-
Welcome Spring
By Emily Cook “It’s like this, children,” said pastor-daddy, trying to explain the mysteries of faith one bleary morning, “Imagine little Peter walked across the street to the pond, and he fell through the ice and he died.” “No daddy I didn’t do that!” “Peter, it’s just a story, like a parable, I know it didn’t really happen.” “But I DIDN’T! Don’t laugh at me, Marcus!” “Okay, Peter. We know. Just listen.” “So, imagine he died. Could he call for help then? If he were dead, could he wave his arms and holler for us to come save him?” Heads shake. No way. That’s ridiculous. “Of course not. This is…
-
The Communion of Saints
by Shelly Hurt Mielke Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us. . . Hebrews 12:1 “Riddley, Riddley, Ree! I see something you don’t see, and the color of it is. . .” My five-year-old daughter loves to play this old family game, passed along for a few generations. I recall playing it with my beloved grandma, as she sat under the hair dryer in my childhood kitchen. After being told where the game originated, my little daughter has…
-
For Difficult Times
by Deac. Mary J. Moerbe In an ironic twist, encouragement means entirely different things to different groups of people. For many, it has become a matter of sharing personal strength or perhaps reinforcing the other person’s confidence in him- or herself. It’s a catchphrase to accompany empowerment in inspirational memes. Such self-focus and inward direction generally turns me off. Anyone who knows me would know better than point me inward! Let’s leave puffing up to baked goods and balloons, and keep it far away from my emotional and spiritual well-being, especially during times of stress and distress! I haven’t made a formal study of it, so correct me if I’m…
