“Don’t talk to strangers.” It’s what my mother told me all the time growing up, and I’m sure it’s what you tell your own children. Strangers aren’t safe because you don’t know them.
Crossroads: I Doubt It
April 12, 2021 by
When I was a child, we always played a game called “I doubt it” when we went on vacation. It was a card game and the point was to be the person who got rid of all of their cards first.
Crossroads: Good Friday, A World in Ruins
March 29, 2021 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.
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.
Crossroads: The Presence of the Holy Spirit
June 5, 2017 by
Several years ago on a weekend retreat, I gathered with a group of teenagers in a dimly lit room to share an Agape Love Feast. Earlier, we had set up the room with candles, a plate of bread, and a large cup of grape juice. Before we entered the room, all of us took off our shoes and made a commitment to be silent as we entered.
Crossroads: I Am Fearfully and Wonderfully Made
January 30, 2017 by
I didn’t always feel pretty as a teenager. I went through the usual gawky teen phase, with braces and acne and glasses. There were times when I wished that I looked like someone else.
Crossroads: The Presence of the Holy Spirit
May 16, 2016 by
Several years ago on a weekend retreat, I gathered with a group of teenagers in a dimly lit room to share an Agape Love Feast. Earlier, we had set up the room with candles, a plate of bread, and a large cup of grape juice.
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: Palm Sunday
March 21, 2016 by
I love celebrations. In particular, I love birthdays. I love finding the perfect present and celebrating who that person is. I love my birthday as well, but it’s always a little odd to me.
Crossroads: Pride
March 14, 2016 by
As Americans, we focus a lot on accomplishments. We give trophies to kids who win at sports. We sometimes ask “what did you accomplish today?” We focus on the accomplishments of others and reward them for it.
Crossroads: Rules vs. Grace
February 29, 2016 by
I love lists. I make to-do lists, grocery lists, lists of things to clean, etc. Whatever it is, if I can make it into a list, I probably have.
Crossroads: Train Up a Child
March 23, 2015 by
I loved going to church as a child. I loved Sunday school, VBS, choir, worship, and everything else I went to. I wanted to be there every time the doors were open.
Crossroads: Never Again
February 23, 2015 by
How many times have we said “never again?” I’ll never eat there again. I won’t eat THAT again. I’ll never lie again. I’ll never go there again. I’ll never stay there again. We tend to say “never again” a lot.
Crossroads: Ash Wednesday
February 16, 2015 by
I always feel the weight of the ashes on my forehead on Ash Wednesday. It wasn’t until I went to a Catholic school in middle school that I began participating in Ash Wednesday services.
Crossroads: Majesty
February 2, 2015 by
When’s the last time you stopped and looked at the wonders of creation? Things like waterfalls, caves, canyons, mountains, and more. One of my favorite parts of creation is the waterfall.
Crossroads: Our Holy God – Isaiah
January 12, 2015 by
One of my favorite TV shows is “The Andy Griffith Show.” In one episode of the show, Opie Taylor, son of Andy Taylor who is the sheriff of Mayberry, gets his report card in school.
Crossroads: Hope – Ezekiel
January 5, 2015 by
Sometimes our world seems hopeless. Whenever I see the news about a natural disaster, a terrible crash, or a horrific tragedy, the world seems hopeless in those moments. But then something happens.
Crossroads: Clay in the Potter’s Hands – Jeremiah
December 29, 2014 by
Have you ever tried to make something out of clay? I remember when I was in elementary school, we were given an art assignment to make a piece of pottery out of a lump of clay.
Crossroads: The Candle of Peace/Love – Angels
December 21, 2014 by
During the fourth week of Advent, you will light three purple candles and the pink candle. The first two purple candles are the candle of prophecy/hope and the candle of Bethlehem.
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).
Crossroads: The Candle of Preparation – Mary and Joseph
December 7, 2014 by
This week we light the second candle on the Advent wreath. This candle is often referred to as the Candle of Preparation, or the Bethlehem Candle. As we light the second candle, our focus centers on Mary and Joseph, the earthly parents of Jesus, the Christ child.
Crossroads: The Candle of Prophecy – Elizabeth and Zechariah
November 30, 2014 by
Welcome to the first week of Advent, a time of waiting and preparation as we prepare for the birth of Christ. This week you will light the first purple candle, the candle of prophecy and hope.
Crossroads: Deborah – Human Strength vs. God’s Strength
November 24, 2014 by
I’ve never been the strongest person in the room. There are many things that I simply cannot pick up. So as frustrating as it may be, I’ve learned not to rely on my own physical strength. But relying on God for other types of strength isn’t as easy.
Crossroads: Elisha – But That’s Ridiculous!
November 10, 2014 by
As a child, I loved to watch a show called Doug. It was an animated show about a boy named Doug who has moved to a new town and started a brand new school. It follows his adventures with his best friends, Skeeter and Patti, and his dog, Porkchop.
Crossroads: Daniel – Angels in Disguise
November 3, 2014 by
Sixth grade was a tough year for me. My church was dividing and my mom and stepfather were getting a divorce. And then school became rough.
