New Identity Magazine

Muting The Noise of the World

Tom Koel — Thu, 13 Aug 2020 17:06:37 +0000

Some people like to do what they call a Prayer Hike. That is where one or more people go on a hike, or walk, and pray as they go. Now, many people, like myself, wind up on a prayer hike inadvertently when they find the trail much longer and steeper than anticipated. But here we are discussing hikes that are focused on prayer from the onset. This is a great thing to do, and is actually very…

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Happiness & Blessing

Tom Koel — Thu, 11 Jun 2020 01:01:17 +0000

Too many toys can mess up a person’s spiritual life. Too many Hummers, iPhones, and Louis Vuitton purses, too many designer jeans with huge back pockets covered in embroidery, too many Brazilian Blow Outs, CAbi parties, chrome rims, and too much Twilight (way too much Twilight), can make it darn near impossible to know a real blessing when you get one. We never lose that infantile fascination…

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Social Media: To Friend or Unfriend?

Tom Koel — Thu, 07 Feb 2019 17:38:40 +0000

When did the postal service really get started? When was it feasible for an average someone to send a letter across town or country? I’m told that in America it was no later than 1639. How fun it must have been when Aunt Phyllis’ nephew, after traveling for days across the state for his once-every-two-years visit, sat at her dinner table and said “So, in Mom’s letter she told me that those corns…

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DISCERNMENT

Tom Koel — Thu, 29 Jan 2015 17:20:47 +0000

Photo by Philipp Pilz (Fry2k) | Stock.xchng Prayer is a critical part of the Christian life – the Bible is clear on this. So it becomes very important that we nail down what a life of prayer looks like. A key question might be, how should we pray? Christ’s disciples asked Him that directly (Luke 11:1), which He answered with a prayer we call “The Lord’s Prayer,” (Luke 11:2-4) giving us a…

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WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO FOLLOW JESUS?

Tom Koel — Sat, 23 Jun 2012 18:03:10 +0000

So, you’re sitting there one day. Maybe you’re alone. Maybe someone you don’t know too well is talking you through it, or maybe your favorite aunt has just finished telling the story, explaining the mystery for what might be the sixth time, and, finally, you get it. The light goes on. It makes sense. The needle inside of you that measures all the facts, evidence, logic, and intuition of your life…

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WHAT EXCITES YOU ABOUT CHRISTIANITY?

Tom Koel — Tue, 19 Jun 2012 22:22:37 +0000

I like to wonder in amazement at the faith. When I find a person who is really curious, I like to tell them about what really excites me about Christianity. This is very personal, and every person’s testimony is personal to themselves. That is the testimony we should be sharing. For me, I love two things. I love a thing that is true. I love awesome pictures of space and of nature.

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TURNING YOUR DAILY GRIND INTO A DIVINE ADVENTURE

Tom Koel — Sun, 31 Oct 2010 19:31:39 +0000

Almost thirteen years ago, my wife and I took a herd of young adults down to San Diego at Christmas time to the Campus Crusade Winter Conference–or whatever they called it. John Eldredge was there. He ruined my life. I came to Christianity in my late twenties and all my early indoctrination had supported the notion of a very even-paced, even-tempered, even-keeled masculinity.

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THE VIBE AT EASTER

Tom Koel — Tue, 23 Mar 2010 01:30:18 +0000

Easter time is a hard time to get excited about. Besides the fact that it is loosely connected to spring break, you just don’t see much hoopla about it. As we head into the dry days of spring, there aren’t any decent holidays until summer, unless you’re on the edge of your seat for President’s Day or Memorial Day. Easter doesn’t even provide a day off work, and feels more like Mother’s Day…

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THE INSTABILITY OF FAITH A LA CARTE

Tom Koel — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 22:04:45 +0000

Photo by Karl-Erik Bennion (keb) | Stock.xchng Being a Christian can be tough work. It should be, really. We are all incredibly flawed human beings, so fixing anything that broken should take a herculean amount of effort. If it was easy, I’d say something was wrong. Luckily though, we don’t do it alone. Christ is available to us in every way. The goal, the prize—having Christ at the center of…

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