A Rude Awakening Just as I began my seminary education, filled with a love of learning and a hunger to serve God, I attended a lecture. It was given at a nearby think tank, and the presenter was an author whom I admired at the time. It was early fall, and with no term...
Opening Prayers | Calls to Worship | Prayers of the People Prayers of Confession | Assurances of Pardon Celebrating World Communion Sunday World Communion Sunday (October 1, 2023) is an excellent occasion to remember together in word, song, and action that Christ has...
My Aversion to Self-Help Books & Their Gurus but Why I Recommend This One! I am not one for “self-help” books. I know that I probably could use some more personal coaching advice, but… my habit of going on my own is hard to break. That is why James Clear’s 2021...
Note: This was originally posted on July 12, 2023 on https://www.unhurriedliving.com/. Over the years, I have led hundreds of retreats that have at their center a few hours to be alone and quiet in listening prayer. At one such retreat, one participant shared a...
Every summer my church hosts a week-long summer camp where children experience the beauty and majesty of the Lord. The first year we sent our daughter to it, she loved it and learned so much about the Lord, but she pointed out in passing that she was the only brown...
Note: This was originally posted on February 15, 2017 on http://stirringouraffections.com/. Does our working shape us? Depending on what you do, you might answer that readily in the affirmative, strongly in the negative, or you might just need to ponder it a bit. I...
A wedding or a funeral? Most seasoned pastors will say, “Hands down, I’d rather do a funeral.” When you ask “Why?” you will most likely hear things like: Everybody wants a “Princess Di Wedding.” Not only couples (usually the bride) but families, too, can be more...
As August wraps up and Labor Day is right around the corner, your congregation is gearing up to go back to school for the 2023-2024 academic year! With it comes excitement and plenty of anxiety about what entering school or moving up a grade means for students and...
Spoiler Alert:This review contains some minor spoilers about the plot of Barbie. When I was a girl, at a certain age I had only one wish each time I opened a gift, and that wish was, “Please be a Barbie doll.” I was obsessed then, and although I never collected as...
Spoiler Alert: This review contains some minor spoilers about the plot of Oppenheimer. Content Alert: Oppenheimer contains adult themes, nudity, and graphic language. If I were to tell you that Hollywood would be releasing a 3-hour film during the summer blockbuster...
