A devotion by Isaac Martin This week at Bethany, we will recognize Sanctity of Life Sunday. For each of us, this may bring up different thoughts or emotions. For some, it may stir passion and energy to see the end of abortion and to see unborn children saved from heartbreaking destruction—and rightly so. For others, it may surface painful feelings or shame because of an abortion in their past, for which there is grace and forgiveness. Or it may stir…
Today was a glorious morning at my house. I stepped out the front door while it was still dark. The sky was partially clouded but full of promise—the kind of sky that tells you a beautiful sunrise is on the way. Soon the sun would crest Welsh Mountain and spill warmth across the wet, cold ground. I had an early morning appointment, and by the time I left my coffee meeting at Fireside Café, the sun was shining and a…
The week between Christmas and New Year has a different feel to it.The rush is over. The decorations are still up. The calendar is thin. And nostalgia has a way of sneaking in. Nostalgia is a strange mix—wistful remembrances of times full of laughter and joy, and memories heavy with tears and grief. Life, it turns out, is almost always both/and. Sometimes our minds favor one side and push the other away. We question our own memories.Were things really that…
Christmas is familiar—almost too familiar. We know the songs. We know the scenes. We know how the story goes. And familiarity has a way of dulling the weight of truth. One of the most radical claims of Christmas is found right at the beginning of the story, tucked into one of its very first scenes. One of the most glorious truths of the incarnation is contained in an ancient promise and a simple name. “All this took place to fulfill…
The following is the remembrance I shared at the memorial service of my father-in-law, Jeff Shisler. We are grateful for his legacy. ********** I have the privilege of remembering Dad on behalf of the sons-in-law, though I know Gene will share additional reflections later during the gospel message. One of the unique things about my relationship with Dad Shisler is that he knew me long before Pam and I were even together. Going to church here at Faith, our mothers…
“…to shine on those living in darkness and in the shadow of death.” — Luke 1:79 It’s a strange place to be—experiencing grief during the holidays. Christmas is supposed to feel light. Warm. Joyful. But sometimes it doesn’t. I have to confess, this is my first personal brush with grief at Christmas. Two years ago, we did a sermon series on The Colors of Christmas, and on the first Sunday of Advent we observed a “Blue Christmas,” acknowledging that for…
This year my thankfulness has much greater dimension than it sometimes does. I’m counting my blessings against the ongoing recovery efforts down in Jamaica as a result of Hurricane Melissa. Pam and I have dear ministry friends down there who have suffered deeply. Back on October 28, the full brunt of a category 5 hurricane smashed into western Jamaica. Westmoreland, St. James Parish, and Montego Bay—where Bethany has served for several years through Jamaica Link—got absolutely hammered. The mountainous regions…
I live too busy of a life. I imagine you do too. The tyranny of the urgent is real. All my life, I’ve felt the constant tug between busyness and mindfulness… between doing and being, inward and outward… between serving others and tending my own soul. Maybe you feel that too? You start the day with a quick cup of coffee, and then it’s off to the races—carpools, work deadlines, school events, appointments, errands, dinner, cleanup, homework, emails. Like a…
I’m not happy with my physical condition. I’ve thought about it, talked it to death—it’s time to do something… again. I’ve griped about my lack of stamina, complained about my back pain, bemoaned my posture and the occasional shirt that’s tight in all the wrong places. I don’t like having to “suck it up” for photos. The “algorithm” clearly knows what I’m up to. My social media feed is full of 60-year-old men with 30-year-old bodies. Programs flood my feed…
This morning, I had a 9 AM Zoom meeting of the Policy Committee for CrossNet Ministries. This past year I was invited to serve on the CrossNet Board and then assigned to the Policy Committee. We meet periodically to review and update documents—things like bylaws, policies, and procedures. Exciting stuff. Because of this unmovable appointment, everything in my morning was carefully timed. I had an early morning breakfast with Don Reynard at Zig’s Café in Lititz. Google Maps said it…