“And Jesus said to him, “Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests; but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head.” Matthew 8:20 Dear Friends:  As we prepare for the celebration of Jesus Christ born among us once again, what do we envision? A tiny babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying […]

11 The Lord said, “Go out and stand on the mountain before the Lord, for the Lord is about to pass by.” Now there was a great wind, so strong that it was splitting mountains and breaking rocks in pieces before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind; and after the wind an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the […]

“be still and know that I am God…” Psalm 46:11 Dear Friends:  When Ghandi visited South Africa and all its upheaval during the apartheid he is to have said that if just 1% of the people would meditate we would have peace. Just 1%! I imagine at least 1% of the people in the United […]

“Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever.” 1 Chronicles 16:34 Dear Friends, Perhaps around your Thanksgiving table you begin with an offering of thanks for the many blessings of this life. I’m always grateful at our table when each grandchild slows for just an instant to say thank you whether it be […]

“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give as the world gives.” John 14:27  Dear Friends: Shalom, my friends, shalom. Shalom is the Hebrew שׁלום word rooted in the definition of Peace. More succinctly, shalom means to have a complete wholeness, sound health, secure safety, and the riches of prosperity, a […]

“…do not be terrified; for these things must take place first…” Luke 21:9 Dear Friends:  Late last week I had the great misfortune of being in the dentist chair. Most of you, I’m sure, have no fears or qualms about being in the dentist chair. No concerns about a kind technician with a mask covering […]

“In him you also,…were marked with the seal of the promise Holy Spirit…” Ephesians 1:13 Dear Friends:  What label do you wear?  A wedding ring to label you as married? Sports clothes to label you as an athlete? A uniform to label you as a member of the military, the police force, fire department, or […]

“You were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord, so live your life as children of light.” Ephesians 5:8 Dear Friends:  May tomorrow’s Samhain (pronounced sow-in) be a day of warding off evil spirits for you and your household. Yes, tomorrow is Halloween. Costumes are worn, jack-o-lanterns are lit, and trick or […]

“Therefore, I conclude that we shouldn’t create problems for Gentiles who turn to God.” Acts 15:19  Dear Friends:  Okay, so maybe we’re late coming to a life belonging to God. The chosen ones, the Israelites, certainly have a leg up on us when it comes to faithful following. We can give thanks to God that […]

“Jesus was telling them a parable about their need to pray continuously and not to be discouraged.” Luke 18:1 Dear Friends:  How can we not be discouraged?! When we pray; and we pray; and we pray, and our prayers are not answered. Is God not listening? Does God care? Are we not praying correctly? In […]