You and the people you care for can learn to give thanks to God — even in painful times. In this message we bring together the Bible and scientific research to teach on the blessing and power of gratitude. We use Psalm 136 to lead an experience of giving thanks and praise to God in community and we facilitate a time of Thanksgiving meditation.
“Jesus is anointed by a sinful woman” is an unlikely title for a worship service today. But it is this woman, not a religious person, who shows us that the heart of worship is adoration and affection for the Lord Jesus Christ.
I lead a retreat called “A Walk with Good Shepherd.” I developed this in 2004 and have used it many times since then, most recently with a group at the Prince of Peace Abbey. You can use this handout to guide you in a time of Scripture meditation and prayer for a personal retreat or…
As a girl Lela sang praises to God while her mother played the church organ and her father played the viola. But the music stopped for Lela the day her mother was committed to a state hospital as a schizophrenic. Of course, Lela was very sad. She hated being alone. Fear gripped her heart. What…
The prophet urges us, “The Lord is in his holy temple; let all the earth be silent before him” (Habakkuk 1:13). The Psalmist invites us to “Be still and know” the Lord, to worship the holy God with him (Psalm 46:10). The Lord showed Elijah and us that to sense his presence and hear his message…
In Jerusalem I visited the site where the temple used to be and I walked the same south entry steps that Jesus walked on. As I climbed I noticed that the steps were irregular – they varied in length, some being long and others being short. I learned that this was done on purpose in order…
It’s Christmastime! Are you celebrating Christ in your heart? Are you appreciating the incarnate Son of God, the King of kings, in your thoughts? It’s easy too be distracted with busyness or worries – especially as Christmas approaches. Advent is a time to slow down and prepare for the coming of Christ to us. It’s…
When my dad was in sixth grade, his class was preparing to sing Christmas songs as part of a school musical. Everyone was excited to be a part of the Christmas celebration! To prepare for the event, the teacher listened to each child sing. When it was my dad’s turn, he sang out with joy,…
Recently I was hiking up in the hills near my house and I was drawn to pray the opening of Psalm 121: “I lift my eyes up to the hills –- where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.” Then I heard “the sound of…
I love to meditate on the Trinity! What sweet prayers come from contemplating the Godhead! Holy! Holy! Holy! Father, Son, and Spirit. God is so powerful, so beautiful, so good. He is God! And yet he is humble. To see God’s humility and sacrificial love changes everything about how we see ourselves and how we…