It’s officially that time of year when people start to celebrate everything from pumpkin spice to turkey laden tables dressed with flannel and fine china. And every year around this time I start to consider the events leading to this point in the season. It’s amazing how packed a year can be with so much life change, surprise, heartbreak, and excitement all rolled up into 365 days. When you consider your recent year, I hope you have bright memories and joy that come to mind, but there are some seasons that can be more challenging to get through. When those come and hang out for longer than we would prefer, we often need something to get us through to the next season of life.

Jeremiah understood what heartbreak was. He saw his country, his people, everything he knew fall to … Read More »

I’ve been reading through the book of Isaiah as of late and have been caught by the power of the passages in a way I have never been before. One of the chapters that reached out and grabbed my attention was Isaiah 61, a chapter my Bible summarizes as “The Year of the Lord’s Favor.”

Before I go to the actual verses, I must admit that my perspective of the church and what we as Christians were responsible for began shifting by the time I was finished reading through verses 1-7. For the sake of keeping you invested, I won’t post the entire passage, just a couple of key verses, but I encourage you to look this chapter up and read it for yourself.

Isaiah 61:1, 3
The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to … Read More »

We’ve all been unlucky enough to grab a nearby pen in a hurry, only to realize that said pen has somehow managed to leak all over your hands, shirt, book, and somehow your face. That ugly stain remains, no matter how many times you work to scrub it off, staring at you and reminding you of the fact that the true power of the pen is kept carefully inside.

“Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the … Read More »

About a month ago I was wandering through the Seattle Art Museum, and I happened upon this piece about which I was terribly confused. Mind you, I’m rather terrible at museums because I find everything more funny when people are quiet and serious.

This piece struck me immediately, mostly because I had no idea whatsoever what it was. I stood there staring at the brush strokes which seemed uneven and chaotic, the colors which seemed lumped in haphazard patterns, the texture that seems accidental. I glanced at the title, hoping for some clarification and found the plaque that read, “The Serenade, Venice.” Behind me, my mom was standing toward the middle of the large room when she saw the look of confusion on my face. She motioned me to pull toward her saying, “It’s hard to see the beauty up close; … Read More »

Every year around this time we find ourselves searching our lives for moments to celebrate and promises to make. New Year’s resolutions and promises take on lives of their own and the gyms fill quickly. This is not a new process for you, or anyone, yet every year we seek to be pleasantly surprised with the newfound energy that will hopefully find us on the way.

As I was sitting in a meeting with my pastor, he made a comment in passing that caught me very off guard. He said, “How do you see your future? What if God has something completely different in mind?” He stated this and moved on, but this comment sent my brain spiraling toward a verse I had read in I Kings 19:21.

“So Elisha left him (Elijah) and went back. He took his yoke … Read More »