How did I get here?
15 Years. 15 years have come and gone and next week I'll turn 30 and this moment in time will split my life straight down the middle - 15 years before, 15 years after. Someone asked me the other day, in light of turning 30, if this is where I thought I'd be in life at this age? The answer that I could not share in the passing of 'polite conversation' is no. No ma'am , because I didn't think I'd live past 18, so all these years have been an added bonus. When I was little I use
Bread of Life
9th Sunday after Pentecost Today's readings: 2 Kings 4:42-44 ; Eph. 3:14-21 ; John 6:1-21 Grace and peace to you in the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen. Today is the first of FIVE weeks that we will hear from John chapter 6 about Jesus being bread of life for the world, indicating this is proooobably really important. But I want to start by pointing out that Jesus doesn’t come to earth and from THEN on all of creation is fed. No, bread, in some wa
Fit to Plumb
7th Sunday after Pentecost Today's Readings: Amos 7:7-15 , Psalm 85:8-13 , Mark 6:14-29 Grace and peace to you in the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen. What a rollercoaster of emotions we just went on with our three texts this morning. First we hear Amos’ prophecy that destruction and exile are coming to Israel, then we praise the Lord in trust of prosperity, and finally we are served the head of John the Baptist on a platter. Whew! What threads ca
Powerful, Liberating Love
Sixth Sunday after Pentecost Today's readings: 2 Cor. 12:2-10 ; Psalm 33 ; Mark 6:1-13 Grace and peace to you in the name of the Father, and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen. I had never before heard that song we sang for our gathering this morning, but I feel like it truly embodies the theology of the cross - entering into the hard stuff of this life, illuminating the darkest of places - not because we are necessarily unafraid, but we are able to enter in even when we are
Healed, Restored, Beloved.
5th Sunday after Pentecost Today's Readings: 2 Cor. 8:1-15 ; Mark 5:21-43 Grace and peace to you in the name of the Father, and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen. This morning I want to talk a little bit about healing. Healing is a central theme in Mark’s gospel. Mark’s Jesus spends a LOT more time traveling and healing than he does giving speeches or talking in parables. These healings look like: casting out demons or unclean spirits, soothing fevers and leprosy, raising t
Peace; Be still.
4th Sunday After Pentecost Today's Readings: 2 Cor. 6:1-13 ; Mark 4:35-41 Grace and peace to you in the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen. Friends, whatever figurative storm you currently find yourself in, hear these words of Christ Jesus, our Savior and Lord: “Peace. Be still.” This word of grace comes to us this day and everyday from God who not only created the winds and the waves, but can call them to stillness. Be still, child of God; the han
Mustard Seed Faith
3rd Sunday after Pentecost Today's Readings: 2 Cor. 5:6-17 ; Mark 4:26-34 Grace and peace to you in the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen. The kingdom of God is like a mustard seed. Jesus spoke many parables and as we are told this morning, he did so as the crowd was able to hear it. We in Iowa can certainly hear parables about planting and harvesting. We here at SEEDS of Faith can certainly hear parables of seed and growth, can’t we!? Thankfully,
A House Divided
2nd Sunday after Pentecost Today's readings: 2 Cor. 4:13--5:1 ; Mark 3:20-35 Grace and peace to you in the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen. A house divided cannot stand.. I love how in Iowa we have amended this parable and turned it into cute little flags I see on front lawns that are half Hawkeye and half Cyclone and proudly declare – a house divided . I’m grateful for those friendly competitions and also equally grateful for Jesus’ much more o
Spiritual Visionary
Pentecost - 2021 Today's Readings: Acts 2:1-21 (The Holy Spirit descends on Jesus' followers) Ezekiel 37:1-14 (Valley of the Dry Bones) John 15:26-27 & 16:4b-15 (Jesus promises to send the Advocate) Grace and peace to you in the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen. Come Holy Spirit, Come. Today is all about the Spirit; the breath of life, the wind that sweeps across the waters and brushes against our cheeks, the spark that catches fire but does not c
Ordinary Discipleship
Sunday after Ascension Today's Readings: Acts 1:15-17, 21-26 ; John 17:6-19 Grace and peace to you in the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen. This past Thursday was a little known holy day where we remember the ascension of Christ: the day when the resurrected Christ leaves his disciples, leaves this earth for the last time and ascends into heaven to be seated at the right hand of the Father until he comes again to judge the living and the dead. Je
