Jerry’s Reflections – Jerry Lout ⚬ Writer ⚬ Speaker ⚬ Mobilizer

April 9, 2026April 9, 2026

Promising Outcomes

*Note to my Dear readers. My weekly postings here are, as of today’s entry, drawing to a close. At least for the present. I cannot adequately express my gratitude for your faithfulness in journeying with me on this more than ten-year journey. Meanwhile, as I continue in the writing craft (focusing for now on reviewing and editing unpublished content), I request and treasure your prayers. A big thanks to all who have left comments on the jerrylout blog entries along the way. Each one has brought wind to the sails. Bless you! Please consider shooting your email address to me if you would like to receive our ‘Jerry and Ann Updates’, which go out monthly. In due time, God willing, further hard copy and e-book publications will be announced. Stay tuned. Warmly in Christ, Jerry

Over our years of marriage, Ann and I have spent a lot of time in each other’s company. We routinely live our lives in an almost continuous state of interaction. We eat together. We travel together (whether to Aldis or to Africa,). We share the same lodging arrangements. We pray together. We talk. We joke and laugh with one another.

Ann and I grieve together – consoling, comforting one another (words not always required), in seasons of pain or of sorrowing loss.

As with most husband-wife relationships, Ann and I have grappled with and navigated through plenty of the differences that mark us as distinct individuals. We still grapple at times. Some of the differences that characterize us could be easily detected by any third-party observer. But the fact that we are unique and that we differ from one another in plenty of ways, does not threaten our commitment in walking this journey together. The vows we voiced to one another long ago (before the coming of children, and of grands, and of great grands) remain current. Our pledge, by God’s grace, holds fast and remains as binding as ever.

Many couples find that rhythms of simply being in each other’s lives do factor in, helping to establish and reinforce their lasting bond. One that even mirrors the spirit and language of the marriage covenant itself. Through grace.

So, we meet the encouraging principle again. In grace, healthy, routine practices, undertaken in good faith translate somehow into “training”.

Where a well-tended garden is stewarded under the care of a seasoned gardener, fruitbearing happens.

April 2, 2026

Good Call

The B.C. comic strip once posted a piece on Good Friday:

“I hate the term ‘Good Friday’”, says the forlorn caveman.

“Why?”, a second character replied.

“My Lord was hanged on a tree that day.”

Caveman #2 responds, “If you were going to be hanged that day and he volunteered to take your place, how would you feel?”

“Good.”

Turning to go on his way, Caveman #2 calls back, “Have a nice day”.

Throughout their years of befriending international students, many host families have welcomed scholars to their homes during holiday seasons – Easter weekend included.

The curious and wonderful thing about hospitality in the name of Christ is that it’s not so much about the actions themselves.

The aim is not the Sunrise Service or the musical event. The objective of the weekend isn’t just the fun of watching children scurry across the landscape in pursuit of elusive eggs, nor even of special mealtimes together – as pleasant as these are.

The treasure of the weekend is found in the extraordinary person being celebrated. Melodic lyrics center us afresh on the good of Good Friday,

I’m coming back to the heart of worship. . . It’s all about you – Jesus*

Here’s hoping for our readers a Good Friday leading to a Glorious Sunday.

March 26, 2026

Wings Of Assurance

The “training wheels” metaphor often serves well in life. No one gains much headway in growth skills apart from the element of training.

Equipping. Tutoring. Apprenticing. All are treasured words in the training enterprise.

Without guidance and up-close assistance in our learning process start accumulating a nasty assortment of bumps and scratches and bruises. Like many-a-kid who excitedly took up bike-riding for the first time. Plunging in with an eager self-confidence – but all alone. Left to ourselves, things seldom end well.

When a believer sets out to grow in their earnest hope of taking on the character and likeness of Jesus Christ, a simple adjustment in approach can make a telling difference. Assurance finds wings. Confidence in the Christ’s “with-ness” replaces feelings of being stranded without fuel or compass. And, God’s very engagement with us lessens the prospects of our getting ambushed by the fear of failure or of succumbing to the boredom of a purposeless existence.

In a pilgrimage that is shared among people marked by a growing love for one another, words like boredom and drudgery simply drop away. In their place come robust terms like adventurous. . . invigorating.

Receiving heaven’s grace that transports a Christ-follower more fully into “life in the kingdom”, means that something called partnering practices are summoned. Engaging the practices is anything but cumbersome.

“Whither Thou Goest” is a lyric my brother sang at my wedding. The years that followed saw my bride trekking with me from her Montana home, on then to Texas. After that, New York and Africa and places beyond. Our wedding vows held substance for Ann and me.

