Devotions – Redheadedrev

Advent Sermon

One of my favorite sermons was written for Advent in 2008, while I was expecting our first baby. It was later published by the Young Clergy Women International in their online Fidelia magazine in 2012. You can read it here or I have included it below. That was such a magical Advent for us: waitingContinue reading “Advent Sermon”

A Bible study

https://faithlead.luthersem.edu/let-your-yes-be-yes-and-your-no-be-no/ Here is a link to a Bible study I wrote about faith and healthy boundaries. It can be done alone or with a group.

Spiritual Practices

Luther Seminary’s online magazine, faith+lead, is doing a series on spiritual practices this month. I wrote about how I adapted my spiritual practices while enduring cancer treatments. You can read it here. Even without health challenges, trying a new spiritual practice can be fun and helpful. What helps you connect with God? What practices mightContinue reading “Spiritual Practices”

Rest a While

I am weary. Are you? Jesus calls all of us who are weary. Jesus promises us rest. Jesus provides us a safe place where we can share all of the burdens that are on our hearts. Jesus invites us to take a break and renew our strength and our spirits so that we can getContinue reading “Rest a While”

In the Valley of Dry Bones

Ezekiel 37:11 “Our bones are dried up, and our hope is lost; we are cut off completely.” You can read Ezekiel 37:1-14 here. Reading about the valley of dry bones feels close to home. As we have passed the year anniversary of being at home in quarantine, many of us may feel that we areContinue reading “In the Valley of Dry Bones”

Lent 2021

Do You Want to Be Made Well? That question hits me differently this year, in the midst of a pandemic, when I am concerned with the health of my family, friends, and neighbors I have not even met. We all want this quarantine way of life to be over, yet we also have pandemic fatigue.Continue reading “Lent 2021”

Sundays

For the second time in my ministry, I am appointed to family leave. The first time was when my older daughter was one. As she grew and became more aware and fun, I struggled with the competing roles of mother and pastor, not unlike many working parents. It hurt when I picked her up fromContinue reading “Sundays”

Pastor Mother

As I leave the school office to walk to my younger daughter’s classroom, I wonder who else I will get to see. This school, the closest elementary to my church, is filled with “my” kids. Not just the two I birthed, but many more from my congregation. The hallway is crowded, and I see Eleanor. Continue reading “Pastor Mother”

You are Good

You are good. The goodness of God is inside you, and the Holy Spirit prompts you to act out of that goodness. The fruit of the Spirit outlined in Galatians 5: 22-23 is “love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.” The Greek word ἀγαθωσύνη (agathosune) means intrinsic goodness, theContinue reading “You are Good”

Cast all your anxiety on God

1 Peter 5:7: Cast all your anxiety on God because God cares for you. Are you anxious? I know many of you are anxious about schools opening or not. Many of you are waiting to hear how you will be needed to care for family members based on school decisions. Some of you are anxious awaitingContinue reading “Cast all your anxiety on God”