Weekly Blog

One of the most beautiful things in the world is seeing a child bubbling over with joy. Children find joy in the simplest things and express their joy so easily. When I hear the word joy, I picture animated smiles and laughter, energy and exuberance.This is the outward manifestation of what is happening inside our heart. But joy doesn’t always look this way. Sometimes it is a quiet steady confidence and gratefulness deep in our heart that enables us and strengthens us to keep on going when we are fooled by our emotions that we don’t want to go on, or that we just can’t.

One of my earliest memories is of being a very tiny tot sitting under the front pew of our church in Lorimor, Iowa while my mother was preaching.  That was my favorite spot because I didn’t get “interrupted” there.  My mother could see me at all times, but no one else in the congregation could, so I was at liberty to play and amuse myself.  My older brothers and sisters had to sit on those hard pews and behave.  That was the beginning of my love, respect, and appreciation for pastors, the shepherds called by Jesus, to attend His earth-bound flocks.

A Father's Legacy

Fathers Day has always been a favorite holiday of mine because I was privileged to have had a wonderful daddy who made it easy for me to understand God’s love for his children.  He was a great role model who taught me what it looks like to love and serve God.  Daddy understood that it was his responsibility to live the words of Proverbs 22:6, which in the King James version (which is how I memorized it many years ago) says,