A PERSONAL PRAYER God, I am so grateful to have lots of moms in my life - my own mom, the marvelous mom of my children, the amazing moms of my grandchildren, the spiritual moms who have shared their faith with me along my journey and who still pray for me and for my family, and the loving and caring moms in our congregation who like to "mother me." These are all people who have chosen to give themselves away, investing themselves in my life, sharing a piece of their lives with me. I am so grateful to [...]

A PERSONAL PRAYER  God, I remember when I felt that full fire in my belly, and I charged out the door every morning ready to change the world. I confess that sometimes now, God, I find myself coasting, hoping for easy rather than world-changing. I remember when I leaned forward toward the next exciting thing God had in store for me. I confess that sometimes now, God, I resist change and prefer to stay comfortable. Still, it seems that as I have grown older, my steps have become more consistent, more disciplined, more steady. I am coming to [...]

A PERSONAL PRAYER God of indescribable, unfathomable, incomprehensible love, As dawn broke on Friday morning, your beloved Son was on the way to the court of the pavements between the fortress and the temple. The long prayer of agony in the garden was accomplished. The betrayal was complete. The arrest was carried out. The midnight trial was over. Peter's denial was so fresh on his mind. Still ahead was the unfaithfulness of the crowd, the treachery of the religious leaders, the weak will of Pilate, the scourge and the thorns and beatings, the long walk with a crosspiece [...]

A PERSONAL PRAYER God of grace, Just like every year, I am trying to figure out what to say about Palm Sunday. There will be hosannas and palm branches waving, church family picnics and children's choirs singing and such happy worship. It all reminds me of donkeys and parades, children making a pathway of green for your entrance into Jerusalem. Yet there is something that seems shallow about Palm Sunday. I will say Jesus is king, but do I really mean it? Do I recognize his complete authority over me? Do I recognize that nothing I have belongs [...]

A PERSONAL PRAYER God - Father, Son, Holy Spirit, You do some pretty amazing things. I am particularly fond of how you turn water into wine. You did it at that wedding in Cana long ago, and I wish I had been there to see it, and taste the finest wine you provide. But I can see how you do it even today. You take the water that falls on the earth, and you draw it into the roots of the vine, flavor it with nutrients from the soil and energy from the sun, and turn it into sap. You [...]

A PERSONAL PRAYER  God, I am ready to receive your Holy Spirit. I like to think that I am doing the best I can do. I am trying to be a good husband, a good father, a good son, a good friend, a good citizen, a good neighbor, a good pastor, and overall just be a good person. Yes, I probably can try a little harder and do a little more. But honestly, I feel like I have been trying harder and doing more, and I am not making a lot of progress. It can be pretty frustrating, [...]

A PERSONAL PRAYER  God of love, When I am lost, find me and bring me home. When I am weary, give me the strength to walk one more step, get through one more day, face one more challenge. When I am joyous, show me how I can share my joy with others. When I am confident, temper my confidence with humility. When I am wrong, give me the grace to repent with authenticity. When I am right, remind me that I could be wrong. When I am self-righteous, make clear to me my sin, and knock me low. [...]

A PERSONAL PRAYER God, This morning, I stepped out of the shower and looked in the mirror. The bright lights revealed who I really am. It wasn't pretty. So I put on my clothes and hoped it would cover up the truth. This afternoon, God, I studied my scripture, and I saw in there a reflection of who I really am. It wasn't pretty. Most of the time, I put on my smile and positive attitude and go out and just do my best. But God, that isn't what this Lenten season is about. Lent is about seeing the truth, not hiding from it, or [...]