Good morning... This time of year I absolutely love. In our Women's Ministry at Northside Church, it is our time of waiting for new rosters to form. Throughout the fall, we prayerfully consider relevant studies to offer our community. Poignant topics. Spirit-led teachers. Morning, afternoon, and evening time slots to meet a plethora of needs. We create a class [...]
Good morning... Before lighting candles and singing "Silent Night" to end the sacred Christmas Eve service, our church family was invited to take communion. We were reminded that, at his final earthly meal, the grown up baby Jesus took bread and blessed it, broke it and said, "This is my body, broken for you. Take and eat." Likewise, he [...]
Good morning... Speaking light into the formless dark, God creatively gave order to life's chaos. As we read the first chapter of Genesis, verbs tumble all over us. God saw and separated. God called and said. God made and named creation "good." Then the land itself creatively cooperated, producing and bearing, plants and trees. The expansive sky also joined [...]
Good morning… Letting down our guard and sharing our genuine self is a lot easier said than done. In truth, our guard is an important part of us, serving us well until it doesn't anymore. We are handmade uniquely in our Creator's image (Genesis 1:27) and filled with the living breath of God (Genesis 2:7). Freshly formed from our [...]
Good morning... Twenty-nine years ago today, I woke up in Ohio on my wedding day. Excitement and nerves. Family and friends. Fears and hopes. I woke to it all. I remember getting my hair done after taking a mid-morning nap, being surrounded by the special people who had influenced my first twenty-four years, and soaking up hugs and good [...]
Good morning... With some people, it feels like a sin to "ask." Asking a question is like challenging authority. Asking for clarification means you are a bother. Asking about options can complicate matters and prolong a decision. With some people, asking for anything cracks the surface of their status quo and anger oozes out, messy and mean. This weekend, [...]
She said, “I feel like I’m walking around with an expiration date stamped on my forehead,” as she spoke to us thirteen months into her twelve to fifteen month prognosis. She said something else I will never forget. “I do not believe that God caused my cancer. But, I do believe He has allowed my cancer. I believe that [...]
