God Meets Us in Our Longing
Posted by Sophie Ballard in Advent
In May, I auditioned for the Rangerettes, a drill team I had admired for as long as I could remember. For months leading up to the tryouts, I lived in a constant state of anticipation, practicing and stretching late into the evening, watching videos of past performances and visualizing myself in the crisp red, white, and blue uniform. There was a longing in my heart, not just to make the team but…
God is Always Coming to Us
Posted by George Gaston in Advent
The Advent weeks of 1984 were a long-ago time of worship that I still remember as a season of intimate encounter with God. I sensed God reminding me in those days that His Spirit meets us where we are in life. That truth became a settled reality for me, an insight that found a deep awareness in my family—God is always coming to us.
Monday Over Coffee: "Crooner"
Posted by Greg Funderburk in Monday Over Coffee
Trish’s grandmother used to say she liked all kinds of music, both country and western. She told Trish a long time ago how, even if the lyrics don’t rhyme in a country song, a good crooner can still make them rhyme somehow. She also once told Trish that the country singers she liked best never felt too obliged to stay perfectly on the beats of the music either. Singing like this, Trish’s…
Anticipation
Posted by Keisha Smith in Advent
The years 2016 and 2017 were the darkest of my life. A truth my husband revealed unraveled our marriage, and the future I had prayed for since 2010 collapsed. By 2016, I was filing for divorce.
Let There Be Peace on Earth
Posted by Carolyn Williams in Advent
Experiencing the four Sundays of Advent at South Main has brought a new dimension to my celebration of the birth of Christ. Each Sunday, we are led through the study of selected Scripture passages to reflect on our own understanding of what we, as His followers, are to do. The four Sunday themes—Hope, Peace, Joy, and Love—bring us closer to the realization that because of God’s infinite love, He…
The Promise of Hope
Posted by Anne Tülek in Advent
Assassinations and kill lists. Wars unabated. Rampant cybercrime. House and car break-ins. Friendships lost to distance or disappointment. A political system at risk of collapse or overrun by enemies within, depending on your media sources. Illness. Loneliness. Scattered family. There are days that I have ruminated on such topics and indulged myself in feelings of sadness and despair. My mother…
Dark Clouds and a Brighter Tomorrow
Posted by Claire Hein Blanton in Advent
Music has always been my go-to coping mechanism. From the timeless ballads of James Taylor and The Judds to more recent additions like Judah and the Lion, I’ve always found that melodies and lyrics have a way of expressing feelings that words alone can’t quite capture. So, I’ve created Spotify playlists for each season of my life, with a special favorite called “I Will Be Okay.”
The Blessing of a Family
Posted by Ethan Gwaltney in Advent
The kids I’ve known all wanted to be something. A firefighter. A teacher. “The Boss.” When I was a kid and folks asked me what I wanted to be, I told them, “a dinosaur-digger.” That didn’t work out. But for as long as I can remember, what I really wanted to be was a husband and a dad.
Despair is Presumptuous
Posted by Linda Brupbacher in Advent
Stuff happens—no matter who we are or how hard we try. Stuff happens—some of it good, some of it bad. I’ve learned that how I think about that stuff influences my perceived reality and responses. Do I expect good or bad? Do I expect to be OK? What will be God’s role? Faith, optimism, hope, and peace are needed. When things are not going well, it helps me to remember good things that happened…
Jesus' Presence in Our Hope
Posted by Sam Jump in Advent
Earlier this year, I experienced one of the most meaningful days of my life when my dad remarried. Long before the ceremony, I had been living in a season of anticipation. My dad and his then fiancée, Tina, had asked me to officiate the wedding, and while I was very honored, I hate public speaking. As the months went on, my panic over agreeing only grew. However, alongside my fear, I lived in…
Monday Over Coffee: "Jubilation"
Posted by Greg Funderburk in Monday Over Coffee
Derek and his wife knew there would be challenges in transit with their children, all three under nine years old, but they didn’t know it would be this bad this early, which is to say their problems started almost immediately.
Light is Coming
Posted by Trey Westerburg in Advent
This time of year, I’m always reminded that A Christmas Carol is the greatest fictional story ever written. The themes of kindness, generosity, and redemption are timeless. It’s also just a great ghost story, and I’ve always loved a great ghost story.
The Freedom that Comes
Posted by Shugey Ledezma in Advent
Waiting is a constant companion throughout our lives. Life prepares you for certain things we all wait for, like getting a driver’s license or getting your first car. There are unexpected circumstances no one anticipates, such as an illness or unemployment. Then there are unique circumstances certain people must wait for. I happened to have one such unique circumstance, waiting to obtain a…
Our Cup Overflows
Posted by Susan Moore in Worship, Music, Family Ministry, Discipleship
It won’t surprise you that I’m making a list (I have a theory that calendar people make more lists than non-calendar people), nor that it’s a list of things to be grateful for. It is Thanksgiving week, after all. I love this exercise for two reasons. One, it keeps my focus on God’s blessings, not news headlines. Two, it amazes me that I can never finish this particular list—it is never-ending.…
Monday Over Coffee: "Order"
Posted by Greg Funderburk in Monday Over Coffee
Grace’s own neighborhood was spared, but those who lived not far from her had lost almost everything in the recent fires. She wanted to help and had heard that recovery efforts would be staged from the convention center in the middle of town. When she arrived though, the place was overwhelmed, not only with folks in need but with scores of well-meaning volunteers too. Chaos reigned outside the…
Monday Over Coffee: "Arresting Beauty"
Posted by Greg Funderburk in Monday Over Coffee
A twenty foot high, forty foot wide pile of bricks and wooden framing set in front of the two men as they conversed. The crew was in the process of demolishing an old apartment complex with still much to do. About half the structure remained in place to the west.
Monday Over Coffee: "Angels"
Posted by Greg Funderburk in Monday Over Coffee
As they slow down, Zoe’s father lets go of her hand, and Zoe begins to have second thoughts about seeing her grandmother in this place called Intensive Care. Her legs are suddenly feeling wavy. Her father and mother pause at the door sensing her hesitation, but Zoe pushes the thoughts down and nods to her parents. Zoe is convinced her picture will help with the whole situation.
Just Start Somewhere
Posted by Gordan and Gail Musgrove in Discipleship
That’s often great advice when tackling a project or a task—but when it comes to marriage, well, it’s not quite that simple.
Monday Over Coffee : "Prediction Machine"
Posted by Greg Funderburk in Monday Over Coffee
Jane had jury duty again. It was the third time in three years. The first time she was chosen. It had been a fender-bender case taking her away from her job for a week. Last year, she hadn’t been picked. In fact, the case had settled before the process even began.
Monday Over Coffee: "Memory"
Posted by Greg Funderburk in Monday Over Coffee
While formerly it was believed memories like this one now forming in Gil’s mind arose in the hippocampus and were then transferred to the neocortex for longer term storage, more recently it’s been discovered that such memories are formed in the hippocampus and the neocortex simultaneously. The more specific details of this emerging memory will always remain in Gil’s hippocampus, but at the same…
