Learning to love others the way Jesus loves us
Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love. In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through… Continue reading Love, grace, and testimony
Started a new job at UPS today. And after a decade of getting exhausted, hurt, and having bad boundaries in church work, I never expected to be this happy to be a cog in a machine12:42 PM · Sep 21, 2021 I read this tweet the other day and it made me reflect on the… Continue reading The saddest tweet
We live in strange and awful times. Wars abroad, divisions at home, a global pandemic in its second year, and more vitriol spewed on social media than pictures of kittens and bad puns combined. People are quick to speak, slow to listen, and adept at jumping to conclusions based on incomplete information. And that's just… Continue reading Where is your identity found?
How to please the Lord 101: Love God, love people. There is nothing complicated about what God wants his children to do. He says it over and over in every book of the Bible. Jesus himself summed up the commandments in two sentences: Love the Lord your God will your heart, soul, mind, and strength,… Continue reading How to please the Lord 101
The Lord is good John 15:1-8; Psalm 34:8; 1 John 4:7-17; Galatians 5:22-23 The late 1960s were tumultuous times in the US. Not unlike today, there were protests and riots over political statements, racism, sexuality, and the role of the Church in society. In that chaos, Peter Scholtes penned the words to "They'll know we… Continue reading Taste and see: Part five
Tasting: The perfection of the fruit John 15:1-8; Galatians 5:22; 1 John 4:7-17 Taste Just a few days ago, Wine Spectator posted a "wine IQ" blind tasting game on their website. It posted a sommelier's tasting notes and asked players to identify the variety, country/region of origin/appellation, and age based solely on the notes. Tasting… Continue reading Taste and see: Part four
Matthew 5:7 Matthew 5:7 Mercy is the thing we all want, that none of us deserves, and that few are willing to offer to others. The Oxford dictionary defines mercy as, "compassion or forgiveness shown toward someone whom it is within one's power to punish or harm." When we are wronged, our first thoughts are… Continue reading Oh mercy
Romans 1:11-12 When I started this blog I planned to use it as a place start thinking out loud about a book I want to write. My concept was a book for church people on the need for grace toward parents of prodigals. Too often I have experienced judgement from my brothers and sisters in… Continue reading Mutually encouraged
Psalm 119:81-88 2020 is looking to be a year where we cry out, "How long?" How long? is a theme that returns again and again throughout scripture. This iteration has two components: physical and political. The components operate separately, but together are wreaking havoc on the US (and the world). "One nation, under God, indivisible"… Continue reading KAPH
Hope Las Vegas, 6-14-2020 On Sunday, Pastor Vance spoke powerfully about our need for hope. It resonated with me, especially as I had just returned to Atlanta and the continuing tumult there. Between the pandemic, social injustices, political divisions, economic uncertainty, and fear over the future, the prevailing emotion of the world is despondency. But… Continue reading Reflections on a Sunday sermon.
Defaulting to Grace 