Life Practices

Connecting Weekend

Lynette, Pascal and I invite you to spend a weekend with them our home.  Spend time talking and sharing lives, discussing relational ministry and relational church-planting.  And spend time with their Christ-commons (Quest).  Connecting weekends are a great retreat and stimulus

Dwight J. Friesen June 1, 2005January 14, 2021

happy 65th dad

Happy birthday to my bestman (in every sense of that word) – my dad.  Ben CS Friesen When I Grow Up by dwight friesen   When I grow up and get to be a writer I’m going to write a

Dwight J. Friesen May 31, 2005November 16, 2020

Hugging Until Relaxed

In a class this spring a couple of students drew some interesting “hugging connections” between Schnarch and Volf. In David Schnarch’s Passionate Marriage he encourages hug therapy, which he sums up as “hugging till relaxed”. Schnarch describes hugging till relaxed

Dwight J. Friesen May 31, 2005May 7, 2022

who in the world is dwight friesen

The other day my friend Deb told me about an IM conversation that she had with me – or at least so she thought she had with me. As it turned out, she had stumbled across another Dwight Friesen, (who

Dwight J. Friesen May 29, 2005September 20, 2022

happy birthday Lynette

On this day, the birthday of my life partner. I want offer a poem that makes me think of her every time I read, hear or even think of it. Its by the brilliant poet Billy Collins… whose work I

Dwight J. Friesen May 27, 2005September 20, 2022

Mourning the Death of Paul Ricœur

Paul Ricœur — “the philosopher whose writings on hermeneutics were the cornerstone of an ambitious rethinking of the relationship between the humanities and the social sciences . . .” died today at the age of 92. Read more here and

Dwight J. Friesen May 20, 2005October 4, 2022

emergent convention remembering Stan Grenz

Leading a couple of lunch forums at the Nashville, emergent event this year. And organizing the evening memorial in honor of Dr. Stanley J. Grenz. Peace, dwight

Dwight J. Friesen May 18, 2005May 12, 2022

crown college online

Teaching “Public Speaking in Ministry” Fall 2005 at Crown College Online. Peace, dwight

Dwight J. Friesen May 17, 2005January 18, 2021

a good thing indeed

I did I do I will h a p p y   a n n i v e r s a r y though our love may look different then it did fifteen years ago though our lives have taken

Dwight J. Friesen May 12, 2005October 4, 2022

tomorrow we celebrate

Tomorrow will mark the 15th anniversary of the Lynette and Dwight Wedding. picturing Lynette Sometimes when I think of my partner my heart pictures her In her parent’s basement laughing with her girl friends Or driving her orange Datsun station wagon

Dwight J. Friesen May 11, 2005May 7, 2022

honoring mothers

Mothers, young and old, we honor you. For all you have given, loved, and sacrificed, for all your self-doubt and wondering if you were good enough or “doing it right”, for all the pain you endured, for all the hopes

Dwight J. Friesen May 8, 2005October 4, 2022

commencing

I’ve always loved the idea that graduations are commencements; they are endings which are beginnings – they are dénouement. Pascal’s leap of faith This past weekend was my hooding/commencement for my Doctor of Ministry from GFU. My dad & mum,

Dwight J. Friesen May 3, 2005May 7, 2022

hooding

Today was my hooding ceremony at George Fox University. My classes are done, dissertation completed, defense successful, and today I gathered with my teachers, mentors, family, cohort, and friends, to be hooded and receive a doctoral hood, tam, and stripes.

Dwight J. Friesen April 29, 2005October 4, 2022

how can I be sure God loves me?

“Nobody sees a flower – really – it is so small – and to see takes time like having a friend takes time.” Georgia O’Keefe Many contradictory images of the Sacred exist in our culture, presenting many possible faces of

Dwight J. Friesen April 9, 2005May 7, 2022

God’s guidance

As the news of Pope John Paul II’s home-going sinks in, I am moved to pray all the more for the Cardinals who will be gathering in the selection process of the next pope. Peace, dwight

Dwight J. Friesen April 6, 2005October 5, 2022

the ‘becoming’ of ‘conversion’

The conversation that has been taking place over the last couple of days on this journal regarding the Orthodox, Roman, Protestant (and emergent) churches has me thinking about conversion. Each tradition has its rite(s) of initiation. What North American Evangelicals

Dwight J. Friesen March 30, 2005October 5, 2022

Christ the Lord is risen today . . .

