“How Long, O Lord?” How long, Lord? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me? How long must I wrestle with my thoughts and day after day have sorrow in my heart? How long will my enemy triumph over me?” Psalm 13:1-2 I write this message on the morning … [Read more…]
“Water Damage” Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart … [Read more…]
“Perfect Unity” Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity. Let the … [Read more…]
“I Love It When A Plan Comes Together” “Go into the city, and a man carrying a jar of water will meet you. Follow him. Say to the owner of the house he enters, ‘The Teacher asks: Where is my guest room, where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?’ He will show you … [Read more…]
“Independencitis” But Ruth said, “Don’t urge me to leave you or to turn back from you. Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God. Where you die I will die, and there I will be buried. May the Lord … [Read more…]
“Change My Heart, O God” Going a little farther, he fell to the ground and prayed that if possible the hour might pass from him. “Abba, Father,” he said,” everything is possible for you. Take this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will.“ Mark 14:35-36 I don’t think I’m the … [Read more…]
A Good Reminder Earlier this week I was driving home for lunch, which I do most days, and I noticed a police car behind me. I don’t know about you, but every time a police car is behind me, I get anxious. I immediately checked to make sure I wasn’t going more than 3-4 miles … [Read more…]
“Active Faith” Several years ago, the Missouri Annual Conference of the UMC (the grouping of United Methodist Churches in MO) adopted the following mission statement: The Missouri Annual Conference exists to lead congregations to lead people to an active faith in Jesus Christ. When I first encountered this mission statement, I was intrigued by the … [Read more…]
“Devotional” No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other…” Matthew 6:24 “Read this!” Sara said to me as she placed a devotional book in my hands while I was eating breakfast. “This was my devotional this … [Read more…]
Confessions of the Pastor’s Wife: Hope I have to be honest…my soul has been heavy lately. The divisive political cycle, the continued inequity, the screaming of Earth in frustration of what humanity has done and is doing to the sacred majesty of God’s own creation…not to mention a global pandemic that makes every decision fraught … [Read more…]