What does it take to “awaken” me? I need to be awakened not just in the morning, but periodically throughout my day. I need “God moments”: a sunrise, a new blanket of snow, a dark night sky or a large, orange moon.

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THEME THIS WEEK: Your king is coming

Patience is certainly not my forte. Last spring, while living in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, during my semester abroad through the college’s Study-Service Term, I learned that I am not alone. Each morning, my commute to school began with a short ride on the daladala (minibus) to get to the ferry dock. Dar es Salaam is a coastal city, and I needed to cross an inlet of the Indian Ocean to reach downtown. At 6:15 a.m., the ferry dock is a chaotic mess of bicycles weaving through crowds of people running with school books or baskets of food on their heads. Everyone is desperate to catch the next ferry over, and nobody wants to wait – I didn’t, either. (more…)

Today’s verse describes how Jesus accepted God’s calling and was transformed by the decision. While God designated Jesus for the role he played in Christian history, the plan would not have been fulfilled without Jesus’ obedience and willingness to suffer. It has been difficult for me to be obedient in the same way since the calling from God has never been very clear, but I continue to strive to be such a disciple. (more…)

“And when I am lifted up from the earth, I will draw everyone to myself.”

We anticipate with Jesus his “lifting up” – his being lifted up in a two-fold way: he will be lifted high upon a cross and lifted up to join God in heaven. The first way is awesomely terrifying and the second provokes a sense of longing in my heart. I truly do wish to see Jesus.

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I am always blessed when I have the opportunity to spend time with my 3-year-old niece and 5-year-old nephew, for they always seem to have the right words to say at the right time. At Christmas, my nephew was so excited about all of his gifts. I remember him repeating the phrase over and over again, “Is this for me?” As a family, we were amused by his humbleness and sincerity. (more…)

In this passage in Jeremiah, God says that soon he will create a new covenant with Israel and Judah. The new covenant will not be like the old covenant, which was created when God chose the Israelites as his people and led them out of Egypt. The new covenant will be completely a part of the Israelites. It will be in their minds and hearts, and all the people will know about it. (more…)

My wife recently decided to move her boutique store to a small shop with a big window on Goshen’s Main Street. It is across the street from The Window, an agency that provides services to help meet basic needs of the elderly and anyone with limited income. (more…)

Reading is something I never seem to have enough time for, but that I do enjoy. However, unlike many of my friends who have cried while reading books, I had never been overtaken by such strong emotion because of the written word or felt that connected to any text before in my life.

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A signature. From learning to write our names in kindergarten, to making payments and filling out paperwork years later, a signature is used to show ownership. It is proof. It has value.

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In this Old Testament passage, God’s people are feeling forgotten and persecuted because of their wandering in the desert. The Israelites rebuke God with their desire to be back in Egypt where they held the place of slaves instead of the dry, barren desert. They challenge God with their claims and complaints and he responds, but not how they are expecting. (more…)