Everywhere we go, we leave traces of our actions; yet these traces don’t just exist in the physical world. You have a digital “shadow” that results from your online activity. Everything you do on the internet and social media leaves a shadow of your “real life,” so to speak. But it isn’t just you that has access to this “shadow.” Every connected system has collected information about you: local cameras in your community, banking information, shopping history and habits, even health care and insurance.

I am the recipient of extravagant love—from God and others. I was raised in a single-parent home. My mom was a fantastic person and provided well for my needs. When I was seven years old, she was diagnosed with leukemia and died that same year. By God’s grace, a loving, Christ-following family adopted me. They had limited resources but sensed God’s call to bring me into their home and raise me as their own. I am forever grateful for this family. 

As an attorney, I spend my days pointing people toward the law. Whether the issue deals with civil legislation or the rules in the Manual of the Church of the Nazarene, I often have to tell people that the law does not permit a particular course of action. That's when I brace myself for the inevitable protest, “But we live under grace, not law!” I am not the only one who hears this argument.

I was raised in the church. My family volunteered for just about everything. We were there early and we stayed late. Regular church services, prayer meetings, special services . . . we were there for all of them.

While these experiences established a fine Christian upbringing, one of the adverse outcomes was that I developed a poor perception of the spiritual disciplines.

As a kid, I enjoyed watching the television series “Lost in Space.” In nearly every episode, young Will Robinson would be going through life and wouldn’t realize when danger was present. His mechanical friend, “Robot,” would sense something was wrong and would declare, “Danger, Will Robinson!” When it comes to practicing spiritual disciplines, there is potential danger present as well. Unfortunately, we don’t have a personal robot shadowing us to let us know when that trouble is near.