Church Pews

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When we were living and serving a church in Michigan, Keri and I felt our hearts stirring to adopt. After some clarity, we flew to Africa to meet our son, William, who is 12 yrs old now. If you’ve met him, you’ve seen the face of pure joy. His smile and his laugh are infectious. When we accepted a call to lead a church in Tennessee, some friends of ours (actually living in the south) expressed concerns. “Are you worried about having a black son and living in the south?” My first reaction was shock, but my response was measured. “No. I’m not worried. I’m…awareRead More →

Giveaway Love

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When I officiate a wedding, I tend to use some of the same language. Last year, there were 14 weddings. I almost have that section memorized! I use some of the same language because it’s important. I also believe it isn’t just for married couples. See if this is useful to you… Love isn’t romance or harmony or peace. Those are byproducts of love. Love is faithfulness to God, then each other. You can’t give what you don’t have. But that is the goal of love…giving. Giving itself away.  When I was 20, I was selfish. I didn’t realize how selfish I was until we hadRead More →

Doctor in Mask

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Be close to me, Lord. Help me to see You.  These words have been on my mind lately. I hold them close to my chest, clinging to them as if they were a prized possession. I repeat them in the middle of the night as I pray for the needs of the people in my care. I recite them over and over again, reminding myself that God is at work. I believe He is, just not always in the way we think. To say “God is working” often implies that we don’t have any responsibility to take action. I know this isn’t always the case,Read More →