Ministry, Pastoral Life, Preaching, Preaching, Prayers, and Devotions, Sermons & Sermon Notes, Women in Ministry

A Milk Giveaway, A Silly Shirt, and Lesson in Faith (His Encouragement)

Our church family has people of all ages and ability levels. Some were children, some of us were a little bit older, and some of us were anywhere in-between. Everyone was able to find a job that they were able to do. Some people were also visually impaired like myself (A friendly reminder: Please do not pet service dogs when they are working). By the time we were done, we had given away 1,727 gallons of milk. It was a truly beautiful thing. We had given away almost 400 gallons of milk an hour! 

Ministry, Pastoral Life, Preaching, Preaching, Prayers, and Devotions, Sermons & Sermon Notes, Women in Ministry

Devotion: Family Resemblance (His Encouragement)

When people look at me, they can see the face of my mother and my grandmother. The family resemblance is clear. In many ways, I am reflection of her.  I hope that I am also a reflection of my Heavenly Father. I pray that by the way I live my life and by the actions that I take, people will also be able to see the love of God reflected in me. 

Ministry, Pastoral Life, Preaching, Preaching, Prayers, and Devotions, Sermons & Sermon Notes

Happy Trinity Sunday! Fire Spinning and Perichoresis (His Encouragement)

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.

a mosaic showing flames dancing around the heads of the disciples
Diversity, Ministry, Pastoral Life, Preaching

Devotion: Happy Pentecost! OR The time I lived through a small tornado (His Encouragement)

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.

Ministry, Pastoral Life, Preaching, Preaching, Prayers, and Devotions, Sermons & Sermon Notes

Devotion: Journey to Emmaus (His Encouragement)

this same vision of Jesus’s appearance on the road to Emmaus speaks to our lives as well. It’s been a long journey to get to this Easter season. This past Lent was the longest Lent that I’ve ever experienced. However, now that Easter Sunday has come and gone, it appears that there is still a very long road ahead for all of us. 

Ministry, Pastoral Life, Preaching, Preaching, Prayers, and Devotions, Sermons & Sermon Notes, Women in Ministry

Devotion: We Are Not Alone (His Encouragement)

The story of Lazarus offers comfort to all of those who mourn. We are all mourning something right now, but we will all get through this together. Although we cannot physically gather, I encourage you to lift your hearts with me every day in prayer for five minutes at five in the afternoon. The church is not a building, it is a people. Let us be a people united in prayer.

Ministry, Pastoral Life, Preaching, Preaching, Prayers, and Devotions, Sermons & Sermon Notes

Devotion: The New Birth Is Like Hatching from an Eggshell (His Encouragement)

 Receiving the new birth completely changes the way we see the world. It's the difference between being stuck inside a dark egg or being alive outside in the world. This Lent, we are reminded that if we trust in God, Christ will help us to break out of our shells int to the glorious resurrection of an Easter morning. 

Ministry, Pastoral Life, Preaching, Preaching, Prayers, and Devotions, Sermons & Sermon Notes, Writing

Devotion: Christ Conquers the Serpent (His Encouragement)

The most dangerous snake is the one that you don’t see. The snake that you don’t see is the one that bites you. We fall into sin when we do not realize that we are being tempted. The most dangerous temptations are the ones we don’t even see coming.