Hallelujah! Christ is risen from the dead, trampling down death by death, and to those in the tomb Christ is giving life. Spring Song by Lucille Clifton the green of Jesus is breaking the ground and the sweet smell of

Dwight J. Friesen March 27, 2005October 10, 2022

Holy Friday – Cross Words

Forgiveness “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” Luke 23:34 Invitation “Truly I say to you, today you shall be with me in paradise.” Luke 23:43 Care To Jesus’ mother: “Dear woman, behold, your son!”

Dwight J. Friesen March 25, 2005October 7, 2022

Stan’s memorial

The memorial service for Stan was this past Sunday at First Baptist Church (where Dr. Edna Grenz is worship pastor). Lynette and I attended the service and it was beautiful. The memorial is viewable on the web, and I would

Dwight J. Friesen March 22, 2005October 10, 2022

Hallesby on Prayer

I was talking with my friend Kyle today and he introduced to Ole Hallesby.  Hallesby was Scandinavian mystic… of sorts.  I liked this quote from his classic book, Prayer: “Be not anxious because of your helplessness.  Above all do not

Dwight J. Friesen March 19, 2005October 10, 2022

dr dwight

It’s official! Today, I successfully passed the oral defense of my dissertation; my readers signed off on it. Though the hooding ceremony is at the end of April I believe I can be called “doc” . . . but please

Dwight J. Friesen March 16, 2005May 11, 2022

Tribute

Yesterday, during the class period when Stan and I were supposed to be teaching “Thinking Theologically 2” Mars Hill Graduate School held a memorial service. It was an honoring time; a time that I think Stan would have appreciated. As

Dwight J. Friesen March 15, 2005December 13, 2022

Grieving the Death of Dr. Stanley J. Grenz

Ultimately our claim to know the one God only gains credence in the contemporary world as we demonstrate the Divine presence through the way we live – through our lives as we connect our Christian belief with true Christian living.

Dwight J. Friesen March 12, 2005December 13, 2022

Dr Grenz… please pray

So am deeply saddened to report that earlier today my friend, mentor, teacher, and colleague, Dr. Stanley J. Grenz  suffered a significant surge in blood pressure, which resulted in a major brain event, appears to be along the lines of

Dwight J. Friesen March 11, 2005December 13, 2022

life

As is so often the case with at least me, when my journal is quiet – life isn’t. In addition to observing the 36th anniversary of my birth, I had a pretty full teaching week; 20 hours in the classroom.

Dwight J. Friesen March 7, 2005October 11, 2022

prayer & distraction

“Everything in God’s store is on the bottom shelf – you have to get on your knees to get it.” Robert Collier Anyone who has explored contemplative prayer or any other practice of intentional silence knows — or will soon

Dwight J. Friesen March 7, 2005May 7, 2022

please pray for Greg

Please take a moment and jump over to blog created for friends of Greg in need of a holy space for sharing updates on Greg’s condition, photos, prayers, etc.  Recently Greg was in a very serious accident while doing some dry-dock work on his boat

Dwight J. Friesen February 25, 2005December 13, 2022

the day of ashes

Today millions of our siblings in Christ join together in an 1,100+ year-old tradition of commonly referred to as ‘Ash Wednesday’.  The ashes – which are from the burned palm branches from the previous year’s Palm Sunday service – are placed

Dwight J. Friesen February 9, 2005October 12, 2022

“what we live by”

Have been using Leo Tolstoy’s short story “What Men Live By” for a class I get to team teach. It is a wonderful read… I commend it to you. The following quotations are from its conclusion. And you can find

Dwight J. Friesen February 4, 2005October 12, 2022

How can I pray when I’m so busy all the time?

“I have learned that prayer is not asking for what you think you want but asking to be changed in ways that you can’t imagine.” Kathleen Norris One of the most common changes in developing a rhythm of contemplative prayer

Dwight J. Friesen February 2, 2005October 12, 2022