With the blessing of Artaxerxes, the king of Persia, Nehemiah returns to help rebuild and repopulate Jerusalem. Those left in Jerusalem (a majority of the population having been in exile for...

As the number of people gifted with many years increases, those suffering from Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia also increase. Such suffering often precipitates a crisis of faith in...

For Zion’s sake I will not keep silent. . . . I will not rest.” Isaiah’s vision of God’s kingdom (“kin-dom”) continues to inspire. In Luke 4:16-21 Jesus announces his own...

How can we apply Isaiah’s message to our lives when looking for an answer to the question, “What concern is that to you and to me?” This passage clearly states the...

When we are trying to decide how to respond to a given life situation, do we base our decision on our understanding of God’s will for our lives or on some...

Knowing our spiritual gifts allows us to answer the question, “Of what concern is that to me?” As a spiritual director I frequently encounter people trying to discern God’s call—from young...

Jesus—as obedient son—responds to Mary’s suggestion that he help with the wine situation, and the Gospel writer tells us that by doing so he “revealed his glory.” What glory did he...

This is Jesus’ first “sign” in the Gospel of John: water to wine. Jesus’ response to Mary’s communication that the groom has run out of wine seems somewhat harsh—yet it sounds...

One of Oklahoma’s United Methodist district offices added the well-known Interview with God video clip (www.theinterviewwithgod.com) to their website, and visitor usage crashed the site. Usually twenty-five or so people visited...

During a season of restlessness, I came across a prayer by Thomas Merton in which he expressed his inability to discern God’s leading. He hoped only that his desire to please...