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
Relationships
Fearfully and Wonderfully Made
“I praise You because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Your works are wonderful, I know that full well.” Psalm 139:14 Fearfully and wonderfully made. Those words should leave us in awe. Awe is that deep, humbling awareness that we are standing before something far greater than ourselves—something so wondrous it quiets us, and so…Read more Fearfully and Wonderfully Made
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
31 Hours ‘Til
Christmas Eve 2025 As I write these words, there are 31 hours left until a new year begins—and 31 final hours for me to serve as pastor of Woodland Church. I pause in this moment with a grateful heart. Scripture tells us, “The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to…Read more 31 Hours ‘Til
Mistakes, I have made more than a few!
When Jesus taught us to pray by addressing God as Father, he revealed to us what God is really like. Reading the Bible, there is a clear message that God is our Father. “The Lord is like a father to his children, tender and compassionate to those who fear him. For he knows how weak we are;…Read more Mistakes, I have made more than a few!
A Baby Means Life Should Go On
"A baby is God's opinion that life should go on." Carl Sandberg I have never seen an ugly baby! And I have seen, held, and dedicated a lot of babies. A comedian once said all the babies he had seen were ugly and he wondered how people could love them. We were laughing while he…Read more A Baby Means Life Should Go On
Coram Deo 