Turning…

Something a friend of mine wrote recently, reminded me of these words from 2 Corinthians — Godly sorrow brings repentance…and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death. Such a difference between no regret and death… At this New Year’s Resolution time of year, our trajectory toward new habits is rarely an uninterrupted arc upward. …

Celebrating Freedom

In addition to being Father’s Day, Sunday, June 19th was the day known as Juneteenth in many states in the U.S. Juneteenth commemorates the day in 1865 that news came to slaves in Texas, two years after the fact, that they had been freed by President Abraham Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation. I was surprised to know…

Celebrating and Giving Thanks: Father’s Day

Yesterday we celebrated our fathers. If we remember rightly, every day is the day to honor them. I hope you have a wonderful father to thank God for today, but even at their best, the best earthly fathers are but a shadow of our Father in heaven. Last week, I heard an interview with Walter…

Transformation

Something to ponder as we approach Pentecost, Being a Christian, or follower of Jesus Christ, requires much more than having a personal and transforming relationship with God.  It also entails a transforming relationship with the world. Rich Stearns, President of World Vision in The Hole in Our Gospel

Praying for Restoration

Accept our repentance, Lord, for the wrongs we have done: for our blindness to human need and suffering, and our indifference to injustice and cruelty, Accept our repentance, Lord.   For all false judgments, for uncharitable thoughts toward our neighbors, and for our prejudice and contempt toward those who differ from us, Accept our repentance,…

Confession

Most holy and merciful Father: We confess to you and to one another, and to the whole communion of saints in heaven and on earth, that we have sinned by our own fault in thought, word, and deed; by what we have done, and by what we have left undone. We have not loved you…