Intentional diversityNot many people naming Jesus’ twelve disciples from memory would be likely to include Jesus’ disciple Nathanael in the top five or six names. We all think of Peter and Thomas, James and John. Nathanael asks Philip, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” (John 1:46) Nathanael’s question reveals much about him and by extension, us as well. Looking back, it…
Last week Pastor Monica spoke to us about being rooted in faith. She used the illustration of two trees; how the roots underground twist into one another, leading to the two trees dependent on one another for life. Pastor Monica shared that like the trees, our roots to one another lead us to be connected and dependent on one another. Our common…
Peter, who is almost 5 and in Prekindergarten this year, and I both chose Fridays as a day of Sabbath. As the girls finish the week at school and Steve completes his work week, Peter and I remember that God rested on the seventh day and commands us to do likewise on our Fridays together. We often spend this time in nature,…
“Kingslayer: The Story of Samson” As we have studied the book of Judges over the past few weeks, we have encountered a number of characters with complex identities- marked by the varied stories of their lives. I must admit that up until this sermon series I had not read the book of Judges in its entirety. I had only read a few…
“God, I will go to church, I will pray more, or I will give money to the church, if only the Eagles win this afternoon (or the Steelers or fill in your preferred team)!” Multiple teams are playing today; it is worth asking, have you ever made that kind of promises? Or perhaps, this is familiar “God, if you would keep my…
Megan Ashley was riding on the plane from San Diego to Nashville when she overheard an older woman telling a young man how nervous she was about this flight. For her first flight in 15 years, the ninety-six-year-old woman needed someone to talk to and reassure her. There was no expectation that this man she had just been assigned to sit next…
Hands of a Woman: Deborah and BarakGod has a way of surprising us. Unlikely characters getting leading roles. Improbable plot twists when the narrative seems predictable. Even word play on expected tropes. Today’s story has all three! Good television and exciting books have nothing on Bible! Last week, we began the Game of Judges, a month-long dive into the biblical book of…
“Give Us A Protector Of the Realm: A Judge!”If you think the Bible is filled only with images of Precious Moments from your Curio Cabinet and your Nativity figurines, it may be that you have not gotten a chance to read the book of Judges before. And perhaps, that is because, you have not heard a sermon on Judges! Recently, I took…
PeaceWe know it better by its absence. On the days, in which you can not win, you have stepped in every puddle, hit every red light, and just can not catch a break, you might be looking for it. When the mailbox is filled with bills, the inbox is overflowing, and the schedule has no white space, you might be searching it…
Blessed AssuranceThis week, our son Peter, asked an interesting question: How do you know that God is with you, if you can not see God? Kids say the darnedest things. Often, they ask the questions we have been holding or afraid to ask. Lest you think, my life is any different than yours. We were driving along on our way to Target,…