St. Luke's United Methodist Church

The ‘Members Blogs’ Section

This section contains words of inspiration and encouragement written by members of our church who have a literary gift.

Note: this is an article in a continuing series in which I share my own stories inspired by The Upper Room’s daily suggested Bible verse and devotional story. I present this series in the tradition of United Methodist Church Founder John Wesley’s “methodical” study of The Bible, and I encourage other St. Luke’s members to become a formal contributor to this site in order to share their own testimony similarly.

Thankful Prayer
Inspired by The Upper Room’s suggested reading for February 20, 2011
Matthew 6:5-15

Though I am a leader at St. Luke’s, I rarely volunteer to lead prayers during gatherings, and I don’t typically make a show of praying anywhere in public.

Verses 5-7 of today’s reading are the reason for that choice I make about prayer.

In the times that I do find myself being encouraged to pray publicly, either by request or custom, I take verse 8 of today’s reading seriously:  “Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.”

Instead of asking God for things that I (or the group that I am praying with) may want or need, I simply thank God in my prayers for the things that he has given me, and usually make a series of promises of things that I intend to do in His name. I end up using the words, “I know” and “I will” much more often than the words, “I ask” and “please.” I’ve found that those later two phrases are mostly unnecessary in prayer.

Thanks be to God for all that he gives me (and the world)

Note: this is an article in a continuing series in which I share my own stories inspired by The Upper Room’s daily suggested Bible verse and devotional story. I present this series in the tradition of United Methodist Church Founder John Wesley’s “methodical” study of The Bible, and I encourage other St. Luke’s members to become a formal contributor to this site in order to share their own testimony similarly.

Finding God
Inspired by The Upper Room’s suggested reading for February 21, 2012
Proverbs 2:1-11

Today’s reading is a beautiful reminder that I have to do a lot of work in order to know God and make the most of His grace.

“My child, if you accept my words and treasure up my commandments within you, making your ear attentive to wisdom and inclining your heart to understanding; if you indeed cry out for insight, and raise your voice for understanding; if you seek it like silver, and search for it as for hidden treasures– then you will understand the fear of the LORD and find the knowledge of God.” (Verses 2-5)

This is not hard work, mind you (not nearly as difficult as searching for hidden treasures!) In fact, the only trick is simply remembering to do it.

Thanks be to God for The Bible, my daily reminder of the grace he has granted me.

Note: this is an article in a continuing series in which I share my own stories inspired by The Upper Room’s daily suggested Bible verse and devotional story. I present this series in the tradition of United Methodist Church Founder John Wesley’s “methodical” study of The Bible, and I encourage other St. Luke’s members to become a formal contributor to this site in order to share their own testimony similarly.

Everyone is a Blessing
Inspired by The Upper Room’s suggested reading for February 19, 2012
James 3:2-12

I chuckle at the memory of a faculty meeting several years ago in which I was berated by one of my fellow teachers: “Don can’t seem to think anything but the best of any student!” she exclaimed angrily.

No one else in the room seemed to appreciate the irony.I didn’t last long at that school — or as a teacher in general.

And still today I find that not everyone laughs when I tell that story.

This is just one of the ways that our world consistently tries to discourage me (and others) from living as today’s reading commands. Thinking and speaking positively about others is risky business. It can often be detrimental to one’s professional credibility.

A teacher who celebrates his student’s one properly used apostrophe while forgiving five sentence fragments is just asking for trouble from his colleagues and bosses. If he persists in this habit, he risks accusations of naivety and even incompetence. His livelihood may even be threatened until he learns to adopt a more “realistic” approach to life.

Likewise for the foreman who praises too much his slow worker’s dependable punctuality. Or the defense attorney who is too willing to believe his client is innocent. Or the pastor who has too many homeless people showing up for his sermons.

I’ve found that believing, and saying, great things about my fellow man is not nearly as profitable as the opposite.

Unless I change my definition of profitable.

Thanks be to God for the blessings that all people bring to my life.

Note: this is an article in a continuing series in which I share my own stories inspired by The Upper Room’s daily suggested Bible verse and devotional story. I present this series in the tradition of United Methodist Church Founder John Wesley’s “methodical” study of The Bible, and I encourage other St. Luke’s members to become a formal contributor to this site in order to share their own testimony similarly.

