Kingdom Citizens

  Yesterday we had our “Vision Sunday” where we celebrate all the good that has happened over the past year and anticipate and dream about what is to come.   Part of our celebration was this little community garden that we felt prompted to begin, not having a clue what will come from it. The past year has been filled with countless hours of planning, dreaming and working. And now, we wait to see what God will do.  As we celebrated the beginning of our community garden yesterday, I was reminded that just like this garden endeavor, ministry is one small, faithful step after another. Hours of praying, planning, dreaming, crying, praying and dreaming some more, all while trusting in what you can’t yet see.  Along the way there are lessons learned. There are victories to celebrate. There are difficulties to work through.  And as you take each step, you trust in what you cannot see. You celebrate what God is doing, even if the activity isn’t always measurable. Reminds me of all that is takin

I keep saying I am going to be more consistent on here! Maybe this year will be the year! 😉 Weekly sermon prep takes up so much brain power that typically there is nothing left, but I would love to use this space more often as a creative outlet.  On a gorgeous fall day of October 2022, I scheduled a spiritual retreat for a class assignment. To tell you the timing was divine is a massive understatement.  For a reason I do not yet fully understand, from about Fall of 2021 - early Fall 2022, I just dealt with a lot of mental and emotional struggles. I am still unpacking all of that and asking the Lord to give me discernment, but it was just a rough time mental-health-wise.  If nothing else, it put me in a place of desperation, where I was utterly seeking God's guidance and comfort. That alone made the difficult journey worth it, just to feel completely seen and comforted by God during this assigned spiritual retreat.  The much-needed, sacred time with God was a gift and a healing bal

  "For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." Romans 6:23 I was talking with a friend recently and she was sharing with me the burden of trying to love and parent her adult child, who typically resists and pushes away such love. One morning, while visiting New York,  the family was sitting outside ordering brunch. My friend ordered a salmon bagel, and if you've ever visited New York, you wouldn't be surprised that the menu revealed that this bagel would cost $17. Delighted in finding something to be aggravated about, my friend's child said, "You're going to pay $17 for a bagel, really? That's ridiculous. I'm not ordering anything, I'm not hungry." Once the food arrived, all but one enjoyed their delicious (albeit overpriced) NY brunch. My friend had eaten half of her salmon bagel and when she couldn't eat anymore, she slid the other half across the table. Being rejected once again, my

  "Taste and see that the Lord is good! Blessed are those who trust in him!" Psalm 34:8   One way to interpret "taste" is to take notice. Take a moment and take notice of how good God is.  Go ahead, pause what you are doing and just sit for a moment. The work can wait. The reply can wait. The next scroll can wait. That thing, whatever it may be, can wait.  It can wait so that the goodness of God can be noticed. Noticed and then received. Received and then used to bless. Used to comfort you in the middle of whatever it is you are doing.  You are seen by God. You are loved by God. You are saved by God. You are welcomed by God. You are made whole by God. You are heard by God. You are blessed by God. You are healed by God. You are chosen by God. You are noticed by God.  Notice Him and His goodness for a moment. Sit and dwell in that goodness...for just a moment longer. Receive. Trust in Him. Take refuge in Him. Taste and see that He is good.

  Dear Church, I'm not going to flood your Facebook page with my opinions, because I don't consider them to be worth all that much (and you probably don't either ). I will, however, share the truth of God's Word and I will go ahead and share biblical interpretation from a commentators understanding (who happens to have a Ph.D. in NT studies -- that's certainly worth something) I was preparing for tomorrow night's Bible study and these words made me pause. Church, these are words spoken to us, as John was speaking to the Church in his day, reminding them of the words of Jesus. Here is Rick Williamson's interpretation of this passage and I think it's certainly worth considering: "Jesus called DIVERSE followers and expected them to walk IN HARMONY. Matthew was a tax collector, an agent of Rome. Simon the Zealot, whose RADICAL POLITICAL LEANINGS attached to his name, resented anyone associated with Rome. What fellowship challenges did those two have? Si

  Dr. Willard H. Taylor said, "No matter how spiritually stable, worshipful, and prayerful God's people might be, they are never immune from attack by the wicked spiritual forces." Paul, stating this in Ephesians 6, urges his readers to be prepared for these attacks. We might not be able to keep them from coming, but Jesus can keep them from prevailing. You see, He's already won. Jesus not only knows the tactics the enemy uses, but He's defeated them all through His death and resurrection. And guess what else? He's prepared and equipped His people to fight this spiritual battle. He's ready to help the moment we call His name. Read Ephesians 6. Call upon His name. Resist the enemy and he will flee from you. Surround yourself with believers who fight alongside you. If you've never discussed what this spiritual battle looks like, or what the armor of God looks like for us today, reach out to another believer and do just that. We are stronger together,