“Unplugging” Last Sunday we talked about letting go of busyness and the renewal we often find in stopping for a time of Sabbath. I’ve been trying to remind myself of this throughout the week as my days seem to keep getting longer and more meetings pop up. This morning (Friday), I observed Sabbath by doing … [Read more…]
“Friendly” I was a stranger, and you welcomed me…” Matthew 25:35 Keep on loving one another as brothers and sisters. Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some have entertained angels unaware.” Hebrews 13:1-2 “You have the friendliest church!” I hear this statement from my mother nearly every time my … [Read more…]
“Prayer and Action” My morning devotion shared a story I thought I’d share with you. It tells of the story of Araminta Ross who was born into slavery sometime around the year 1820 in Maryland. Although she never learned to read or write, her mother furnished her mind with a rich treasure of stories from … [Read more…]
“Are You Thirsty” As I was thinking about what to share with you here, my daily reading (Bible Gateway’s verse of the day) had me in Isaiah 55. As we are on our Lenten journey, these words felt extra meaningful to me today, and instead of sharing lots of reflection on them, I simply invite … [Read more…]
“Revival and Awakening” For the past couple of weeks, I have seen numerous stories about an impromptu worship service at Asbury University in Wilmore, Kentucky that has gained national attention. Following a chapel service, a dozen or so students gathered together for some additional prayer. These students began to feel a movement of the Holy … [Read more…]
“Calm Amidst the Chaos” In the fourth quarter of the Super Bowl the other night, Patrick Mahomes threw a 4-yard touchdown pass to Skye Moore, which was a near mirror image of a play run less than 3 minutes earlier in the game for a touchdown to Kadarius Toney. Coach Andy Reid was hailed as … [Read more…]
“Sports are Stupid!” I don’t know about you, but I am excited for the Superbowl this Sunday! Of course, the main reason for that is the Chiefs are in it, and it’s always exciting when your team is in the Big Game. (But, as a side note, it’s nice when you don’t care about the … [Read more…]
“Heated Conversations” In one of the early seasons of The Simpsons, there’s an episode where the Simpson family (minus the father, Homer) attends church one cold Sunday morning. The church’s furnace is broken and everyone is sitting in the Sanctuary rubbing their hands together—their breath fogging the air. At one point in the service the … [Read more…]
Unscheduled Stops In our family, we love a good road trip. Part of the magic of trekking across this vast landscape we call America is leaving room for new adventures that might present themselves as we roll along. A few years ago, as we were driving through the Southwest, we saw that we were closer … [Read more…]
“Stop Persisting” “Mom,” my 16-year-old said, looking down at me on my hands and knees, pulling armfuls of dead leaves from beneath a thorny bush. “You know the wind’s just blowing the leaves back under there, right? I think you need to stop aiming for perfection.” With a sigh, I looked at the leaves scuttling … [Read more…]