Author: Greg Hildenbrand

I am a contemplative spiritual director, author, and a leader of contemporary and blended worship at First United Methodist Church in Lawrence, Kansas. I am a happily married father of two awesome, adult children. I write a blog, Life Notes, every week and have published numerous books and music CDs, all of which are available on my website and other typical outlets. I enjoy writing, both music and text, and exploring and experiencing where spirit meets matter, in both seen and unseen ways.

Blessed are the Peacemakers, Part 4

by Greg Hildenbrand, posted in devotion, Life Notes, meditation, Spirituality

Blessed are the Peacemakers, Part 4 “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.”[1] What does it mean to make peace. What is the nature of the peace we attempt to make? Is peace the absence of conflict? Is peace like the calm after a thunderstorm where the atmosphere has momentarily … Continue reading Blessed are the Peacemakers, Part 4

Blessed are the Peacemakers, Part 3

by Greg Hildenbrand, posted in devotion, Life Notes, meditation, Spirituality

Blessed are the Peacemakers, Part 3 “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.”[1] The past couple of weeks I focused generally on international and religious violence. This week I zero in on more personal contexts of violence – that occurring in families and other intimate relationships. Jesus’ statement that “blessed … Continue reading Blessed are the Peacemakers, Part 3

Blessed are the Peacemakers, Part 2

by Greg Hildenbrand, posted in devotion, Life Notes, meditation, Spirituality

Blessed are the Peacemakers, Part 2 “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.”[1] Last week I went to some length considering how common it is to use violence to try to attain peace, particularly between nations. In many ways it is our default position – that if we cannot peacefully … Continue reading Blessed are the Peacemakers, Part 2

Blessed are the Peacemakers

by Greg Hildenbrand, posted in devotion, Life Notes, meditation, Spirituality

Blessed are the Peacemakers “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.”[1] What is a peacemaker? Would President Harry Truman be considered a peacemaker for forcing Japan to surrender, thus ending World War II, by dropping atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki? It is argued, perhaps correctly, that such an overwhelming … Continue reading Blessed are the Peacemakers