Following Jesus
Volkhard Graf
This Blog has moved!
“Following Jesus–Thoughts on the Journey” has moved to a self-hosted blog at: “Following Jesus” Thank you to all who have visited here, tracked with me, left comments and feedback. I sincerely hope you continue to engage in the conversation at the new site. Those who have previously followed the blog by subscribing to updates have … Continue reading
Falling Into Place
For someone on the outside looking in, she had it all. Beauty, notoriety, influence, financial security. Millions of people regularly watched her news reports on the national TV show, CBS This Morning. She had won several Emmy Awards for her outstanding work, rubbed shoulders with Presidents, First Ladies, Actors and Musicians and covered human interest … Continue reading
The amazing Creativity of Creator
Recently, during a walk in a forest I was moved by the beauty of Creation. Lush trees, some with leaves others with needles, flowers from buttercups to foxglove, bees, bugs and lizards, birds of different colors and songs pleased my eyes and ears. Who would think up such a variety and diversity? I felt my … Continue reading
What is our most important Pursuit?
Depending on who you ask—this questions is met with a variety of answers. In order to be as productive as possible, “getting-things-done-gurus” tell us that having a vision and methodically executing it is what should drive us. All that is well and good and deserves our consideration—but what if we don’t really know what or … Continue reading
…and the award goes to…
With these words the fashionably dressed presenter rips open an envelope and announces the newest winner of the “something-or-other” award. The camera cuts to the audience, now standing and applauding, as the winner makes his way to the stage to receive his statue. Don’t get me wrong, I am all for honoring achievements and talent, … Continue reading
How To Change History
If we just consider the barrage of (bad) news broadcast daily, we could easily come to the conclusion that history is one catastrophe after another, war after war, disaster after disaster. Injustice leveled upon injustice, people treated as property, robbed of their Creator given rights to live free etc. etc. Viewed like this, history appears … Continue reading
Let Creator God Write Your Story
Joe had it made. He was the youngest of ten brothers and his Dad’s favorite. He was talented, smart, and had the good looks. He also was a dreamer, at least in his brother’s eyes. One time he had a dream that he would become boss over all his brothers, which he unwisely shared with … Continue reading
Ideas have Consequences
Beginning with next Sunday, Followers of Christ around the world are celebrating Advent, the season of expectation of his first coming to earth. In God’s epic plan this event was long planned out and when the set time had fully come, it took shape right before our eyes. Let’s consider the human circumstances surrounding Creator’s Son’s coming … Continue reading
Live Like You Were Dying
“I was in my early forties, with a lot of life before me, and a moment came that stopped me on a dime. I spent most of the next days looking at the x-rays…” So begins Tim McGraw’s popular song about dealing with the surprise of sudden bad news and finding oneself at death’s door. … Continue reading
Trail to Peace–A Native American’s Story by Spencer Cody
I sat in stone silence looking at the white man sitting a few feet away from me. My heart was cold toward him, and I assumed he felt the same about me. “This is the way it has always been and the way it will always be,” I thought to myself, “the Indian and the … Continue reading
Broken, but Mended
Growing up, especially during my teenage years, I could have bet with you, hat I was the shyest person on the planet. I felt like a big “L” for “Loser” was stamped on my forehead for everyone to see. Starting a conversation with anyone, especially girls, seemed impossible, and if it happened, my face would … Continue reading
Do not be frightened!
That’s easier said than done—isn’t it? It seems like being scared comes much more natural, because there is so much to be afraid of. On a daily basis we are inundated with bad news. Wars, terrorist attacks, random violence, stock market and economic downturns, unemployment, corruption at all levels of society, new diseases despite of … Continue reading
Do Justice, Love Kindness, Walk Humbly
If you have ever experienced injustice, you know the feelings that take hold when it happens. Maybe you were wrongly accused of something, stolen from, or attacked because of the color of skin. Injustice can lead you to the brink of losing it. Frustrated and angry, embarrassed and without recourse, you stare helplessly into the … Continue reading
Becoming A True Radical
Many people today engage in over-the-top activities in search of the next adrenaline rush. No longer is it enough to just do something, it all has to be “extreme!” Extreme sports may include skiing down nearly impossible terrain or jumping off a cliff into the ocean many feet below. Cars have to be extreme too … Continue reading
Throw down
I will never forget the evening I came home from work to find my young wife very sick. Just weeks before, the happy expectation to soon welcome our first child had been dashed. Our unborn child had not developed correctly and caused my wife to contract a rare but aggressive form of cancer. Hoping that … Continue reading
Don’t they have any “Common Sense?”
Have you ever wondered why common sense seems to be in such short supply? Is it possible that “Common Sense is not all that common,” as the French philosopher Voltaire said, or could there be a different reason why we often think that way? As it turns out, Common Sense is cultural, meaning whatever is … Continue reading
The Power of Trust
Vishal from India was visiting in Holland. One day his Dutch host invited him to come along while he was getting some fresh milk. The cleanliness of the dairy immediately impressed Vishal. It had about hundred cows but there was hardly any smell. Even more surprising to him was the fact that there were no … Continue reading
The hidden Story of Thanksgiving
Most people in America know the story of the first Thanksgiving, at least the Pilgrim version. But do we know it from the view of the host people of this land? As a nation that prides itself on having been founded upon recognizing everyone’s inalienable rights, given to us by the Creator of all, it … Continue reading
Can a better government save us?
Watching television news these days makes it quite clear that we are entering the end phase of another election and the attack ads from either political party remind me more of opening season for hunting than honest, constructive discourse. Where is the intellectual uprightness of argument, the truthfulness of statements and sound bites? Quotes of … Continue reading
It’s okay—the Lord was with us!
“Watch out,” my friend shouted, telling me in no uncertain terms to pull the car over. He had noticed that I had drifted toward oncoming traffic, warning me just in time to move back to the right lane. Our families were returning from a few days of vacation after Christmas. Unfortunately, I had not felt … Continue reading
“One-anothering”?
On a recent visit to my “old” home country, Germany, I drove my now elderly mother to the local bank. Waiting in the car for her to return, I looked down the street at the sign of a small Mom and Pop store selling toys, magazines, books, and many other small things. As I thought … Continue reading
You’re quite a Piece of Work!
The artist places a carefully prepared and kneaded chunk of clay onto his wheel, skillfully centers it, and slowly begins forming it with his wet hands, as the wheel begins turning. The non-descript lump of clay slowly takes shape. The outline of a bowl becomes visible, but faster than the eye can see; one slight … Continue reading
Merry Christmas
The Bright Morning Star “…We saw his star in the east and have come to worship him.” (Matthew 2:2) Our Christmas Newsletter
A Future that sustains us today
If you knew a visitor was arriving at your house shortly, you would most likely get ready by cleaning your house, in order to present yourself as someone well prepared and hospitable. This season celebrates the arrival of God’s Son on earth. About two thousand years ago, he became “one of us,” he “moved into … Continue reading
Ready or not—He is coming!
If you knew a visitor was arriving at your house shortly, you would most likely get ready by cleaning your house in order to present yourself as someone well prepared and hospitable. This season celebrates the arrival of God’s Son on this earth. About two thousand years ago, he became “one of us,” he “moved … Continue reading
Following Jesus 
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