preventing me from leaving my dissatisfied position as well as the failure to see miracles in my life or prayer for that matter. I yearn for GOD, true GOD miracles and answers to my prayer/life.

I wish someday i get to travel/see the world – “THE BEAUTY & not the UGLIES”

Thank you for reading and maybe replying this mail shld you have the time.

Thank you–you just paid for my Christmas! –Philip

You’re right: I don’t get so many letters from Mormons. Thank you for your openness and for your deep encouragement. –Philip