ChrisFieldblog.com

Where will you most easily find a maelstrom?
The word maelstrom is likely to be used today to describe a bustling office, downtown traffic or hurricane winds. Turbulence, chaos, bustle and similar notions are linked to a maelstrom.
Originally, however, way back in the mid 1500’s, it had a specific meaning which put it on the map, [...]

This is the day that … Niklaus Ludwig von Zinzendorf was born, in 1700.
Born to an aristocratic German family Count Zinzendorf is described as the Rich Young Ruler who said ‘Yes’. At age 6 he impressed people with his prayers. At age 20 he felt the call do whatever Christ asked, no matter the cost. [...]

Which sense identifies what is canorous?
We have five senses: taste, smell, touch, hearing and sight. Something that is canorous might possibly touch two of those. Principally, however, it is the sense of hearing that will appreciate that which is canorous.
Canorous comes from a base which speaks of song and melody. Anything that is pleasant to [...]

This is the day that … John Raleigh Mott was born in New York State, in 1865.
He was an Ameican Methodist evangelist and became “the most influential world religious leader of the 20th century” – according to Ruth Tucker (From Jerusalem to Irian Jaya, page 268).
He influenced more students onto the mission field during his [...]

This is the day that … Frederick Arvid Blom died in Sweden in 1927, at the age of 60.
Fredrick was born in Sweeden, May 21 1867 in Bred parish. In 1883 he took a degree in navigation and became a sailor. In 1902 he was declared “not found” in Sweeden - which suggests he absconded.
He [...]

To what does halcyon best refer?
You may have heard the expression ‘halcyon days’ or enjoyed some halcyon weather. The notion of happiness or enjoyment is linked to this term, but many do not know its mythical origins. Halcyon originally referred (back around 1350AD) to a mythical bird said to breed about the time of the [...]

A long-term debate has raged on the question of whether we are ‘born’ a certain way, such as happy, lucky, blessed or successful, or ‘made’ that way by our circumstances. Are we who we are because of the ‘nature’ of our being, such as something built into our DNA, or because of the things we [...]

This is the day that … a Hymn was born.
Charles Wesley – on 23 May, 1738 – wrote in his journal:  “At nine I began a hymn on my conversion but was persuaded to break off for fear of pride.”
It was two days earlier – 21 May – that he had come to a saving [...]

From whom would one normally expect an afflatus?
Afflatus comes from a root which means wind or breath. In centuries past much was made of the notion of breath – even back to the Greek word for spirit being pneuma – breath. Similarly the word ‘inspire’ comes from a root that means ‘to breath upon’.
And where [...]

One of the awesome realities about our personal sovereignty is its inherent power. We, as sovereign citizens, can exercise incredible, miraculous power. That’s not because of any power resident within us in inherent in our being. The power is God’s power. But we can access that power, as people able to enter God’s presence and [...]