New (and routinely renewed) union in Christ bears similar features. Unrelenting love is marked by choice. It is orienting one’s life each day to keep walking in step with the beloved.

Growth in grace (God acting in our life), explains Dallas Willard, “is something we must plan for by regular engagement in activities that enable us to receive God’s grace in all areas (of our lives)”. Professor Willard’s statement brings clarity to what is fundamentally called for in the life of a Christian convert. And, all through the remainder of the disciple’s life.

In truth, a lifelong journey of deepening companionship with Jesus is the thing a disciple longs for. It is what they are fashioned to live into. Nothing less will sustain a person on the long path of flourishing to which we are called in the faith pilgrimage.

March 12, 2026March 11, 2026

Milestone Thresholds

*note. The entry posted is copied from a column in The Okmulgee Times, December, 2025.

While the 52nd week of another season fades in the rear-view mirror of our marathon lives, my own week features an added, and quite special, milestone. . .

Penning this column two days ahead of the Times launching her inaugural 2026 publication, I ‘today’ (Dec 30^th) am reflecting on the fifty eight years of married living with Alice Ann Lout. My Montana bride.

What a memorable moment that chilly late-December evening of 1967. My (preacher) father-in-law administered the vows – his declaration of days earlier fresh in my ears, “Once I tie the knot it, it’s tied!.

A biting north wind had swept into Okmulgee and along her North Oklahoma Street where the modest church facility was hosting our matrimonial union. The wintry blast brought with it intermittent sheets of icy rainfall – Brrr.

The parsonage – home of the host pastor – lay beyond the church parking lot. The wedding photographer, a resourceful and energetic personality, ventured a suggestion: “How about we get a shot of the groom carrying his bride across the threshold!”

That image – me in my spiffy J.C. Pennys suit, bearing my breathtaking beauty up to an open doorway and through the entryway – ranks, in my books, as a photography masterpiece. And, the teasing calls of, “don’t drop her!”, echo till this day.

Thresholds. Yes, they are a thing.

Happy New Year, everyone.

Happy Anniversary, darlin’!

March 5, 2026March 4, 2026

Senior Access

Rocket science isn’t required for this brand of boot camp. Nor is youthful age! A quiet army of apprentices to Jesus (millions of ordinary people dotting our planet) enter their mornings in quiet resolve. Taking up practices that, bit by bit, lead to character change, they find that a deepening joy ensues.

These people are not hero saints. They do, nevertheless, strive to keep a clear goal in mind. . . to grow to be like their Lord. Taking in an ancient prayer (portions of which may provoke a smile) helps underscore the wisdom of ‘training’ even into the sunset years.

Growing Older
Lord, You know better than I myself
that I am growing older and will someday be old.
Keep me from the fatal habit of thinking
I must say something on every subject and on every occasion.
Release me from craving to
straighten out everybody’s affairs.

Make me thoughtful but not moody;
helpful but not bossy.
With my vast store of wisdom,
it seems a pity not to use it all;
but You know, Lord,
that I want a few friends at the end.

Keep my mind free from the recital of endless details;
give me wings to get to the point.
Seal my lips on my aches and pains;
they are increasing, and love of rehearsing them
is becoming sweeter as the years go by.

I dare not ask for improved memory,
but for a growing humility and a lessening cock-sureness
when my memory seems to clash with the memories of others.
Teach me the glorious lesson that occasionally I may be mistaken.
Keep me reasonably sweet, for a sour old person
is one of the crowning works of the devil.

Give me the ability to see good things in unexpected places
and talents in unexpected people;
and give, O Lord, the grace to tell them so. Amen.

The prayer (snippets of which might provoke a smile) was penned by a Carmelite nun of the 16th century.* New habits can replace old ones bringing a person to noticeable transformation.

Change into Christlikeness beautifully grows when habits that were found in the routine life of Jesus become the disciple’s aim and practice. Entered into in prayer and reliance upon the Holy Spirit.

An occasional trip down Self-inventory Lane is recommended.

Do I often measure myself as the brightest bulb in the room? Do I have an inflated sense of self-importance? Am I given to talking too long and too much? Am I stingy with compliments? Do others possibly view me as the whiner, the grump?

Are there things about yourself – attitudes, behaviors, moods – that could do with some renovation? If your list – like mine – is long, don’t despair. Habits are replaceable. And, the Spirit is present to generously lend aid.

February 26, 2026February 25, 2026

inconspicuous

My friend from Asia had come to faith while studying at an American university. I smiled as he later shared an account of bringing Jesus along to a game of poker.

The family member who invited him for the friendly match had grown indifferent to the faith and was considered a non-believer.

