Last night Pam and I returned from an extended weekend at my dad’s cabin in Tioga County. I know we weren’t the only ones because I’ve seen a ton of pictures on social media from many friends who were away for the Independence Day holiday. I always feel closer to God while out in nature and this is especially true in rural upstate Pennsylvania. There’s something restful about being in a place so remote that your nearest neighbor is a…
A devotional by Sandy Martin The first 10 years of my life took place on a farm with meadows, a pond, plowed fields, and woodland. I was the youngest of 6 children, so I grew up surrounded by a community. Our farm was a place to gather for neighborhood kids. So, as a true-blue extrovert, it was quite traumatic to watch all my siblings and then my best friend & neighbor, Kevin head off to school. My days were filled…
A devotional by Sandy Martin Leadership is the art of moving people from point A to point B. It involves careful planning and a connection with those you are called to lead. A good leader shares the vision, creates desire, and infuses people with a purpose. I have noticed that the most successful leaders are those who know well their strengths AND their weaknesses. No one is fully prepared to lead solo. We need the input of those who are…
Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. James 1:17 Today, Pam and I celebrate 31 years of marriage- no small feat in this current day and age. I know we have a good half dozen couples in our church who have celebrated 50+ years, but 31 feels pretty monumental to me. So, at the risk of sounding pretentious, I thought I’d share a few lessons I’ve…
“Father, what is sex-sin?” And so begins one of my favorite stories from one of my favorite childhood biographies, The Hiding Place. The book chronicles the life of Dutch resistance fighter and committed Christian Corrie Ten Boom who, along with her family, defied the Nazi occupation of Holland in WW2, masterminded a nationwide underground network to hide persecuted Jews and ultimately suffered and survived two years in a German concentration camp. For her sacrifice, the nation of Israel has honored…
Next month marks the 77th anniversary of D-Day, the allied invasion of Normandy, which was the beginning of the end of World War 2. Originally codenamed Operation Overlord, D-Day was the largest amphibious assault in the history of warfare. On June 6, 1945, 168,000 Allied troops supported by 1,200 aircraft and 7,000 ships stormed the beaches of France to drive the Nazi war machine back to Germany. With the technology and communication capabilities of the time, it’s a miracle that…
Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight. Proverbs 3:5-6 If you’ve ever been to our house, you’ve probably met Chloe. She’s a beautiful little beagle, skittish but kindhearted. She loves to greet Pam’s piano students when they come in and then lay down next to the piano to hear the music. She loves snacks and sitting on the couch watching TV…
Thank you, Sandy Martin, for this beautiful Mother’s Day testimonial! ********* My husband and I have been blessed with three daughters. They are all married and have blessed us with 8 beautiful grandchildren on this earth and 5 already ahead of us in heaven. Years back, our middle daughter, Lauren, was in a season of great loss. She was grieving the loss of yet, another child that she would never get to hold. My daughter had graduated to sacred ground…
I’m hungry! I’ve opened the refrigerator three times and unthinkingly reached for snacks twice and it’s not even 10:30. Today is a day of fasting here at Bethany as we prepare to kick off our search for a new discipleship pastor. As elders, we recognize the need to be prayer dependent. In fact, prayer is one of our church values. Prayer Dependent: Every idea, effort, and decision is dependent upon God, as expressed in humble, reliant prayer. So many times,…
I woke up this morning at 3:30 AM. I’ve been doing that a bit lately, I’m not sure why. Usually I fall right back off to sleep. But this morning, I thought about passion week. “I wonder what Jesus was doing right now.” And it occurred to me, as it has many times in the past, that Good Friday was not so good for Jesus. This year, passion week has had a deeper impact on me than usual since it’s…