Learning to love others the way Jesus loves us
Now what? My goodness. Just when I begin to think the divisive politicking of the American public has reached the bottom, something happens on one extreme side or the other to show me more depths of depravity. Morally vacant candidates fight to see which commits the most egregious sins. Old men stuck in decades past… Continue reading Grace, politics, and Gen Z
Where grace endures. I am currently working through Jennifer Rothschild’s excellent study on the minor prophet, Amos with my ladies Bible study. When the women’s ministry settled on Amos for fall I was both intrigued and excited. Intrigued because the minor prophets don’t have the touchy-feely vibe most weekday women’s Bible studies want (I long… Continue reading Undivided loyalty
Sometimes the most direct path is not a straight line #inspiredbyasermon Mark 7:31-37 Then he returned from the region of Tyre and went through Sidon to the Sea of Galilee, in the region of the Decapolis. And they brought to him a man who was deaf and had a speech impediment, and they begged him… Continue reading Of circuitous routes and cleansing sighs
Is God, by His silence, creating space for us to wrestle as Jacob did? Caught in-between. For some of us, it's a space between jobs or transitions between life stages, especially the years between active parenting and the empty nest. For others it may be changing locations or churches. There are times in everyone's life… Continue reading When God seems silent: Part two
The Feast of Trumpets A new year means both reflection and rejoicing A Good Year Leviticus 23: 23-25 And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, “Speak to the people of Israel, saying, In the seventh month, on the first day of the month, you shall observe a day of solemn rest, a memorial proclaimed with blast of trumpets, a holy… Continue reading Shanah Tovah: שנה טובה
John 21:15-18 You have to appreciate Peter. He's an all-or-nothing kind of guy who cannot hide his feelings or control what comes out of his mouth. He makes big claims and even bigger mistakes. And Jesus clearly loves that about him. In that love, Jesus also teaches, disciplines, and molds Peter into the apostle who… Continue reading Lessons from a charcoal fire
The God who worked wonders in the past is faithful to keep His promises still (Psalm 77:14; Psalm 86:15). To say we live in troubling times is an understatement. Every day some new catastrophe floods the news cycles: natural disasters, crime, social issues, education, politics, and uncertainty about the economy threaten our personal well-being and… Continue reading Faithful through the Ages
Sometimes God's answer to prayer is us. remix: Hanna-Barbera/Justice League Wonder Twins (CC BY-NC-SA) My brothers and I grew up in the 1970s. Saturday mornings were for cartoons of fantastical places and magical powers (and the occasional monster-puppet.) Typically, some distraught character would cry out for help and in the blink of an eye, a… Continue reading Activate!
The songs we sing as we worship matter. Photo by Alexander Wark on Unsplash Sunday morning music can be uplifting, moving, theological, inspiring, and introspective. Music can set the mood, prepare the heart and mind for the sermon, and connect the singers to the practice and experience of worship. Sunday morning services have a predictable rhythm: a song… Continue reading Remix, hymns, and theology
An approach to grace through the wisdom of James It has been a long week since the Supreme Court struck down the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision. Responses included protests and threats, fear and anxiety, joy and exultation, determination and delight-- both within the Church and in the broader secular culture. Extreme reactions to national… Continue reading Grace when courts decide
Defaulting to Grace 