Posts Tagged "church"

Seriously?  Another one??? I stared at the grocery bag in annoyance, one hand holding its flimsy form up to the light as the other spread open the beige plastic for examination.  Yep, two nice-sized holes in the bottom made this one a no-go, too. You see, I use grocery bags for trash liners in my kitchen.  It’s free, it’s easy since I don’t generate a ton of garbage living alone, and they keep giving them to me so I might as well use them!  (I know, I know, I could get reusable grocery bags…but then where would I put my trash?) Now, holes in a garbage bag of any kind are bad news.  Years ago I worked at a Dunkin Donuts and experienced the delight of slinging a load of trash over my shoulder to deliver to the dumpster, only to later...

“This is why I don’t do hiking.” The day was beautiful, with clear skies over the shadow-filled canyon; the perfect day for an excursion into nature.  I was staying at a friend’s house in the hills of northeast Georgia, and Taluah Falls Gorge had been calling my name all week. Apparently, flatlanders like me get a little winded after hiking for five hours, and by the time I got to the end of the trail, I realized two things.  First, that I was enormously proud of myself for completing the journey.  Second, that I was enormously silly to have attempted it on the second day of a three-day fast. I stumbled, loose-legged to the gravel parking lot and at last plopped down in the stuffy heat of my sun-baked little car.  As I sat there trying...

Truth without hope is like light without heat. It may show you the way, but it will not provide the strength to walk in it. … Hope without truth is like a cloud without rain. It may look promising for a while, but it will never provide the nourishment you need. … Churches and sermons and Christians in conversation must be faithful to do what God’s Word does: provide both truth AND hope. Every time. How are you doing?   Did you like this post? >> If you haven't already, click here to subscribe and have new posts delivered right to your inbox. >> Also, why not use the buttons below to share it with a friend, or click here to leave a comment and join the conversation! Related PostsSitting Shiva I've never seen this grill before. I'm si

I love getting “theological” questions because it gives me a chance to dig into subjects that I don’t always have occasion to explore.  If you like that sort of thing, welcome to “Theology Thursdays!”  If not, stay tuned for tomorrow’s post. — Pastor Phillip NOTE: This post includes a story from the Bible that contains extremely graphic content, and is not suitable for children or those who are sensitive to violence and abuse. ~~~~~ QUESTION: Have you written/studied this before?  I need perspective.  I fell asleep listening to this on my reading plan, and it made me upset.  I asked God, “why did you allow this to happen?”  I know there is a reason, but I am stuck in the anger of the act.  I can’t...

Do you have people in your life with whom you just don’t get along? “I entreat Euodia and Syntyche to agree in the Lord.  Yes, I ask you also, true companion, help these women, who have labored side by side with me in the Gospel…” -Philippians 4:2 How comforting to know that even at the very beginning of the Church, some people just had a hard time getting along. Think about it: if they couldn’t all agree then, we’re not going to all agree now, and that doesn’t make us bad people or sub-par Christians. It just makes us human. The other good news, though, is that disagreement doesn’t have to result in division! Just a few lines after this instruction from Paul, he shares a Spirit-led strategy for peace in the midst...