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When Doubt Becomes Divine
Is spiritual doubt a crisis of faith or a doorway to more profound belief? For many aging believers, religious uncertainty becomes more common – and surprisingly more enriching.
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Dekker Opens His Heart to a Grieving Widower
Dekker, a service dog with many unique talents, responds to readers' questions with the wisdom he has become famous for. Today he responds to a man in grief...
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When Saying ‘No’ Becomes A Prayer
When Saying 'No' Becomes a PrayerI've come to believe that one of our most powerful prayers isn't found in ancient liturgies or morning devotions - it's in the…
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The Sacred Dance: When Rebellion Meets True Strength
The Moment of ChangeI was seventy-four when I finally said 'no' to hosting Christmas breakfast. The year before, our family tradition of stockings and breakfast ...
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When to Explore, When to Persist on Your Spiritual Path
There are two approaches to a spiritual path. When to explore and when to persist are the challenging questions.
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Spiritual Aging: Beyond Doctor Visits and Exercise Plans
A reader recently asked why we seem to focus more on physical issues as we age than the spiritual ones. When my friend Sarah turned 75, her calendar…
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Aged to Perfection: Finding Freedom from the Perfectionism Trap
perfectioHow many things in your life say "aged to perfection" on the label? I can think of both wine and cheese that fit this category, but I have…
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Finding Fun in the Process of Aging
Are you having fun in this process we call aging? Not just finding ways to have fun despite growing older, but discovering joy in the actual journey of…
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The Sound of Silence: Reflections on What Lies Beyond Death
Have you ever experienced a moment so quiet you could hear your own heartbeat? When my father passed away, I discovered a special kind of silence in his…
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Wisdom from Dekker
Welcome to Dekker’s canine counsel for issues that plague people…but not often other dogs. Why is that? We may never know, but listening to our furry companions can…
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Temptation or Motivation?
Are temptation and motivation the same thing? How might they differ? Does it matter? As I made a fresh batch of chocolate chip cookies the other day....
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A Retreat That Became a Pilgrimage
Have you ever longed for a retreat but found yourself facing obstacles at every turn? What if the perfect retreat setting was hiding in plain sight, nestled within…
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What is Your Spiritual APGAR score?
Do you know what your spiritual APGAR score is? Is it possible to determine how fully alive you are spiritually in the same way babies are evaluated at…
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Dekker speaks
If this is your first time visiting The Reflective Pen, you may not have heard about Dekker. He is my service dog who, during the pandemic, when there…
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Embracing Mystery: Beyond Labels in Spiritual Connection
Why move beyond labels to find a name for God? Here we look at some of the well known names for God and learn why sometimes it is…
