Hi Family, My recovery from cancer surgery is moving along slowly but steadily. At times I want to press ahead more quickly, but my doctors, nurses, and therapists remind me that healing takes patience. What keeps me anchored in this season is a vision God gave Becky and me many years ago. I remember it…Read more Our Vision Sustains Us: A Pastor’s Recovery from Cancer Surgery
Friendship
Monday Meditations 2025-06-23
“Fear of the Lord is the foundation of true wisdom. All who obey his commandments will grow in wisdom. Praise him forever!” (Psalm 111:10, NLT) Wisdom has been a goal for me anchored in the Biblical truth that wisdom's foundation is the fear of the Lord. Wisdom is looking ahead, the long game not the short game.…Read more Monday Meditations 2025-06-23
Finished Well!
The picture above is of one my good friends, Randy Stokes, and the best networker I have known. Wednesday evening, before our midweek service at Woodland Church, I called Randy. We talked about his sister's upcoming funeral on Friday of this week, his health, his family, his job, and future. Before we finished our call,…Read more Finished Well!
Reading the Bible this Year
The rewards of reading the Bible in community is growing in our knowledge of God together. Throughout the year, we will discover promises, prophecies, peace, and direction together. Individually we will grow, but we will also grow as brothers, sisters, and friends. Remember that God calls us together into a kingdom. Let me invite you…Read more Reading the Bible this Year
Happy Sabbath #2
It is a pleasant surprise for a pastor when a Sunday morning message strikes a chord with so many. The message Sunday about Sabbath Rest has sparked conversations every day this week. A common summary of the comments reveals that most of us have not seen Sabbath as the grace gift that it is. There…Read more Happy Sabbath #2
The Gospel’s Success
"The gospel cannot live, fight, conquer without prayer — prayer unceasing, instant, and ardent." E. M. Bounds. As you are praying for your friends today, think about this. The problems and challenges facing them, God is working through those issues to bring His peace to them. The peace that passes all understanding. The peace of…Read more The Gospel’s Success
Friending God
Here is a quote from my grandsons' The Jesus Storybook Bible we gave them for Christmas. "This is how God will rescue the whole world [Jesus says]. My life will break and God's broken world will mend. My heart will tear apart—and your hearts will heal … I won't be with you long. You are…Read more Friending God
Friendship
Charles Spurgeon quoted Cicero, “Friendship is the only thing in the world concerning the usefulness of which all mankind are agreed.” Friends are a necessary gift and blessing to all us. Therefore it becomes important for us to understand the power of friendship. It begins with choice. Friends choose one another. Siblings don't choose one…Read more Friendship
Synopsis 2-25-17
After putting it off for too long, I submitted to outpatient surgery to remove the excess skin obscuring my eyesight. Procrastinating was easy because other than looking droopy eyed it wasn't stopping me from studying until lately. A field vision test persuaded me it was the correct decision. Well, the surgery is over, and my family…Read more Synopsis 2-25-17
Watching A Dream Flourish
Sunday Morning at Woodland while worshipping with our congregation a deep joy flowed through me. Eric, one of our young men home for the Thanksgiving weekend, led us in worship. Behind him was another student, Noah, home from Valley Forge, was playing guitar. Eric's parents were singing and Noah's Dad was playing bass. It was…Read more Watching A Dream Flourish