Promises My promises define who I am. I have made promises to my beautiful wife, Rebekah, to our family, to our church, and to our community. I make those promises because of the promise God has made to us—a promise He has faithfully kept. In Scripture, God calls His promises covenants. To illustrate the power and…Read more Promises Define Us!
Jesus
Devoted to Prayer for the Middle East Tonight!
Before learning early this morning about the President’s military strike involving Iran, I had spent time meditating on this verse from Scripture: “Devote yourselves to prayer with an alert mind and a thankful heart.”—Colossians 4:2 It felt as though God had gently prepared my heart for the news of the day. Almost immediately, I sensed…Read more Devoted to Prayer for the Middle East Tonight!
The Grace of Being Present: A Pastor’s Reflection of Recovering from Cancer
Sunday morning, I slipped in as quietly as possible. I worshiped with our church family in person for the first time since my second surgery for colon cancer. About an hour before the service, I made the decision to go. Becky had been at church for nearly an hour already. She did not know I…Read more The Grace of Being Present: A Pastor’s Reflection of Recovering from Cancer
Happy Valentine’s Day
Just a few minutes ago, I asked a couple what they were doing for Valentine’s Day. He gave a sheepish grin. She smiled and said, “He forgot to book a restaurant—but I didn’t expect him to remember.” Without missing a beat, he added, “I’m going to grab some steaks and put them on the grill…Read more Happy Valentine’s Day
Mattering
Mattering—the title caught my eye. Yesterday I read a review of Jennifer Wallace’s new book. The author makes a point we emphasized many times at Woodland Church: every new person who walks in for morning worship, Elevation, or a small group is silently carrying two questions: Will you love me? Will you accept me? In…Read more Mattering
Goal Planning After Cancer: Grateful, Surprised, and Still Growing
This week I’ve been working on my annual goals. When I received my cancer diagnosis in June, I assumed it would derail everything I had planned for this year—and in many ways, it did. Over half of our plans changed or had to be set aside altogether. But as I worked through my annual review,…Read more Goal Planning After Cancer: Grateful, Surprised, and Still Growing
A Brief Reflection on Retirement, Love, and Letting Go
I recently “retired” as the pastor of the most loving and wonderful church family. Woodland Church has been our family’s church home for 27 years and will continue to be our church family. This has been a joyful—and emotionally difficult—decision. One of my friends encouraged me to ignore the sadness I am experiencing and not…Read more A Brief Reflection on Retirement, Love, and Letting Go
Ready for the Next Surgery: A Pastor’s Recovery from Cancer Surgery
This week, I had my pre-op appointments for what I hope will be my final surgery on December 26. My surgeon has been described as a “rockstar” in his field—and I’m deeply grateful for the skill and excellence God has placed in my medical team. During one of the consultations, the doctor told me he had read…Read more Ready for the Next Surgery: A Pastor’s Recovery from Cancer Surgery
Tears of Joy and Grief
The joyful pictures of the last twenty Israeli hostages reunited with their families bring tears to my eyes. Imagine being violently kidnapped during a barbaric killing spree that targeted women and children. For more than two years, you live in darkness—unsure if you will ever see the light of day again, wondering if you will…Read more Tears of Joy and Grief
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
Coram Deo 