Faith in the Cracks

Ananias appears in the story of the conversion of Saul to Paul. He gets forgotten for his role. He is the one who welcomes Saul even though he is afraid. He is a faithful servant and follows the call of God. Who has acted like Ananias in your life? Who has welcomed you into a new setting or way of life? When have you been Ananias for others? When have you done the welcoming? Watch for Ananias to b...

Peter is one of my favorite disciples. He is bold and brash yet doesn't always understand what he says. He is the one who says he would die for Jesus yet denies Christ three times. Jesus reconciles him on the shore after the resurrection and then Peter is big and bold and is the voice for the Gospel in the book of Acts. Peter states he must obey God and not humans. Peter must stand up for mer...

A pastor once said this in a sermon. "God's grace is always at your left elbow." Years later that has stuck with me. It was with me through 2 surgeries, I have used it in meeting with others. I pondered this with a couple of people in my congregation and one of them had an answer that made so much sense. "If God's grace is at your left elbow, you are at the right hand of G...

As we arrive at Easter, we have come through the darkness of Holy Week. The tender moments in the upper room replaced with the fear and frenzy of the Passion on Good Friday, although Jesus remains calm. It reminded me of Psalm 23 and that as we walk through the valley of the shadow of death that God walks with us. A reminder that we must walk through the darkness to get to the light. How can we li...

We have entered Holy Week. The palm branches and shouts of "Hosanna" have faded, and if we rush directly to Easter and "Hallelujah!" we miss so much of the story. Holy Week is hard. In the Gospel of Luke the Triumphal Entry is in chapter 19 and Easter is Chapter 24. The teaching, cleansing of the temple, Last Supper, betrayal, arrest, denial, trial, beating, mocking and crucifi...

In Micah 6:8 the question is asked "What does the Lord require of you?" The answer is to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God. I have met with people from 2 different organizations in my community. The way things are currently, these groups helped me see ways in which I might have an impact in a good way on the community around me and on people in the world....

This Lenten season I have been preaching about temptations as found in Luke's gospel. Luke sends the disciples into a Samaritan village and when they are not welcomed they are ready to fight. Jesus turns anger into grace. At a meal and Jesus watches the people try to sit in the seat of honor, he tells a story about humility and how to do for those who cannot repay you. This week, the Rich you...

I found out that FDR used to have "Children's Hour" which was a cocktail hour before dinner. It was for close family and friends. The big rule, no business talk. He used the time before dinner to take a deep breath and to relax a bit. We all need to take that time. Dig in the garden, go for a walk, have dinner with friends, play a game, what can you do this week to take a deep breat...

In many churches in the world, we are in the season of Lent. The time before Easter for self reflection. Many people give up something during Lent. Others might take on a devotional practice. William Arthur Ward created a litany called Fasting and Feasting. It is a reminder to fast or give up those things that draw us away from God and to feast on those that bring us closer. Enjoy!  Support the sh...

I once was thrown in to teach a Jr. High Sunday school class. They were studying the Fruits of the Spirit in Galatians 5. A Star Wars movie had recently been released so I asked them about the Sith and the Jedi. We agreed that the Fruits of the Spirit in Gal 5: 22-23 were the path of the Jedi. So how do we focus on love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness and self...

The Transfiguration of Jesus is the text that we read the Sunday before Lent begins. Jesus is changed into his glorified state. But they must come down the mountain and re-engage the world. We too have to re-engage the world, but how can we be transformed and then engage the world in a more peaceful and divinely connected state?  Support the show

While sitting at a 4 way stop, I marveled at how simple and easy they can be when everyone does their part. You come to a stop, wait your turn, then go on your way. No one has to keep watch most of the time, we just stop, wait, then go again. But then I thought about the times that I feel slighted. When someone goes through even though it should have been my turn. I feel the same way when people c...

The Gospel of Luke is about making things level. Jesus meets us where we are. Mary sings a song of resistance that the mighty will be made low. And in Chapter 6 we have the Sermon on the Plain. Jesus speaks about the Kingdom of God being a place of leveling. Those who are in need will be filled and those who have all the things of the world have gotten their reward already and will be brought down...

