Yokemates

We have an agreement, my husband and I. It became necessary early in ministry. If ever we received an ‘anonymous’ note in the mail or slipped under the church office door, I was to save it but not share it with my husband. At least for a time. Since I typically picked up and sorted our mail, 99% of all anonymous notes hit a very quick dead end. Over the years, I can’t even tell you how many anonymous notes there have been, but it has been more than I can count on two hands. My best guess is that my husband has only asked to see one or two of them. What about the others? Some he knew about – eventually. Others, he has assumed existed, but he never confirmed his suspicions. So, the anonymous mail was typically saved for a time, and after a year or so it was thrown out. A few have been forgotten, but filed just because of the potential severity of the conflict. Why didn’t my husband want to read them? His philosophy is this - ‘If they don’t have the courage to sign their n...

More, bigger, better, quicker. We live in a world of discontent. The season of Thanksgiving is evolving into two new holidays – Black Friday   and Cyber Monday. No, you say? You still celebrate Thanksgiving with the turkey, cranberry sauce and pumpkin pie – and you take time to share that day with family and friends around a table. Me too! But, what has been swirling in your mind and tugging at your heart lately? Are you wondering… How you will get all your shopping done in time for Christmas? How you can strategize to get in on the best sales – whether “black or cyber”? How to capture a photo to share in your Christmas cards – or on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram? How to stretch your budget for your Thanksgiving meal or traveling expenses this week? How you will survive all the holiday drama? Are you overwhelmed yet?  That’s not my purpose today, but I would like to remind us all how easy it is to be dragged into the world’s way of thinking. More, bigger, ...

“ The message of the cross is foolish to those who are headed for destruction! But we who are being saved know it is the very power of God. ” 1 Corinthians 1:18 (NLT) It never gets old to see three crosses standing majestically on a hillside along the highway. Or, the moment we come across a picture-perfect church nestled in a serene valley or rising up from miles of vast corn fields. Each cross that stands high atop a steeple serves as a beacon of hope to all who pass by and for all those who enter the door below. The cross of Christ - a symbol of life, hope and peace. A quiet reminder of the ultimate sacrifice given by God’s only Son to save each one of us. The word, thankful, seems a bit insignificant in trying to sum up the gratitude that should be offered for that amazing gift. Recently, I was reminded that many in our communities don’t know the significance of the three crosses so how can they be thankful. Some don’t understand what goes on inside of a church, and they ...

Thanksgiving. The season of giving thanks. It is a holiday that is beginning to disappear in our society. The celebration of Thanksgiving can look very different in our homes. When I was growing up, my family celebrated by bringing together the extended family for a feast. In my husband’s family, time off of work and school gave the opportunity to go hunting with uncles and cousins. A meal with turkey and all the trimmings was often just a way to keep fueled up for the next hunt! For millions of others, Thanksgiving Day is a time to indulge in a delicious meal followed by crowd-pleasing ‘game day’ snacks and football. And, admittedly, I have been known to spend the final hours of Thanksgiving searching for the best early bird  ‘Black Friday’ deal. Even with all these activities, there are many opportunities for us to have thankful hearts. The things that occupy our time on the last Thursday of November each year has little to do with how FULL our hearts are ...