How To Go From Despair to Delight By Beth Demme On Easter we celebrated the resurrection of Jesus. We celebrated an empty tomb that was full of hope! We celebrated that our relationship with God is restored! Now, as we move into the Easter season (Easter Sunday thru Pentecost), I find myself considering Mary Magdalene. I keep thinking about her …
Jesus is Missing from the Easter Story
Jesus is Missing from the Easter Story By Beth Demme One of the reasons I come to you via email, Facebook, or blog each week is to fulfill my personal mission to help people see the Bible as manageable and meaningful. That means there are times when I have the joy (and challenge?) of sharing something with you that you …
Resurrection Begins Now (And It’s Not Even Easter Yet)
Resurrection Begins Now (And It’s Not Even Easter Yet) By Beth Demme There comes a time towards the end of Jesus’ earthly ministry when he raises a man from the dead, his dear friend Lazarus. The telling of this story always breaks me a little because of the words of Martha, the sister of Lazarus. Martha is a do-er, a …
The Reality of Lent
The Reality of Lent, #ParklandShooting By Beth Demme On Ash Wednesday 2018, fourteen teenagers and three coaches were savagely murdered in a shooting spree at Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida. We, as a country, have a routine after a massacre like this. It’s a routine I don’t much care for. We break into sides, camps, parties, teams, tribes, or …
Jesus Is Authority and Mystery
Jesus Is Authority and Mystery By Beth Demme Jesus is an interesting mix of authority and mystery. In Mark 1:21-28, Jesus is teaching in the synagogue on the Sabbath and people are “’astounded” at his authority. Jesus is there at the synagogue with a small group of disciples who also responded to his authority. Just a few verses earlier they were fishermen. …
The Problem With God’s Grace
God’s Grace Problem By Beth Demme If we were playing a game of word association and I said “Jonah,” chances are good that you would say “whale.” When it comes to Jonah, we tend to get wrapped up in questions about if, how, and why Jonah spent three days in the belly of a fish. But really, Jonah is a …
The Problem With Knowledge
The Problem With Knowledge By Beth Demme The last sigh of the Christmas season has evaporated. Have you put away all of your Christmas decorations? Is the tree un-decorated and hauled to the street (or put in storage)? Have the Christmas lights been removed and the Christmas blow-ups deflated? What about your Nativity? Have you wrapped each piece carefully and …
Two Keys to Seeing God At Work
The Two Keys to Seeing God At Work By Beth Demme As we’ve moved from Advent to Christmas and now towards Epiphany, I’ve been repeatedly surprised at how unexpected it all is. I’m more aware than ever that I need to be open to seeing God at work in unexpected ways. The Messiah was conceived by the Holy Spirit but …
The Birth of Jesus is All Wrong
Unexpected Jesus By Beth Demme And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in bands of cloth, and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.” (Luke 2:7) For church folks this line is so familiar most can probably recite it from memory, even if they aren’t much on memorizing …
Advent Is Like An HGTV Show It’s All About the Big Reveals
Advent Is Like An HGTV Show, It’s All About the Big Reveal(s) By Beth Demme I admit it, I have spent way too many hours of my life watching HGTV. I love house hunting shows, but I also love home renovation shows. I especially like it when they set out to renovate and restore an entire house. Of course, the …