Life is annoying. Not all the time, but there are moments when your plans and expectations are replaced with more pressing needs or unexpected distractions. These times can quickly steal your joy and affect other areas of your life. We can not isolate ourselves from annoyances, and in the bigger picture, they are often quite insignificant. At any moment, we know that there are people […]
In the face of challenges, embrace the possibilities of the new year.
I’ve never been a fan of my mistakes. I know I am not perfect, but I think I often expect that of myself. John Wesley, founder of the Methodist movement said we were, “going on to perfection.” It is both a destination and a journey, and likely, a journey that lasts a lifetime. At times, we can expect too much from others, but hopefully, we […]
We have a choice. In almost every part of our lives, there is someplace where we posses the power to choose. We may not be able to choose what happens, but we always possess the decision of how we will respond. The insights of Victor Frankl speak deeply to me, especially regarding this issue. Imprisoned in a Nazi Concentration Camp, enduring great evil, and experiencing […]
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 […]
Please forgive the delay posting this morning’s post. I awoke today, with a passion to write something more timely. I keep watching as hurricane Florence approaches the Carolinas, watching in awe of the size of the storm, and in deep concern for all that is within its path. I am thankful for the downgrade in intensity, but profoundly aware of the damage it will cause. […]
I hear it frequently, and have many times over the past 30 years of ministry, “We just cannot get enough volunteers.” It seems like most churches wrestle with this issue. How can we get more people to volunteer for the various ministries we offer? Sometimes, this leads to a place of great frustration where leaders begin to believe that nobody cares about the ministry of […]
I love the smell of rain, especially when mixed with the ionized air of a thunderstorm. I enjoy the sound of the falling sheets of water, and the raindrops on the roof. Watching them dance on the road, or falling on the leaves, pausing only a moment before continuing their descent to the ground inspires awe at the vast simplicity of nature’s beauty, and God’s […]
“Now fear the Lord and serve him with all faithfulness. Throw away the gods your ancestors worshiped beyond the Euphrates River and in Egypt, and serve the Lord. But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land […]
“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 […]