Karen Limmer, St. Luke’s member since 2009 Proverbs 15:18 ESV A hot-tempered man stirs up strife, but he who is slow to anger quiets contention. Romans 8:25 ESV But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience. Reflection: There are so many Bible verses on patience. It is clear God wants us to be patient. Yet it can be so hard! I am anything but patient. I could burst trying to wait for a response to an email. I easily give up on difficult tasks when I don’t succeed right away. God [...]

Charity Autry, Member since 2008, Families in Faith Sunday School Leader, Starting Point Leader, VBS Chair (Children’s Ministry Council) Philippians 4:11-13, 19 (New International Version) 11 I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. 12 I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. 13 I can do all this through him who [...]

Shelby Olive 2 Samuel 9:1-11 David asked, “Is there still anyone left of the house of Saul to whom I may show kindness for Jonathan’s sake?” 2 Now there was a servant of the house of Saul whose name was Ziba, and he was summoned to David. The king said to him, “Are you Ziba?” And he said, “At your service!” 3 The king said, “Is there anyone remaining of the house of Saul to whom I may show the kindness of God?” Ziba said to the king, “There remains a son of Jonathan; he is crippled in his feet.” 4 The king said to [...]

Buddy Fisher, St. Luke’s member Mark 12:28-34 (NIV) 28 One of the teachers of the law came and heard them debating. Noticing that Jesus had given them a good answer, he asked him, “Of all the commandments, which is the most important?” 29 “The most important one,” answered Jesus, “is this: ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. 30 Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ 31 The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is [...]

Lavonne Baker, Sister in Christ Genesis 8:13-18 (NIV) “By the first day of the first month of Noah’s six hundred and first year, the water had dried up from the earth.  Noah then removed the covering from the ark and saw that the surface of the ground was dry.  By the twenty-seventh day of the second month the earth was completely dry.     Then God said to Noah, “Come out of the ark, you and your wife, and your sons and their wives.  Bring out every kind of living creature that is with you – the birds, the animals, [...]

Robbie McDonough Ephesians 4:31-32 (NRSV) 31 Put away from you all bitterness and wrath and anger and wrangling and slander, together with all malice, 32 and be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ has forgiven you. Reflection:  When I was a teenager, VHS tapes were hanging on for dear life as a new medium was taking over the movie rental business, the digital video disk (DVD). And while I did not work at Blockbuster, the Mecca of movie rental, I was thrilled when my grocery clerk career skyrocketed, and I was transferred to [...]

Louise McEvoy, Member of St. Luke’s since 2008 1 Samuel 24: 2-7 (CEB) 2 So Saul took three thousand men selected from all Israel and went to look for David and his soldiers near the rocks of the wild goats. 3 He came to the sheep pens beside the road where there was a cave. Saul went into the cave to use the restroom. Meanwhile, David and his soldiers were sitting in the very back of the cave. 4 David’s soldiers said to him, “This is the day the Lord spoke of when he promised you, ‘I will hand [...]

Galatians 5:22-25 (NRSV) By contrast, the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against such things. 24 And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25 If we live by the Spirit, let us also be guided by the Spirit.   Reflection: A skill I learned at an early age was how to make a to-do list. Thanks, Mom! I make one every, single, day upon entering my office and maybe a few more throughout the day. The [...]

Shelby Olive Matthew 28:1-10 After the sabbath, as the first day of the week was dawning, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to see the tomb. 2 And suddenly there was a great earthquake; for an angel of the Lord, descending from heaven, came and rolled back the stone and sat on it. 3 His appearance was like lightning, and his clothing white as snow. 4 For fear of him the guards shook and became like dead men. 5 But the angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid; I know that you are looking for Jesus [...]