God takes the dustiness of our lives—the mistakes and the bad things that happen to us—and uses them to make diamonds. In order for coal to turn into diamonds, it must undergo a lot of pressure.
Crossroads: Rejoice!
December 20, 2021 by
I love singing praises to God. And when I was a kid, I used to make up songs to sing in praise. And wherever I went, I was singing to God. God’s joy was in my heart and it overflowed into singing.
Flame: Advent Wreath Craft
December 2, 2020 by
We’ve now entered Advent and I was thinking of how families could use the tradition of the Advent wreath at home in a craft and prayer activity. Of course it’s great to have the real candles to light, but here’s an alternative to make and do.
Formations 08.23.2020: Finding Joy
August 16, 2020 by
Are you tired of the global pandemic yet? It’s certainly wearing on me. My family and I have spent the spring and summer hunkered down, avoiding crowds, wearing our masks, and missing our friends.
All Is Joy
January 15, 2020 by
My youngest children are just old enough to have developed a growing curiosity about Lent. They are asking more questions about why and how we Christians observe this liturgical season.
Advent Devotions: Joy
December 25, 2018 by
Merry Christmas! Technically, Advent is over, but as I’ve said before, even though the Christ child has come, in a way, we are still waiting. We wait with hope. We wait with peace. We wait with love. And today, we wait with joy.
Crossroads: The Wonders of Winter
January 1, 2018 by
Winter can be a dark, dreary time. But it can also be filled with wonders. I absolutely love snow. As soon as it starts falling, I want to go out in it and take pictures. And if it sticks, I wait impatiently until there’s enough to build a snowman.
Crossroads: The Shepherd Candle/Candle of Joy
December 18, 2017 by
Welcome to the third week of Advent! Advent is a time of preparation, when we wait and prepare for the Christ child. Each week, you will light a new candle as we recognize the things that Christ brings to this world: hope, peace, joy, and love.
Formations 12.24.2017: A Song of Joy and Sorrow
December 17, 2017 by
Because I live a few blocks from a hospital, ambulance sirens, and the occasional helicopter, form one pitch in that harmony of creation I hear. For what they signal—coming help and immediate danger—these sounds are above all interruptions demanding drivers to make way.
Connections 10.15.2017: Joy on Tuesday
October 8, 2017 by
We’d pack into the Children’s Department Assembly Room like sardines in a can and, if it was summertime, our skin would be about as slick. The girls wore their best dresses and frilly white socks. The boys wore their best shirts and non-frilly white socks. We were a pony-tailed, crew-cut, snaggle-toothed mess of early and prepubescent childhood.
Crossroads: He Is Risen!
March 28, 2016 by
He is risen! He is risen indeed! Easter is such a wonderful time. The dark, somber mourning of Good Friday has passed and in its place is new life, lots of color, and thankful spirits.
Crossroads: The Shepherd Candle or Candle of Joy
December 14, 2015 by
Today we light the pink candle, known as the candle of joy. We also light the candle of hope as well as the candle of love. Today we remember that Jesus is the hope of the world.
Formations 10.11.2015: Finding Joy
October 4, 2015 by
Where do you find joy in life? It’s easy to find joy while watching a sunrise or baking cookies or watching a favorite movie, but how about at work? Where can we find joy in the midst of our humdrum daily existence?
More to the Story
August 19, 2015 by
Is everything okay? Oh, it’s just a kid screaming near your table at Applebee’s. But you glance again when you realize it’s a 6 year-old kid.
The Tears of Lent
March 10, 2015 by
It happens every time. No matter how hard I try to stop it. When the music begins, when we turn toward the cross dominating the center of our sanctuary during Lent, my throat tightens, my eyes well up.
Crossroads: The Candle of Joy – Shepherds
December 15, 2014 by
During the third week of Advent, we light the Shepherds candle, the candle of Joy. You will also be lighting the first two purple candles (the candle of prophecy and the Bethlehem candle).