Peggy Roe, Member, Board of Trustees Psalm 118:24 (NTB) This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it. Reflection: For more than thirty years, three friends and I met daily in the early morning hours to run three miles around the track at a nearby elementary school. Winter, summer, spring, or fall—hot weather, cold weather, or wet weather—almost nothing deterred us from making our daily run.  The four of us included two Methodist women and an Episcopalian and Catholic man. Each of us had stable, long-lasting marriages, happy, wholesome families, and [...]

Rev. David Horton Luke 1:46-55 46 And Mary said, ‘My soul magnifies the Lord, 47   and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, 48 for he has looked with favor on the lowliness of his servant.    Surely, from now on all generations will call me blessed; 49 for the Mighty One has done great things for me,    and holy is his name. 50 His mercy is for those who fear him    from generation to generation. 51 He has shown strength with his arm;    he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts. 52 He has brought [...]

Pat Deckert, member since 1988 Acts 28:17-20, 23-26 (New King James Version) 17 And it came to pass after three days that Paul called the leaders of the Jews together. So when they had come together, he said to them: “Men and brethren, though I have done nothing against our people or the customs of our fathers, yet I was delivered as a prisoner from Jerusalem into the hands of the Romans, 18 who, when they had examined me, wanted to let me go, because there was no cause for putting me to death. 19 But when the Jews [...]

Karen Limmer Acts 27: 21-26 NIV After the men had gone a long time without food, Paul stood up before them and said: “Men, you should have taken my advice not to sail from Crete; then you would have spared yourselves this damage and loss. But now I urge you to keep up your courage, because not one of you will be lost; only the ship will be destroyed. Last night an angel of the God whose I am and whom I serve stood beside me and said, ‘Do not be afraid, Paul. You must stand trial before Caesar; [...]

Cindy Donaldson, Member of St. Luke’s, worshipper at The Story Houston Acts 26:17-18 (The Voice) I will rescue you from your Jewish opponents and from the outsiders - for it is to the outsiders I am sending you. It will be your mission to open their eyes so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the kingdom of Satan to the kingdom of God. This is so that they may receive forgiveness of all their sins and have a place among those who are set apart for a holy purpose through having faith in Me. Reflection: [...]

Shelby Olive, Communications Associate Acts 22:6-10 6 “While I was on my way and approaching Damascus, about noon a great light from heaven suddenly shone about me. 7 I fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to me, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?’ 8 I answered, ‘Who are you, Lord?’ Then he said to me, ‘I am Jesus of Nazareth whom you are persecuting.’ 9 Now those who were with me saw the light but did not hear the voice of the one who was speaking to me. 10 I asked, ‘What am I to [...]

Michael Shook, St. Luke’s Member for 9 years, Leader and Teacher (among many) of the Genesis Class Acts 18:9-11 One night the Lord spoke to Paul in a vision: “Do not be afraid; keep on speaking, do not be silent. 10 For I am with you, and no one is going to attack and harm you, because I have many people in this city.” 11 So Paul stayed in Corinth for a year and a half, teaching them the word of God. Reflection: I sometimes wonder when the Lord tells us to not be afraid (the most often found [...]

Rev. Michelle Manuel Acts 17:16-32 16 While Paul was waiting for them in Athens, he was deeply distressed to see that the city was full of idols. 17 So he argued in the synagogue with the Jews and the devout persons, and also in the marketplace every day with those who happened to be there. 18 Also some Epicurean and Stoic philosophers debated with him. Some said, “What does this babbler want to say?” Others said, “He seems to be a proclaimer of foreign divinities.” (This was because he was telling the good news about Jesus and the resurrection.) [...]

Joseph Patty, Associate Director of Student Ministry Acts 15:5-21 Then some of the believers who belonged to the party of the Pharisees stood up and said, “The Gentiles must be circumcised and required to keep the law of Moses.” The apostles and elders met to consider this question. After much discussion, Peter got up and addressed them: “Brothers, you know that some time ago God made a choice among you that the Gentiles might hear from my lips the message of the gospel and believe. God, who knows the heart, showed that he accepted them by giving the Holy [...]

Dr. Kay Towns, St. Luke’s member since 1992, deacon, counselor Acts 14:21-22 (The Message) After proclaiming the Message in Derbe and establishing a strong core of disciples, they retraced their steps to Lystra, then Iconium, and then Antioch, putting muscle and sinew in the lives of the disciples, urging them to stick with what they had begun to believe and not quit, making it clear to them that it wouldn’t be easy: “Anyone signing up for the kingdom of God has to go through plenty of hard times.”  Acts 7: 54-56 (NRSV) When they heard these things, they became [...]