(This post contains some information from a post in October 2008) For several years I have taught the Beatitudes as a process through which one goes from brokenness to healing, spiritually and emotionally. Since it is my practice to consider the spiritual aspect of a...
Matthew 7:7-8 “Ask and it shall be given to you, seek and you shall find, knock and it shall be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it shall be opened.” It has always been interesting to me how, when...
Because of my staff job at a church, there are some Sundays that I don’t even get into the sanctuary for worship…..instead I am teaching, counseling, handling an emergency, or looking for a curriculum resource for a teacher or home group leader. Today was...
When I chose to get state certified as a substance abuse recovery support specialist, I was essentially making two commitments – to develop and maintain a degree of professional competence through continuing education in addiction issues and to be available to...
It’s been a while since I posted on mental health issues. I find that many people in my church and among my acquaintances, knowing of my experience with depression and of my having led a depression impact group for six and a half years, refer people who are...
After what has been essentially a decade long journey, a good friend of mine finally received official notification yesterday that she will be ordained as an elder in the United Methodist Church at our annual conference in June. She’s been a minister now for...
Yesterday I attended a wedding at First United Methodist Church in Clayton, AL, where my family attended when I was a fourth grader. It was strange being there after many years away. I remembered the stained glass windows. I think they are more beautiful now, however,...
One recurring theme that I find myself teaching the women at Titus 2 is the Great Commandment – Matthew 22:36-39- “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law? And He said to him, ” ‘You shall love the LORD your God with all your...
It was one of “those” weeks…..a trial presenting itself from every direction I turned. It started last Sunday when, after 3 weeks of seeking a facilitator for Purpose Driven Life classes, I finally resigned myself to teaching the Sunday session and...
In the last two weeks I’ve noticed the signs of the season…..several blooming trees in my own and my neighbors’ yards, the emerging green on brown branches, the red maples’ firey early explosion, bulbs rising out of flower beds, and robins all...
