What are you afraid of? Tom and I were reading the traditional list of things people are afraid of. The number one fear: public speaking. Neither one of us has this fear, but I have plenty of others. I am afraid of heights. I didn’t used to be, but now I get these urges to …
From Worship Experiences
Weightlifter or 90 Pound Weakling?
As I was reading my devotions this morning, I thought about the ways we have to work our spiritual muscles. If we want to be strong in Christ, we have to practice our spiritual workout. So, if we are growing in Christ, we are building our spiritual muscles. Maybe we even look like a really …
Saints and Sinners: Why Aren’t You a Saint Yet?
In my morning devotionals recently, Oswald Chambers asked the questions, “Why aren’t you a saint yet?” I just laughed the first time I read it, but I’ve come back to it several times since then. Despite the Wesleyan emphasis on going on to perfection, most of the people I meet in churches are not saints. …
Stretched in God’s Hands
I am a person who likes routine. Routine helps me feel like I am in control, even when events are spinning chaotically around me. I could be called a person of regular habits. Some of my routines are such ingrained habits that I occasionally forget that I have done them. Living life on the road …
Leap Tall Buildings with a Single Bound
When I was a kid, I watched Superman reruns on television. I always remember the beginning: “Faster than a speeding bullet, more powerful than a locomotive, able to leap tall buildings with a single bound!” Of course, as children, my friends and I tried to be Superman. We would tie a towel around our shoulders …
Clear Expectations by God and Others
Sunday night Pastor Don preached at the church service we attend at Asbury United Methodist Church. Pastor Don is not the regular preacher on Sunday nights, so it is always a treat to get to listen to him. His sermon was on clear expectations. He suggested a couple of expectations that God has of us. …
Eyes Fixed Firmly on Jesus
Sometimes things break and we have to fix them. We have to take the car in to be repaired. We call a plumber. to fix a leaky pipe. A marriage is broken when one spouse gets a wandering eye. Sometimes our faith breaks. How do we fix it? By keeping our eyes fixed on God. …
Impossible to Praise God Too Much
My devotions this morning told me that it was impossible to praise God too much. Not being a person of extremes, I’ve been thinking about this idea ever since. Is it possible to spend too much time praising God? Is it possible to spend too much time giving thanks to God for all that God …
God Searches for Us
We have been getting lots of rain here in southwestern Pennsylvania. In June it rained almost every day and we were getting a little tired of rain. Last week we had a beautiful day and I yearned to get out hiking in it. But I had blog posts to write and decided I would stay …
Well Watered Earth: Pennsylvania (and Ohio) this June
Have you had enough of the rainy weather? If you live in Ohio or Pennsylvania, I’m sure you have. We have had so many rainy days in this part of the world that we are starting to make Noah jokes. In the National Park Service we refer to NOAA, which is the National Oceanic and Atmospheric …