How do we know how to act when everything we counted on seems to be over? First Peter recommends exercising self-control, remaining clear-headed, and serving people in need.

The suffering of grief, both present and anticipatory, is painful and real, and it will remain as long as we remain divided, as long as power is used to harm rather than heal.

How hard this season is – for God and for us! When we give in and have a good cry, we are never alone in it. For this, I am grateful.

While Martha served dinner, Mary sat on the floor and poured fragrant perfume over Jesus’ feet. To some, her behavior seemed over-the-top. But sometimes too much is just right.

Perfectionism may leave us paralyzed, afraid to do anything for fear of getting it wrong. My tangle with this word, perfected, distracts me from the truth: God is love.

“I'm looking for a sign,” said my friend.

Jesus caught a lot of criticism from the religious leaders about the company he kept. Those leaders ended up sounding pretty unkind, and a little too sure they were in the right.

What we have done to others cannot be undone, yet God calls us to the hard work of building community for all people, that love and justice that reflect God’s measure.

Mrs. Harrison is the first teacher I remember in Sunday School. She had a gentle smile, a modest bouffant, and she made sure I learned the most important thing: “Jesus loves me.”

The real call to sacrificial giving rests on those who have much: not just pennies on the floor of the minivan or change from a cappuccino. What’s your giving temperament?