The news came crawling
Like dreaded, deadly spiders into my ear,
Spewing their gossip like a lethal poison.
Holy Ghosts: Deadly News (For Raymond)
March 8, 2023 by Leave a Comment
Facing Grief, at Christmas and Always
November 30, 2022 by
I am neither a nihilist nor a pessimist. For heaven’s sake, I am pastor of America’s home of Positive Thinking. I am, however, a realist. And as such, I have a theory about life. Here it is: Life is not the last five minutes of the movie.
Death and Life
October 26, 2022 by
We lose so many good people. When Jesus finally arrives at his friends’ home, Lazarus has been dead for four days.
How Will They Remember You When You’re Gone?
June 22, 2022 by
This past week, I conducted a celebration of life service at a beloved church I serve. The packed sanctuary was a reminder to all who were present of this church member’s caring spirit.
Formations 06.12.2022: A Prepared Place
June 5, 2022 by
Death is part of life. It seems ironic, but we all know it’s true. For me today, this truth hits my spirit hard. I woke up this morning to a devastating text message about a longtime friend—she was killed yesterday by a van driver as she bicycled in her rural town.
Imagining God
May 4, 2022 by
How do you and I imagine God? I realize that God exceeds our capacities for imagination, but most of us live with some mental image of the Divine. It’s almost necessary. For example, when I pray, I can’t speak with any intimacy to something that is formless, shapeless, and total mystery.
Formations 04.03.2022: Glory Amid Grief
March 27, 2022 by
I rarely think of John 11 without thinking about George. George was in pretty bad shape as long as I had known him, pretty much stuck in his house and tied to his oxygen tank.
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.
“Special Diagnosis”
November 9, 2021 by
In a lower desk drawer in his study in Greensboro, Randall maintained a confidential file he labeled “Special Diagnosis.” Recorded within the file were names of individuals who had made him aware of potentially life-limiting health circumstances.
You (Plural) Are Not Lacking
September 15, 2021 by
“You Are Not Lacking.” That was the title of the sermon I planned to preach on Sunday, January 19. But before I got to it, on Friday, January 17, the daughter-in-law of some beloved church members went on a walk near the church in the afternoon and never came home. Her name is Leanne Hecht Bearden.
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 12.27.2020: Blue Christmas
December 20, 2020 by
It’s always good to remember that the Christmas season isn’t always joyful for some of us. Those folks ringing the bells and collecting donations outside your favorite grocery store?
In Pursuit of the Spirit: Remembering the Saints
October 28, 2020 by
October has never been my favorite month. It always opens with such promise and warmth, and then ends with a blustery quickness that is downright abrasive.
What Makes You Cry
July 15, 2020 by
It was summertime, sometime in the late 1960s. I was, as many children did (and I hope still do), participating in the public library’s summer reading program. I was reading Fred Gipson’s 1942 novel Old Yeller.
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.
Connections 09.22.2019: God’s Grief
September 15, 2019 by
When you go through something that seems terrible and senseless, how do you try to explain it? Many people who face a personal crisis believe that God is punishing or testing them.
Connections 09.23.2018: Real Wisdom Indeed
September 16, 2018 by
My maternal grandmother died suddenly in 2012. She was eighty-two and had lived a good, long life full of blessings along with heartaches, but we still weren’t expecting her to die, and her passing hurt us all deeply.
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.
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.
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.
A View from the Pew: A Day for All Saints
October 20, 2015 by
For years I thought the end of October was solely the devil’s territory. Trick-or-treat, scary or revealing costumes, and general tomfoolery were reserved for Halloween leaving churches few good options for experiencing the season.
Praying in the Dark
July 8, 2015 by
More often than not, we talk to God with the lights on. This is not to suggest that prayer is scary, that there are monsters under the pews or in our prayer closets.
To Those Waiting and to Those Mourning on Mother’s Day
May 12, 2015 by
I don’t know how you feel. And that is my important disclaimer here. I don’t know what it’s like to wait months or even years, only to see a little negative sign that hurts in such a big way.
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.
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.
Uniform: Seeing through Grieving Eyes
October 12, 2014 by
When my 3-year-old is upset about something, he suddenly becomes upset about everything else, too. After suffering from an injury or disappointment, he begins to see all the other things that are out of place in his world.
Crossroads: Experiences of Grief – Mary, Martha
September 1, 2014 by
One of the saddest experiences in life is when someone or something we love dies. I remember the first time one of my pets died. Blackey was our family cat.
A Meditation for Good Friday – Amy Butler
April 17, 2014 by
I had the strangest experience just a few weeks ago. I’d been asked to participate in the funeral of a woman I did not know well; she grew up at my church, Calvary, and I knew her family from a couple of chances we’d had to be together.
Uniform 02.16.2014: They’re Doing the Hard Thing
February 9, 2014 by
Two weeks ago, I posted an entry about doing the hard thing. “Do the hard thing,” I wrote. “Don’t just listen. Don’t just talk. Act on what you hear and say about Jesus. That’s what makes it real.” This idea is one of James’s main themes, and today’s text highlights it again.