Advent Ascents: Hope in the Lord
This time of year, some of the most telling signs of the season are songs. Whether you prefer carols, crooning, or quiet, the aural blessing (or invasion) of Christmas is upon us.
But have you ever wondered ...
True Hope: Journey to Joy
Just for a moment, I'd like you to think about joy, which is the theme of the third week of Advent.
When was the last time you felt a deep sense of joy?
Who is the most joyful person you know?
Now, thi...
Christmas Advent: HOPE
Advent simply means “arrival” and for hundreds of years, Jesus’ people have prepared to celebrate his birth at Christmas by making space for him to “arrive” in new places of our lives. This year, as part of our...
True Hope: Nows and Later
This year, sandwiched between Black Friday and Cyber Monday is a much older (and arguably more important) date on the calendar of our faith: Hope Sunday. This Sunday marks the beginning of Advent, the season in...
True Love: God Overcomes a Baal of a Problem
Has another person ever let you down?
(Reader nods knowingly...)
Have you ever let someone else down?
(Still nodding...)
What about God? Have you ever felt like you let Him down?
(Getting crick...
Kingdom Fighting: Stories of Hope
The bitter, broken heart is a foreclosure of the soul empty of hope.
There are times we look at life and its chaos, pain and problems and we are tempted to lose hope.
We do not hold on to hope as much as ...
Hungry for Hope?
How do we move from "Hope so?" to "So hope!"
Hope is not a mindset; it is a heartset.
The root of hope is the resurrection. [more...]
Simeon – Luke 2
Imagine a man, an old man, holding a baby in his arms and singing - not singing to the baby, but about the baby. This baby is unlike any other; this is the dream, the dream of his life. In his arms he holds the Messiah. The man calls him by a name, but it is not the name given to him by his mother; it is the name given by a prophet. The prophet is Isaiah, and the name is "The Consolation of Israel."
This week we will listen to the Song of Simeon, and we will consider just how important is hope.