The Community of Saints
Read: Ephesians 4:8-16 . . . to equip the saints for the work of ministry. (v. 12) The courtroom was filled to capacity with friends, family, church members, his fifth grade teacher, karate instructor, therapist, even a golden retriever! Anyone who had played a direct role in helping Ben transition from foster child to adopted […]
What’s in a Name?
Read: Genesis 17:1-8, 15 No longer shall your name be called Abram, but . . . Abraham. (v. 5) Abram became Abraham, Sarai became Sarah, and Saul became Paul. Repeatedly, God emphasizes the power and importance of a name, from the Garden of Eden to declaring that Peter, once Simon, is now the “Rock” upon […]
Nightmares
Read: Psalm 91 You will not fear the terror of the night. (v. 5) From the living room we could hear the intermittent voice in the bedroom. Were they talking again? Strange. The boys had been kissed goodnight hours ago. Suddenly, the voice reached an alarming, feverish pitch. We raced down the hallway to triage […]
Tender Goodbyes
Read: 2 Timothy 1:1-14 I long to see you, that I may be filled with joy. (v. 4) In our family we hug and say “I love you” frequently as we come and go throughout the day. Perhaps you and your family do the same? This time, Mike was leaving for a week and his […]
Winning, Losing, and Love
Read: 1 Corinthians 13:1-11 Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. (v. 7) The dodgeball game was intense, fast, and furious. Both sides propelling the balls with competitive force and accuracy as laughter, mixed with bravado, bounced off the walls of the church gym. Panting and sweating, the final […]
The Comparison Game
Read: Matthew 18:1-11 Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven? (v. 1) “Am I the fastest runner you’ve ever seen? Am I the strongest kicker? Am I the highest . . . the lowest . . . the best . . . ?” On and on flowed the incessant stream of questions and […]
Pragmatic Faith
Read: Luke 14:28-36 For which of you, desiring to build a tower, does not first sit down and count the cost . . . ? (v. 28) Through the sliding glass door, I could see all three children as they joyfully bounced on the backyard trampoline. Ten, eleven, and twelve years old, their giggles and […]
Indifference Betrays the Soul
Read: Mark 14:39-50 And they all left him and fled. (v. 50) A box full of cards and letters said it all: “Welcome to the family, Ben! Love you already!” “I can’t wait to be your new Mom! I love you!” “New Grandparents here! Just wanted to say ‘hi.’” And on and on . . […]
Ordinary Stuff
Read: 2 Timothy 4:6-18 When you come, bring the cloak . . . also the books, and above all the parchments. (v. 13) The drive was blissfully uneventful as we pulled the empty trailer behind our car—two hours’ drive away on a cold, misty, wintry Michigan day. The plan was to pick up Ben from […]