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Tears are a Message
There they were againWith no way to prevent itPushing me toward HimWho did indeed invent it They were big and sincereLoving and rollingRight down my cheeksQuite uncontrolling I’d prefer them to stopBut I love why they cameI owe everything to momMy life and my name Tears are a messageA word in a dropI don’t want…
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Just a Quick Little Prayer
How often do we find ourselves in situations where we react and say a quick little prayer? It happens. A simple “God, please help me here.” Or “Lord, have mercy on me.” Those prayers are frequent and good. In fact, in my recent reading and preaching through the book of Nehemiah, I was so encouraged…
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First Day of School poem
First day of school poem It’s the first day of school’23-’24And the summer time schedule is here no more. It’s the first day of schoolAnd the end of summer breakNew teachers to meet and new classes to take. Its the first day of schoolBackpacks and new shoesNew Classrooms to findAnd good friendships to choose It’s…
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“Do you not care?”
This is the scary question that Martha asks Jesus in Luke 10. Life is hard, and when we are feeling the pressures of life we can say things that we don’t really mean. We know from Scripture that Martha loved Jesus and trusted Him. But in this moment (anxiety and trouble over showing hospitality to…
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What Benefits Does It Come With?
Does it come with benefits? How many times have you heard this? A job may pay well, but it does not provide any benefits. A job may not pay all that well, but it provides lots of great benefits. The benefits matter! Psalm 103:1-2 says: “Bless the Lord, O my soul, all that is within…
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The Soul in the Psalms
I recently read through the book of Psalms again. I knew going into it that the Psalms display a full range of emotions. But this time around, I was struck by how often the varying emotions are coming from “the soul.” The Soul is the realest and deepest part of us. We are to love…
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Give Me Understanding
Lately I have been speaking a lot more Spanish. Honestly, I have been attempting more to speak Spanish. And there is a phrase that has become so useful to me. That Spanish phrase is “No entiendo.” Which simply means “I don’t understand.” I usually combine it with “Perdon. Lo siento, pero no entiendo.” (I’m sorry,…
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The Beatitudes of Revelation
Many people, and most Christians, have heard of the Beatitudes. Those powerful opening words to Jesus’s longest sermon – The Sermon on the Mount – from Matthew 5-7. In Matthew 5:3-12, we encounter Jesus’s Kingdom mindset. His worldview is striking. Clearly, Jesus’s mind is set on things above! What Jesus considers to be a blessing…
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Taking Time to Think During the Holidays
December’s calendar is so full. There is so much going on this time of year. “I hardly even have time to think.” I have heard this comment before. Not having time, or taking time, to stop and think is one of our biggest weaknesses. No time to reflect is a problem. This month I have…
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the invaluable widows
This past week we lost another widow in our church. She was 91. In the last 2 years, we have had several of our older widows pass away. Its been heavy for our church to think about life without them. On one had they were ordinary. Nothing flashy. The kind of older church people that…