I signed up for my first half-marathon today. I know. It’s crazy. And just typing that out is a risk, let alone accomplishing the 13.1 mile-run in October. But I’m coming to accept that risk is the only way to stare fear in the face and win. There’s no other way around it. Any apprehension, […]
For When You Encounter Prickly People :: Sermon on the Mount {Week 11}
Some people are like a cactus, mostly prickly with an occasional flower blooming amidst their thorns. And those kind of people challenge me, because I’m a people pleaser. It’s pretty much guaranteed that if I know there’s a problem between you and me, I will pursue you, no matter whose fault it is. In fact […]
How a Small Act of Being Kind Can Change Everything
Sometimes a random act of kindness can change everything. I have to admit, this morning was rough. I sluggishly woke to the energetic banter of all four of them, and we were already late, as usual. I told them to get ready to go, and they nodded and scattered. And I counted on them to […]
For When You Come to a Fork in the Road {How to Pick Your Path}
In my life I’m on a journey with God, one path after another, with Him leading and me following. But sometimes I can’t help but wonder if I’m on the right path. And I often wish I could see what’s around the next couple bends. I dream of where the path is going. I stand at […]
Because It’s All About the Illustrations & Their Principles :: Sermon on the Mount {Week 10}
Jesus was clear that He came to fulfill the Law and the Prophets, and because He accomplished all He said He would, we are no longer bound to the Old Covenant–no longer obligated to law, but freed to live by the Spirit. We have been given a New Covenant, one that moves us from death, and […]
For When You Think It’s Only About Following the Rules :: Sermon on the Mount {Week 9}
There are some people you never forget—people who leave an impression that’s hard to shake, and growing up I do remember her. She was my mother’s age. Always opinionated and outspoken, and never for a lack of words, and she went out of her way to make you aware of your wayward ways. She grew […]
I Will Choose to Trust and Believe … Even if I Cannot See
I sometimes get impatient with God. I don’t always understand the way He’s working and weaving in my life. And I want to see—I want to understand what it all means and what it’s all for. Twenty years ago, I would never have guessed my journey would have looked like it has, like this. But […]
All Has Been Accomplished! The New Covenant Has Come :: Sermon on the Mount {Week 8}
As a junior in college I almost failed my Cell & Molecular Biology Lab. We were learning about histology and the assignment was to make slides of different types of tissue. But the problem was in order to make slides, the tissue had to be fresh. And you should have seen our faces when the […]
For When the Unknown is Scary and You Need to Take the Risk
Sometimes you just have to have the faith to go under, to trust in the process and hold your breath and blow. Our new pool was finally finished a few weeks ago, but with it came a whole new level of concern. Our youngest two children don’t know how to swim, and now it’s a […]
We ARE the Light of the World :: Sermon on the Mount {Week 7}
  When I was nine, I was afraid of the dark. I can remember the closet in my bedroom…how it had sliding doors, and how I would walk over and shut them tightly before turning off the light. In fact I had a bedside lamp and I would turn that on first. Then I […]
