Over the years, Rebekah and I have attended more weddings than I could possible count or recall. Rebekah has married people in huge sanctuaries packed with 500 guests, in small church parlors with a few friends, in state parks, on porches, in clubs and lodges, and once in a back garden with just five (the…
The marriage feast is a lot like the kingdom of God. There is generosity, lavish celebration, wide open arms, welcome, faithfulness, commitment, renewal of hope, and promise for the future - all brought together in the context of extravagant love.
Read more what a good wedding can teach about the kingdom of God…
Today is a “catch up on overdue writing for editors” day. That translates into a shorter blog post. So I’ll be going with my standby, “Four Photos” format. I think you’ll enjoy. The images that captured my interest this morning all showed up in the past couple of days – Even the picture from Montreat,…
Read more four random images – one great story of love and grace
Author’s note concerning photo archives: This blog loves great photographs. Unfortunately, pictures take up a lot of space. WordPress, by my estimation, provides enough room for around two-three years of archives before I hit the “you have used 95% of your 1.3 GB storage capacity” mark. Consequently, I’m deleting the oldest photographs as the need arises.…
Read more “Remain in my Love; Live in community; Don’t blow it” – Jesus
When the master of ceremonies tasted the water that was now wine, not knowing where it had come from (though, of course, the servants knew), he called the bridegroom over. “A host always serves the best wine first,” he said. “Then, when everyone has had a lot to drink, he brings out the less expensive…
Read more Jesus defies convention (connecting with the source for the best wine)
Dear friends, since God loved us that much, we surely ought to love each other. No one has ever seen God. But if we love each other, God lives in us, and his love is brought to full expression in us. – 1 John 4:11-12 As a “preacher’s spouse” – aka clergy-hubby – one of…
Read more weddings, baptism, ministry, people, joy, and “the very best” of everything…
This is an “extra” post, and should not break the continuity of the “Advent Devotional” series that’s running each day from December 1-24. Even though Rebekah and I receive newsletters three, four, even five pages long (single-spaced!), we remain committed to the more manageable format of the half-page summary! The snail-mail version comes enclosed in…
Read more Derek & Rebekah Maul Family Newsletter, Christmas 2013
If you visit this space often you know that, primarily, I am a writer. Writing is – along with speaking and teaching – my profession. But this space is also somewhat of a photo-blog. I often use the images I capture to help tell the story. Photography is – for me – more about “story”…
And the master of the banquet tasted the water that had been turned into wine. He did not realize where it had come from, though the servants who had drawn the water knew. Then he called the bridegroom aside and said, “Everyone brings out the choice wine first and then the cheaper wine after the guests have…
Read more BRILLIANT! When good times can’t help but morph into “sensational!”
Well, it happened. Andrew and Alicia’s epic wedding celebration is officially wrapped up and recorded into history. This afternoon, after a long, lazy luncheon with the immediate family, the “A-Team” made their way through the lobby of Midland’s “H” hotel and on to their honeymoon in the Caribbean. The wedding service took place Saturday afternoon,…
Read more shine like stars in the universe (Andrew and Alicia’s wedding day!)
