September 3, 2026

What's Really Important?

Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom. -- Psalm 90:12

(written by Moses)

How often do we take time for granted? Our minds wander. Our plans direct our attention to some time in the future. Or, perhaps, we ruminate on a past we can't change. We are focused on anything but what is happening right in the moment we are in.

"May you be present where your feet are standing." That was part of a prayer recently offered up by our director of student ministries. I'm paraphrasing here because I was listening to him and not taking notes. But these words kept resonating with me. Being present in that moment. That's so powerful.

Maybe it was powerful because it's something that has really been on my heart lately. I'm old now. An official senior citizen who feels even older. I have spent much of my life trying to please others, putting my dreams on hold, or, at times, procrastinating because I was afraid to fail. Can anyone relate?

Moses wrote this in the wilderness. (Scholars debate this but my Bible says Moses wrote it and I'm going with that.) He'd done so much in his life. Moses was raised as an Egyptian prince. He fled after he murdered an Egyptian he found beating a Hebrew slave. He married, became a Midianite shepherd, and lived a quiet life until God spoke to Moses from a burning bush.

God called Moses to return to Egypt and lead God's people to freedom. And he did. I'm sure Moses probably thought that confronting Pharoah would be the hardest part. And then he had to listen to the Israelites complain for the next 40 years as they wandered through the Wilderness.

We're not much different than they were. Are we really ever satisfied? We can never have enough. I've always wanted to be like Paul and be content in whatever circumstances I am in. And sometimes I am content and filled with gratitude. And, then, sometimes I'm not. How about you?

Do we ever really understand how fragile life can be until our days are almost done? Perhaps those who have buried a child ravaged by cancer. Perhaps when we've lost a spouse to a sudden heart attack or a car wreck. Maybe illness has stolen years we expected to be golden. Or maybe we woke up one day and realized we'd given our lives to things, and people, who really weren't important in the end.

What are your dreams today? Did you spend time with a friend? Did you take a walk, noticing the birds and trees and the clouds in yet another beautiful sky? Maybe you laughed out loud as you read a good book or watched a movie.

Or maybe your nose was so buried in your phone that you missed it all. Maybe your routine didn't allow for spontaneous invitations or a phone call to someone you rarely see. Maybe you were so caught up in what you always do that you missed what today offered.

So I challenge you this day to be present where your feet are planted. Notice your surroundings. Pay attention to the people you care about. Listen to their stories. Live your life. Because one day your life will be gone and what matters isn't what you planned for tomorrow but what you did today.

August 28, 2026

 

Jesus Loves Me

Jesus said, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these." -- Matthew 19:14

Jesus loves me, this I know,

for the Bible tells me so.

Little ones to Him belong;

They are weak but He is strong.

Yes, Jesus loves me!

Yes, Jesus loves me!

Yes, Jesus loves me!

The Bible tells me so.

by Anna Bartlett Werner (1827-1915)

Our pastor asked us to think about those who had poured themselves into our lives. Specifically, he wanted us to recall those who spread their faith to others through teaching, mentoring, telling us about Jesus.

This is a young man who was raised in the United Methodist Church. His mentors were youth leaders and pastors. His friends were kids from church. His calling was encouraged. OK. Maybe not from his parents, who wanted a more traditional career for their youngest child. But they also didn't block his way.

I listened to similar stories from others. I remained silent. I was not raised in church. I have very few memories of attending a small, rural church. Then nothing. I started attending church on my own when I went to college. In my later years, my parents tried to rewrite history. They'd returned to church and wanted others to think they'd always gone. I wouldn't go along with their rewritten version of family history. One more nail in our relationship I suppose.

But what I do remember from that first church is my great aunt teaching me the little song above. There were very few children at the little country church. None even close to my age. Maybe I was three or four. Still, she sat with me in a vacant classroom and taught me the words. I am still so grateful.

That little song carried me through many sleepless nights as I tried to survive childhood. It led the teenage me to an old, tattered Bible as I sought answers. Probably not the answers you're expecting. I wanted to know why my Mother didn't love me. I begged God to tell me so that I could somehow fix myself. It was a long time before I realized I wasn't the problem to be fixed. I was the rejected child who took the brunt of Mother's anger, insecurity, and lies.

As an adult, I had the opportunity to forgive adults who came to me admitting they'd seen what was going on and refused to do anything. One aunt explained that she and my uncle thought it would make things worse for me if they tried to intervene. I sure wish I'd known when I was much younger. Instead, I believed with everything in me that I was somehow flawed and unworthy of love and acceptance from anyone.