Yesterday was the Super Bowl, however it was also The Souper Bowl of Caring. This event has been around for 35 years and has collected over $163 Million dollars. They are now Tackle Hunger, but this is a signature event. It started with a prayer at a youth group meeting in 1990 at Spring Valley Presbyterian Church in Columbia, SC.  The congregation I serve has been participating and seeing if chic...

1 Corinthians 13 is often called the love chapter. Part of it is read at weddings. Love is patient, love is kind...but Paul also says that if we speak and have not love we are noisy gong or clanging cymbal. What determines which we are? Does it depend not only on our intent and our words, but also the hearer? Maybe they don't like what we have to say or wish we wouldn't be so loud. Which...

We all make choices in life. What we choose has consequences. Things happen because of our actions or inactions. Director Jon Chu said in an interview that part 1 of Wicked was about choices and the 2nd part which will be released later in 2025 is about consequences. This past week choices were made by the new administration and by leaders like Bishop Marian Budde. We will see how those choices co...

As we celebrate Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day, let us think about what he was calling us to do and to be. He was a prolific speaker and writer. One speech, "The Transformed Non Conformist" caught my attention as to what he was calling Christians to. A reminder of what the early Christians said and did. Let us return to the work before us.  Support the show

The California Wildfires continue to be deadly and devastating. God is not the cause of the fires. People have been quick to point fingers and assign blame. Everything from government mismanagement, DEI hires, and even the wrath of God. GOD DID NOT CAUSE THE FIRES. God has made us, God loves us, and God walks with us. In Isaiah 43 God lays claim to the Israelites who have been in exile and reminds...

The New Year begins in a few days. I am not one for resolutions, but I do think it is wise to reflect on the previous year and what is ahead. I am grateful for all who have journeyed with me and looked for Faith in the Cracks. For me, I want to spend time reflecting on my needs and working to put myself first at times. I want to continue work done in 2024 and expand upon it. What are you hoping fo...

This is a busy time of year. It is also a time of year when grief can surface. Take time for yourself. In the midst of the busy-ness of the holidays, take time to listen to yourself. Grieve that which you have lost. Sit with dreams that have gone by the wayside. Give yourself time to just be. And while you are being gentle with yourself, remember that others struggle this time of year as well and...

In Luke 1, Gabriel visits Zechariah and Mary 6 months apart. Zechariah is filled with terror and he doubts Gabriel tells him. Mary however is perplexed when Gabriel says "Greetings Favored One." She asks questions that show curiosity. The difference in our approach can make all the difference.  I have always wondered how things just always seemed to work for my dad. He would tell stories...

We are a society of instant gratification. We don't like to wait. I am okay with planned waiting where I know I have an hour or something like that and I can read or play games or whatever. But the long, expectant waiting of Advent is not what we want to do. We like instant gratification.  Zechariah and Elizabeth had been waiting. They had hoped for a child and I wonder if in their fervent pr...

The season of Advent is a time of waiting as we listen once again to the stories surrounding the birth of Jesus. This year I am preaching a series called On the Way to Bethlehem, which is written by Dr. Marcia McFee and based on a devotional book of the same title by Rob Fuquay. As we begin in Rome and a decree from Caesar Augustus - how can we ponder "What is God up to?"  It is a great...

As we come to the week of Thanksgiving in the United States, I find that I am often forgetful of saying thank you. In 1 Thessalonians 5:18 Paul reminds the people to Give thanks in all things. I certainty forget to give thanks in the midst of hardship and trouble. But I forget to give thanks for the little every day things as well. My goal is to be thankful for the world and the people around me m...

Hope is not about magical or wishful thinking. Hope is grounded in our trust of God and of God's goodness. Hope should help drive us to make a difference in the world and to be the hands and feet of God. Hope should be about getting to the places we have not yet gotten.  #Lamentations3 #Romans8 #Hebrews11 Support the show