I have found myself this week saying, “Elizabeth, you need to take your own advice.” The past several weeks of life have brought a lot of no’s. A lot of “I’m sorry you’re not the one.” A lot of conversations that have made me question how I spent my time. And a lot of wondering …
suffering
You Can More than Survive
There’s a popular misconception when it comes to advice we give and crave during difficult times. “You’ll get through this. You can do it!” “If I can survive this . . . I can do anything.” In life’s hard places, we rally ourselves around images of strength and courage. One of my personal favorites is …
I’ve Got Mother’s Day Pain
It’s the week of Mother’s Day. And it’s that time of year that the church struggles to know what to do with women who aren’t mothers in the traditional sense. Pastors muse about, “Who gets a rose and who doesn’t?” The church ladies are known to whisper: “What should we do since ___ doesn’t have …
We are Murderers
A sermon preached The Federated Church: Palm Sunday texts Genesis 4: 8-16 The title is a little shocking isn’t it? But hang with me for a minute and you’ll see where we are going. Throughout Lent I’ve preached on lessons from the first family. We’ve journeyed with Adam and Eve has they came into being …
Sitting With Holy Saturday
Welcome to one of the darkest days of the whole year— for Christians that is—the day we wait with Jesus in the tomb. It’s the day that no one visited the tomb of Jesus. It’s the day when nothing happened in the gospel narrative. It’s the day that can be summarized in one word: silence. …
When Life Happens
Life. It is always happening. Sometimes it’s great. Other times it is not. And today I am wondering about existing when things aren’t well. How do you go on when we are very aware that life’s broken edges cracked parts of you that might never be repaired? How do you keep breathing when everything in …
I Want to Know Christ
I Want to Know Christ Philippians 3:7-11 Preached: August 11, 2013, Martin Luther King Christian Church, Reston, VA I always knew when I was younger that one day I’d want to be married. I would want to have a life partner—someone in whom I could share in all of life’s most memorable moments with and …
The Suffering of Jesus Means What?
As our series of “Sermons by Request” continues, I had an opportunity this week to explore Isaiah 53:1-6 and do some theological reflection of my own on theories of atonement. Thanks for reading. I can remember the last time that I sought to directly evangelize a person to Christianity– I was 20 years old and serving …
Endurance to Stand
Promise in Night: Endurance to Stand Mark 15:1-20 with Isaiah 50:4-9 As we began our service today outside, we re-enacted together what it might have felt like to be among the crowd waving palm branches and singing the praises of “Hosanna!” We shouted praises of thanksgiving for Jesus. We hailed Jesus as king. We adored his …
Everything Happens for a Reason . . . Not
“Everything happens for a reason” such are words that we, as pastoral care givers are often tempted to use though they are not in the Bible anywhere. We deal with so much crisis. We get tired of saying profound things. We want to feel good about the care we are giving, knowing that our care is making …