While my friend shuffled the cards his phone stayed busy looping a melodic playlist. As the song “In Christ alone” quietly sounded in the background, the relative was drawn to the tune and began softly whistling along. Soon, she was giving voice to the lyrics in sing-along style.

Reflecting on my friend’s happy retelling of the experience, I realized that he was then and there exercising a spiritual discipline – that of meditation or of contemplation. I was reminded just how the various disciplines or practices, when exercised in everyday life, serve as a powerful means of grace – forming the believer further into Christlikeness.

Jesus meditated. He practiced contemplation in inconspicuous ways – much as any of his fellow human beings might. Consider the 70-plus Old Testament quotes he offered up as he conversed with various individuals and gatherings of people over time. Jesus, the son of God, had purposefully given time down through his earthly years in committing to memory truths that carried real meaning. My Asian friend has, likewise, given himself to scripture memorization – as well as to contemplations on being an active witness to loved ones. He has been following the savior’s lead while aligning with God’s encouraging counsel, to “think on such things”.*

John Mark Comer makes a bold call to the person wishing to grow. “My thesis is simple. Transformation is possible if we are willing to arrange our lives around the practices, rhythms, and truths that Jesus himself did, which will open our lives to God’s power to change.”**

February 5, 2026

Down-to-earth

Some call them spiritual disciplines. Others say spiritual practices. Either label works.

The refreshing thing for the Christ-follower is understanding that God has supplied down-to-earth practical exercises to aid them in their journey toward Christlikeness. Disciples of Jesus worldwide routinely celebrate these provisions – practices that fuel actual growth in Christ.

CELEBRATION

Wonderful news of hands-on, easy to grasp, and habit-building exercises has made its way across the globe (afresh) in recent times. And Richard J. Foster has brought immeasurable aid to believers of most every demographic through his masterfully-crafted work, aptly titled Celebration of Discipline. Fosters’ is a voice among many.

Christ’s followers everywhere – those longing to reflect the character of Jesus while savoring richness in the with-God life, happily find themselves on a transformative adventure.

Practicing spiritual disciplines, especially those repeatedly seen across the pages of scripture, results in God’s children getting changed from the inside out. Always occurring in the company of (through the empowering presence of) the Holy Spirit.

What are some of these habit-inducing (and doable) spiritual disciplines that people have been putting into practice all the way from Bible times til now?

Common among them are the disciplines of praying – studying scripture – worshipping in community – serving – advancing justice. .

One reason the disciplines continue generation after generation is found in their effectiveness. Orange trees are known by the fruit that they produce. Things are no different in the spiritual world, within the believer who cultivates and nurtures the plant-life of their own souls. Flourishing becomes
predictable, inevitable.

One could ask, “How many practices or disciplines are there?” Fixed numbers are hard to come by as concerns and needs and opportunities can vary from community to community
and from season to season.

We do know of a dozen or so disciplines, tracing back through church history, faithfully served the Christian family – and through it the world – for centuries.

A host of changed lives stands as shining evidence to the
wisdom of growing a close friendship with these practices. Aiding the ordinary person toward Jesus-likeness.

One such practice – talking with God.

January 29, 2026January 28, 2026

Fuel For The Road

The self-confessed Bible History and Language Nerd Tim Mackie sees Jesus of Nazareth as “utterly amazing and worth following with everything that you have.”* Mackie is one of millions of believers who have found Jesus to be the “supreme treasure”, the “priceless pearl” referenced in Christ’s own parables. For such disciples, there is nothing that brings more satisfaction and joy than living out their Christ-centric lives in the power of grace.

Grace-fueled.

It is said that grace is God acting in our life, to do what we cannot do on our own. Consider a mighty rocket, launching astronauts up and away from planet earth – out and beyond her powerful pull of gravity. Now think of the amount of rocket fuel needed to bring about such a feat.

Christians are persons who depend upon the “fuel” of grace – not just to gain forgiveness of their wrongs – which is amazing. The disciple of Jesus routinely “burns” more grace than a lunar-bound rocket burns fuel at lift-off.

“For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age”**

Still, while grace is essential in walking out the Christian faith, the believer’s participation is vital.

Learning to ride a horse well (in that confident, pleasurable style witnessed in a good Western movie) calls for observing and engaging some practical things. The result then (resting easily in the saddle, rolling with the horses cadence when she’s walking, trotting, galloping, or turning) comes easily. Surprisingly so. All that is typically needed is (a) desire to master the art of horseback riding, (b) paying attention to detail and (b) engaging in repeated practice.

Two of my granddaughters grew up overseas. In a matter of weeks after Claire and Grace started showing up at South Africa’s Ladybrand Village for riding lessons, they had taken on the look of seasoned cowgirls. How? They aspired. They paid attention. They trained.

