After four days in the hospital with dangerously low sodium, I’m grateful to be home and recovering well. Thank you for your prayers, encouragement, and love—please continue to pray as I heal and prepare for more tests in October. God is faithful!
Worship
Walking Through Recovery One Step at a Time: A Pastor’s Cancer Diagnosis
Cabin fever has definitely set in. Recovery can be a slow, unpredictable process — and I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t eager to get through this phase quickly. There’s so much I want to do. My mind races ahead, but my body is still catching up. So I pray for a speedy recovery…Read more Walking Through Recovery One Step at a Time: A Pastor’s Cancer Diagnosis
Week 2 The Faith of a Community: A Pastor’s Cancer Diagnosis
I have been overwhelmed by the outpouring of love and prayerful support in response to my post last week about my cancer diagnosis. Thank you for the scriptures, songs, prayers, and humor you have shared. I am reading and saving each one in a special file for this journey. It took some time to reply…Read more Week 2 The Faith of a Community: A Pastor’s Cancer Diagnosis
The Wonder of Surrender
“One does not surrender a life in an instant. That which is lifelong can only be surrendered in a lifetime.” Jim Elliot, https://elisabethelliot.org/tribute-to-elisabeth/ Each time I preach, I offer to pray with people who want to surrender their lives to Christ. A part of my prayer always includes, “as much as I know how, I…Read more The Wonder of Surrender
Celebrating Faith: Baptism and Holiday Cheer
Christianity is a joyful faith! Jesus speaks of the gift of fullness of joy! This Sunday was an especially joyful day of celebrating God's love through music, worship, prayer, generosity, Communion, the sermon on joy, and the baptism of eight people. Our church family was blessed as each of those baptized briefly shared a bit…Read more Celebrating Faith: Baptism and Holiday Cheer
Alive to Wonder
On a cold, and unusually clear night in the suburbs, Becky and I gazed in the night sky at distant planets and constellations. The app on our phone helped us identify stars and planets with some information about each. Learning only increased our wonder at the heavenly display of God’s glory. Our children were constantly…Read more Alive to Wonder
Sunday, Day of Joy
Sunday, happens between Black Friday and Cyber Monday. The people of God gather in glorious praise from generation to generation to worship the Lord with thanksgiving and praise. This is a day of eternal priceless joy. The “joy of the Lord” is our strength and the Gospel is “good news of great joy.” (See Nehemiah…Read more Sunday, Day of Joy
Teach Them to Worship
Recently, I watched one of my grandsons worship the Lord. Little hands lifted in the air in love. Immediately, I remembered his Daddy, our son worship the Lord as little one, a teenager, and a young single adult. This summer we were able to worship with him and his family together. Such joy, that I…Read more Teach Them to Worship
Stay Thirsty!
Water is the best way to hydrate your body or quench your thirst. Your body craves water. More than 50% of your body is water. God created us so that we crave fluids, hopefully you are hydrating with water throughout the day. It is socially cool to carry a water bottle with you. It is…Read more Stay Thirsty!
God Pleasers!
When I see my wife smile, or our children and grandsons smile, my heart swells with joy. Either they are pleased or amused. It doesn’t matter which, I’m happy with their pleasure. However, the goal of my life is not pleasing them, but pleasing God. There is a huge difference and it's what I will…Read more God Pleasers!