Tangible experiences of an intangible faith
I am a woman who is childless. I don’t speak this out loud often, because it’s not something I’m ok with. I’m childless not by choice. There is still a sliver of hope that my childlessness will one day be reversed, but as the years move on I see this particular dream fade. I don’t… Continue reading Word, water and children
Can a committee meeting be a tangible experience of God’s grace in action? Ask a Presbyterian and we might roll our eyes a bit. Committee work is grinding, awkward, and often full of hoops. It can seem very void of God’s Spirit. However, Presbyterians keep using the model of committees to engage the work of… Continue reading Word, water and committees
Pastors love to think that the sermons we spend countless hours on have the ability to move mountains. It’s a secret desire of every pastor, no matter the denomination, to be heard and followed. All three of the top Myer’s Briggs personality types for pastors are extroverted. A common challenge for pastors is the need… Continue reading Word, water and sermons
On Easter morning Christians stand up together and declare the one truth that binds us together in faith “He is Risen!” This a grand story, filled with drama and completely post-worthy, by today’s social media standards. One of the more dramatic readings of the resurrection is in Matthew 28. To read the account in Matthew… Continue reading Word, water and Spectacle
Every so often I find myself reflecting on the following question “Am I as literal as Jesus in love and mercy, or do I rationalize it away and compartmentalize it so it doesn’t apply to situations in my life?” It makes me stop for a moment and think about the way I interpret the call… Continue reading Word, water and Love
“Son of David! Have Mercy on Me!” You hear your voice calling out the words and you can’t quite believe that they come from your mouth, but you are there on the outskirts of the people, unable to see, unable to find room to move in. All you can do is make your voice be… Continue reading Word Water and Mercy
He is risen indeed! This Easter morning was like no other Easter before. Of course that’s not a surprise to anyone reading this post. The churches were strangely quite today. The usual cry of “He is risen!” didn’t echo through the pews. And yet Easter didn’t go quietly into the night. But what now? Now… Continue reading Word water Easter
I wrote the following blog post last fall. At that point the world was in deep flux because of COVID. Since I wrote this the world has begun to steady. COVID cases are down in my area. It’s still here but some of the anxiety has eased. However the subject of change is as relevant… Continue reading Word water and change
My favorite activity right now is running. It gets me out to places like the one pictured above. When in-person races canceled in 2020, virtual races became the only way to compete. I have a race shirt from one of these races that says “Hope isn’t canceled.” Love the shirt and the idea behind it.… Continue reading Word, water and letting go of hope
“Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.” Hebrews 4:16 Sunday morning was installation and ordination of deacons and elders for one of my four churches. Part of the service is a thanksgiving prayer for the… Continue reading Word, Water and Grace
Word Water & Wine 