Connely Lambert  Ruth 1:11-18 “But Naomi said, “Turn back, my daughters; why will you go with me? Have I yet sons in my womb that they may become your husbands? Turn back, my daughters; go your way, for I am too old to have a husband. If I should say I have hope, even if I should have a husband this night and should bear sons, would you therefore wait till they were grown? Would you therefore refrain from marrying? No, my daughters, for it is exceedingly bitter to me for your sake that the hand of the Lord [...]

Richard Ethun Acts 16:1-3 Paul went on also to Derbe and to Lystra, where there was a disciple named Timothy, the son of a Jewish woman who was a believer; but his father was a Greek. 2He was well spoken of by the believers in Lystra and Iconium. 3Paul wanted Timothy to accompany him; and he took him and had him circumcised because of the Jews who were in those places, for they all knew that his father was a Greek.. Reflection: I was 18 when I made my first static line jump, and I was 50 when I [...]

Amy Kelley, Dir. of Outreach (Gethsemane) Matthew 1:18-23 18 This is how the birth of Jesus Christ took place. When Mary his mother was engaged to Joseph, before they were married, she became pregnant by the Holy Spirit. 19 Joseph her husband was a righteous man. Because he didn’t want to humiliate her, he decided to call off their engagement quietly. 20 As he was thinking about this, an angel from the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph son of David, don’t be afraid to take Mary as your wife, because the child she carries [...]

Tim Helwege 1 Samuel 20:27-34 (ESV) “But on the second day, the day after the new moon, David’s place was empty. And Saul said to Jonathan his son, ‘Why has not the son of Jesse come to the meal, either yesterday or today?’ Jonathan answered Saul, ‘David earnestly asked leave of me to go to Bethlehem.’ He said, ‘Let me go, for our clan holds a sacrifice in the city, and my brother has commanded me to be there. So now, if I have found favor in your eyes, let me get away and see my brothers.’ For this [...]

Jenna Lindley   Luke 1:38 (ESV) And Mary said, “Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her.   Reflection: Once upon a time, a chicken and pig lived on a beautiful, bucolic farm. The farmer was good to them. He always made sure they were fed and had somewhere warm to sleep. He let them cock-a-doodle-doo in the morning and roam the pasture during the afternoon. The chicken and pig knew they were blessed, so they wanted to show the farmer their gratitude. One [...]

Rachel Fisher Genesis 15:1-6 (The Message) 1 After all these things, this word of God came to Abram in a vision: “Don’t be afraid, Abram. I’m your shield. Your reward will be grand!” 2-3 Abram said, “God, Master, what use are your gifts as long as I’m childless and Eliezer of Damascus is going to inherit everything?” Abram continued, “See, you’ve given me no children, and now a mere house servant is going to get it all.” 4 Then God’s Message came: “Don’t worry, he won’t be your heir; a son from your body will be your heir.” 5 [...]

Shelby Olive  Psalm 139:1-6 O Lord, you have searched me and known me. 2 You know when I sit down and when I rise up;     you discern my thoughts from far away. 3 You search out my path and my lying down,     and are acquainted with all my ways. 4 Even before a word is on my tongue,     O Lord, you know it completely. 5 You hem me in, behind and before,     and lay your hand upon me. 6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me;     it is so high that I cannot attain it. Reflection: A dear friend [...]

Mackenzie Rice Romans 7:14-15, 19-20 (CEB) We know that the Law is spiritual, but I’m made of flesh and blood, and I’m sold as a slave to sin. I don’t know what I’m doing, because I don’t do what I want to do. Instead, I do the thing that I hate… I know that good doesn’t live in me—that is, in my body. The desire to do good is inside of me, but I can’t do it. I don’t do the good that I want to do, but I do the evil that I don’t want to do. Proverbs [...]

Amy Kelley, Dir. of Outreach (Gethsemane) 2 Kings 2:6-14 (for a better understanding, read verses 1-14) 6 Elijah said to Elisha, “Stay here, because the Lord has sent me to the Jordan.” But Elisha said, “As the Lord lives and as you live, I won’t leave you.” So both of them went on together. 7 Fifty members from the group of prophets also went along, but they stood at a distance. Both Elijah and Elisha stood beside the Jordan River. 8 Elijah then took his coat, rolled it up, and hit the water. Then the water was divided in [...]

Warren Fisher, Descendant of Generations of Methodists   Joshua 24:14-15 (NIV) “Now fear the Lord and serve him with all faithfulness. Throw away the gods your ancestors worshiped beyond the Euphrates River and in Egypt, and serve the Lord. But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.”     Reflection: “As for me and my [...]