“Blessed are the poor in spirit,For theirs is the kingdom of heaven." Matthew 5:3 One of the many really great things about the guys I am meeting with in small groups at WFPC is how smart they are, how sharp, how focused in terms of their commitment to read, to share ideas, to listen, and to learn. …
Continue reading Do we need to “be” blessed, or are we “already” blessed?
Our own rightness is an extension of God's goodness. We do not act independent of God, but we act - when we are at our best - in partnership.
I thought about my friend Sandee, who would pass peacefully into her own sunset a little over an hour later (probably around sundown in Minnesota), and I thanked God for the continuous witness to the resurrection that we enjoy every single day.
Sunday turned out to be a busy day, with enough adventure material to cover at least three posts. Instead, though, I'll summarize and share a few photos.
So I am taking a look at the idea that we are made in the image of God, that Jesus is the best example possible of what God's image looks like in a human being, and that Christ's followers also have a lot to teach us when it comes to "manly" ideals and behavior.
Well, that was a great week. Nicely capped off with the pleasure of taking my grandchildren to church. What completely awesome human beings they are. We are so blessed. At Wake Forest Presbyterian Church, Rebekah preached on "words." The congregation has been challenged to find three words that best describe how God is touching their …
We all agreed that it is only through acknowledging our pain, making ourselves vulnerable, and opening up those tender places both to God and to people who love us, that we are able to begin to engage the healing touch of God in a way that is transformational.
“Great blessings belong to those who know they are spiritually in need. God’s kingdom belongs to them.” – Matthew 5:3, ERV Sunday morning at WFPC was vibrant, dynamic, challenging, inspirational, encouraging, and refreshing; it was a similar experience to stepping outside on a cool, inviting fall day - a full, fresh, invigorating, deep breath of …
Continue reading The Beatitudes and the Prosperity Gospel Scam
Jesus told her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Anyone who believes in me will live, even after dying. Everyone who lives in me and believes in me will never ever die. Do you believe this, Martha?” “Yes, Lord,” she told him. “I have always believed you are the Messiah, the Son of God, the one …
Continue reading live oaks, solid churches, resurrection, and life!
I'll admit to still owning the "newcomer's view" of North Carolina. I love everything about this state. And, while I'm still capable of complaining about heat and humidity, at the same time I'm deeply grateful we've only been seriously hot for a couple of months - and then it will be fall in just a few …
Continue reading peaches, tomatoes, and other farm-to-table blessings
Derek Maul: Words, Photographs, and Food for the Journey 