I’ve always been a rule-follower—a child who chose to obey because the thought of someone not being happy with me was unbearable. And over time, I learned that if I followed the rules and performed well, I’d please others and feel loved. And I began to apply this to my relationship with God. I can […]
What to Do When Someone Is Upset With You :: Sermon on the Mount {Week 12}
Keeping short accounts makes for a life full of peace. And that is a truth that will never change. Several years ago, my husband and I became aware that a couple in our church had a problem with us. We were shocked and surprised to learn of the situation and saddened it had been happening for so […]
For When You Encounter Prickly People :: Sermon on the Mount {Week 11}
Some people are like a cactus, mostly prickly with an occasional flower blooming amidst their thorns. And those kind of people challenge me, because I’m a people pleaser. It’s pretty much guaranteed that if I know there’s a problem between you and me, I will pursue you, no matter whose fault it is. In fact […]
Because It’s All About the Illustrations & Their Principles :: Sermon on the Mount {Week 10}
Jesus was clear that He came to fulfill the Law and the Prophets, and because He accomplished all He said He would, we are no longer bound to the Old Covenant–no longer obligated to law, but freed to live by the Spirit. We have been given a New Covenant, one that moves us from death, and […]
For When You Think It’s Only About Following the Rules :: Sermon on the Mount {Week 9}
There are some people you never forget—people who leave an impression that’s hard to shake, and growing up I do remember her. She was my mother’s age. Always opinionated and outspoken, and never for a lack of words, and she went out of her way to make you aware of your wayward ways. She grew […]
All Has Been Accomplished! The New Covenant Has Come :: Sermon on the Mount {Week 8}
As a junior in college I almost failed my Cell & Molecular Biology Lab. We were learning about histology and the assignment was to make slides of different types of tissue. But the problem was in order to make slides, the tissue had to be fresh. And you should have seen our faces when the […]
We ARE the Light of the World :: Sermon on the Mount {Week 7}
  When I was nine, I was afraid of the dark. I can remember the closet in my bedroom…how it had sliding doors, and how I would walk over and shut them tightly before turning off the light. In fact I had a bedside lamp and I would turn that on first. Then I […]
Because You Are Meant to BE the Flavor :: Sermon on the Mount {Week 6}
 There’s almost nothing better than food full of flavor … like pizza loaded with savory sauce and chunks of melted cheese, or a full plate of Mexican food, complete with rice, refried beans, guacamole, salsa and chips. Yet those same foods can be unappealing altogether if the salt is omitted. They remain bland and aren’t […]
For When You Don’t Fit in and You’re Not Feeling Accepted :: Sermon on the Mount {Week 5}
I was never very popular growing up. I know it’s hard to believe after seeing that fantastic 1989 hair and silver metal belt in the picture above, but I can assure you it was totally “in” back then and not at all responsible for my lack of popularity. Not that I was the total nerd of the class, but let’s just […]
For When Memorizing is Intimidating and Change is a Challenge :: Sermon on the Mount {Week 4}
I have always been intimidated by scripture memory. For whatever reason it seemed too difficult to accomplish–too lofty a goal. Don’t get me wrong, I could memorize a verse here or there, and growing up, I did. But as far as large passages, forget it! I had just never really tried. But there is something to be said for […]
