I feel honored to be writing the first reflection of Advent 2024.  As many of you know, I’ve been fighting a knee replacement gone bad which has had me viewing the world from my reclining sofa.  The closer I’ve come to Advent the more like a child I feel deep within me.  As I sat and waited on Advent, the King and Country version of “Little Drummer Boy” played in my head.   I’m going to ask you to click on

Sometimes the words of a song capture a situation spot on. At church we sing a song called The Voice of Truth. In that song, there’s a line where we sing “...to step out of my comfort zone, into the realm of the unknown, where Jesus is, and He’s holding out His hand…” I interpret that to mean that Jesus is beckoning me to change for the better, and that He will hold my hand through any difficulty that

Thanksgiving is almost here. It is a time to recognize as a nation that God’s love and grace is the foundation for a just and peaceful society. That His provision is generous and that we are blessed as a community to be under the umbrella of His Divine Providence. Jesus embodies thankfulness to the Father’s generosity in John; 17. Even though He is about to offer up His life to redeem us, He is thankful as He prepares Himself

Servant Leadership Servant leadership, as modeled by Jesus, is a powerful approach to leadership that focuses on humility, service, and empowering others. Jesus taught, “Whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant” (Matthew 20:26). In this, Jesus flips the typical model of leadership on its head; true greatness is found not in power but in service. For Christians, this call invites us to lead from a place of humility and love, putting the needs of others

2024 was a combination of reflection and looking to the future. As I turned 85 this September, I realized I have outlived my father and mother’s age of leaving this place. I am the oldest of six siblings and now the two next to me are gone. I must be getting towards the goal post. God has been an amazing part of the past 51 years since I turned my life over to Him through my encounter with Jesus.

The 2024 election is right around the corner.  It is important for the future of our nation.  We should all vote and take it seriously.  But, as Christians, we must remind ourselves that no politician, no political party, and no person will be our savior.  That position is forever filled by Jesus.  So, how should we approach this election? I am reminded of the story of the chicken and the pig having breakfast.  The chicken comments how wonderful it

Prayer is the heartbeat of a Christian’s relationship with God. It is not merely spiritual exercise or a ritual; it is a direct communication with the Creator. Spending time in prayer is essential for Christians because it deepens our connection with God, shapes our character, and empowers us to live out our faith. Prayer Builds Relationship with God Just as any relationship grows through communication, our relationship with God strengthens when we spend time in prayer. Jesus, who often withdrew

Now More Than Ever, Kindness Matters It is no secret that we are nearing a crescendo of years of political divisiveness. In just a matter of weeks, the 2024 presidential election will declare a president. Regardless of who is the “winner” of one of the most negative campaigns in modern history, half of the country’s population will be unhappy. An equal amount of anxiety will stack up against whatever joy is being felt by others. It doesn’t matter whose

I Will Praise You in the Storm This week I left some friends going through some difficult health issues. They just received word that there would be another delay before a much need operation could take place. As we sat a talked, I listened and heard the frustration and grief. I found myself overwhelmed with the desire to fix something that was out of my control. I was wishing for a healing to take place, and that life could

Happy 4th of July!!! Happy Birthday America!!! Ever since I was a kid, I have always loved the 4th of July...I mean the hot dogs, soda pop, hamburgers, day at the beach, were okay but I just loved blowing things up...I found that I could not wait until it got night, and the fireworks show would begin.  From that very first shell that would go up and explode and paint the night sky and fill the heavens with the beautiful

Summers Have Changed When I was a kid, growing up in Phoenix, I loved summers. Although it was hot, the weather never seemed to bother us.  Summer started in June and ended after Labor Day.  Our days were filled with TV, play, Totino’s frozen pizzas, and swimming.  It was a good life! Summers changed for two reasons.  One, I got older.  And two, schools now go year-round.  Summer is not the same. Now, for me, and many of you, summer

God, how do I find your will for my life? How come I still listen to the wrong voice and make stupid mistakes? We live in a world with many voices seeking our attention. With all the breaking news, tweets, blogs, podcasts, and compelling advice from Alexa, Siri, Google, and others; we can find it difficult to know which voices to trust. Sometimes we crowdsource guidance in our lives, thinking the majority will provide the best source of truth. Other

