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“When a blessing is invoked, it changes the atmosphere.”  John O’Donohue “Eternal life begins now and refers not only to length of life but also the quality of life in which we experience wholeness and union with God.”  William Barclay (1) We are looking at the Sermon on the Mount. In particular, Jesus’ words at the end of the sermon. Jesus says, “ Therefore anyone who hears  these words of mine and puts them into practice  is like a wise man who built his house on the rock.”

We are looking at the Sermon on the Mount. In particular, we are leaning into Jesus’ words at the end of the sermon. Jesus says, “ Therefore, anyone who hears  these words of mine and puts them into practice  is like a wise man who built his house on the rock.” What are the words we need to hear and put into practice? How can we become wise builders living on the rock? I read something from a favorite teacher of mine that makes a lot of sense. He said, “Unless you understand

Any good building contractor knows you need a solid plan before starting any building project. The plan needs to include a careful consideration of building and zoning codes. Before people can live in the house or use the building or space being built, it will have to pass inspection. There is no point in going through all the work of building a house that can never be lived in. The building codes are intended to help the building stand and work well. The inspection is requir

“Even now,” declares the Lord, “return to me with all your heart” Joel 2:12a Lent is a season of preparation that invites you to grow closer to God. Each season of your life invites you to change how you live. It can be moving from warm coats and boots to short sleeves and sandals. The change can also be more personal as you welcome a baby, send a child off to school, begin a new job, learn to live with a new diagnosis or without someone you love. It takes time to move thro

“It is time to wake up to reality. Every day brings God’s salvation nearer. The night is over, the day has almost dawned.”  (Rom 13:11b,...

“Every breath we draw is a gift of his love; every moment of existence is a grace. Gratitude, therefore, takes nothing for granted, is...

"Autumn shows us how beautiful it is to let things go."* I grew up in a small town across the street from a cornfield. We would watch the...

Sometimes, the order of things matters. When making a PB&J, it helps to put on the peanut butter before the jelly. When making a new...

Come ever-present God and be with me. You alone know and understand all that is before me. Come help me trust in you. Slow my pace to see...

"Amazing grace! How sweet the sound." John Newton I spent a good deal of time in the marching band when I was in high school. We would...

“What the gospel does is make the miracle routine and the routine a miracle .” Eugene Peterson More and more, the thing that seems most...

You are on a journey today. A thought, worry, interaction, or experience can send you off in a good or bad way. You are always going...

“Although time seems to fly by, it never travels faster than one day at a time. Each day is a new opportunity to live your life to the...

“You have not lived today until you have done something for someone who can never repay you.”  John Bunyan Imagine the darkness, the...

“Your life is a sacred journey…You are on the path…exactly where you are meant to be right now.” Caroline Adams Miller Before I even knew what was happening, my story began. I entered this world on a cold winter day in Minnesota. Since then, my mom told me that on the day I was born, she looked at me and said, "She looks like a Pam." Suddenly, I had a name. Of course, I have no memory of that. If I wanted to tell you my story, I might start from a different vantage point,

“The longest journey is the twelve inches from your head to your heart.” John Ortberg Have you ever thought about that? If Ortberg is...

"I do not understand the mystery of grace - only that it meets us where we are but does not leave us where it found us. Anne Lamott There is a place I like to go where you can look out onto a broad open space. There are a few trees on the edge of the land but for the most part, it is just a large, open expanse. It does something to me when I am there - it gets inside of me and I open up too. Whatever is cluttering my mind begins to release. Whatever is heavy on my heart is un

We played a new game this past week. It was a multi-dimensional strategy game - a mind-bender that required us to pay attention and think in a new way. It seemed the only way to learn the game was to play it - to get into its world. It got me thinking about the new year. What if we approached it with a posture of discovery? We often begin a new year with intentional plans and goals to improve or correct or imagine a better way of living. That can be a good strategy but what i

“What makes life good is not a particular set of circumstances but how the heart interacts with them.” Tim Keller Like many families, we...

“Hope is joyous anticipation of good that is not yet here or is unseen.” Dallas Willard “The people walking In darkness have seen a great...