This morning at Calvary, as a conclusion to our Honest to God series, Pastor Beau Eckert engaged the conversation about how to walk through grief with others. My Dad was one of the individuals in the panel, and they recorded the panel on the fifth month anniversary of my Mother’s death. While my sister and I …
Category: Musings
Own your own weakness
Quote by Johnny Miller, former Senior Pastor of Calvary Church Lancaster. Own your own weakness. My interpretation If you don’t know your own weakness, you really don’t understand your strengths. If you don’t know your own weakness, you can’t really appreciate the abundance of grace supplied daily by the Lord. If you don’t know your …
He is Risen! He is Returning!
Do I live like Christ died yesterday, arose this morning and is coming back tomorrow? Do I feel the pain of His death on my behalf? Do I rejoice at the reality of His resurrection vindicating His sacrifice, assuring me of life? Do I anticipate seeing Him face to face with uncontainable excitement? Do I …
What to say and what not to say to those grieving
For a number of years I struggled to know what to say at funerals, particularly in receiving lines. I actually wrote a poem entitled, when words are shallow, because of that struggle. As we have gone through the passing of my mother it has been interesting to experience and observe how uncomfortable we as believers …
Encouraging Words, part 2
Between Facebook, texts, emails and cards we have received countless encouraging words since my mother entered the presence of the Lord. Encouragement from those with whom I grew up in Guatemala. Encouragement from those from different churches and institutions we have been connected to. Encouragement from those whom my mother prayed for on multiple continents. …
Encouraging Words, part 1
What encourages those who are grieving? Some of the most encouraging words we received as we have faced the unexpected home going of my mother. I have been praying for you regularly. I’ve been praying that the Lord comfort and sustain you. Can I help you with meals? Can I do grocery shopping for you? …
Grieving with Hope
My Mom always said she wanted to be buried with a fork in her hand, because at every church pot luck, someone would say, “Keep your fork, the best is yet to come.” We often talk about Christian hope, but we have trouble defining it. In common use, “hope” is either as an emotion— “I …