We lose so many good people. When Jesus finally arrives at his friends’ home, Lazarus has been dead for four days.
Hard Things Are Hard
January 12, 2022 by
Hard things are hard. Sometimes life is just plain hard. You can’t escape it or get around it; you just have to live through it.
Crossroads: Praise the Lord!
February 1, 2021 by
As I write this, my family is getting ready to remember several losses in our family. On January 25th, we lost my great-grandmother (my mom’s grandmother) and my aunt (my dad’s sister), two years apart.
Formations 11.24.2019: The Other Side of Sorrow
November 17, 2019 by
How could we not conclude a unit on life after death with a vision of heavenly bliss? In Revelation 7, John describes a great multitude gathered around God’s throne.
Formations 11.03.2019: The Day of the Dead
October 27, 2019 by
The Mexican Día de los Muertos or Day of the Dead coincides with Halloween on our calendars, but the two are not the same.
Connections 05.19.2019: “The Second Death”
May 12, 2019 by
This passage offers some of the most hopeful promises in the Bible. In the first part, death is overcome! In the second part, God rebuilds Jerusalem as a place of hope and strength and newness.
Crossroads: Good Friday
April 19, 2019 by
Have you ever had a week start off well, but by the end of it all hope seems lost? Terrible things happen all at once, and you just aren’t sure how you’re going to make it another hour, let alone another day. We’ve all had bad weeks and perhaps you have had a week so terrible that you just couldn’t go another step.
Connections 02.24.2019: Life after Death
February 17, 2019 by
Who among us has not wondered about the afterlife? Especially when someone we know dies, we cling to the few descriptions the Bible gives us about what we imagine as “heaven.” God is usually depicted as speaking from heaven, as in Psalm 33:13.
The Holy, Hard Things
August 21, 2018 by
I have had the honor of having two Papas on this earth, my father and grandfather. Both were men who loved God, sharing God’s good news every opportunity they had.
Connections 07.01.2018: Journeying through Grief
June 24, 2018 by
“Grief Is Complicated.” My first thought when I read the title for this lesson was Well, that’s an understatement! Anyone who has experienced grief—no matter the cause—knows that it is more than complicated.
Death and All of His Friends
July 25, 2017 by
Earlier today, the oldest and I were riding in a car to an appointment. He was having a rough morning of his own doing and I wanted him to get re-grounded before we set off on the day. So I plugged in my phone and I played the Coldplay song “Strawberry Swing.”
Formations 04.09.2017: Jesus’ Death Foreshadowed
April 2, 2017 by
Jesus enters Jerusalem amid cheering crowds inspired by hope in “the one who comes in the name of the Lord” (v. 13). They came out to meet Jesus because they had heard about the raising of Lazarus (vv. 17-18). Ironically, it was this same sign that led to Jesus’ death.
A View from the Pew: The Beauty and Challenge of Baby Dedications
February 22, 2017 by
Whether they are innocently sleeping or desperately screaming, we can’t take our eyes off babies. This is especially true during baby dedications at church. Spend any amount of time in church, and you’re likely to be a part of such a service, especially in Baptist churches with young families.
Formations 07.10.2016: When Laughing Is Scary
July 3, 2016 by
May I begin by apologizing for what is to come? I was taught to do my best not to offend people, but this text makes it hard. In fact, I’m convinced that Judges 3:12-30 offends nearly everybody’s sensibilities in some way.
The Tale of Two Prayers
May 10, 2016 by
My friend was dying. When we met, she told me that she had cancer. Though, right now, I can’t recall why that was a part of our first conversation.
Praying in the Shadow of Death
March 9, 2016 by
The Internet has been good for us in many ways. But, I feel that a warning should be issued at this point….If you begin to experience any of these symptoms, please stop using the Internet and consult a real person in real life.
Live Forever
January 26, 2016 by
Glenn Frey will live for as long as the world continues. That’s because he will live on in his songs. Now, before some of y’all get your halos twisted in a knot, let me say that I do believe in everlasting life.
Connections 01.31.2016: When Death Comes
January 24, 2016 by
Death came into my life during the night when I was around ten years old, taking with it a beautiful white dog named Princess. A few more dogs followed over the years, one of which I raised from a tiny puppy.
Uniform 01.25.2015: Effective Prayer
January 18, 2015 by
People love stories of miraculous healings. When I log on to social media, I am often greeted with links to stories about babies who are diagnosed with serious illnesses in the womb but are born perfectly healthy.
Formations 01.11.2015: Praying in Times of Tragedy
January 4, 2015 by
After showing hospitality to Elijah and seeing her meager provisions miraculously multiplied, we readers might have been lulled into thinking that the widow of Zarephath’s problems were now over.
Uniform 01.11.2015: A Grandmother’s Voice
January 4, 2015 by
As I read these words of Jesus this week, I am grieving the loss of my grandmother, who died just after Christmas. My mind is running a constant feed of the time my family and I spent saying goodbye.