Isaiah 65: 17-25 [Watch sermon here.] God proclaims,I am about to create a new heaven and a new earth! This is a vision of salvation! People often think of salvation as being personal,as related just to them. Here, what is a salve,what is salvific relates to the community. What does wholeness look like for theContinue reading “The Strength of Tenderness”
Author Archives: joyofthejourney
My Hiding Place
Psalm 32:1-7 [Watch sermon.] Dear God,we need a hiding place! As we walk through the wild world,the storms of life unleash upon us. Where will we seek shelter? Dear God,help us look for the hideaways. Sometimes, when I spend long hours hiking outdoors,I find myself looking for discreet dens. I love looking in the rocksContinue reading “My Hiding Place”
Ultra-Trail Harricana 65K: The Preparation
Meticulously. I planned for my 65K meticulously. It is race day. On the drive to the starting line, I recite the mileage between aid stations. “4.1 miles to Water Station Geai Bleu,” I recall to Matt and my friend A, “There I will fill my pack with two liters of water and grab chips.” TheyContinue reading “Ultra-Trail Harricana 65K: The Preparation“
A Chasm of Indifference
Luke 16:19-31 [Watch the sermon here.] Distant and indifferent. These are the adjectives that describe the rich man’s stance toward Lazarus. Even in death, the rich man remains distant and indifferent. Even in death, the rich man uses Lazarus for his own self-interest. A crevasse separates them; still the rich man cries out, Send Lazarus overContinue reading “A Chasm of Indifference”
Homecoming
Luke 16:1-13 [Watch sermon here.] Today’s story is a story of mystery. A story that defies easy explanation. The stories of Jesus are like the foggy veils that I recently saw in La Malbaie, Quebec. I would squint my eyes and try to see what lay within the veils. Likewise, we are trying to peerContinue reading “Homecoming”
An Economy of Grace
Luke 14:1, 7-14 [Watch sermon here.] Jesus enters a dinner party and immediately offers a critique, saying “When you host a dinner, don’t invite your friends, your siblings, your relatives, or rich neighbors. If you do, they will invite you in return. Instead, when you throw a party, invite the poor, the disabled, those whoContinue reading “An Economy of Grace”
Joy’s Birthday Party: Sept. 10
Hello, welcome to my birthday party! I turn 37 on September 8; to celebrate, I am running the Ultra Trail Harricana 65K on September 10. This race is my birthday party! I invite you to attend my birthday party digitally, or in person if you would like to travel to Quebec. To attend my virtualContinue reading “Joy’s Birthday Party: Sept. 10”
Let Your Imagination Run Wild
Isaiah 58:9b-14 [Watch sermon here.] Dream. Isaiah invites us to dream of the world God desires for us. Dreamily, Isaiah writes, God will guide you continually, and satisfy your needs in parched places, and make your bones strong. What do you think it means that God wants to make our bones strong? Here is aContinue reading “Let Your Imagination Run Wild”
Truth Ablaze
Luke 12:49-56 [Watch sermon here.] Dead. The towering pitch pines were dead.It surprised me as I ran through the pine barrensin the Myles Standish Forest in Massachusetts. I jogged slowly. Sand cushioned my feet as I moved;sand anchored the shrubby oaks and blueberries around me,which looked black. In this oasis, pitch pines rose high likeContinue reading “Truth Ablaze”
Taconic Crest Trail Hike
J and I hiked the Taconic Crest Trail on August 12, 2022. It was the second New England Ultra 8 hike that we did together. August 12, 2022 3:45 a.m. My alarm sounds. I lay in the darkness. I will myself out of bed. 4:30 a.m. J and I stream out the door with ourContinue reading “Taconic Crest Trail Hike”
Joy of the Journey 