Why are you frightened, and why do doubts arise in your hearts? Luke 24: 38 Lord I have learned to listen to your questions. When reading your Holy Word and seeing you poise a query, I pause and ask them of myself. I allow them to sink under my thick skin and coat my heart. Why am I frightened? I didn’t even realize I was until you asked. I proudly perform on the world stage with the appearance of confidence and bravery. I deny my underlying fears and sweep them under the doormat of my soul. Yet when I stop and am honest, Lord, you are right. Those unnamed fears quiver within me, stop me from holy boldness and prevent me from living fully in your joy. The nameless fears sprout doubt and distraction. Not claiming them allows uncertainly and distrust of you to smolder. My heart burns not with your love, but with anger and frustration. Once I retrieve those fears – the ones you ask about – and put them into your hands, I am yours once again. When I am … [Read more...]
Five Tips for Finding Time with God
Many of us want to spend more time with God. We have good intentions. Start out strong. But after a few days or changes in schedules or sick kids or life in general, we forget/postpone/purposely choose to delete spending precious moments with God. I really do believe God understands this common human dilemma but I sincerely want and desire to spend more time with him. We don’t make time; we have difficulty in managing time. In reality we have no control over time nor the disruptions in life. Life happens. Our job is to be faithful and keep returning to God. I have been thinking about the difficulty in keeping my time with God. Life just interferes, interrupts and intercepts my mind and heart. Here are five tips/observations I have been considering when trying to find time with God. Make the intention anyway. Find your basic rhythm. I know when I start the day with God, the day goes better or at least I have a more peaceful attitude towards whatever comes my way. I love to … [Read more...]
Searching for Sunday – Book Review
Every once in awhile a book comes along that nourishes both the mind and the heart. Searching for Sunday – Loving, Leaving and Finding the Church – by Rachel Held Evans is one of those books. What I liked: I love reading material that makes me think. Words that haunt my thoughts throughout the day and help me clarify their meaning. Yet I don’t want to live just in my head – I also need fuel for my spirit and my heart – to grow in my passion and love of God. This book fits both needs. Searching for Sunday is a book about Rachel’s brave and vulnerable quest and exploration on what church means. She is honest with her doubts and difficulties and invites us to walk along with her. I love how she shares her stories. We have a God who loves to be with us – even in our struggling times and wants to hear from us. Shouldn’t the church be the same way? This book may challenge you, stretch you, but at the same time inspire you to articulate and clarify what church means to you. Be … [Read more...]
Peace Be with You – Lectio Divina
A week later his disciples were again in the house, and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were shut, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.” Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here and see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it in my side. Do not doubt but believe.” Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God!” Jesus said to him, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe.” John 20:26-29 (NRSV) Thank you for your peace, Lord. May your tranquility be ever surrounding me. May your stillness calm the storms that rage within and around. May your harmony preside in all my relationships. May your serenity soothe my frazzled nerves and doubting mind. May your peace roll the stone away from my heart so I recognize you are my Lord and my God. . … [Read more...]
Easter Lily Lessons
The front of our church erupted with white-trumpeted lilies this past Easter Sunday. The Easter lily has long been a sign of resurrection for many churches and its white flower symbolizing hope and purity. Legend tells that lilies were discovered in the Garden of Gethsemane after Christ died on the cross. Lilies grow from ugly dead looking bulbs. These bulbs are buried in the ground all winter – through terrible storms and cold endless nights. In spring they burst forth with new beautiful life. What a wonderful symbol of resurrection and life rising from death. The tradition of my church is different families purchase a lily for display on Easter in honor or in memory of someone. We did that this year and now that lily is gracing our dining room table. I enjoy this Easter lily three times. Once with my eyes – seeing this flower lifting its petals up in praise. A second time with my nose – a sweet fragrance trailing throughout the room. And third, with my heart … [Read more...]
It’s Spring!
I love spring. The new beginnings – trees spouting green tips, birds caroling from branch to branch, crisp fresh air rushing in from newly open windows and the earth awakening from its dull brown slumber. Spring is God's way of saying, 'One more time!' Robert Orben My Florida friend, Laura, knows I long for spring during the dreary cold Ohio winters. She sent me this quote last week that captures this season: "The snow has not yet left the earth, but spring is already asking to enter your heart. If you have ever recovered from a serious illness, you will be familiar with the blessed state when you are in a delicious state of anticipation, and are liable to smile without any obvious reason. Evidently that is what nature is experiencing just now. The ground is cold, mud and snow squelches under foot, but how cheerful, gentle and inviting everything is! The air is so clear and transparent that if you were to climb to the top of the pigeon loft or the bell tower, you feel you might … [Read more...]
He is Risen!
Once Again – Amazed How God Uses Everything.
God uses everything. Why am I so amazed to realize that once again? We worship a God who loves to surprise us. Did any of you watch 60 Minutes last Sunday? They featured an experimental therapy at Duke University to treat brain cancer and the segment was called “Killing Cancer.” They infect tumors with the poliovirus and in some cases the tumor is gone! Polio- a disease we have fought to eliminate, which is good – I know people today who had polio as children and still have effects. Polio – just the word scared parents in the 1950s. I never in my wildest dreams thought I would hear: polio: cancer killer. Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us… Ephesians 3: 20 Isn’t it amazing? God does immeasurably more that all we ask or imagine… Just hold that thought in your heart and reread those words. Immeasurably more than we can ever ask or even imagine. Thank you, Lord! I would never … [Read more...]