By Kristen Fox “When I hear ‘Love is patient,’ I think about how I’m called to love and relate well to people in spite of how I am treated. I find this especially challenging in my family – with my husband and children. It’s easy for me to allow what I view as their shortcomings/annoying …
A More Excellent Way
What is love? Songs, poems, books and movies have tried to answer that question with varying degrees of success. Yet, overall, I’d say our culture still seems to have a very distorted view of the concept. We talk of love at first sight, falling “in” and “out” of love, self-love and free love but, in …
Kernels
In John 12, Jesus creates a word picture to display the work of death to sin in the life of a believer. A solitary, dry kernel lies dormant until it's planted into the soil where it can germinate and grow. It will need warmth, nourishment and water to begin to take root and sprout. Soon, …
Even Though
A thousand eons ago, back in a time I like to call BEFORE, I spent a weekend in Nebraska City at our annual directional team retreat. Saturday morning Shereen sent us all on a prayer walk. Though the calendar still read winter, that morning held all the promise of spring. I wandered down woody trails …
Homesick
By Ashley Synowicki We are not made for this world. I am sure of that now more than ever. Before COVID-19, I was too comfortable. I was enjoying my routine and took comfort in the things of this world—things that are temporary and will forever pass away. My attention was not fixed solely on the …
Finding the Silver Lining
By Mary Wenzl I am retired, but I add to my monthly income by substituting in the public schools as a Para-educator (Para). The last time I worked was only for a half day on February 26, 2020. I did not know at the time that it would be my last day of work for …
I Can Hear the Wolves Howling
By Courtney Lee A few weeks ago, I was invited to join a group on Facebook called “Go Outside and Howl at 8pm.” I didn’t respond to the request so their posts kept popping into my feed. It is a group, quite literally, of people going outside at 8pm every night to howl and hear …
Living our Faith in Times of Fear
By Libby Farmen We are all hearing a lot about the concept of faith over fear during the current COVID-19 pandemic. As Christians, many of us are drawn to this concept because if we cannot be a group of people whose faith helps us weather the current crisis, what hope do others have? Thankfully, the …
Name the Fear
By Annie Rohde I always go back to the Psalms. David’s outpouring of emotion reminds me that we can share our heart with God.David was recorded over and over for his faith and relationship with God.He didn’t polish himself before going before God. He asked God to purify him.He didn’t pull himself out of the …
My Father’s World
By Sheryl Murray This is my Father's WorldAnd to my listening earsAll nature sings and round me ringsThe music of the spheres As I was flying on a Boeing 737 a week ago, traveling from Memphis to Denver amidst the COVID-19 concern, my mind naturally turned to those who were suffering around the globe and …
