Month: April 2017

Sunday School LessonsLeave a comment

Reconciled and assured

Twenty_3rd_Psa1m

  Delivered April 23, 2017 I want you to think for a moment about a time when someone hurt you very badly, when someone did something incredibly unjust to you. Don’t say it out loud, but consider how you responded. There is a range of responses that we might have in such a situation. Let’s take a look at some of them here: Retaliation: The author Hunter Thompson wrote the following about the Hell’s Angels biker gang — “When you’re asked to stay out of a bar you don’t just punch the owner–you come back with your army and tear the … Continue reading Reconciled and assured

Devotionals, Newspaper work1 Comment

Overwhelmed by hope

Twenty_3rd_Psa1m

  Originally published March 26, 2016 in the Suffolk News-Herald Some days, it’s all just a bit overwhelming. Terrorism, insurrection and rebellion have spread across the globe. Innocent lives are lost every day, and families are left with the gaping holes of loved ones snatched from their midst. Divisive, bitter and disgusting political rhetoric either continues to widen the existing rift between people or simply shines a light that makes it impossible to ignore the division that already exists. One’s perspective on the matter is said to reveal his own prejudice. And while arguments ensue over who’s to blame for … Continue reading Overwhelmed by hope

Devotionals2 Comments

Praying for the impossible

Twenty_3rd_Psa1m

  For several months, I have been praying for something impossible to happen. I hope to learn this week whether it takes place. For the sake of this post, it doesn’t really matter what the impossible thing is for which I’m seeking God’s intervention. I am healthy, and this is not a life-or-death matter for anyone, so there is no need for anyone to be worried about the outcome. This thing I’ve been praying about simply isn’t something I have a right to hope for or expect. It’s not something that I could accomplish on my own power, and if … Continue reading Praying for the impossible

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Springtime, and the possibilities are endless

Twenty_3rd_Psa1m

Ah, springtime. I like to sit at the table on our back deck and listen to the sounds of our neighborhood. I do this all year long — even when it means I have to bundle up in layers against the cold of a Tidewater winter. But in the spring, there’s a special blessing, and I’m not talking about the layer of pollen I tend to bring inside with me when I’m done. Right now, the birds are twittering and squawking and chirping their various songs. A neighbor has just fired up his lawn mower for the first time this … Continue reading Springtime, and the possibilities are endless