A growing number of Christ-followers, regardless their “place” in the journey, have sensed a stir. A robust appetite after him has taken hold, and they are pivoting toward the preferred way, the more satisfying way. Some of these precious souls are (for the present) occupying spaces outside formalized church structures. Whatever the case, increasing numbers of hungry believers are shifting toward a vibrant with-God life of flourishing in Christ. In some cases, whole communities of the faithful have chosen to re-center afresh upon God. Moved, empowered by his extravagant grace.

January 22, 2026January 21, 2026

A Growing Proposition

Since partnering with God through the Holy Spirit is the only way for growth to happen in our walk, we depend upon his aid. His presence is vital at every step. Even as we engage in the spiritual practices day by day and hour by hour. If we only practice and do not partner, we flounder. Like a sailboat with a rudder but no sail.

As God walks with us in the broader community of fellow-travelers, he – like a mountain guide – leads the way. We enter into the study, noting the ways of the one whom we most wish to emulate. Our enrollment is into the school of practicing his presence. And, as with all purposeful apprentices, we stick close with our trainer.

In this instance we are immeasurably blessed that our trainer is far more than classroom lecturer. We do attest, without reserve, that Jesus’ wisdom and his instructional content remain unmatched. Yet, he – by his presence in the person of the Spirit – walks alongside us, leads the way ahead of us, and companions us as Friend.

A Voice among Many

The earlier-mentioned mentor and friend to many, Dallas Willard is one voice among a centuries-long train of scholarly pilgrims steeped in God’s reality. Willard understood well the term personal transformation. He was a marathoner. Leaning in, day by day into an ever-unfolding, transformative and fruit-bearing life.

Dallas had chosen the path he referenced as the “with-God” life. He, along with fellow pilgrims had embraced the word disciple at its face value. Just as Jesus intended. The title of Willard’s biography*, compiled and published after his 2013 passing, strikes to the heart of the marathon nature of holy change.

All sincere apprentices – young or old, refined or uncultured, Asia or Global South – are persons who have been caught up into the life of God. Christlikeness is the call, a vocation worth aspiring to and of pursuing one’s whole journey long. Disciples are people ruined for anything less. Their eyes are set on a person, not a philosophy, a religion or good vibes.

Their goal is a worthy one, and it is certain. They are a people becoming.

January 15, 2026January 21, 2026

To The Full

In a pilgrimage that is shared among people who are marked by a growing love for one another, words like boredom and drudgery fall by the wayside. And, introduced now in their place, are terms like invigorating and adventurous.

Receiving heaven’s grace that transports a Christ-follower more fully into “life in the kingdom”, means that partnering practices are called for. These are not burdensome. But they are necessary.

“Whither Thou Goest” is a lyric my brother sang at my wedding. The years that followed saw my bride trekking with me from her Montana home to Texas, to New York, to Africa and many places beyond. Our wedding vows held concrete meaning for Ann and me. New (and renewed) union in Christ will bear similar features. Unrelenting love marked by a choice. To orient one’s life to walking in step with the beloved.

Growth in grace (God acting in our life) “is something we must plan for by regular engagement in activities that enable us to receive God’s grace in all areas (of our lives)”. Professor Willard’s statement brings clarity to what is actually called for in the life of a Christian convert. For the remainder of life.

In truth, a lifelong journey of deepening companionship with Jesus is the thing a disciple longs for. It is what they are made for. Nothing less will usher a person along a path of flourishing in the faith pilgrimage.

Much different from the case of a dreamy-eyed bride taking her place alongside her flawed and maverick-minded groom. The disciple’s union is a forever-journey of unfolding goodness in the companioning company of the all-wise Christ Jesus (bridegroom of heaven).

The Jesus-follower carries an increasing conviction that nothing must be allowed to compete with their single-hearted aim. Of journeying in the close company of Christ himself, up and into, all of eternity.

“Our intention as apprentices of Jesus”, Willard states, “is to become the kind of person who lives in the character and power of Christ. We must, then, do those things that will enable us to become that kind of person from the inside out—through appropriate actions and practices. Such actions and practices are ‘disciplines for the spiritual life.’”

Could it be, that coming into God’s salvation means something far more (far richer) than simply getting one’s sins forgiven in order to escape the bad place and get into the good place?

While the good news (gospel) most certainly includes securing forgiveness of sins (how wonderful), the Gospel which Jesus himself repeatedly preached is not merely defined by the word “forgiveness”.

Christ came bringing a new kind of life, a radically transformative kind of life into all aspects of the believers being. What could be clearer about the message Jesus conveyed, through both his life modeled before others, and by his spoken words?

“I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.”*