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Romans 5:3–4: “3...we also celebrate in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance; 4 and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope.” These verses are some of the most counterintuitive and powerful statements in Scripture. In just a few lines, Paul outlines a spiritual progression that reshapes how we are meant to understand hardship. Rather than viewing suffering as a setback, he frames it as a catalyst for growth, maturity, and ult

O Lord, How Long? Well, I thought the coronavirus pandemic was past. But it is back in the news as Congress is now asking questions Dr. Fauci about his diary. Of course, the conflict with Iran continues to be unsettling. In case you missed it, an earthquake rattled the nation of Japan this week. That has made over 20,000 for the year thus far. Forest fires in Canada and France. The on-going political ineptitude among our state and national leaders; crime and social unrest; a

Henri Nouwen is one of my favorite authors. Over the years, I have read many of his books and articles. In his book, Can You Drink the Cup, Henri tells a story about Trevor, a man with severe mental and emotional challenges who was sent by Henri's community to a psychiatric facility for evaluation. Henri wanted to see him, so he called the hospital to arrange a visit. When those in authority found out that the famous teacher Henri Nouwen was coming, they asked if they could h

The Psalmist asks and answers a simple question in Psalm 121: I lift up my eyes to the hills— from where will my help come? My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth. When we travel, we go ‘up’ to Montgomery or ‘down’ to the coast. The instruction for this Psalm identifies this as a song for pilgrims ascending to Jerusalem. Jerusalem was located on a mountain in the Judean wilderness. Jerusalem was the holy city for the Jews. It was the home of God’s Temple, that

You may not know the name, Dr. Maxie Dunnam, but Dr. Dunnam’s contribution to the evangelical movement within Methodism is renowned. In his career, he has been a pastor, director of The Upper Room Ministries, Asbury Seminary President, teacher, leader, and friend to countless believers. I’ve heard Dr. Dunnam preach several times during my time at Asbury. One of my favorite quotes from Dr. Dunnam is ‘There are some things God either will not or cannot do, unless the people pra

Every Sunday, we gather at church for worship. But Sunday worship is more than just a weekly gathering; it is a sacred appointment with the living God. Often, the impact of that encounter hinges on the condition of our hearts long before we walk through the church doors. Preparing our hearts for worship isn’t complicated, but it is intentional. By embracing five simple practices, we can transform Sunday from a routine obligation into a life-shaping moment of worship, fellowsh

In his small letter 1 John, the author writes, “See what love the Father has given us, that we should be called the children of God and that is what we are.” (1 John 3:1) John tells us that we are not only called the children of God, but we are his children. Let that statement sink in for a moment. In the Old Testament, it is the people of Israel who were called God’s children. But in Jesus Christ, God has extended his family to include not only the Hebrew people but all peop

At the conclusion of this month, I will have completed my 23rd year as a pastor in the Methodist Church. After all this time, I can still proclaim serving the local church is one of the greatest joys of my life. I still believe this is God’s calling on my life. It is a calling to which I still respond with a great deal of ‘fear and trembling.’ I still believe that Jesus is the Lord of the church. I still believe that a life lived for Jesus is the best life anyone can live. I

As I look into my granddaughter’s eyes, I am captivated by two thoughts. First, the goodness of God. God in his goodness allows us to be co-creators of humanity. He gives us the privilege of being parents and of then watching our children as they bring new life into the world. What a wonderful thing it is to hold the tangible expression of God’s goodness in your arms, to count her tiny fingers and toes, to see her tiny lips purse in peace as she slumbers and then pucker in an

While we are still a few days away from the official start of summer, most of us have already transitioned to our ‘summer-state-of-mind.’ Shorts or bathing suits will be our garb for the next several months. Families with children are adjusting to not having to be up and out the door Monday through Friday. Thoughts of water, cool-drinks, and family vacations are on the front of everyone’s minds. Even church has shifted. With a few exceptions, we have scaled back our normal we

