God has an extraordinary ability to defy our expectations. Especially if he really wants to get our attention. Beyond Expectations When I was a college student, I went to try a large Episcopal church not too far from where my family attended. It was an 8:00 a.m. service held in a small chapel, and the…
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A priest friend extended a challenge to his congregation the other day. “Let’s take a couple of minutes to pray and think about what the Lord might want to say to you.” My response? “Ohhhhhh.” My friend’s words intrigued me. When I preach, I tend to focus on what God wants me to say, not…
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People do not come out of the womb fully formed, mature Christians. I love my children, but I don’t always enjoy having to make and enforce rules for them. Yet one of the goals of parenting is to help our children learn how to make wise choices and develop strong character. But could we shepherd…
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In 1994, three explorers in southern France stumbled upon one of the greatest archeological discoveries of all time. It came to be called the Chauvet Cave (after one of the explorers), and what was found inside was by far the oldest known artwork made by human beings. Hundreds of paintings of more than 13 different…
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Christ’s journey to the cross is one of isolation. Though surrounded by crowds, he is entirely alone. The only thing he has is the determination God placed within him to walk out what he clearly acknowledges is a predetermined path. And on this path, he exhibits two key qualities that encapsulate both his mission and…
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Recently I was blessed with a new vehicle: a black, four-door, hardtop Jeep Wrangler. It’s fun to drive and pretty stylish, at least to me. It came with an owner’s manual and even a DVD for helping me learn all about my Jeep. The resources included maintenance schedules for oil changes, tire rotations, tune-ups, and…
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Because of Jesus’ resurrection, all threats against you are tamed. Jesus conquered death, so death and evil are not the end of the story, and we can have hope. To the One Who Conquers, I Will… One of the key themes of the book of Revelation is conquering through suffering. The number of occurrences of…
[ Read More]“I have come that they may have life and life more abundantly” John 10:10 My husband, the Rev. Pedro N. Lopez, my two sons, and I currently serve in the Episcopal Diocese of Texas, at St. Peter’s-San Pedro in Pasadena, which has a large Mexican population. Today our church is a bilingual-bicultural congregation with two…
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The Rev. Charles L. “Chaz” Howard, university chaplain at the University of Pennsylvania, began by stating that his message was taken from Isaiah 2. Isaiah spoke of the “mountain of the Lord” (verse 3, NIV). Isaiah saw the nations going to the mountain and saying, “He will teach us his ways, so that we may…
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One of the greatest privileges of ministry is having a front-row seat to the life change that happens when God is at work in someone’s life. Ministry goes beyond our job to a calling that brings us purpose and fulfillment. We become swept up in the adventure and excitement of seeing God move and change…
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