Crossroads: Amos – Praying for Others
October 27, 2014 by
A missionary came to our church when I was a child in the missions program. The missionary told us wonderful stories about his work for God. He told us how he had started a church from a very small group of people.
Crossroads: Love That Endures
October 20, 2014 by
We hear stories of senior adults who have been married for 70+ years. For these their love has endured. It seems like in each instance it wasn’t because they always felt like they were in love.
Crossroads: Waiting
October 13, 2014 by
When I was a kid, I loved playing baseball. We had several practices each week, but even when the team didn’t have a scheduled practice, I liked to go to the ball field by myself and practice hitting, catching, and running the bases.
Crossroads: The Lord is My Shepherd
October 6, 2014 by
Many years ago I was fortunate enough to have the opportunity to go to Israel for several weeks. This trip was an incredible spiritual high point in my life filled with many wonderful and memorable experiences.
Crossroads: Dependability
September 28, 2014 by
When things get super busy, I tend to feel stressed and overwhelmed. This was especially true in college, when it sometimes seemed as if there weren’t enough hours in the day to get everything done.
Crossroads: Guilty
September 22, 2014 by
Have you ever done something wrong and felt very guilty afterwards? We all have. It could be something as simple as ignoring a rule, telling a secret you were supposed to keep, or saying something mean about someone else, or something much more serious for which you were unable to undo the damage.
Crossroads: Burying the Hatchet – Philemon
September 15, 2014 by
Many years ago when I was in elementary school, my family and I visited the Native American reservation in Cherokee, N.C. I remember many things about that trip, but there was one story I heard on that visit that has always been my strongest memory.
Crossroads: A Great Helper – Phoebe
September 7, 2014 by
When I was seven or eight years old, my parents decided to move a piano from one floor of our house to another. It was a good idea. The only problem was that we had to move a piano up eight stairs, and the piano was very, very heavy.
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.
Crossroads: More than ‘I’m Sorry’ – Zacchaeus
August 24, 2014 by
When I was growing up, I had two younger brothers. Sometimes my brothers and I would get into arguments with each other and occasionally these arguments would turn into mild scuffles. These scuffles were never very bad, but usually someone ended up getting hurt or crying.
Crossroads: When You Get Excited…And Then You Freeze – Peter
August 17, 2014 by
Have you ever gotten really excited about something brand new only to find yourself freezing up and getting scared? Perhaps it was going to a new school, starting a new job, buying a new car, or even the time between getting engaged and getting married.
Crossroads: When You Have to Stand Up For Someone – Esther
August 11, 2014 by
Bullying comes in a lot of different forms. When I was in middle school, there was a girl who always teased me. She made fun of me and just would not leave me alone. To make matters worse, we were related.
Crossroads: When You Feel Like You’re Too Young to Do Anything- Josiah
August 4, 2014 by
“You’re too young.” “You’ll be able to do this when you’re older.” Sound familiar? Chances are you’ve heard this before, and perhaps have even said this to your children. It seems like most of our lives as children are spent impatiently waiting to grow up.
Crossroads: When It Seems As If There’s No Hope – Hannah
July 28, 2014 by
When I was 11, my world came crashing down. My mother and stepfather were divorcing, my church was breaking, and I didn’t have any friends at school. I felt as if things would always be this way—that there was no hope of anything being different.
Crossroads: When You Fight With Your Siblings – Jacob and Esau
July 21, 2014 by
My sister was born when I was 7. I’m pretty sure her first phrase was directed at me and was “you’re not my momma.” We have had a love/hate relationship ever since, as most siblings do.
Crossroads: When What God Tells You Seems Crazy – Sarah
July 14, 2014 by
I think that God loves the element of surprise. He loves to do unexpected and, at times, seemingly impossible things. And usually when God shares these things with us, the things He wants us to do, they seem crazy.
Crossroads: The Danger of Selfishness
July 7, 2014 by
One day in Sunday school, our teacher told us the following story. He said many years ago there was a family that consisted of a father, a mother, and two brothers. One day the parents brought the brothers into the family room, sat them down on the couch, and showed them two gifts on the coffee table.
Crossroads: Recognizing and Remembering
June 23, 2014 by
My father lives in the same small town where I grew up as a child. Though I moved away more than 25 years ago, I enjoy going back to this community to visit a few times each year. When we go back for these visits, I often see people around town who our family has known for many years.
Crossroads: Evidence
June 16, 2014 by
I love who-done-its. Whether they are books, TV shows, or movies, I love reading or watching them and trying to figure out who did it. These are your CSI type shows, your murder mysteries, etc. While they may not seem like it, these are safe. No matter what, you know that you will find out what happens.
Crossroads: “When You Think You Can’t Do Something” – Moses
June 2, 2014 by
In the movie Despicable Me, Gru is an unlikely (and at times unlikeable) hero. He adopts three girls as a way to steal the moon. He doesn’t want to be the hero. He wants to be left alone, to be the villain who does something brilliant.