Devotion: February 19, 2023 | Transfiguration Yesterday as we drove up North for a brief time away, the storm grabbed ahold of us just south of Milwaukee as we rolled up I-94. Visibility deteriorated rapidly as the semis pushed aggressively forward, riding our bumper and throwing out slush from in front. It was life …
The Baptism of the Lord “Let it be so now; for it is proper in this way to fulfill all righteousness.” -Jesus of Nazareth (Mt. 3:15) Jesus’ public ministry lasted only three short years, and all four gospels agree that he began his ministry at the Jordan River when he chose to submit …
Weekly Devotion: The Baptism of the Lord | January 6 Read More »
“A Righteous Man…” Each December we retell the Christmas Story with childlike wonder and delight in the angels and shepherds, the ox and the ass, the mother and child, the Magi and the Star. But do we fully appreciate the suffering of Joseph in learning his espoused wife has become pregnant? This constituted his “dying …
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Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday, which may be the case because of my firm belief that “there’s always room for more.” More turkey and stuffing. More mashed potatoes and gravy. More pie. And more happy days coming—days filled with joyous anticipation, culminating in Christmas Day itself. Thanksgiving begins the holiday season. Our gratitude leads the …
“I am confident of this, that God who began a good work in you will be faithful to complete it on the day of Jesus Christ.” -Philippians 1:6 Dear First Pres. Family and Friends, During the past 2 ½ years, we’ve been through a lot. Through the pandemic, we’ve had to close our doors—twice. We’ve …
During the hard time when God’s people were living in exile, many had given up hope that God would act to deliver the people. In Psalm 137, the psalmist laments, “By the waters of Babylon—there we sat down and wept when we remembered Zion.” The house of God had been razed and their nation was …
Devotion: November 4, 2022 “The Path Forward…Embrace the Possibilities” Read More »
“The One Thing Needful” “There is need of only one thing. Mary has chosen the better part, which will not be taken away from her.” -Jesus of Nazareth (Luke 10:42) How is it that two siblings from one family can wind up with dramatically-differing personalities? Martha and Mary are a case in point. Along with …
The Aftermath …for we do not know how to pray as we ought… but the Spirit intercedes with sighs too deep for words. (Romans 8:26). As I numbly walk through this summer of unspeakable sadness, jarringly surrounded by the beauty and peace of Lake Forest, how hard it is to reconcile what has happened …
Happy Fourth of July! Dear Friends, As the “dog days” of midsummer approach, the holiday weekend beckons with prospects of concerts and picnics, boating and swimming, fireworks displays, parades and marching bands. Most importantly, the Fourth invites us to embrace a deep sense of gratitude for the blessings we enjoy. In the 8th Chapter of …