Sometimes, just when you think nothing is going on beneath the surface, God is bringing things to fruition. Pre-COVID, the Opioid Crisis was referred to as hitting our nation like a pandemic. I was knee deep in training recovery coaches, a member of the Erie County Opioid Task Force, helping launch REGEN, working with the WNY Christian Medical and Dental Association, etc. Suddenly a new headline broke and stole the whole show.

Today I come to you with just a word of encouragement if you’re feeling like God isn’t around, doesn’t hear your prayers, doesn’t speak to you through your devotions, worship, or spirit; just know that He still loves you.

The word “Sabbath” isn’t something we hear much about anymore. Sundays used to be family days when stores were shut down and we spent time just being together in church and at home. How things have changed!

Raise your hand if you know Mary and Martha. If you’ve hung around church enough, you know these names well. And if ever you wanted a star on your Sunday School card you knew which one you wanted to be. The one Jesus commended, of course! The one who sat at His feet and LISTENED to Him. The one who Jesus said, “made the right choice, and it will not be taken away from her.” (Luke 10:41-42) You hear that, Martha? It ain’t you! (But don’t worry … you’ll have your day later … in John 11) Yeah, sign me up to be Mary. Sitting at Jesus feet. Unencumbered by all that doing and distraction and worrying about many things. Nope, I want to be free from all that. I want to be Mary.

Amid very difficult circumstances, whether it is a mass shooting or families living in impoverished conditions, the question is often raised, where is God? As I reflect on my first few months on staff, I can’t help but be amazed at the work God is doing. In my role as Pastor of Missions and Mobilization, I have the privilege of meeting with a variety of ministries that are being used of God to bring about hope to people who are hurting and don’t know where to find hope.

Being raised Catholic was a good foundation for me growing up. Although, in my younger years, I didn’t know (or honestly care to know) much about Jesus. I have always believed that there is a Creator, and I was always fearful of Him. No one in my immediate family had a close relationship or really any kind of meaningful relationship with Jesus Christ, except for maybe my mom.

Do you ever feel a little like Job? Throughout my life I’ve had many health challenges, but always spaced out enough to appropriately recover from them until this past year. The last year has been a revolving door of mystery illnesses followed by no answers. I stay strong around the doctors and my family but when I find myself alone, I can’t help but cry out, “I need you”, “Please heal me”, ”Why is this happening to me?”, “Where are you?”

How is your prayer life? There have been times throughout the last couple of years that I don’t think I would have wanted to answer that question. You see, I had been praying for something for years. Seven years actually. A prayer that I wasn’t sure God was going to answer. Did He hear me? Did He even care about it? I’m sure I can’t be the only one that has ever felt or thought this.

I have been reading “My Utmost for His Highest” by Oswald Chambers this summer and one recent morning my son and I were in a devotional titled “What Do You Want the Lord to Do for You?” The scripture reference was Luke 18:41, “Lord that I may receive my sight.” ... My son and I digested all that we just read, and the most amazing discussion ensued. I assumed all this had gone right over his head as he is only 12 years old but as always with God, wisdom and clarity burst through like rays of sunshine after the storm.

"Are we there yet?" I can imagine every parent has heard these words a time or two this summer as you have been traveling and having summer adventures with your kids. Even as an adult we keep asking this question as we travel along our spiritual journey. The Father’s tender answer to this is mostly, “no.” I do not think any of us this side of heaven ever gets “there.”

The kids and I are having a fantastic and a very busy summer. Weddings, family parties, get-togethers with friends, and camping. With all this busyness, it can be hard to stay mindful of spiritual things. 

I have been talking to my son A LOT lately about having an attitude of gratitude. I see him so quickly fall into the mindset of focusing on what he wants instead of being content with what he has.

There are three, no four, times in my life that are permanently etched in my psyche. If I take a moment, I can still feel the depth of the pain. For three of them, I lay on the floor bawling like a little child in a fetal position. For the fourth, I knelt with my head on my son, Justin’s knee pleading for the life of his son, Judah.

A friend told a story of being held up at gun point. The assailant threatened to shoot him unless he surrendered his wallet. His reply was, “You can’t threaten me with heaven.” Hmm … you can’t threaten me with heaven?

At the end of June, we are traveling to the beaches of S. Carolina for our annual family vacation. We plan for our vacation with excitement and anticipation, making all kinds of preparations. Preparations such as making hotel and resort reservations, obtaining maps, making lists of what to take, etc. I could go on and on, but you get the picture.

Have you ever had one of those projects that just feels like it will never end? I just finished a project that I am lovingly calling, "The Murphy’s Law Project." Every possibility of mistake and coincidence seemed to come together in a mess of sighs and disbelief.

Thank you, Lord, for blessing me with a trip to our Wesleyan church family’s General Conference in St. Louis! The Lord further showered me with adventurous moments too, but He then turned them all into abundant, eye-opening and enriching memories, more than I could imagine – Praise the Lord!

Ministry, like love, is accomplished over the long haul. Recently I have had several reminders of this truth.

As I go along on my journey with God, He never stops surprising me. He takes situations that look defeated and raises them up to glorify Himself. I had a situation like that recently. I lead a women's Bible study and we had a situation come up that really divided the women in the study.