The Birth of Jesus is the Death of Self-Sufficiency By Beth Demme In 1944, a German Catholic priest named Alfred Delp spent his final Advent in a Nazi prison. A few weeks before he was hanged, Father Delp described the Virgin Mary as “the most comforting of all the Advent figures.” He wrote: Advent is the promise denoting the new …
To Follow Mary’s Example This Advent We Have to Know God
To Follow Mary’s Example This Advent, We Have to Know God Or: Why Mary is Better than Moses and Paul By Beth Demme The Virgin Mary is often extolled as an example of a willing servant, especially this time of year. It is true, Mary is the ultimate example of what can happen when one woman says yes to God, …
The First Advent What Did Mary Know?
The First Advent What Did Mary Know? By Beth Demme There’s a popular song we hear every Advent called “Mary, Did You Know?” It was first released by a Christian recording artist in 1991. Since then it’s been recorded by a variety of musicians and has appeared on Billboard’s charts for Christian music, country music, R&B, Hip-Hop, and the “Hot …
We Are All Waiting For God
We Are All Waiting For God By Beth Demme Happy New Year! I know we haven’t dropped the ball yet or toasted with champagne, but we have, in fact, begun a new year in the life of the church. Advent has begun! Advent is a season of waiting, and preparation, “for the birth of Christ, and a celebration of God’s …
The Thanksgiving My Life Changed
By Beth Demme It was just before Thanksgiving 2002. My husband and I followed the pediatrician down the hall, our footsteps echoing off the undecorated walls and hard floors. We were inside a maternity/pediatric hospital in a small coal-mining town in southwest Russia. The doctor led us to a bright room, with a big window, three cribs, and one precious …
How to Talk About Adoption
How To Talk To Adoptive Families By Beth Demme It’s #NationalAdoptionDay! As a parent by adoption, I’ve seen firsthand how people struggle with adoption language. Here’s a very simple vocab primer: an adoptive parent is a mom or dad who has adopted a child after the biological parents’ rights have been relinquished or terminated. Sometimes people say “natural” or “real” …
After The Election
The presidential election went as I expected, but not as I had hoped. It’s not helpful to rant and rave. It’s not helpful to complain about the results. 59 million people voted for each candidate. It would be wrong to dismiss either batch of 59. That means I will not call names or point out the reasons I did not vote …
Do You Need an Election Sabbath?
Do you need an election Sabbath? By Beth Demme As we near the end of the 2016 Presidential Election, I long for the peace that passes understanding. I need to experience God afresh. I need a Sabbath. Sabbath is a weekly practice, but it is also one we can specifically turn to in a time of need. For me, this …
Why You Should Let Your Light Shine
Let Your Light Shine By Beth Demme The Bajan choir was dressed colorfully as they serenaded us that Sunday morning. Their simple outfits instantly brought even more cheer to an already happy room as they sang “This Little Light of Mine.” Even though this song is usually reserved for children, adults happily sang along, too. The choir director spoke as …
Wrestling With God
Wrestling With God By Beth Demme Sometimes I hold on too tightly to God. To be more precise, I hold on too tightly to my ideas about God. I unintentionally put God in a box. You probably know the story of Jacob wrestling with God. I love how Jacob’s story gives us permission to “wrestle” with God. It’s a poignant …