Jesus changed all that. I didn't need to be "fixed" for Him to love me. I didn't need to change for Him to see me. He was encouraging and helpful and always cheering me on.

That relationship with Him began so long ago when one person decided to teach me a little song. She couldn't have known what a balm it would be to a broken child. "Yes, Jesus loves me! The Bible tells me so."

August 15, 2026

Hyprocrites 

You hypocrites! Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you:

"These people honor me with their lips,

but their hearts are far from me.

They worship me in vain;

their teachings are merely human rules."

-- Matthew 15:7-9

This passage of Scripture came up today in my quiet time. My mind immediately went to a photo of House Speaker Mike Johnson leading a prayer even as he and other republicans argued to cut trillions from programs such as healthcare, Medicaid, and other assistance programs for the elderly, children, and the poor.

The hypocrisy was mind boggling. The saddest part? For so many that is how they see God. Many now believe that God supports harming them or, at the very least, has no compassion with those who are struggling.

Jesus repeatedly advocated for the poor, the disenfranchised, the ones that the elite condemned as unworthy. Jesus even told us that whatever we did for the least of these was what we were doing to Him.

I really don't care what church they attend. I don't care about the words coming from their mouths. What matters is are they loving people like Jesus did? Are the politicians really focused on living their faith? Their actions yell a powerful no!

When people are focused on power, it's impossible to please Jesus. When people are focused on money, it's impossible to please Jesus. Why? Because Jesus focused on people. He loved everyone. He welcomed everyone. No need to clean yourself up before seeking His Presence. Jesus welcomed you as you are today.

Don't tell me about how God helps people who help themselves. That's not in the Bible. Read it for yourself. Benjamin Franklin included it in the 1773 Poor Richard's Almanack. It's origins date back to ancient Greece and a fable told by Aesop. But God didn't say it. We'd prefer to believe otherwise so we can justify our own hard hearts. Just stop it!

The United States was established with the concept of religious freedom. If you choose to follow Jesus (and I do), then follow Him honestly. Don't just parade your "faith" out when it's politically convenient. And don't proclaim a faith you refuse to follow with your actions.

July 10. 2026

Welcome Others

 "Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."

-- Matthew 28:19-20

I don't think she meant her words to come out as they did. Maybe it was a freudian slip. Whatever her intentions, it revealed a great deal about a certain segment of the church.

Really, it revealed a great deal about all of us. We welcome the words of Jesus -- until He calls us to do something we'd really rather not do.

As we talked that night about the need for church growth, she said she wanted the church membership to remain the same but also that the church should welcome new people who wanted to attend. Umm. Keep the old-timers in charge but let everyone else show up to attend, work, tithe.

That's really not how it works. Think about Paul's journey. He went out and preached, then moved on, trusting that the Holy Spirit would guide those he had taught. Just as Jesus trusted all of us to spread the good news of salvation through Him.

It wasn't a suggestion. It was a command. Jesus told us what to do and, yet, we're reluctant. Why? Because we want things to stay the same.

Life never stays the same. Not ever. Sometimes change brings good things. Sometimes change brings hard days. We carry both with the grace and strength of our community, our family, our church.

When we gather unto ourselves, our own little group, our own little world, we have failed to follow Jesus. When we shut people out by not fully including them, we have failed to follow Jesus. When we refuse to go out into the world and invite people into our lives, we fail to follow Jesus.

I choose to believe her heart didn't mean what her words said. I choose to see the best in her and others who gather close into their circle rather than reach out to others who feel like outcasts from a faith they aren't sure about anymore.

I will continue to do my part. I'll welcome the stranger, the one who is different, the person who is sick or hurting. I want my church to grow in ways that only Christ can direct, intentionally following His lead.

July 5, 2026

What Does Hope Look Like?

 We have this hope as an anchor for our lives, safe and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain.

-- Hebrews 6:19 (HCSB)

What does hope look like? I'm not talking about a big theological debate. We know that Jesus is our hope. But what does it look like?

Sometimes hope means I don't have to always know the answer. I don't have to fix everything that is broken around me. That includes me.

Hope holds on tightly to the soul, to my soul, and says that today is enough. When I look too hard toward the distance, my chest tightens with anxiety and fear. I can't imagine what the days will become. I certainly never expected any of this.

Our nation is in turmoil, led by a liar who would be a king. We have forgotten how to disagree without hatred, violence, and bigotry.

