Wednesday, December 2Hebrews 10:23Hold on to HopeJesus is our strong foundation. Our anchor who grounds and steadies us throughout life’s storms and tempests.As I look ahead, like you, I know Christmas for my family will be drastically different. Typically, my large extended family of about 50 people or so gather in a banquet hall for Christmas breakfast, exchanging gifts, sharing celebrations and...  Read More

Tuesday, December 1Micah 7:6-8Every generation has expectations or ways of doing things that might seem strange to the ones that came before. Change seems part and parcel with being human, and it’s often very healthy. Still, there are tenacious norms, patterns that many say “should” exist, or that have long been consistent throughout years and centuries.In this passage, the prophet Micah describes...  Read More

Monday, November 30Psalm 130:1-8Verse one of The Message version of this passage reads:“Help, God -- the bottom has fallen out of my life!”I find that description provides a super helpful visual. The author was standing on something they thought was solid. Their foundation felt firm. Then the bottom fell out.For many of us the bottom fell out somewhere around mid-March of this year. In the weeks a...  Read More

Sunday, November 29The First Sunday of AdventEvery Sunday during Advent we invite you to join us in lighting an Advent wreath in your home. These wreaths can be elaborate parts of your Christmas decor, or they can simply be four candles gathered from around the house (Pinterest is full of inspiration).Traditionally, many families light their Advent candle at dinnertime or during an evening quiet t...  Read More

Gathering,Earlier this week, I spoke to a large group of pastors from all across Canada. Originally planned as an in-person event, it turned into a 3 day Zoom conference (#2020). I led them through a conversation about leading change in congregations based on my book Let Go. At one point, the organizer wished me a Happy American Thanksgiving (the Canadians celebrate it earlier in the fall), and th...  Read More

Type your new text here. Gathering,I often say that gratitude is like penicillin for our soul. It helps us overcome a variety of ills. Anger, despondency, self-centeredness, anxiety, isolation, and cynicism can all change as we practice gratitude. But, it is hard to think about thanksgiving in the midst of a year like 2020. As a pandemic continues to rage, affecting nearly every aspect of our live...  Read More