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Have you ever been betrayed? Maybe you shared something in confidence with a friend and they broke your trust. Perhaps someone who you trusted only just pretended to be a supporter, and it turned out that they were just manipulating you for personal gain. We all have been caught in these situations. It hurts to be betrayed. During Lent we focus on how Jesus was betrayed. We think of how Judas, a dear trusted friend …
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“What is prayer?” When I ask someone that question, the answer that I often get is, “Talking with God.”  That’s a great response! Prayer is having a conversation with God.  SO, how is it that when I ask someone to pray in a group setting, a common response is, “Oh I am not good at praying…out loud!” What? Most of us do OK with talking. Why do MOST of us have a problem with talking …
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Have you ever been so used to something that you’ve found yourself doing it without even thinking? I can drive home from work while deep in thought and suddenly, when I look up, I’m in my garage. I’ve driven that route so many times that it has become second nature. I’m comfortable doing it, and it’s no trouble at all. Sometimes, we tend to get comfortable with our sins. I know that there are …
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Epiphany 2021 Dear Good Shepherd Family, Greetings in Christ! This year the season of Lent will begin on Ash Wednesday, February 17 with our 7:00 pm worship under the theme: “Return to the Lord!”  Lent is a season which prepares us once again to celebrate the Resurrection of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ at Easter!  Lent is a 40-day period in which we focus on the passion of our Lord as Jesus traveled the …
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"Out in the cold!" Wow, it’s been quite a cold winter!  Last Saturday Chicagaland got dumped on with about one foot of snow! With the wind blasting from the north, the wind chill was well below zero!  Those are deadly conditions!  The National Weather Service says that in these conditions, frostbite to exposed skin can occur in only five minutes!  Let’s be careful out there! Let me ask you a question.  If you HAD to …
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“That is what the Son of Man has done: He came to serve, not to be served—and then to give away his life in exchange for many who are held hostage.” -Mark 10:44-45 (MSG) Jesus’ ministry on earth was radically humble. His teachings were contrary to the ways of this world. Jesus lived to serve. As we read through the Gospels, we see Jesus continually offering His love and grace to sinners. Wherever Jesus went, …
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For their first stop in Washington ahead of the inauguration, President-elect Joe Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris paid tribute to the 400,000 US lives lost to Covid-19. This is a tragic milestone for our country and we pray that the Covid vaccines will be distributed in a timely way so our nation will be able to get through this terrible pandemic.  Unfortunately, Covid was NOT the leading cause of death in the US in …
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The civil unrest and violence of the new year reminds us that we live in a country in deep need of healing.  This weekend we celebrate the life of an American who worked for peace and shared a dream where we would “not be judged by the color of our skin but by the content of our character.”  In his “I Have a Dream” speech delivered on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial in the …
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I’ve got this plant in my office. It’s just a common office plant. Something that you might see at a bank or a doctor’s office. It’s a “philodendron.” Just a fancy name for a common plant. But this plant is special to me because it was a gift from my Aunt Frances. I should really take care of it better, but it’s one of those plants that is kind of indestructible. I normally practice “benign …
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How many of you are looking forward to 2021?  2020 brought a LOT of challenges! We pray that the coming New Year will be an opportunity to leave the old behind and begin a New Year with a fresh start! In this New Year, what will be your New Years’ resolution?  Is there some bad habit you want to break? Are there new challenges that you would like to take on? The New Year gives …
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