As pastors and church planters we repeat some phrases so often it’s easy to forget they are true. In fact, some things are more than true: some liturgical phrases have the power to change the world. Like children who play with a chemistry set or recite E=Mc2 we are unaware of the power on our…
Devotions
Listening is the Beginning of Hearing (Especially Now)
Listening is the beginning of hearing. What is God saying to you today? I will listen to what God the Lord says; he promises peace to his people, his faithful servants— but let them not turn to folly. (Psalm 85:8) Through the Scriptures. Through creation. Through those that you live with. Through the Wise of…
Smile: You are Delightful to God!
You are delightful to God! When you woke up this morning, what was the first thought about yourself that you had? First thoughts to come to us when we wake are usually some evaluation of how we feel, or something we need to do. “I feel tired; I shouldn’t have stayed up so late,” “I…
God Uses Crisis for Good
Pastors, God will use this crisis for good. Joseph, eleventh son of Jacob, had a dream that his brothers and parents would someday bow before him. So Joseph shared his dream with his ten older brothers. Their disdain for their youngest sibling grew to the point of wanting to kill him, but his brother Reuben…
Church Planting in the Midst of Grief
Ten years ago, God called my husband Jon and I to plant a church. After three years of preparation and many long trips between our home in Ohio and where we wanted to plant in North Carolina, we started that journey. We were ready to love large and share the news of Jesus. But I…
Telling the Truth – Humbly
I think it’s wise to be skeptical when people talk about “the truth.” In this era (as in others) we are willing to kill for our ideas about truth. That’s why ideas about the truth are not enough. Telling the truth isn't done through argument. We must meet the truth and walk with him. The…
