“To keep the heart space open, we need several things. First, we almost all need some healing in regard to our carried hurts from the past… And to be fully honest, I think your heart needs to be broken, and broken open, at least once to have a heart at… Continue reading
Last weekend I was in Washington, D.C. for a work thing. It was an interesting experience to be in the nation’s capital city at this time. Here is one reflection I had: If you look under the hood, there’s still enough to work with. What if we can get this… Continue reading
My Lent devotional this year has been A Way Other than Our Own, by Walter Bruegemann. There are several quotes throughout the book worth pondering, but here’s what he says about Maundy Thursday that has me thinking today: “The drama of the towel provided an example for the disciples to replicate:… Continue reading
A few weeks ago I listened to a Robcast about the “lie of redemptive violence.” In this podcast, Rob Bell explains how this idea of redemptive violence–that violence in retaliation for wrong-doing can be justified–is deep in our society…and even in our theology. But it’s really a myth, and he goes… Continue reading
(roughly to the theme song from “Fresh Prince of Bel Air”) In western Kenya born and raised At the missionary college, I spent most of my days, Walks in the forest, Sunday night devos Right from the start, you guys were my heroes. You walked hand in hand, no matter… Continue reading
Sermon: January 1, 2017 (1st Sunday of Christmas) “Love Has Come” Matthew 2:13-23 A friend of mine is a missionary in South Sudan, living and working in a refugee camp. She homeschools her 3 boys while her husband does leadership training and discipleship in the community. And she loves it. … Continue reading
I was setting up my nativity characters for chapel this week, and was reminded about a preschool chapel last year that became the central illustration in a sermon I preached on Dec. 20, 2015. The sermon was in the context of a ‘Traveler’s Christmas,’ a Christmas Eve service for those… Continue reading
A few months ago I called my credit union with a simple question, and ended up getting routed to the supervisor of fraud detection because after I answered the basic security questions the customer service lady said, “well, we don’t have that Michelle is a male, so I’m going to… Continue reading
In pondering the sermon for this Sunday, I discovered that I actually had two sermons. This is the one that won’t get preached. Text: Matthew 5:13-16 In the movie Lion King, Simba is born into greatness. A descendant of the king, he is told from a young age that he… Continue reading
My congregation is doing a 6-week sermon/study series based on the book by John Ortberg, If you Want to Walk on Water, You’ve Got to Get Out of the Boat. I’ve been familiar with this book for quite some time, but I don’t think I’ve read it. The book is based… Continue reading