Am I a “grumbler”?  Well, I like to think that most of the time I keep a fairly positive outlook on things and look for the best in people and situations.  BUT there are definitely times I find myself reverting to grumbling. (Just ask my family about how much I’ve complained about the change to…

I am not one for New Year’s resolutions, but there is something about the beginning of turning to a new calendar year that sparks both some reflecting backward as well as some hoping forward.  It seems to be an appropriate season for taking a bit of a 30,000 foot view on things and for asking…

Last week I got to be in my happy place, spending time with my family in the mountains of Colorado where I have visited since I was a small child. It is a special place and I love getting to share so many memories and experiences with my own children: fishing, hiking, eating delicious food,…

“We need to keep this conversation going.”  I think that was my favorite comment that I overheard at our kickoff for this summer’s Listening Lab at FUMC Hurst this past Sunday.  It highlights so much of what I hoped for in helping to plan this opportunity for connecting.   We need to keep this conversation going…

I wholeheartedly believe that Jesus meets us where we are on our journey of life and faith – coming alongside us just like he did with the disciples walking along the road to Emmaus after the resurrection, to listen and share (Luke 24:13-35).  And I wholeheartedly believe that God wants to hear our questions and…

Several months ago, I listened to a Hidden brain podcast called Relationships 2.0: The Power of Tiny Interactions.  In it they talk about how people benefit not just from interactions with what they call “strong ties” (think: close friends, co-workers and family members) but how an increased number of interactions with “weak ties”, people with…

One of the practices we are taking on as a staff is to begin our meetings together by naming ‘bright spots’, naming the ways we see God at work in our lives, inside and outside the church. Big or small – doesn’t matter.  It has been a helpful practice for me, especially as we focus…

I was reminded recently about the power of a Prayer Walk and decided this morning to do one through part of the church.  A prayer walk can take place anywhere – a school, a neighborhood, an office, a church, a park, a mall, a hospital.  As you walk, stop and notice the spaces, people, or…

If I were to ask you what images pop into your mind when you hear the words ‘sacred’ or ‘holy’, what would you describe?  If you are like me, and grew up in a mainline protestant church, maybe you think of a sanctuary – tall ceilings, colorful windows with the light shining through at just…

I am a part of an online “learning lab” community geared towards those who work and lead in churches.  The theme this month is one that has been on my mind for sometime and I’ve been eager to hear the questions posed and see the responses and conversations generated around the topic: Belonging. From the…

It may sound funny, but even as someone who works in a church, the fact that Christmas Eve is just a week away feels a bit of a shock. … But there is a large part of me that wants it all to slow down just a little bit.