Good morning... I am deeply touched by the bittersweet nature of Mother's Day this year. I feel the sweetness of my mom coming back to life after being on a ventilator in the Ohio ICU. Wow, what a joy to celebrate! I also feel the bitter of old friends, a mom and a grandmother, with whom I am [...]
Good morning... The complex matrix of needs in the life of children today are supported in tangible ways through the teachers within our classrooms. Teaching is often a thankless job, like changing diapers, preparing daily meals, and cleaning endless piles of dirty clothes. School is a second home for many and teachers are passionate pseudo parents to the [...]
Good morning... The joy of this Mother's Day week is already picking up speed. Our artistic friend Corinne Adams is also a dedicated homework helper at PAWkids, the non-profit downtown where several of us are enjoying quality time. Corinne is in the process of photographing all of the twenty kids in the after school enrichment program. Look at [...]
Good morning... "For the joy set before him, Jesus endured the cross," explains Hebrews 12:2. Part of the joy I believe Jesus envisioned was the fun we had making forty-seven Easter baskets last week for the PAWkids community as well as the joy of the Easter celebration hosted in their new outdoor space. Revisiting the photos now, the [...]
Happy Easter! One of the most impactful part of our trip to the Holy Land of Israel was witnessing on our final day the power of an empty tomb. With Jesus rising to sit on the right hand of God, our Father, the love of the living Christ now rises in us. Jesus said on the final night [...]
Good morning... After exploring the varied history and terrain of the countryside of Israel, Steve emailed our group a summary of our time together. Reliving our moments through the Hebrew words chosen for each day brings on a collective smile, helping us to hear, to remember, to live out our own personal love affair with God. ****** [...]
Good morning... Yesterday we walked where Jesus walked. We were taught atop a mountain where Jesus taught. We boated on the Sea of Galilee, where Jesus boated with his disciples "to the other side," into the unknown. We were given the opportunity to rededicated ourselves to God through a baptism in the Jordan River, [...]
Good morning... Yesterday's adventure was meaningful and fun. The twenty-four of us enjoyed the beauty of a Negev Desert hike from the base, past an unexpected waterfall and up to the upper rim of a the stunning canyon. We rode camels (hilarious) and ate an amazing abundant lunch prepared by the kindhearted bedouins (a word which means "desert [...]
Good afternoon... Never before have I felt compelled to share a second blog post on the same day. With email responses piling up from this morning's message, Praying for Olga, I offer us an intimate update from Ukraine. Throughout the day, I have heard from many of you who yearn to join our hearts in prayer on behalf [...]
Good morning... Our post from last week What Is Mine To Do? has invited some very dynamic dialogue. Yesterday I shared one reader's response. Today I share with you another subscriber's perspective. ****** Dear Sue, Thank you for your thoughts today, and for your service in your community. I was anxious to read your post as soon as [...]
