During difficult times of life, the image of Jesus as our Shepherd can bring immense comfort and peace. In fact, I have a print of Katherine Brown’s painting “Jesus and the Lamb” hanging in our home and the image of the Shepherd with His arms wrapped around the lamb has carried me through many dark … [Read more…]
Years ago a minister visited me in the hospital and implied that I was sick because I’d been too busy and God was making me slow down. (Actually, it was the flu but thanks for the pep talk.) The minister’s comment was based on a misunderstanding of what it means for a shepherd to make … [Read more…]
Last week I started a series of posts on Psalm 23 but didn’t get very far. I only made it through the first phrase of verse 1: The Lord is my shepherd. We looked at the tone of pride in the sheep’s voice (remember, the sheep is the speaker of the poem). Of course he … [Read more…]
This week’s blog is the first in a series of posts on Psalm 23. The Twenty-Third Psalm is perhaps the best known biblical passage in American society. Hollywood producers frequently use this psalm during graveside scenes, and it offers such comfort that many funerals today include the passage. Because of this, many people associate this … [Read more…]
Throughout history, God has used a variety of means in order to communicate with His children. His use of the burning bush to communicate with Moses may be the most famous. Then there’s the donkey through which He spoke to Balaam and the whirlwind through which He spoke to Job. For one man I know, … [Read more…]
If you know me or have been following my blog, you know that my husband and I were in church ministry for over 30 years before being tossed to the curb by a church we’d served faithfully for many years. In short, we are survivors of forced termination which, inevitably, led to early retirement from … [Read more…]
“Due to recent cutbacks, the light at the end of the tunnel has been turned off.” When I spotted this sign in a store recently, I couldn’t help but think it was a perfect description of my life 7 years ago. Life was bleak back then. My husband and I were in the middle of … [Read more…]
During this season of life, Sunday mornings are quite relaxing. After 30 years of actively serving the local church, it’s a nice change from the typical hustle and bustle of a minister’s home on Sunday mornings. My husband is currently serving as interim pastor at a church that has two morning services, one at 8:00 … [Read more…]
Several weeks ago, my nephew’s wife was ordained to the ministry. Shortly before her ordination, she wrote me and said, “If you have any words of wisdom to send a new minister, I’d welcome them anytime.” So Carrie, this post is for you. Thirty-eight years ago today, May 20, I married my best friend. When … [Read more…]
Anticipation – the action of anticipating something; expectation or prediction. Disappointment – the feeling of sadness or displeasure caused by the nonfulfillment of one’s hopes or expectations. It’s safe to say that anticipation, expectation and disappointment are closely intertwined for anyone who travels a journey of grief. Simply put, disappointment is what happens when expectation … [Read more…]