Faith in the Cracks
Just like new plants sprout in the cracks of the sidewalk, faith can grow and develop in the cracks of our lives. Whether the cracks are cracks of time in our daily schedule or cracks in our lives from changes, pressure, or life in general, when we allow God's word to seep into the cracks, new things can blossom.
Episodes
125 episodes
Heartbroken
The news of flash floods in the Texas Hill Country and so many people, including lots of young campers who have died or are yet unaccounted for is heartbreaking. I have spent time in the Texas Hill Country. I have driven past those camps. I hav...
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Season 3
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Episode 25
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7:14
Community
I have seen in recent weeks the need for community. We read about community and its importance throughout the Bible. We need others. We need relationship. Community can help support us in times of need, celebrate when we celebrate and weep or m...
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Season 3
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Episode 24
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5:02
Holding on to God's Love
The church I serve is celebrating 40 years of ministry. The day has been in planning for over a year. Then the night before, news breaks that the US has bombed 3 nuclear sites in Iran. I felt the need to address it, but didn't want to take away...
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Season 3
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Episode 23
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7:55
Thinking about My Dad
Father's Day weekend and spending time in Branson, MO got me thinking about my dad. He was always looking at the heart of people. He cheered people on when they chased their dreams. He would be proud of his grandkids as they have chased what th...
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Season 3
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Episode 22
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8:37
Jumping for Joy
VBS is going on as I record. There are kids laughing, singing and playing all over the church building. There is joy. The adults are having fun and laughing and smiling too. How can we bring more joy into our lives and then share that with the ...
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4:30
Singing in the Darkness
Acts 16 brings an earthquake and a prison escape. However it also brings a picture of people who are free even if they are in chains. Paul and SIlas sing while in prison, they offer worship and praise in the dark of their captivity. They are fr...
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Season 3
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Episode 20
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6:08
Space for Grace
Grace - we talk about it in the Christian church a lot, but it is harder to practice. How do we, particularly in busy or difficult seasons of life offer grace to others and to ourselves. Grace does not mean we ignore consequences, but rather, w...
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Season 3
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Episode 19
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6:16
Ananias
Ananias appears in the story of the conversion of Saul to Paul. He gets forgotten for his role. He is the one who welcomes Saul even though he is afraid. He is a faithful servant and follows the call of God. Who has acted like Ananias in your l...
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Season 3
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Episode 18
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5:46
Agents of LIfe
Peter is one of my favorite disciples. He is bold and brash yet doesn't always understand what he says. He is the one who says he would die for Jesus yet denies Christ three times. Jesus reconciles him on the shore after the resurrection and th...
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Season 3
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Episode 17
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6:10
God's Grace at your Left Elbow
A pastor once said this in a sermon. "God's grace is always at your left elbow." Years later that has stuck with me. It was with me through 2 surgeries, I have used it in meeting with others. I pondered this with a couple of people in my congre...
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Season 3
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Episode 16
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5:14
The Light after the Darkness
As we arrive at Easter, we have come through the darkness of Holy Week. The tender moments in the upper room replaced with the fear and frenzy of the Passion on Good Friday, although Jesus remains calm. It reminded me of Psalm 23 and that as we...
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Season 3
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Episode 15
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4:19
Holy Week
We have entered Holy Week. The palm branches and shouts of "Hosanna" have faded, and if we rush directly to Easter and "Hallelujah!" we miss so much of the story. Holy Week is hard. In the Gospel of Luke the Triumphal Entry is in chapter 19 and...
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Season 3
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Episode 14
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7:23
Do, Love, Walk
In Micah 6:8 the question is asked "What does the Lord require of you?" The answer is to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God. I have met with people from 2 different organizations in my community. The way things a...
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Season 2
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Episode 13
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6:33
Temptations in Luke
This Lenten season I have been preaching about temptations as found in Luke's gospel. Luke sends the disciples into a Samaritan village and when they are not welcomed they are ready to fight. Jesus turns anger into grace. At a meal and Jesus wa...
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Season 3
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Episode 12
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6:37
Take a Deep Breath
I found out that FDR used to have "Children's Hour" which was a cocktail hour before dinner. It was for close family and friends. The big rule, no business talk. He used the time before dinner to take a deep breath and to relax a bit. We all ne...
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6:22
Fasting and Feasting
In many churches in the world, we are in the season of Lent. The time before Easter for self reflection. Many people give up something during Lent. Others might take on a devotional practice. William Arthur Ward created a litany called Fasting ...
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5:45
Being a Jedi
I once was thrown in to teach a Jr. High Sunday school class. They were studying the Fruits of the Spirit in Galatians 5. A Star Wars movie had recently been released so I asked them about the Sith and the Jedi. We agreed that the Fruits of the...
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Season 3
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Episode 9
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7:45
Transfiguration
The Transfiguration of Jesus is the text that we read the Sunday before Lent begins. Jesus is changed into his glorified state. But they must come down the mountain and re-engage the world. We too have to re-engage the world, but how can we be ...
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Season 3
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Episode 8
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6:09
Stop Signs
While sitting at a 4 way stop, I marveled at how simple and easy they can be when everyone does their part. You come to a stop, wait your turn, then go on your way. No one has to keep watch most of the time, we just stop, wait, then go again. B...
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Season 3
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Episode 7
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5:21
Leveling
The Gospel of Luke is about making things level. Jesus meets us where we are. Mary sings a song of resistance that the mighty will be made low. And in Chapter 6 we have the Sermon on the Plain. Jesus speaks about the Kingdom of God being a plac...
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Season 3
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Episode 6
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7:02
Soup
Yesterday was the Super Bowl, however it was also The Souper Bowl of Caring. This event has been around for 35 years and has collected over $163 Million dollars. They are now Tackle Hunger, but this is a signature event. It started with a praye...
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Season 3
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Episode 5
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7:02
Noisy Gong or Loud Voice
1 Corinthians 13 is often called the love chapter. Part of it is read at weddings. Love is patient, love is kind...but Paul also says that if we speak and have not love we are noisy gong or clanging cymbal. What determines which we are? Does it...
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Season 3
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Episode 4
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7:24
The Choices we Make
We all make choices in life. What we choose has consequences. Things happen because of our actions or inactions. Director Jon Chu said in an interview that part 1 of Wicked was about choices and the 2nd part which will be released later in 2025...
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Season 3
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Episode 3
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7:39
Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr
As we celebrate Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day, let us think about what he was calling us to do and to be. He was a prolific speaker and writer. One speech, "The Transformed Non Conformist" caught my attention as to what he was calling Chr...
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Season 3
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Episode 2
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7:06