The narrative of the birth of John the Baptist greatly affects the Christmas story. Without this narrative, the effect of a small baby who was Immanuel, God with us, would have very little effect. The...  Read More

It is a privilege to serve God’s purposes.  Mary was a simple, small town girl who loved God and was willing to be used by Him.  Because of her faith and acceptance of God’s calling in her life, we ha...  Read More

Mary was very surprised, perplexed, and afraid when she heard the words of the angel Gabriel.  Why would an angel greet her?  What did it mean that she was “highly favored” of God?  How was the Lord w...  Read More

In this mixed-up world, we equate material possessions with happiness.  But often those who have the most end up being the least happy.  According to Jesus, when we keep things for ourselves, we don’t...  Read More

It’s painfully ironic that Christmas, which ought to be a time of peace, joy, and celebration, is widely recognized as a time of stress, busyness, and depression.  At the core, I suspect our prioritie...  Read More

Are you a glass-half-empty or glass-half-full kind of person?  I admit that I have my cynical days, especially when I watch too much news.  It doesn’t take a genius to figure out something is broken i...  Read More