Church of the Ascension

The more we genuinely care about others the greater our own happiness & inner peace.

Once there was a persistent widow and her name was God.  And she kept pestering us to love her and act justly until we finally did.

Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and creates a vision for tomorrow.

The gospel is the hope in the midst of suffering, the peace in the midst of the storm, the joy even in the times of sorrow.

As you grow older, you will discover that you have two hands: One for helping yourself, the other for helping others.

No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted.

The mere presence of the shepherd puts the sheep at peace. When he is near, they don't panic, and they don't fight. They can lay down in peaceful slumber. Nothing reduces stress like the presence of the Shepherd. When you are living in close connection to Jesus, you can sleep, you can relax, you can rest.

This is the beginning of a new day. God has given me this day to use as I will. I can waste it or use it for good. What I do today is important because I am exchanging a day of my life for it. When tomorrow comes, this day will be gone forever. Leaving something in its place I have traded for it. I want it to be a gain, not a loss; good not evil; success, not failure, in order that I shall not for...

It's not enough to do things in the right way.  What's more important is doing things for the right reasons.

Life is unpredictable and sometimes you need to adjust your schedules and plans to meet the demands of the day.  While you may not be be able to solve all of the world's problems, you can be there for others in need by providing hope and a path for them to follow.

Let our hearts be stretched out in compassion toward others, for everyone is walking his or her own difficult path.

Let your faith be your spiritual GPS guiding you through life.

Loving one's self is not about what we can do but about what we can become.

Faith is not built off of mountaintops, but in the everyday living of Christian discipleship .  A reflection on Colossians 2:6-19.

What three things would you want if you were stranded on a desert island?  In this reflection on Amos 8:1-12; Colossinas 1:15-28; and Luke 10: 38-42, we discover what distracts us from our true purpose.

Finding hope and the fulfillment of God's faithfulness is no less accessible than a soggy tuna sandwich.  Listen for this week's reflection on Colossians 1: 1-14.

when you want to proclaim the Kingdom of God, just think Sawyerville.  A reflection on Luke 10:11, 16-20.

As Jesus followers we are called to proclaim the Kingdom of God--which is very real and right here.  A reflection on Luke 9:51-62.  

Even in the midst of darkness, baptism reminds us of the light that we shine as God's people.  A reflection on Psalm 42 in the wake of the shootings at St. Stephen's Episcopal Church, Vestavia Hills, AL.

We spend too much energy on trying to offend or not offend one another.  Maybe we ought to consider how we are offending God.  A reflection on the Trinity and John 16:12-15.

On this Day of Pentecost we are reminded of the power of our witness in the world. 

Lydia is a dealer in purple cloth.  She is also a dealer in salvation.  A reflection on Acts 16:9-15.

When the rules are meant to exclude, you can be sure they are not about living in the Kingdom of God.  A reflection on Acts 11:1-18.

Tabitha is raised from the dead, not because she is enduring some suffering or needs to be healed, but because God is not finished working through her to heal the community.  Her inconvenience becomes a path to salvation for many and a witness to us.  A reflection on Acts 9:36-43.

Davis Dickert shares a message of what it means to be a witness--not only as one himself, but all those who have been a witness to him to form his faith.  A reflection on Acts 5:27-32.