Fatherhood Fatherhood.  Fathers have changed over the generations. With each new generation fathers have learned to be more present and more confident to display emotions unlike our fathers and grandfathers. My father never told me or his grandkids that he loved us. We knew he did by his actions.  My father-in-law on the other hand, told my son into his twenties, every day that he loved him and kissed him goodnight before bedtime.  This is the father and grandfather

I am giving you a new commandment:  Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other. Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.” (John 13:34) This past week I have received calls from many friends and family who are part of this community who are going through some exceedingly challenging times. I have some good friends who just found out they are going to be battling cancer. I

Go, Team! (A True Story) In the days that high school homecoming floats depended on chicken wire, paper napkins and crepe paper, and a dad’s garage to stage construction – I was on the float committee for my class. I got pulled into the project by a classmate who convinced me it would be fun, and by the prospect of seeing more of my friends and less of my books. I even got clearance from my mother to drive

This year started with a first for me.  I had my first surgery ever. For years I nursed along a fully arthritic knee and on January 11 I had a total knee replacement.  I had prayed for a long time I would know when the time was right and that God would give me total peace. I was pleased the morning of the surgery that I didn’t run the other way.  I was packed and ready to go.  Paul

There but for the grace of God go I. We’ve heard this saying countless times. What is God’s grace? In a theological context, according to dictionary.com, it’s the freely given, unmerited favor and love of God.  I recently took time to reflect on how There but for the grace of God go I can be said in a spirit of love and gratitude. For example, when I know of someone going through a physical struggle, and I think that I

Motherhood Motherhood.  Youth and beauty fade, friendships may fall by the wayside, but a mother’s love is unconditional and outlives them all. Motherhood is a choice one makes to put someone else’s happiness and well-being ahead of your own. It is the purest, most rewarding kind of love that exists.  Motherhood is a gift from God whether you are a birth mother or a mother figure. There was a time many years ago that I thought I would not

“Humility is not thinking less of yourself. It’s thinking of yourself less.” ― C. S. Lewis When I was a young adult, I began the journey of trying to understand humility. As my heart longed to know Jesus, the Holy Spirit guided me to the practice of prayer. What would lead me to seek the virtue of humility? The other virtues, compassion, kindness, gentleness and patience all seemed natural, but humility intrigued me. Humility is a special virtue that

Old Age Isn’t for Sissies My mother had a magnet on her refrigerator that somebody had given her when she turned 60. It was a little rocking chair with the words printed on it, “Old age isn’t for sissies.” She kept it on the front of the refrigerator door to hold her groceries list, and the various receipts and reminders that punctuated her life in Indiana. I hated the magnet because I thought it implied that my mother was

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; and in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your path straight. -Proverbs 3:5-6 This is one of my favorite bible verses. Doesn’t it just roll off the tongue speaking comfort and confidence into His plan for us?  I went to a conference a few months ago and my favorite speaker, Megan Marshman, broke this verse down and it brought me

The Shoes The shoes were cheap and worn.  They were light beige and scuffed, strappy and open, with very tall heels.  They were the kind of shoes that a woman would wear to make her legs look extra-long and noticeable.  The kind of shoes that a woman would wear to attract attention, usually men, often for money.  But there was no woman. Only the shoes, left lying there, discarded in a heap, in a corner behind an ice machine,

An Easter Reflection We all know that there are major milestones in our lives. Those events are so profound that they help us identify who we are and how we arrived at the place we are right now. These milestones include being born, our first words, learning to walk, the first day of school, our first friend, first kiss and falling in love, just to name a few. As a parent of two who are about to graduate from

Holy Week is the most sacred week of the year for us as Christians.  It is the time when we remember the passion, death, and resurrection of Jesus.  Through the celebration of Palm Sunday, Good Friday, and Easter we are invited to enter into the life of Christ on a deeper level.  We are called to die with him, so we can rise with him to new life. Over the years I have had many people ask where the traditions

For Those That Have Eyes To See… I have prayed often over the years to know God’s Presence in my life. After studying the Bible for many years, even in different languages, I know that knowledge about God is important and necessary, but knowledge alone about someone is not the same as the experience of their presence. Relationship is about lived experience of the other in our life. This seems obvious but often it is so allusive. When we have