Can our experience of the sorrow caused by necessary social distancing help us identify with the pain and isolation of the woman Jesus healed from bleeding? Mark 5:24-29, NIV A large crowd followed and pressed around him. And a woman was there who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years. She had suffered a… Continue reading I wonder if she was lonely? Thoughts on Mark 5:21-43 and the woman who was healed from bleeding
I was the only one short enough to fit into the tiny crawl space. All the random items reminded me of the futility of storing up earthly treasures. “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven.”… Continue reading Devotion: Spring Cleaning of the Heart (His Encouragement)
I wrote the following summary of “The Almost Christian,” for a class I am currently teaching. I encourage you to read the original, but I understand that many people find Wesley’s language to be somewhat antiquated. Writing this summary was fun, and I wanted to share it with anyone who might be interested. I hope you enjoy it and that it brings you closer to God! Wesley is my favorite theologian.
I thought my Christmas cactus was dead, but it bloomed unexpectedly. My Christmas cactus became an Easter cactus! Mary Magdalene went to the disciples with the news: “I have seen the Lord!” And she told them that he had said these things to her.John 20:18, NIV I thought my cactus was dead-- but I was mistaken. Good… Continue reading What can a cactus teach us about the resurrection? The Christmas-Easter Cactus (His Encouragement)
The course is free, but in exchange, please consider making a donation to the Disability Ministries Committee of the United Methodist Church (Advance #3021054) Introduction: My name is Rev. Rebecca L. Holland. I am an author and ordained elder serving in the Susquehanna Conference of the UMC. Recently, I was honored to be asked to… Continue reading The Theology of John Wesley: Online Course, Donations to Benefit Disability Ministries of the UMC
The ancient Roman philosophers taught us to remember that we will all experience death. Christ offers us the hope that death is not the end.
When we bake bread, we follow a recipe. If we follow the recipe to the best of our ability, we will end up with something delicious and nourishing. In the same way, God gave us a recipe for Holy Living. In the Holy Bible, we can find instructions for how to experience live a good life that will bring us closer to God. When we follow these instructions, even if we expereience hard times in life, we The recipe that God gives us for a good life can be found in Exodus is known as the Ten Commandments.
Essentially, the sower goes outside, throws seeds everywhere—and instead of ending up with nothing, he ends up with bushels of tomatoes, tons of zucchini, and countless bouquets of flowers.
The trinity is like a dance— the flames of the Creator, Sustainer, and Redeemer are perpetually in motion. In this dark world, we especially need flames of hope dancing in the darkness.
Experiencing the Holy Spirit is like experiencing a tornado. When the Holy Spirit blows through our lives, the experience changes us forever. It can change who are as human beings, it can change the church, and it can change the world.
