“While he was at Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, as he sat at the table, a woman came with an alabaster jar of very costly ointment of nard, and she broke open the jar and poured the ointment on his head. But some were there who said to one another in anger, … Continue reading The Breaking of Precious Things
Between the conspiring of the religious leaders to kill Jesus and the devastating betrayal of a close friend, we have the opportunity in the Gospel of Mark to pause and smell the sweet fragrance of faithfulness, the aroma of devotion to Jesus that permeates the air from an act of sacrificial love. Let us linger … Continue reading Remembering Her Fragrant Faithfulness
I sit in my car in the parking lot of our local Walmart going over the grocery game plan with my sons. We are going into the store, getting our five items, go through the self check out, and then leave. I further stress to my sons that they are to follow me and not … Continue reading Learning to Accept I’m not Superwoman: Part 2 Grocery Shopping and Adequacy
It’s Christmas season, a time of year when we focus on joy, yet how do we overcome those days and weeks when joy seems so distant? Yesterday was one of those days for me, well, in all honesty, this entire week has been filled with days like this. I’ve been under a tremendous … Continue reading The Possibility of Extraordinary
“And lo, the star, which they had seen in the east, went on before them, until it came and stood over where the Child was. And when they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy” (Matthew 2:9a-10 NASB). I always loved going to Santa’s Workshop when I was in elementary school. … Continue reading You Light up My Life
“And she gave birth to her first-born son; and she wrapped Him in cloths, and laid Him in a manger” (Luke 2:7a NASB). God the Son comes to earth as a newborn baby. This baby Jesus was not self-sufficient in any way and he completely depended upon others to care for him, nourish him, … Continue reading We Need Each Other: An Advent Reflection
“And she gave birth to her firstborn son; and she wrapped Him in cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn” (Luke 2:7). A prevalent image of the birth of Jesus is him lying in a manger because there was no room for him … Continue reading Making Room for Jesus: A Nativity Lesson
“Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you” (Luke 1:28 NRSV). The angel Gabriel appears to Mary with a greeting and refers to her as a favored one, a blessed person. We are not told of anything in Mary’s past that would signify such a greeting, so we must ascertain that this ‘favored’ bestowal from … Continue reading The Gift of God with Us
The second sermon in my Summer of Love series is about holiness. The church is called to be a holy people. As God is love, so God is holy, and for the same reason too. Holiness is loving God and others as God loves us. God is love because God is Triune, and God is … Continue reading Love Leads to Holiness: Reconciling our Walks
“As it is written, ‘How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!” (Rom. 10:15; cf. Is. 52:7 NRSV). “Jesus replied, ‘I have shown you many good works from the Father. For which of these are you going to stone me?’ The Jews answered, ‘It is not for a good work that we … Continue reading Beautiful feet in the midst of stones: a woman’s call to preach
Michelle Mosier 