#discipleship

Toward Wholeness Blog

Dec 12, 20193 min read

Losing and Finding Our Truest Self

You know the sayings? “Old gardeners never die; they just recede” or “Old realtors never die; they just become listless.” They’re ways...

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Richard Dahlstrom

Aug 10, 20195 min read

Longing for the Scent of Hope

After quieting my mind and being reminded of the presence of Christ, above, beneath, around, and within me, my move outdoors hits me like...

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Richard Dahlstrom

Jul 18, 20196 min read

The Disciplines of Self Care – (Why your Oxygen mask must go on first)

Years ago I found myself in a debate over an organization’s mission statement. At the time it read, “meeting people at their point of...

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Richard Dahlstrom

Feb 23, 20195 min read

“Don’t Love the World” “Love the World” Which is it? … a third way

I LOVE this world, in the kind of way that I believe the Bible tells us to love the world. I love the intricate biosystems of the human...

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How Naming Your Values can Change Your Life

Richard Dahlstrom

Dec 7, 20183 min read

How Naming Your Values can Change Your Life

The sad reality, though, is that the testimonies offered that day also served as a grave reminder that courage, servanthood, generosity,...

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Hungry for a Tribe – musings on isolation and consumerism

Richard Dahlstrom

Aug 3, 20184 min read

Hungry for a Tribe – musings on isolation and consumerism

What’s going on? Why does Joe Rogan have 30 million podcasts downloads each month? And, more cogent to this blog and my own musings:...

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Facebook, Nazis, and Fake News – History shows our ongoing need for Discernment

Richard Dahlstrom

Apr 14, 20184 min read

Facebook, Nazis, and Fake News – History shows our ongoing need for Discernment

Born in Germany and educated both there and at Oxford, Delmer was uniquely qualified to have a foot in both German and British culture, a...

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Richard Dahlstrom

Nov 25, 20174 min read

Sustainable Faith requires Practices

On Sunday November 25th I’ll be speaking at all our Bethany locations on the very important subject of how to turn spiritual disciplines...

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Soil Conditions for seeds of hope – Lessons learned on a bike ride

Richard Dahlstrom

Oct 7, 20173 min read

Soil Conditions for seeds of hope – Lessons learned on a bike ride

It’s no news that we live in a world of increasing insanity, where daily headlines serve to remind us that humanity is collectively, like...

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Richard Dahlstrom

Sep 28, 20172 min read

Are you running to Win?

You are God’s uniquely handcrafted beautiful creation. You have gifts to bring to our darkening and weary world, and that means you...

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Steal, Kill, and Destroy – Stealing our Healthy Sexual Identity

Richard Dahlstrom

Aug 10, 20174 min read

Steal, Kill, and Destroy – Stealing our Healthy Sexual Identity

Continuing in a series of looking at ways in which the gifts God wants us to know and enjoy are stolen from us, this entry and the next...

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Richard Dahlstrom

Jul 6, 20174 min read

Fire: Getting it and Keeping it

Before burning season is over, though, we’re already on the prowl for new wood for the next season. It must be found, cut into pieces...

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The Subtle Seduction of Letting Ourselves be Bent

Richard Dahlstrom

May 24, 20174 min read

The Subtle Seduction of Letting Ourselves be Bent

church I lead has collided with my reading of “You Are What You Love: The Spiritual Power of Habit”. The result has led me to believe...

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Fear of Falling vs Freedom to Fail: Choose Wisely

Richard Dahlstrom

Apr 7, 20175 min read

Fear of Falling vs Freedom to Fail: Choose Wisely

fear of falling is more dangerous than falling I hope you’ve seen the ascendancy of young lives as they move from infant to toddler? If...

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Idol Busting and Fire Walking – the power of right habits

Richard Dahlstrom

Apr 4, 20174 min read

Idol Busting and Fire Walking – the power of right habits

“Nebuchadnezzar said to them: “Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego: Is it true that you don’t serve my gods or worship the gold statue I’ve...

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You Can’t Live on Adrenaline Forever – A call to rest

Richard Dahlstrom

Feb 21, 20175 min read

You Can’t Live on Adrenaline Forever – A call to rest

In quietness and confidence is your strength – Isaiah the prophet God, in infinite wisdom, has given us a credit card for energy. It’s...

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The Gifts of Christmas #3: His humble circumstances free us

Richard Dahlstrom

Dec 15, 20163 min read

The Gifts of Christmas #3: His humble circumstances free us

It was a low point for me in my seminary career. “If he’s right, I’m finished” I remember thinking to myself. I’d later, in a...

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Richard Dahlstrom

Aug 26, 20165 min read

Completion as a Starting Point

I started a little vacation about a week ago. The plan was to hike a big chunk of the Pacific Crest Trail with my wife of nearly 37...

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Forest Bathing as a Vision for the Church

Richard Dahlstrom

Aug 11, 20167 min read

Forest Bathing as a Vision for the Church

Scientists are discovering that humans are also profound beneficiaries of the forest. “Forsest Bathing”, which simply means to walk in a...

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Beating Fear with Seven Words for Seven Summits

Richard Dahlstrom

Jul 25, 20168 min read

Beating Fear with Seven Words for Seven Summits

NOTE: This is from a chapter entitled, “Exposure”. I deal with the deadly life shrinking nature of fear in this post. Sorry it’s...

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