There are times when comfort is a blessing. The things that make us comfortable make us feel at ease, just like we are home. Just the word conjures images of the comfy chair, classic comfort foods, and the routines that bring peace to our lives. Yet, too much of such comfort leads to unhealthy situations. Often, we need discomfort to move us out of our […]
This has been a challenging Advent. Sure, there were the typical myriads of details that come with ministry as we journey toward Christmas, but that was not where the deep challenge arose. The real issue came in the tragedies and chaos of the world around us during this season. Right when I was writing sermons on peace, joy, hope, and love, we were confronted with […]
Christmas is less than two weeks away and many of us are busily preparing for its arrival. For several weeks, my staff and I have been addressing the details of that season, especially our celebrations on Christmas Eve. Our Sunday School children are working hard to prepare for their program and our outreach ministries are keeping us focused on ways to bless others. Personally, our […]
The weather is finally starting to change. It is hard to believe it was over 60 degrees on Tuesday. It certainly was not normal for early December, and while the warmth was enjoyable, it was a little disturbing to think that the natural order was so out of step with what should be happening at this time of year. Less than 24 hours later, however, […]
“This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us – whatever we ask – we know that we have what we asked of him.” – 1 John 5:14-15 For many years, I struggled with the difference between confidence and arrogance. I would hear some statements […]
A Childis born to usand His name shall be calledWonderful, Counselor, MightyThe King. A sonis given nowof His kingdom and peacethere shall be no end. He will reignalways. JesusLight of the worldfound in human likenessHe is here to deliver hopeto all. Saviorwe welcome YouCome make our hearts Your home.Be born in us anew each dayAmen. (A Holiday Cinquain)
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 […]
One of our family’s favorite traditions is decorating the Christmas tree. Like everyone else who has a tree for the holidays, we like to make it look pretty, but it is the activities that surround this traditional event that make it so special. When we first married, my wife and I had no ornaments for the tree, and we also lacked the finances to purchase […]
There is just something wrong with finding the Halloween candy and the candy canes next to each other,” was the quote posted by a good friend of our family as she lamented the advance celebration of the holidays. Most of us have probably had similar feelings as we watched the Christmas decorations come out near the beginning of October, and most recently the Black Friday […]