Painfully Hopeful

Fiction Tuesday – Restoratives

Ama directed Jeremy to sit in a plush chair in the center of a small room. As with the waiting room this space was well-lit, though Jeremy couldn’t discern what the light source was. The healer stepped over toward a table and began pulling several glass bottles off the well-stocked shelves. She muttered slightly as…

The Days are Coming

This is an edited manuscript for my for my sermon on March 22, 2015. It’s based on Jeremiah 31:31-34. Jeremiah envisions The LORD’s incredible grace and patience. Jeremiah is an interesting prophet. He lived during the time of Judah’s rapid decline and actually witnessed the destruction of Jerusalem by the Babylonian Empire. His prophetic ministry…

Humility

Below is my version of a popular Christian bumper-sticker. I often worry the “official” version communicates hubris instead of the intended humility 1. This might also manage to imply the wrong sentiment, but I’m pondering. Or perhaps we should just keep massively complex theological notions off bumper-stickers. Mostly with an implied statement, “At least I’m…

Small Towns

Last week Spring teased our area and I was able to go out and take some walks with my camera. One of these trips took me to the Riverton Library, which I have never before photographed. I think I’ll have to come back when there is foliage on the trees, I’ll get better shadows. It’s…

Inspired

This week the Bible App, the great app from the people who pioneered YouVersion, released a new feature – Images. I’m not writing this post because I think it’s a terrible feature, or one that should be mocked. In fact, I can see how it could be quite useful and even pointed it out to…

Very proud pastor

There are days where I can’t help but think how fortunate I am to be pastoring the folks at Central Baptist. Tonight, for the first time in several years, we hosted a week of the local Lenten Soup Supper & Worship 1. We’d dropped out when the kind soul who used to handle it laid…