Worship Begins with Our Bodies
I’m singing to the choir – but sometimes reminders help us go the distance! If we’re ready to see change in our finances, emotions, relationships — or just in our overall presence — Paul the Apostle has a surprising place to start – with our body. “Offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and…
Mercy: Our Best Move Today
Maybe I’m dating myself, but do you remember vinyl records? When scratched, they’d skip and replay the same lyric over and over. That’s me when it comes to mercy—I might sound like a broken record, but it’s a message worth repeating. Last Sunday at church, we sang the old hymn again:“Mercy there was great and…
The Competitive Edge
I come from a long line of go-getters… and yet, I was the kid hiding behind my mama’s coat-tails. I wasn’t loud, didn’t play sports, and wouldn’t dare raise my hand unless I was really sure of the answer. But somehow, God gave me a family full of people who don’t just show up to…
Got Credentials? You Bet You Do.
Some folks have impressive credentials—titles like Dr., Rev., or Esq.—attached to their name. Those designations usually come after years of study, sacrifice, and a mountain of coffee. My pastor, for example, recently earned his doctorate and humbly says, “You don’t have to call me Dr. Spencer.” But oh, he earned it — and we’re proud…
Evicting the Worry Wart
I don’t usually invite worry over for coffee. I’m more of a “blue skies ahead, God’s got this” kind of gal. But every now and then, that pesky Worry Wart sneaks in like it owns the place. It doesn’t knock. It doesn’t ask permission. It just plops itself down, right next to my peace, and…
Let There Be Light
Here’s the truth about darkness. Darkness is absent of light. And what about dark thoughts? Think about it. The more we dwell on our negative feelings or confront someone that is negative, the darker it becomes. The more we watch political news, and listen to the he said/she said stuff, and the backbiting between opposing…
Perfection Is Overrated…and Exhausting
Let’s just go ahead and say it: no one is perfect. Yes — I know someone probably popped into your head just now. The one with the pristine planner, color-coded everything, and hair that somehow is always in place. But I promise you, even they have a junk drawer, a regret, or a broken something…
A Penny for Your Trust
I bent down to pick up a penny in the parking lot the other day. Carl wondered why I did. Because I saw it — those four powerful words engraved in faded copper: “In God We Trust”. And suddenly, that scuffed-up coin wasn’t just a penny. It was a proclamation. A pocket-sized sermon. A reminder…
He Walked Among Us and We Walk with Him
Today is Ascension Thursday — a day many believers don’t realize carries as much awe as Easter morning. We often shout “He is risen!” And rightfully so. But do we whisper the second half of the miracle? He stayed a while — for 40 extra days! For forty days — after coming out of that…
A Family Feast — Includes First Bites
Sunday was a day I won’t forget. Not just because my #3 grandson, Payton, turned 25, but because all 14 of us — yes, our full Motley Crew — gathered around the same table for the first time in a long time. That’s a miracle of itself. Payton’s birthday is easy to remember — May…