Learning to love others the way Jesus loves us
O come Emmanuel, our glorious hope Veni, veni Emmanuel Gaude! Gaude! Emmanuel, Nascetur pro te, Israel! Music holds listeners in ways that words often cannot. Throughout history, music has continually reflected legacy, loss, longing, love, and lament. Biblical songs appear as early as the Exodus (Exodus 15) and continue through John's revelation (Revelation 15). The… Continue reading Exiles, still
Week of November 27 The Promise of Hope Isaiah 55 Prayer from Anglican Book of Common Prayer Almighty God, give us grace to cast away the works of darkness, now in the time of this mortal life in which your Son, Jesus Christ, came to visit us in great humility; that in the last day,… Continue reading Advent 2022-week one
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
Defaulting to Grace is going to be a book! To celebrate, I've decided to share bonus content to subscribers only. You may already follow me through WordPress, but I invite you to subscribe (free), too. As a subscriber, you'll be first to know about the publication process and timeline along with some sneak peeks at… Continue reading Subscribe for bonus content
THE POWER OF A WORD “I have seen the Lord!” Can you imagine? Mary from Magdala watched him die a violent and tortuous death. He was dead. She saw his last breath. She witnessed his battered, broken, bloody body removed from the hateful cross. She followed the men who buried him so she would know… Continue reading I have seen the Lord
Christmas is just days away; the season of expectant waiting is coming to an end for this year. The culmination of Advent, the Incarnation of God into human form, bursts forth in songs of wonder, adoration, and joy. The first coming of Jesus we celebrate with gifts, food, and family visits that include a trip… Continue reading Still, Advent
Inspired by a sermon By Pastor Jason Cook at Fellowship Bible Church, Roswell, GA 4/18/2021
It was just after sunset. The sky was dusky, and the shadows in the alleys grew deeper. The Temple took on hues of pink and gold as the marble reflected the last rays of day, a glorious sight for those who had eyes to see. The women did not see the beauty; they were consumed… Continue reading Peace?
As promised: This world is not my home by various artists in a multitude of styles. The origin of the lyrics is muddy, with at least three people given attribution as author. Lyrics: This world is not my home, I'm just a passing throughMy treasures are laid up somewhere beyond the blue;The angels beckon me… Continue reading This world is not my home
"Jesus paid it all. All to Him I owe. Sin had left a crimson stain; He washed it white as snow."Elvina M. Hall (1865) This hymn, written by Elvina M. Hall in 1865 kept repeating in my mind as I read Matthew 12 and Leviticus 22 this morning. Leviticus is the book of Law, the… Continue reading Jesus paid it all
Defaulting to Grace 