Tag: faith

When Life Feels Unmanageable, How Do We Endure?

Good Morning Friends, Some of my family were cowboys out West and others were farmers in the Midwest, so when we moved to Collier County in the 1960s, visiting Immokalee didn’t feel entirely foreign to my father. But what he saw there—the human rights challenges facing migrant workers—was deeply troubling. Still it was a different time. … Continue reading When Life Feels Unmanageable, How Do We Endure? →

What Do We Do When We Come Down from the Mountaintop?

Good morning, friends. Lent is not named in Scripture, but the practices of repentance, ashes, and returning to God certainly are. As Transfiguration Sunday arrives, we begin our journey toward the cross—a journey that starts on a mountaintop of glory and leads us into honest repentance. Scripture: Joshua 5:9–12; Exodus 32:15; 2 Kings 1:9; Matthew 17:1–13; … Continue reading What Do We Do When We Come Down from the Mountaintop? →

What Do You Say About The Way Of Small Miracles?

Good morning, friends. As Lent approaches, I find myself reflecting on small acts of love—how they quietly shape our lives. Yet even with Lunar New Year decorations around me and the Winter Olympics on the TV, I feel a touch of melancholy following the Super Bowl. I realize the underlying cause may be something internal because my mother died on … Continue reading What Do You Say About The Way Of Small Miracles? →

What Kind of Faith Truly Lasts In a World Of Competing Beliefs?

Good morning, friends. Yesterday we saw the glory of Solomon’s reign; today we see how quickly it unravels. The king who had everything becomes a wise fool when his heart drifts from God. His many wives, his divided loyalties, and even the order of his building projects—his palace before the Temple—show a life slowly sliding … Continue reading What Kind of Faith Truly Lasts In a World Of Competing Beliefs? →

How Do We Become More Like Jesus, Come Clean, And Keep Tending The Garden Of Our Souls?

Good Morning Friends, Today we reflect on the nature of the Church—the Bride of Christ—and on what it means to love God and our neighbors from the inside out. When we look in the mirror, we may think we are polished and prepared, yet God lovingly humbles us so we can become holy. Along the … Continue reading How Do We Become More Like Jesus, Come Clean, And Keep Tending The Garden Of Our Souls? →

Will God Indeed Dwell On The Earth?

Good Morning Friends, When Solomon stood before the altar, hands lifted toward heaven, he was overwhelmed by a holy paradox. The God whom “heaven and the highest heaven cannot contain” had chosen to place His Name among His people. Solomon knew that no building, however magnificent, could house the Holy One. Yet he also knew … Continue reading Will God Indeed Dwell On The Earth? →

Can We Serve Everyone Without Complicating Things?

Good Morning Friends, Today’s scriptures and yesterday's sermon on the Fruit of Goodness, invites us to stay centered rather than drift into double‑mindedness. Solomon, Mark, and Paul each show us something about worship, power, miracles, and faith—and together they raise a simple but searching question: Can We Serve Everyone Without Complicating Things? Scripture: “He has … Continue reading Can We Serve Everyone Without Complicating Things? →

Are We Prepared To Be A Positive Influence That Reflects God’s Power?

Good Morning Friends, As Christians, we are to experience true transformation.  On Friday I wrote a devotional on not being pressured, still we may have a role to play in the Holy Spirit pressuring us. So today we ask: Are We Prepared To Be A Positive Influence That Reflects God’s Power? Scripture:1 Corinthians 2:1–5; Matthew 5:13–16; … Continue reading Are We Prepared To Be A Positive Influence That Reflects God’s Power? →

What Does It Take To Deal With The Pressure Of Being A Good Leader?

Good Morning Friends, Church work brings pressure—more than we often expect. Pressure from family, friends, and the work itself can drain our peace, even though we long for the church to be a place of rest. At times it feels like we’re being pulled in every direction. Circumstances and schedules are one thing; people-pressure is … Continue reading What Does It Take To Deal With The Pressure Of Being A Good Leader? →