There comes a time when grief becomes a way of life. It becomes permanent. A profound sadness envelops me. What I long to have ‘fixed’ remains forever broken. There is no fix. No answer. Obviously, there are moments of rage and anger that point to my demand for solutions and the blocked goals I have that will not be appeased. Those things must be addressed. There are moments when…

I asked Michael Cousineau if he would be interesed in leading a study goup based on Dallas Willard's book called The Devine Conspiracy, and he agreeed. I would much rather have more than Michael teaching only myself. I am wanting more people attend and learn a greater understanding what it means to become a student of Christ Jesus. I am interested in learning what it means to put on…

My grandma is turning 90 on Valentine’s Day. This weekend I am headed to Michigan with some of my family to celebrate with a party on Saturday. There’s something very familiar about all this. When I was growing up we would visit my family in Michigan. We would stay with my mom’s sister in Ann Arbor, where we are staying this weekend. I played and watched sports with my…

In our pilgrim group we have been talking about God’s sovereignty and how he has sovereignty over nature, nations, creation, man, and Satan. We were asked the question: which part of god’s sovereignty made us uncomfortable and which part gave us comfort? I said that God’s sovereignty over Satan made me uncomfortable because that means that sometimes God is allowing Satan to mess with me or mess with my…

I pray a lot. I even have a ‘prayer tub’ thanks to the generosity of others. In my old age I’ve come to realize that praying is of primal importance. The more time I spend doing it the better life seems. I love talking with God. I love praying with, and for, others. It’s tiring and sometimes it feels like war, but most of the time I come up…

"Fat Albert" This may come as a surprise to some of you, but I was a big boy when I was a kid and not big like cute chubby big… I'm talking like I was grossly obese big. Like if you saw me you would have been concerned for my health and well being. My overweightness started as a teenager and carried it's way till my sophmore year of…

A few years ago when I preached on the letter to the Hebrews, I was struck by the phrase, "Don't drift from your salvation." I wondered why that was so important -- why salvation would be the thing we wouldn't drift away from: why not Jesus, or the gospel? While reflecting on the story of Paul's conversion, I realized that in our initial encounter with Jesus, our unique identity…

I played competative kickball for 11 years growing up. From age 7 to 18, I was part of the Little Miss Kickball League in the Tip-O-Tex park of Texas. Trust me, it's a BIG thing in Texas - hundreds of girls in several cities across the state play in these leagues https://www.hometeamsonline.com/teams/?u=LMKII&s=htosports. I didn't just play. I crushed it. For maybe 8 out of the 11 years, I made…

I remember clearly when God told us we were going to adopt Ian.  We were at the Park Place Mall play area. I watched Ellen running around playing. I felt so much love for her and pride. Then I noticed the other kids and how they were so beautiful with all their differences of abilities and skin color and appearances. I felt a strong sense of peace come over…

As I reflect on this year, God seems like he’s after two themes in my life. First is demands: my demands, my kids demands, my husband’s demands, the demands of other people I know. Things I believe I am entitled to: my opinions, my longings, being heard, being understood, other people doing the right thing, people around me doing the considerate thing. But as I demand, consciously and unconsciously,…

Things you may not know about your elderly pastor: I was once arrested for robbing a Circle K convenience store. Fortunately the store clerk said he didn’t think it was me so they released me.  The first time I was ever in an airplane I parachuted out at 12,500 feet. I didn’t get to wear a flight suit because I was too tall and I had to wear a…

Anxiety. Some seven letter word that we use to try to describe a feeling that can't really be described. It seems that the experience of anxiety is as unique as the individual experiencing it. For many years (pretty much until I came to The Village) I didn't think that I suffered from this affliction. And those Christians who did, I callously supposed, should just "cast your cares (or anxieties)…

The Beginning It all started long ago. Cold, wet, busy, and rushed - the world swam with moving objects next to large machines. Somewhere in the grey city - the Sanctuary stood - beautiful and full of flickering lights. I'm not sure what happened that day, but it happen. Mercy poured out over my soul. It stood, and it cried for me. My heart lived in my throat, and…

Our son, Derek, who lives with us, went to the animal shelter eighteen years ago in order to rescue a couple kittens. The big, beautiful gray and white kitten who ran up and licked his hand when he tried to pet him was a shoo in to come to our home, but so was the tiny frightened black kitty mewling and crying the back corner of the cage. She…

Job, after all his suffering said, “Let the Almighty answer me!” Stephen, as they were about to drag him from the city and stone him, told them, “Yet the Most High does not dwell in houses made by hands, as the prophet says ‘Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool. What kind of house will you build for me, says the Lord, or what is the…

Are we going to heaven? I’m pretty sure my wife is. Is she going to see a bright white light when it’s time to go? How long will she be in the portal before it dumps her onto a golden sidewalk or maybe an impossibly white cloud? Will she still have hair? Body fluids and functions? A body??? As a kid, I had a mental image of a horizon…