“The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it.” – Psalm 24:1 It’s Thanksgiving week. Pam and I have been anticipating this week all year long. And the Benedict house is FULL. The house is full. Every bed is claimed—and then some—with Josh and Alaina home from Germany, Amanda and Patrick up from Richmond, and Justin back from university at IUP. Little Chloe (our beagle) skitters in between a sea of legs…
I’ve always loved horses. As kids growing up on 18 acres in rural PA, my sister and I had ponies. My dad who was raised on a farm taught us how to put on a bridle and saddle and manage and care for a horse. Years later, we boarded a beautiful chestnut mare for a friend. And as a teen, I would ride “Princess” bareback for hours roaming the countryside. As an adult, I’ve kind of lost touch with the…
(a devotional from Miki Clouser) This past Sunday morning I found myself tearing up a little bit unexpectedly. I was already excited about the last song in our worship set, “Blessed Be Your Name”, because it’s one of my favorites. But the sermon on Elijah at Mount Sinai desperately needing an encounter with God brought back some memories that really brought it home for me. When I was in my early teens my life was at a place where I…
The election season has finally ended, but has left many Christians feeling worn, weary, and battle-scarred. It was an ugly, contentious, and disheartening campaign. And whether you woke up this morning feeling immense relief, profound disappointment, or something in between, I think, we’re all keenly aware that something is still profoundly wrong. The very fabric of our nation, communities, churches and relationships has been torn and we’re left wondering if mending is even possible. For most believers, this election came…