Yesterday, we reflected on Jesus as the Good Shepherd (John, chapter 10). I find a lot of comfort in that passage. But I also find there is a measure of challenge. In verse 16, Jesus adds: I have other sheep that do not belong to this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen […]
Psalm 23 is much loved. The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul. Powerful imagery isn’t it? Even though the realities of shepherding and sheep are far removed from our suburban setting, it still resonates. In […]
I remember the day when my daughter Marley was born. She’s 22 now, but I’ll never forget being in the delivery room that morning. At the last minute, they discovered she was in breach and they had to do a cesarean section. It was pretty scary. I got to go back into the operating room, […]
There is a line in Paul’s second letter to the Church in Corinth (verse 16) that continues to challenge me. He wrote, “From now on, therefore, we regard no one from a human point of view…” In the previous verse, Paul tells us that Christ died for everyone. Not just people who think like us, […]
Our family loves to go camping. We especially love to camp in the North Carolina mountains. Every summer we try to choose a location near a good stream to play in, or a good trail to hike on. We try to choose a place that is off the beaten path to avoid the crowds and […]
Many years ago now, I had a friend who was in a young adult Sunday school class that I attended. When I met him, he was a leader in our church. He was married, had two kids, and a great job. One day in class, he shared with us that as a teenager, had struggled […]
All four Gospels tell a little different account of the Easter story. But all four have in common that Mary Magdalene was at least among the first at the tomb that morning. We don’t know much about her, but obviously, Jesus had touched her life in a deep way. The Gospel of John tells us, […]
I have this great memory from when I was a teenager of my grandfather leading an Easter sunrise service on Saint Augustine Beach. I remember getting up early and going down to the beach while it was still dark. As we sang the opening hymn, you could begin to see the sky opening in light […]
A word of thanks is extended to all who so graciously support the Dial Hope ministry. Hope happens because of you. The beautiful hymn, Praise to the Lord, The Almighty, was written by Joachim Neander in 1680. I’ve read that early on in life, Neander was a typical preacher’s child, rebellious and a little irreverent. […]
In the story of Abraham, in the book of Genesis – after the birth of Ishmael, Abraham waits 13 years for another word from the Lord. 13 years of silence. Abraham is an old man at this point. God has promised him an heir, and he knows it is not Ishmael. So Abraham waits in […]
