Joy and Strength

Nehemiah 8:10b ….for the joy of the Lord is your strength.   In the time of Nehemiah, the people had been on a long journey back from exile, trying to find their way to the next chapter.  They were tired, they were emotional, they were relieved to hear the word...

The Gift of Breath

Isaiah 42:5 Thus says God, the Lord, who created the heavens and stretched them out, who spread out the earth and what comes from it, who gives breath to the people upon it and spirit to those who walk in it: The Gift of Breath Do you think of breathing as a gift? It...

Peace Beyond Peace

Isaiah 11:6 The wolf shall live with the lamb, the leopard shall lie down with the kid, the calf and the lion and the fatling together, and a little child shall lead them. Peace beyond peace The image these words stir up in our minds eye is beyond words. Beautiful,...

Patience

James 5:7-8 7 Be patient, therefore, brothers and sisters, until the coming of the Lord. The farmer waits for the precious crop from the earth, being patient with it until it receives the early and the late rains. 8 You also must be patient. Strengthen your hearts,...

Repent!

  Matthew 3:1-2 In those days John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness of Judea, proclaiming, 2 “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.” Repent!  It’s not a word you hear in common settings.  It’s a “church” word – that tells you something isn’t...

Singing and Faith

Psalm 89:1 I will sing of your steadfast love, O Lord, forever; with my mouth I will proclaim your faithfulness to all generations. Singing and Faith Have you ever thought about the role singing plays in our faith? We tend to judge our own singing as good, bad, or...