Recently, I was offended and upset by a Facebook post shared by a member of my extended family. At first, I wanted to reply with a remark that would be either challenging, sarcastic or guilt-inflicting. I was alone at home that day, and I knew I could easily write something I might regret later. Thankfully, God reminded me of my …
Not a day passes without at least one TV or internet commercial referring to how we bear up during the COVID-19 pandemic: we are awesome, so we’re told, fearless, self-sacrificing, tough as nails and heroic. Then the sponsor brand appears so we will know who to thank for the encouragement… …or is it flattery? I know. It is hard to …
We’ve been having a great time in Grace Kids these days! For those of you who aren’t aware, we’ve done a virtual Christmas in July VBS and have been meeting with the kids on Wednesdays to learn about Jesus our Savior who was born for us at Christmas. I’ve enjoyed having a little Christmas tree up at my house in July and …
“A generous person will prosper; whoever refreshes others will be refreshed.” – Prov. 11:25 This “handfuls of purpose” was the King James Version description of gleaning that Ruth utilized in a hopeless and dire economic time (Ruth 2:15–16). The GRC Food Pantry uses the same principles. It’s about being grateful for God’s grace and provision in our lives and then providing for …
“It’s tough to make predictions—especially about the future.” – Yogi Berra Whoever coined the term “tools of ignorance” to describe a baseball catcher’s gear obviously never met the sage of St. Louis, the beloved of the Bronx. Yogi was a lot smarter than he appeared to be. You laugh at some of the things he said—and then you think “hmm . . .”. …
GRC, I have missed seeing you in person, face-to-face. As restrictions have lifted, I’ve seen a few of you in person, and that has been precious. And I’ve seen some of you much more through a screen over the last few months than I previously did before social distancing, and for that I’m thankful. I praise God for the new and different connections …
Given the pandemic, I haven’t seen my barber in months. And yet, he’s on my mind regularly these days. Not so much because I miss his services – although I do – but because of a criticism of Christianity he shared with me; a criticism he considers valid. In more or less words here was his critique: “A spirituality that …
I recently had a candid conversation with friends that covered some heavy topics including religion and current events. My friends are not believers, however, I’m very open about my faith in Christ with them. As we spoke about current events, one friend expressed hopelessness. “It’s never going to get better because people are awful.” Another friend, more optimistic, said, “We …
{Introduction: In 1942, C.S. Lewis published The Screwtape Letters, an imaginary correspondence from senior devil Screwtape to his nephew Wormwood, who has been charged with the temptation of an ordinary young man. What follows is an updated, much shorter, but no less devilish, version.} My dear Wormbait, Your most recent correspondence greatly alarmed me. It seems that your patient is actually trying to …
I just had my birthday this past month and though it is not such a big event as an adult, I remember looking forward to getting gifts as a kid. Whether it was a new toy or a game or….new socks (!?!). It was a joy to see them and consider how they would make my life more fun (well, except …