Have you ever been in a situation where you simply didn’t know what to pray? Sometimes life feels so overwhelming, and our problems so complex, that we’re at a loss—not just about what to do but even how to talk to God. We try to pray, only to find that instead of words, there’s silence. We simply don’t know where to start. What do we say when we don’t know what to say? How do we pray when we don’t…
There’s a story tucked in the book of Psalms, like a hidden gem, that speaks not only of rebellion but of God’s breathtaking grace. It’s the story of a family marked by failure, yet redeemed by God’s mercy—a story that reminds us of just how gracious God truly is. I was reminded of this story last week in my morning devotions as I read Psalm 44… the heading reads “of the sons of Korah.” … and so did the next,…
Several weeks ago in this blog, Crysti Landis shared a moving devotional, Unseen Ripples. In it, she recounted how a brief encounter with a couple she barely had contact with changed the course of her entire life. She concluded her story with these words: “… it makes me wonder: Did Marshall’s foster parents have any idea that their act of loving service would ultimately lead to two more children being rescued from the foster system? I imagine not. And I…
Last week, I was driving up Route 625 toward the church when I noticed a small object up ahead in the middle of my lane. It was a squirrel. “Where on earth did he come from?” I wondered out loud. Cornfields flanked both sides of the road, and there wasn’t a tree in sight for at least 100 yards. But sure enough, there he was—frozen like a deer in the headlights—a little gray squirrel. I slowed down as I approached…
This morning, I had breakfast at Morgantown Coffee House with Wendell Stoltzfus, one of our Bethany missionaries. Wendell serves with Equipping Leaders International, traveling the world to provide theological and practical training to under-resourced pastors and Christian workers. Last year, Pam and I went to Uganda with Wendell, where we held several marriage retreats for pastors and their wives. Wendell’s a breath of fresh air to me. He so obviously loves Jesus and is passionate about the gospel. He reflects…
Last week, after returning from our extended family vacation, I found myself mowing a lawn that had clearly benefited from some good rain while we were away. The grass was lush, green… and long. There’s something satisfying about mowing the lawn after substantial growth—the smell of cut grass is delightful, and a fresh-cut lawn looks so nice. I’m sure my neighbors were happy too, as our lawn was the only one unmowed in the entire neighborhood and stuck out like…
A devotional by Crysti Landis What decision are you making today that will ripple down to impact people you may never meet? And if we knew the weight of our daily decisions, would we live more intentionally, with greater insight into the long game of life? During the Contagious Christian series, I found myself reflecting on how decisions made by people far removed from me have forever altered the course of my life. Several weeks ago, some in our church…
“Almost everything will work again if you unplug it for a few minutes, including you.” – Anne Lamott I have a temperamental TV. It’s a 55-inch Roku and relatively new, but about once a month it either loses its internet connection or hangs up while loading a streaming service. Occasionally, it throws up error message 140.30, whatever that means. For whatever reason, it just stops working. Our Verizon internet service is the same way. We have a little white box…
As many of you know, I’ve been crawling my way through the book of Psalms for over a year, using it as a pattern for prayer in my morning devotions. This journey began because my prayer life was really flat. I found myself repeating the same basic words over and over again, caught in a loop of asking God for things. It was dull and lifeless. Jesus said in Matthew 6:7 that when we pray, we shouldn’t “keep on babbling…
“So, do you think that will work?” Pam asked. I was nestled comfortably in my favorite reclining sofa, with the dog snoozing beside me. My laptop was open, iced coffee in hand, and I was deeply engrossed in an online article from the New York Times. She stood about 10 feet away, holding a kitchen knife. I snapped out of my digital trance. “Ummm…,” I stalled. I had absolutely no idea what she was talking about. Our house has an…