Our Christian "values" have turned more toward bowing to a ruler that isn't Jesus. We tolerate everything Jesus fought against because our hearts fear change. What about us, we cry. But what about Jesus? What about hope that today is not the forever we long for.

The United Methodist Church split, both claiming theological issues. But how can we claim one verse over another? And how can we forget Paul's message to the Corinthians about loving each other? It was never intended to be the "wedding Scripture". It was meant to teach a church how to love one another even when we disagree.

Sometimes it feels like I lost my country and my church. Yet I gained something far more valuable. The hope I knew has become the anchor that settles my soul for the journey.

People leave. They lash out. They hold themselves up and yet push others down, telling everyone how right they are. It's so sad. Jesus said to love people. How is hatred and condemnation even in that conversation?

Yet, there is hope. We are to fix our eyes on Jesus. Anchor ourselves in His Word. Forget about the politics of life and those who preach words they do not live.

We have one King. One Lord. One Savior. He doesn't live in Washington, D.C. He doesn't reside in any particular church building. He lives in our hearts and He beckons us forward.

We are headed home. That is our hope and our secure foundation.

November 7, 2024

                         Trump Is No David

After removing him (Saul), he raised up David as their king and testified about him, ‘I have found David the son of Jesse to be a man after my own heart, who will carry out my will.’ – Acts 13:22

The excuses have begun. People who voted for evil are comparing Donald Trump to King David. We all sin. David was certainly no exception. But the difference between the two men can be found in their hearts.

In 2 Samuel 12, the prophet Nathan confronted David over his sin with Bathsheba. David had not only committed adultery, but he had Bathsheba’s husband murdered. The LORD forgave David when he admitted he had sinned against God. 

David paid for his sin. The son Bathsheba conceived died. Nathan also told David that because of his sin, God had decreed that the sword would never leave David’s house. And it didn’t.

But let’s get back to David’s repentance. He accepted responsibility for his sins. Trump merely blames everyone else. He never takes responsibility for anything. Trump is nothing like King David.

Perhaps the important question for those already making excuses for Trump is why they feel the need to do so. He won. Our country has turned away from God and embraced evil.

I believe that God will work through this horrific time and show His Glory. Just as He did after Christians put Hitler into power and made excuses for him. I also know that the days ahead will be horrific. Will God’s people finally rise up against a would-be dictator and put God back on the throne? I don’t know.

Those of you who voted for Trump made a choice that was yours to make. Don’t now try to justify turning from God by throwing out Scripture. There is no justifying what you’ve done.

November 6, 2024

                             Rejecting God

But when they said, “Give us a king to lead us,” this displeased Samuel; so he prayed to the Lord. And the Lord told him: “Listen to all that the people are saying to you; it is not you they have rejected, but they have rejected me as their king.

– 1 Samuel 8:6-7

Evil prevailed yesterday. Dishonesty and greed and arrogance won. It is a struggle to try and understand how God would allow such a thing to happen.

After much prayer, the Holy Spirit led me to 1 Samuel 8. Then I understood. My heart remains broken. I will never look at many “Christian” friends the same. I’m sure they would say the same about me. Satan’s victory has left a lasting scar.

Samuel was growing older. His two sons were to judge God’s people but they weren’t like Samuel. They turned aside for dishonest gain, accepted bribes and perverted justice. That’s what the Bible says.

God’s people demanded a king instead. This upset Samuel and he took it to the LORD. God told the people what would happen but still gave them the king they demanded. Feel free to read further about King Saul. Oftentimes what we think we want, is not at all what’s best for us.

God told Samuel that the people were rejecting Him and not Samuel. Yesterday people who claimed to follow Jesus rejected Him, choosing instead an idol and their own selfish ambitions over honor, mercy, kindness and love.

Does it still break my heart? Absolutely. I clearly see the destruction that awaits. But, unfortunately for us all, some people must learn lessons the hard way.

I think back to Hitler, a man Trump has said he admires. The German population at that time was about 99 percent Christian and only 1 percent Jewish. The Christians overwhelmingly supported Hitler. It allowed Hitler to gain great power and murder many, many innocent people. Do you believe the concentration camps were horrific? Do you believe such a thing can never happen again? It can. Really. It can.

Trump has vowed retaliation against those who spoke against him. He has said that Liz Cheney should be shot. That the “fake” media could be shot and he would be okay with that. The Bible clearly says that vengeance belongs to God. I doubt Trump knows or cares about what God says.

The American people made their choice yesterday. May God have mercy on us all.