Pentecost marked the arrival of the Holy Spirit whose purpose is to transform people into fully engaged followers of Jesus. Pentecost is also the birth of the church. I have been thinking a lot about the church recently, especially what the church is and what it is supposed to be. The church is meant to be the loving, grace-filled, encouraging representation of Jesus in the world. But too often, the church settles for being a comfortable place to gather for a few minutes on S

21 May 2026. As I sit down to write this, my heart is warm. Heather and I had the unexpected blessing of spending a few minutes with our grandkids at lunch today. They were passing through town so our visit was short but it was a time loving and being loved. They are so free with their hugs and ‘I love you Nana and Papa.’ Our hearts have been warmed. This Sunday marks an occasion when our founder John Wesley also felt his heart warmed, ‘strangely warmed as he wrote.’ Sunday i

Many years ago, I prayed the most dangerous prayer ever. It was after a long period of seeking to know God’s will that I prayed, “Here I am, LORD. Send me.” I honestly didn’t know what I was praying. I thought God’s answer would be to ‘send’ me to teach Sunday School, volunteer with the youth, and be a better leader in our home church. A few weeks later, I came to realize how dangerous that prayer was when God called me into fulltime ministry. He answered my prayer by telling

Another of those ‘easy’ prayers I pray from time to time is ‘Lord, Bless me. Lord, Protect me.’ What I mean when I pray that is ‘Lord, give me more of what I want (Bless me) and keep away those things I don’t want’ (Protect me). I’m not the first to pray these prayers of course. A man named Jabez prayed this prayer many centuries ago. You may have heard about Jabez and his prayer from a book written by David Wilkerson. Jabez is a relatively obscure character in the Bible with

I like to pray. I like to pray those soft easy prayers where I ask God to bring world peace, or feed the hungry, or heal the sick. Those are sincere prayers. I truly long for God to bring an end to war and conflict and hatred. I honestly want to see the hungry fed and the sick healed. But those prayers require very little from me and therefore lead to very little transformation in me. I can’t end the wars in Ukraine and Israel. I can’t end hunger or heal the sick. Those large

Parades, fireworks, food, and patriotic celebrations. You may be thinking I’m focused on America’s 250th birthday coming in July. But this morning, my thoughts are on another place dear to my heart – the nation of Israel. Three years ago this week, Heather and I had the opportunity to visit Israel. It was without a doubt the most amazing experience of our life. The feelings we experienced as we visited the homeland of Abraham, as we saw where Ezekiel defeated the prophets of

Easter is often marked by a single Sunday—bright lilies, triumphant hymns, and the proclamation that Christ is risen. But the joy of Easter was never meant to be contained in one morning or one service. It is a season, a posture, and ultimately a way of life. The resurrection is not simply an event we remember; it is a reality we live in. The ongoing joy of Easter is the steady heartbeat of Christian hope. At the center of Easter is the astonishing truth that death does not g

Colossians 3:2: “Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.” You may have heard the reference of Christians as being ‘Easter People’. But what does that mean? The short answer is that ‘Easter People’ are people who believe in the resurrection of Jesus from the dead. But I believe the term means more than we believe an event took place in history. I believe it is meant to describe how we live out what we believe each and every day. It is easy to

A few years ago, I was talking with the staff at a previous church about our favorite time of the year. Everyone was sharing about how much they enjoyed spring or Christmas. During our conversation, one of the young ladies told us she hated Good Friday. She couldn’t think of anything that was good about it. My initial thought was, ‘I can relate to that.’ When I think about the suffering and death that Jesus went through on Good Friday, it certainly isn’t my favorite day of th

In everyday conversation, “blessed” often becomes shorthand for good fortune—health, family, success, or a streak of favorable circumstances. But within the Judeo‐Christian tradition, the meaning of being blessed runs far deeper than positive outcomes. It speaks to a relationship, a calling, and a posture of life shaped by God’s presence rather than life’s conditions. In the Hebrew Scriptures, blessing (berakah) is rooted in God’s creative intention for humanity. From the ope