When we observe Holy Week, we often focus on Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and Resurrection Sunday. But a spiritually important topic emerges on what I call ‘Silent Saturday.’ Imagine those early Jesus followers in the first century. Their champion had been brutally murdered by the Roman empire at the instigation of the Jewish religious leaders. …
Maybe it’s because I worked six years for a faith-based women’s center. Or maybe it’s because I have known so many incredible women with amazing giftings. Maybe it’s because we are in the middle of International Women’s Month. For whatever reason, the topic of valuing women is front and center. Growing up in a legalistic …
What is the difference between the pain of growing and the pain of suffering? Neither type of pain is comfortable and most of us try to avoid all pain. We want life to be struggle free, even if we have to ask the doctor for a prescription to ease our suffering. But is there a …
As a former athlete, I fully admit I still love watching sports. Of course, like most folks — I have my favorite teams. But I tend to cheer most during the college football and basketball seasons and for my team in the NFL. In fact, I am known as a ‘yeller.’ Not afraid to cheer …
Over the last few weeks, I have been digging into the Beatitudes—those written steps that lead into the Sermon on the Mount. Somewhere, I’ve heard them referred to as Beautiful Attitudes. I like that moniker. But I also think they give us some clues into how attitudes lead into behaviors. Perhaps my recent study comes …
As a creative person and the leader of a group of creative writers, I’m always seeing the creativity around me. One of the places I’ve noticed an unusual amount of creativity is within my church. The Pianist: She adds notes to basic chords, filling them out so that they resonate with the melody, yet create …
In the weeks leading up to Christmas, we focus on gifts, decorations, activities, and family gatherings. Many denominations make Christmas the most ‘wonderful time of the year.’ Yet for Jesus followers, our focus should be that empty tomb. The Lenten season leads up to the hosannas of Palm Sunday, the tragedy of Good Friday, and …
We do not focus a great deal of theology on the humanity of Jesus. Yet we know he lived and died as a human being. The television series, The Chosen, has brought more of the human physical and emotional characteristics of Jesus to the forefront. Maybe this series has become so popular because we needed …
One of the joys of my life arrives every morning when I feed the birds. My place has a large deck where I’ve hung three bird feeders. Every morning, I pour out the seed, call to the birds, and watch these amazing creatures float toward me. Flashy cardinals, raucous blue jays with their silver details, …
We rarely think of the Pharisees as the good guys, in spite of the fact that Nicodemus, Joseph of Arimathea, and Gamaliel seemed to believe the message of Jesus. And who knows how many other Pharisees were secret believers. Yet, we can learn from these guys. Take some of their behaviors and flip them into …