Today’s verses relay a critical moment in Jesus’ life and ministry: His calling of the twelve disciples. This is the beginning of a story of transformation. Jesus had many followers (also called disciples) at that time, but He chose only twelve to be His closest disciples, His apostles. TWELVE. That’s
Before our wedding, we received a china tea cup as a wedding gift. Unfortunately, it shattered in the mail. The store didn’t allow me to return it so I made a mosaic frame from the pieces to hold a copy of our wedding invitation. I’ve looked at it many times
We need a redo. A toddler time out. A fresh start on how we view and treat people. Let’s jump right in the deep end. You and I might disagree about abortion, about LGBTQ+ leadership in the church, about ways to resolve racial injustices, about politics. (I am not saying
Hasn’t the world felt upside down in 2020? COVID is a disaster. Politics are contentious. People are on edge. Things feel uncertain. Plans are temporary. The rules of our day are ever changing. But, God. He is here. Stable. Steady. In these months of COVID, mask wearing has become a
Hindsight is 20/20. That’s an expression in English that means it’s easier to “see” in retrospect, even if the choice or event was not clear in real-time. Looking back, the correct decision often seems obvious. There’s danger in believing the perfection of looking retrospectively, looking back. I’ll admit that too
I think we can all agree that the last many months have been chaotic and unsettling. I’ve found myself paralyzed and consumed by endless news on the coronavirus, social injustice and unrest, and politics. My kids asked if a zombie apocalypse was coming. No. (I mean, I hope not! But,
I grew up in a time and a place where WWJD? (“What would Jesus do?”) bracelets were popular. There were so many of them in my day it spawned parodies and became almost cliche. But, at the heart of it, it’s a great question to ask in any situation. What
From each of our windows and corners of the world, we’re all watching the coronavirus pandemic unfold. It has infected millions, but it has affected us all. This novel virus knows no bounds. There’s another global disease that respects no bounds and affects us all: prejudice. However, this virus isn’t
For those of us who have been in the church a long time, unpacking today’s verses can feel like a taboo topic. We believe. We are saved. We know the Sunday School answers. But, if we’re honest, we still have moments, maybe weeks, even seasons, of doubt and disbelief. Sometimes
We’re told to live in a manner worthy of the calling on our lives (Eph 4:1). In his letter to the Ephesians, Paul detailed God’s calling on our lives as followers of Christ; how He chose us to adopt, forgive, and redeem. Living a life worthy of such mercy and