“You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love.” – Galatians 5:13 Today is Independence Day in the United States. We celebrate freedom with family, friends, food, and fireworks. Some will celebrate the day off with little thought to the value of freedom, or its cost. Many […]
The closing months of the year are a flurry of activity as the weather changes and we progress through a series of holidays. If we are not careful, we can be focused on checking off all of the events while we miss the meaning. Just five days ago, we paused to celebrate Thanksgiving. We gathered with family, friends, and our community to appreciate one another. […]
Good things happened yesterday and more will happen today. In fact, good things happen every day. Sometimes, they happen in far away places where they go unnoticed due to our lack of knowledge. Other times, they happen right around us, but go unseen because of our lack of awareness. Just because we don’t recognize them doesn’t make them any less significant, we simply miss their […]
Saturday, our congregation had the privilege of serving almost 200 people as we provided support for the first Amish Country Running Festival. People came from our region and state, around the United States, and from Canada to participate in the event, which included runs from one mile to a full marathon, all through the scenic beauty of Amish country. Some of our people participated in […]
We always seem to be searching for the extraordinary. There is a sense that we almost crave what is new, different, and more unique. That desire fuels creativity and invention, and pushes us to explore new frontiers. That same desire can lead to pain and destruction, and can cause us to miss the blessings that are already ours. During our recent Adirondack vacation, we decided […]
“The pen is mightier than the sword.” Coined in 1839, by Edward Bulwer-Lytton, this quote is obviously more about words than the instrument used to write them. At our core, we understand that words matter. They carry great power and can be used for good or evil. Scripture has a lot to say about words. The Bible begins with an expression of their power as […]
I remember some of my first camping outings, and the valuable lessons that came from those experiences. One of the most significant insights I quickly gleaned, shared a theme with a famous real estate axiom: location, location, location. Where you camp makes all the difference. From the insulation beneath you, to loose limbs in the trees above, there are important things to consider before making […]
“Why spend money on what is not bread, and your labor on what does not satisfy? Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good, and you will delight in the richest of fare.” – Isaiah 55:2 I’ve read Isaiah 55 numerous times and even reflected on the blessings God gives to those who seek him. Earlier this week, however, as I read through this […]
As we continue to prepare for the upcoming move, we face that challenge of challenges – finding boxes. It is amazing how many you need to move a houseful of belongings, especially if you are a pastor with a healthy library. After commenting on Facebook about finding a particularly large number of good boxes, a friend commented, “Nothing like moving to make one appreciate the […]
Tuesday was one of the better Valentine’s Days I’ve experienced. We did not make any real plans due to a busy schedule, but we celebrated that we would be able to spend most of the day together which is always a blessing. After teaching a class and completing the work in my morning office hours, I was able to join my wife for a little […]