I don’t like to stop. I often am afraid that while I’m asleep I’ll miss something important. This is a large reason why I stay up late and rise early. But there’s another kind of sleep that has crept in and started to affect us all. It’s the sleep of complacency. Continue reading
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On Wednesday nights at Living Word we’re journeying through the famous story by Charles Dickens, A Christmas Carol. It’s a wonderful story of a man caught up in himself who is led to a major life change by visits from four different Ghosts throughout Christmas Eve. We started this series with a visit from the Ghost of Marley, Scrooge’s partner. This week we meet the Ghost of Christmas Past. Continue reading
Since there are only so many weeks to celebrate Christmas and there are some pretty great Christmas songs, I thought it’d be good to take a few weeks of our #musicmonday this year and celebrate Christmas. Christmas this year is a song that talks of the transition between fall and Christmas. The message is one of anticipation. Continue reading
Throughout the season of Advent we’ll be unwrapping another gift. This week it’s the gift of love. But don’t assume you know what love looks like. It’s not exactly what you think. When we discover the reality of God’s love we’ll be surprised how vast and powerful his love is. Listen as Pastor Derrick shares the power of God’s love.
For those of you that know me well, one thing you would certainly not say is that I’m a traditional kind of guy. I don’t sit still long enough to establish traditions. I love to try new things with the intent of meeting and connecting with new people. I’m one of those blaze your own trail kind of guys. Or to quote another phrase grass doesn’t grow under my feet. Continue reading
The famous story by Charles Dickens will guide us through our midweek Advent journey this year. Tonight we sit with Scrooge as he’s met by Marley’s ghost. We hear the words of caution for a life missed. Listen as Pastor Derrick shows how Scrooge and Marley can help us prepare for Christmas.
Cuts, scars, pimples, blemishes, weight issues, height, dress, muscles or lack of them, hair color, hair style, braces, birthmarks – these things and many more affect the way people see me. But why can’t people see the real me? Why can’t people see beyond the scars and the image in the picture to see who I really am? This is a question with which many struggle – daily. Continue reading
Today at around 10am there was an active shooter alert at the campus of the Ohio State University. In the moment when the news first hit, I was sitting with a member of my congregation whose son was typically in the building that was all over the news. Fear and worry were plastered around the room like graffiti.
The conversation turned from planning and preparation to pause and prayer. Words fell silent as we pulled up social media and news platforms. Fears began to rise as familiar places were flashed across the computer screen on the live news broadcast. Seconds felt like hours between text message updates from those near the scene. The sight of SWAT officers climbing staircases and combing the buildings brought chills. This can’t be happening.
You could hear the thoughts raging in the minds of those in the room. What if the worst happens? Where is my son? I need to hear from him not someone else telling me he’s ok but I need to hear him. Minutes felt like days. News of the all clear made its way around the horn. We breathed a sigh of relief but there was something still a little uneasy. That was far too close to home.
As we went on our ways, I began to ponder the weight of the moment. Productivity was stopped. Innocence was violated. Fear ruled the moment. Everything we thought to be true was turned on its head. This was far too close to home.
But something interesting was going on through it all. This mom and her family, while visibly shaken, were eerily peaceful. Their world was being torn upside down, yet there was something of calm in the moment. The calm didn’t just come when the all-clear was given. No, it was present while the violence was still plastered on the news. The peace was there even when the fear was overwhelming. This was far too close to home to be certain but it wasn’t the end of the world.
As followers of Jesus we believe that Christ has made a difference in our lives today not just in the future. Yesterday I asked in bible class what difference has Jesus made in your life today? While there weren’t a ton of answers to that question in the moment I got the answer I needed today. The difference Jesus made was visible in the peace that I saw in her heart while her eyes were filling with tears. Jesus’ presence was so obvious as she struggled with the horror of the moment all the while maintaining a firm grip on the realities of the day.
It was far too close to home for us to ignore. But so are many other things in our lives. When you’re in the midst of a war for your heart, are you able to know the difference of the Savior who loves you? When you are trapped in the quicksand of despair and depression are there people to whom you can turn for help?
Even though this terrible event happened far too close to home there were hundreds of men and women who rushed in when we ran out. Thank you to those who jumped to defend. Thank you to those who stayed calm and listened to direction. Thank you to the parents who were rocks for your children and to the children who were strong for your parents.
We will navigate this storm together. Let’s lean in to one another and support one another. I am so thankful that all of the students and staff with whom I am connected are safe and out of harms way. This was far too close for comfort and I’m glad you are now back home.
We all need a little hope don’t we? I mean come on. Turn on the news. Listen to the radio. Read the paper and you’ll see it plain as day. There is fear, terror, sadness, death, disease and just plain old evil all around. When life falls apart where do you find hope? Continue reading
Thought the season of advent we wait. We wait with anticipation for the things that will soon be here. We wait for Christmas but we, as followers of Jesus, also wait for Jesus. But we wait with hope. And hope is the certainty of things yet unseen. It’s the ability to see what can’t be seen. It’s the ability to experience what hasn’t yet happened. Listen this week as Pastor Derrick shares what it means to have Christian Hope.
