I still remember our first Christmas with our children. It was an awesome season filled with a special wonder and joy. Our long season of prayerful expectation was now replaced with three precious lives come to share life with us. What a wonderful Christmas that was and what wonderful gifts from God they were and continue to be. We are so blessed. There was a […]
Have you ever pondered what it means to, “give thanks?” We frequently use that expression to refer to offering a prayer before we eat our meal. Numerous times, I’ve been asked to, “say grace,” or, “return thanks,” before we share in a meal. I imagine that this afternoon, as we gather with friends to enjoy the Thanksgiving meal, I may be called upon to offer […]
The church is full of people who want to experience the power of God’s presence in their lives. They love Him and they want to know Him more. Yet many of those people live with an awareness that something is still missing. The key to unlocking that deep relationship with their Savior seems to constantly elude them. “Just what does it take,” they ask, “to […]
Earlier today, I was pondering what attribute of God’s character had the greatest impact on my life. Now, I know that it is impossible to narrow it to one and that I am in need of all that God is in my life. I also realize that, like a favorite passage of scripture, choosing one favorite part of God’s character is likely to change depending […]
“Who am I?” It was a simple question asked by the Trappist monk Thomas Merton, to which he answered, “I am one loved by Christ.” All of us wrestle with our identity and would that it were only though our teenage years of self discovery. Many of us are haunted by the question of who we are and what our place is in the world. […]
I am always amazed at how God can weave even our mistakes into something meaningful, and today was no exception. I awoke this morning well rested, especially since we were able to gain an hour last night as we set our clocks back. I was equally well prepared for this morning’s events after spending a fair amount of time in final preparations last night. It […]
In our family, we celebrate special days over a period of time. So birthdays become birthday weeks and anniversaries become week, even month, long celebrations. This anniversary is no different. My wife and I began to celebrate our special day nearly a week before the actual day, and we continue to celebrate even now. As we enjoyed our memories and our time together, I began […]
Today, is the culmination of our congregation’s annual stewardship campaign. On this Consecration Sunday, we ask people to reaffirm their commitment to be stewards of all God gives them. Yes, this involves a financial pledge, but in includes so much more. Stewardship can be an unpopular topic. We like our privacy. We tire of the media voices inundating us with requests for money, and honestly, […]
It is not difficult to find fault. Every moment, just like every person, has the potential to fail us, and it seems as if those failings and challenges campaign for our attention. If our circumstances dictate our emotions, it takes very little to steal our joy and leave us frustrated, hurt and wishing for something else. But, what if our circumstances do not really have […]