Advent is my favorite liturgical season. I love the anticipation and expectation that a new hope will soon be born into the world. Lord knows, the world needs something. Long ago, the majority of those living under the rule of the Roman Empire was waiting on a long-awaited Messiah to bring light to their darkness.... Continue Reading →
5 Things for Which I Am Thankful for at Thanksgiving
2018 has been giving 2017 a run for its money when it comes to civil dysfunction. Let’s be honest; things aren’t exactly getting better in our political and civil discourse. As a Jesus follower, my predisposition is towards hope, but that’s not exactly an easy path on some days. As we slow down and prepare... Continue Reading →
Tuesday-Jesus’ Final Exam
We come to Tuesday of Jesus’ Final Week. Much of Tuesday will be spent teaching in the courtyard of the temple. Mark’s Narrative of Tuesday covers almost 3 chapters, a total of 115 verses. It is by far the longest of the days in scripture. Almost two-thirds of the time is spent in conflict... Continue Reading →
“Loving On Each Other” as a Poor Substitute for Real Love
“We just need to love on each other” I’ve learned that this phrase, used even by a well-meaning person, typically means that we are going to do nothing to improve the individual or collective well-being. Often it is served up with a side dish of judgement, while having an excuse for not leaving one’s comfort... Continue Reading →
Advent 4 and Christmas Eve
"Love is what we are born with. Fear is what we learn. The spiritual journey is the unlearning of fear and prejudices and the acceptance of love back in our hearts." Marianne Williamson The account of Jesus' birth that we hear today is the foundation of a way of life. The birth of Jesus is... Continue Reading →
Harry Potter
We just unpacked our collection of Harry Potter books. They are considered valuables in our household, with our nine-year-old making her way through Chamber of Secrets as we speak. It’s hard to believe that the first Harry Potter book was published twenty years ago today. J.K. Rowling blessed us with this magical world that teaches us... Continue Reading →
The Power of Love
It's Valentine's Day, which originally began in the church, of all places, as a feast for the saint Valentinus. The story goes that he was imprisoned for performing weddings for those who were forbidden to marry and for ministering to followers of Christ who were persecuted under the Roman Empire. As the story goes, he... Continue Reading →
Build Lives, Not Walls
It is early in the morning, the sun rising over the neighborhoods of Tecate, Mexico. Tecate sits about 25 miles due east of Tijuana, and straddles the border between Mexico and the United States.From certain places in town you can see both sides of the border. I'm s driving a van full of kids, eager... Continue Reading →
Where Do You Draw the Line?
I’ve been thinking about a couple of things today Jesus- I’m getting ready to start a new series on the life of Jesus as told in the early chapters of the Gospel of Luke New Year’s Resolutions- There is reason devotional sales are high in January. Everyone wants to be a better, more devout, go... Continue Reading →
