Easter
Judas Iscariot

Judas Iscariot

Judas Iscariot t’s not uncommon to celebrate spy stories. The names James Bond, Jason Bourne, and Carmen Sandiego all come to mind. Even in the Bible, we find captivating spy stories like the twelve Israelites (Numbers 13) who are sent to explore...

Mary of Bethany

Mary of Bethany

Mary of Bethany  lone young woman in a room full of men approaches Jesus with a box. The box held a perfume so valuable and expensive that it represented this young woman’s total life savings. This box held enough money for her to live comfortably...

The People At The Temple

The People At The Temple

The People at the Temple n the Monday immediately following Palm Sunday, Jesus entered the temple area of Jerusalem.  At that time, the temple was enormous, dominating the city, covering an area larger than most American football stadiums today. ...

The Crowds In Jerusalem

The Crowds In Jerusalem

The Crowds in Jerusalem The next day a great multitude that had come to the feast, when they heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem, took branches of palm trees and went out to meet Him, and cried out:“Hosanna!‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!’The...

The Power of Pysanka

The Power of Pysanka

The Power of Pysanka I f asked to name an Easter tradition that began before Christ was born, could you do it? Here’s a hint: in America, the tradition involves a small colored tablet, a splash of white vinegar, and usually, a very fun mess. If you guessed decorating...

Enjoying Easter From Afar

Enjoying Easter From Afar

Change Is Good: Enjoying Easter From Afar O ne of my favorite parts of any holiday is enjoying how those I love are celebrating via their social media. This past year, I’ve seen my share of posts lamenting the difficulty in being separated from extended family and...

New Life, Locally

New Life, Locally

New Life, Locally W hat do Jesus’ resurrection and addiction recovery have in common? It sounds like the beginning of a bad joke, doesn’t it? Thankfully, the answer is nothing to laugh at and everything to be grateful for. New life. 2 Corinthians 5:17 says, “Therefore...

Making Easter Good in the Neighborhood

Making Easter Good in the Neighborhood

Making Easter Good in the Neighborhood H olidays can be a wonderful way to establish traditions with those we care about. During a year where home remains the most popular place to be, many of us realize the value in the relationships in our closest proximity – not...

Creative Egg Hunts for All Ages

Creative Egg Hunts for All Ages

Creative Egg Hunt Ideas For All Ages A s we face another Easter where things may look different than they have in previous years, we are no longer strangers to rethinking new ways to celebrate old traditions. Fortunately, there are limitless creative ways to partake...

Enough – Easter 2020

Enough – Easter 2020

The last week of Jesus’ life began with a parade of celebration and hope. He would be dead by the end of that week. What happened? Even in darkness, God is at work; it just doesn’t feel like it sometimes. And even though there is no darkness in God, He’s never opposed...

More Than Enough

More Than Enough

Read Psalm 16:8-11   I made a quick grocery run last week. As I dashed through the store, focusing on getting the essentials on my list as quickly as possible while staying six feet away from the other masked shoppers, gigantic wrapped Easter baskets caught my...

Out of Darkness

Out of Darkness

Read Isaiah 53:8-9   Plastered in mud from head to toe, I crawled on my hands and knees through the last section of the cave called the Pancake. Eventually, I lowered myself on my stomach and army-crawled the rest of the way out. Walking out of the cave, I...

The Power of a Word

The Power of a Word

Read Psalm 22:1   I love the power of words. Even though a single word isn’t enough to tell a story, one word is powerful enough to stir our emotions. Words like forsaken and alone can evoke memories, and those memories create strong emotions. For introverts, the...

Not Enough

Not Enough

Read Genesis 22:8   In 2013 I was part of hike to raise money a non-profit organization that does amazing work. The goal was ambitious - hike 60 miles in 24 hours. I trained for months, invested in equipment, gathered people’s support, recruited friends to join...

The Greatest Exchange

The Greatest Exchange

Read Zechariah 11:12-13   I’ve never tasted Turkish delight before, but my siblings would be furious if I betrayed them for a box of candy from an evil witch. Though I’ve never made an exchange quite like Edmund in C.S. Lewis’ The Lion, the Witch, and the...

Spoiler Alert

Spoiler Alert

Read Jeremiah 31:31   I don’t see a lot of movies in the theater. If I do, I typically wait until the movie has been out for a few weeks, find the earliest time available, and stretch out in the theater.  The only problem with this plan is the internet, because...

The Perfect Cornerstone

The Perfect Cornerstone

Read Psalm 118:22-24    Three years ago, I found myself standing in Jerusalem near where the temple would have been at the time of Jesus. Only a portion of the retaining wall of temple remains, also known as the Western Wall or Wailing Wall. Jews pray at the wall...

Coming in Peace

Coming in Peace

Read Zechariah 9:9 Have you ever witnessed a motorcade? It’s hard to miss. First, the police vehicles arrive with flashing lights and sirens to clear the traffic, then various security vehicles, followed by the official limousine carrying the president, with all the...

Redemption’s Story

Redemption’s Story

Read Ruth 4:4-9   Redemption is one of most compelling themes of a storyline. We see it time and time again in books and movies. A great example of this is the figure of Darth Vader in Star Wars Episodes IV, V, and VI. Over the course of these three films we see...

Only Better

Only Better

Read Deuteronomy 18:15-19   When I was six, my Dad took me on my first roller coaster - The Comet at Hershey Park. I was so excited as we buckled into the car and the lap bars dropped. I remember the shudder of the train and the clickety-click sound as we went up...

The Sting

The Sting

Read Numbers 21: 6-9   Aww, Spring. The season of spring is one of my favorite times of the year! Everything seems a little bit brighter and a little bit happier. But unfortunately with warmer weather comes bees, wasps and all sorts of flying things. I don’t just...