God’s Eternal Comfort
Inspired by The Upper Room’s suggested reading for February 17, 2012
Luke 12:22-32

Following the wise advise from Jesus in today’s reading means going against a great deal of  modern day conventional wisdom.

Not knowing where your next meal will come from is, for example, a bad state to be in according to modern standards. But, if one gives up worrying, it becomes, magically, yet another state of blessedness.

So it is with too many other traditionally worrisome scenarios: not having a job, not having health insurance, living with a dysfunctional family, being behind on chores, being overdrawn at the bank, having car trouble, being in jail,hearing from debt collectors, getting sued, suffering from a disease, and the list goes on.

It’s comforting to realize that none of that is really bad after all.

Thanks be to God for our eternal freedom from worry. May we learn to acknowledge this gift much more often!

Note: this is an article in a continuing series in which I share my own stories inspired by The Upper Room’s daily suggested Bible verse and devotional story. I present this series in the tradition of United Methodist Church Founder John Wesley’s “methodical” study of The Bible, and I encourage other St. Luke’s members to become a formal contributor to this site in order to share their own testimony similarly.

Love Worth Repeating
Inspired by The Upper Room’s suggested reading for February 16, 2012
Psalm 136:1-3

In my younger years, I would have smirked at the repetitiveness of today’s reading. “Some fine literature this is,” I would have growled.
“Three lines the say the same thing! Wow!”

But now I appreciate such repetition, and I’ve even made it a part of my daily routine. I have recently adopted the habit of saying quite often to friends, “You’re great man,” or “You’re a great woman.”

I realize that I’ve come to say this so often that I run the risk of becoming annoying. Just as this Psalm will likely be annoying to some readers — even my former self.

Regardless, my habit is a good one. I’ll stick with it.

Thanks be to God, the one whose steadfast love endures, repeatedly, forever.

Note: this is an article in a continuing series in which I share my own stories inspired by The Upper Room’s daily suggested Bible verse and devotional story. I present this series in the tradition of United Methodist Church Founder John Wesley’s “methodical” study of The Bible, and I encourage other St. Luke’s members to become a formal contributor to this site in order to share their own testimony similarly.

Giving Cheerfully
Inspired by The Upper Room’s suggested reading for February 15, 2012
2 Corinthians 9:6-15

I do a lot of work for which I do not get paid, and I count this as my most important work. Fortunately, my dear mother has plenty of spare money in her retirement and cheerfully gives me a significant amount each month so that my wife and I can make ends meet financially. We live a modest-but-comfortable life.

Thanks be to God for my mother’s life of wise, Methodist- inspired, financial stewardship (which she passed to me), and for her giving ways!

But that said, Mom’s money is limited, and it often occurs to me that the work I do could be multiplied if I were to form some sort of non-profit ministry that could solicit tax deductible donations.  I see the great work that other such ministries do and think of all the people I know who would likely contribute to my own organization — and I begin to salivate at the possibilities.

But today’s reading makes me reluctant to form such a group.

“Each of you must give as you have made up your mind, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.” (Verse 7)

I see that many non-profit entities rely (albeit not with malice, of course) upon social pressure for much of their money.

“You can do it!” the telethon host breathlessly exclaims. “Just call right now, and put us over the top for this hour. Ask around and you’ll see that a lot of your friends have already made their pledge. What are you waiting for!?”

I would be uncomfortable accepting money under such compulsion. And I certainly am not keen on accepting money for which the donor is seeking a tax deduction. (When I fill  out my tax returns, I err on the side of paying more than is required — that’s one reason why I rarely go through the confusing process of establishing my “home office” as a business expense. A few other potential deductions also go unclaimed on my return each year, I’m sure. The spirit of cheerful giving applies, yes, even to taxes.)

If donated money can’t come to me as my mother’s does — with no incentive other than the spirit of cheerful giving — then I don’t want (or need) it. And if I were to start collecting donations on behalf of  a I.R.S. 501(3)C organization, well, I would have no way of knowing whether a donor was truly cheerful about the gift.

That’s a conundrum I’m not sure how to handle.

So, if I do start a non-profit ministry, I will be doing it reluctantly — and with the mind toward perhaps refusing donations that I do not believe are in keeping with today’s reading.

And, in the meantime, thanks be to God for this grand promise to us all: “And God is able to provide you with every blessing in abundance, so that by always having enough of everything, you may share abundantly in every good work.” (Verse