Jesus came to help and save the outsiders, outcasts, and outlaws. During the season of Lent, we’ll be reading the Gospel of Luke together, and we’ll see that whether you’ve been poor, rich, rejected, dejected, sick or humiliated, God wants to use you to lift up the lowly.
Each of us has to deal with difficult people, but they don't have to wreak havoc in our lives. And when we follow Jesus' teaching and example for dealing with difficult people, it can transform the world.
God Created us for intimacy, and some of us find intimacy in marriage. In marriage and other relationships, we often get it wrong, but God is a God of second chances. In marriage and in any other relationship, God offers the chance to start over.
Good relationships keep us healthier and happier. One of the best investments we can make is growing in our relationships, and this is certainly true for parents. Parenting is a lifetime job that doesn’t end when children are grown, and the best gift we can give to our children is our presence.
Humility is not natural to anyone, but it is the lifestyle Jesus models for us. And when we learn to be humble, not only does it open us up to the possibility of wisdom, it also makes others feel encouraged, accepted, and valued in our presence.
Kindness is not a weakness. In fact, it can actually lower blood pressure, improve sleep, and strengthen immune systems. We are made for loving kindness, and when we choose to be kind, we bless others and create a kinder world.
On Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. weekend, the prophet Micah reminds us what God requires of us: to do justice. The long fight for economic justice, racial justice, and any other kind of justice takes intentional planning. Justice doesn’t “just happen.” According to Micah, it is something we do.
Who do you want to be in 2023? God invites us into a new way of being—not just doing the right things, but being transformed to be more like Jesus. And a transformed "you" can lead to a transformed family, community, and world.
When we are baptized, Jesus invites us into a new life. As a new year begins, we invite you to experience newness of life by remembering your baptism or saying yes to Jesus and being baptized for the first time.
Jesus came to bring light into darkness. Today, we celebrate that the light has come into the world, and the darkness cannot overcome it! Merry Christmas!
