“I used to think that my faith was only shaky because I hadn’t ever seen miracles firsthand. I liked to think that if I had walked through a sea parted on either side of me, followed a pillar of fire and smoke through the desert, and eaten bread that literally fell from the sky, that I would fully and resolutely trust in God’s goodness and protection. I liked to think that if I had seen those miracles, then my faith would be rock solid… but what I know now is that Israelites are not “some other people” who are fundamentally different from us. They are us. I can’t pretend like I’m somehow better or more evolved than they were. We are all just like them.”

Preached at Lakewood Presbyterian Church.

“It’s like the seed that must be buried before a stalk of wheat can emerge. What seemed like the seed’s worst day turned out to be the beginning of something more beautiful and wonderful than could ever have been accomplished had the seed stayed above ground. This is how the Gospel responds to the System– through the most upside down, unexpected, counterintuitive methods.”

Preached at Lakewood Presbyterian Church.

“God created not only a world of binaries, but a world with a rainbow of shades and colors in between. The question is not “will you go straight from the darkness to the light?” but instead, “are you willing to risk the slow light of sunrise?” Can you step into a world beyond the binary into a world where you can start to let yourself be seen and known?”

Preached at Lakewood Presbyterian Church.

“What tables would Jesus turn over in our church today? What would he see that would cause him to pull out his whip? I’m almost scared to ask because I don’t want to know the answers. What barriers have we put up that pushes people away from worship? What boundaries have we set– implicitly or explicitly– that leave some people on the outside, wondering what it means for them to worship God?”

Preached at Lakewood Presbyterian Church.

“Lent is not a season for happy, shiny people to pretend like everything is fine and dandy all the time. It’s a time for us to prepare, as Kate Bowler says, for Christ’s “hardest and holiest days.” Perhaps his time in the wilderness is how Christ knew he could face the suffering on the cross. He had gone through suffering before and God had not left him alone– the angels attended to him, even in his suffering and trials. The wilderness was not an accident or inconvenience but a necessary part of his story. Perhaps you, too, know that your hardest and holiest days are ahead of you.”

Preached at Lakewood Presbyterian Church.

“What do we do, once we have seen the glory of the Lord? Do we build buildings to keep God’s light intact and safe or do we go out to encounter and bless the people in need of that light? If you’re not sure what that looks like, don’t take it from me– listen to Jesus, God’s beloved son, and he will tell you where to go.”

Preached at Lakewood Presbyterian Church.

“Friends, you may think you are being judged based on the answers that you give or the knowledge that you possess but in the gospel of Mark, the good news is quite different. The truth is that you shall be judged based on what you do.”

Preached at Lakewood Presbyterian Church.

“If you feel like you don’t really understand everything about Christianity... If you’re not quite sure if you believe what proclaim in our Affirmations of Faith or if you listen to sermons and feel more confused than when the day began, then know you are in good company alongside Peter, the rock upon whom Jesus would build his church. Like Peter, you aren’t called to believe first, you’re called to follow.”

Preached at Lakewood Presbyterian Church.

“This season of Epiphany is all about the manifestation of Jesus’ divine glory so the question is– how has your encounter with Christ changed you? When have you been transformed? Have you gone home by a different way, only to realize that home is not quite as comfortable as it once was? It’s a strange feeling to realize that home doesn't fit the way that it once did. There is sadness and freedom in knowing you have changed and the old clothes, old names, old ways of doing things no longer work for you. “

Preached at Lakewood Presbyterian Church.

“Of course, love is a huge interruption. Anyone who has given or been present at a birth knows it is messy business, especially if it happens in your living room. I imagine it was far from a silent night for whomever their host family was. Everyone’s plans were thrown out the window as they adjusted to make room for this tiny new life that entered the world. But in the chaos, in the disrupted plans, in the strangers showing up in their living room, a community of love was formed. It was a night so transformative that everyone went away amazed. It was worth the grand interruption.”

Preached at Lakewood Presbyterian Church on Christmas Eve.

“I wonder if Mary’s song was ingrained so deeply in him that he did not second guess himself when showing mercy to the poor or judgment to the rich. The music of his mother and theology of his ancestors formed him into the Living Christ that we know now.”

Preached at Lakewood Presbyterian Church.

“Amazement can be a balm for our weary souls. It doesn't take away from the life that we live. Amazement doesn't pretend like the problems of our world and our lives aren't real and present. But moments of wonder and amazement can give us relief and bring us towards joy. It lightens our heavy hearts. So what inspires wonder and amazement in you? It might not be the same as me and that's all right.”

Preached at Lakewood Presbyterian Church.

“I think a lot of us identify as part of the weary world. We are weary from the demands of life that just don’t stop coming. We are weary from grief that we cannot shake. We are weary from caring for a world that seems plagued by one disaster after another. We are weary from the feeling that if we don’t stop taking care of everyone and everything that it all might collapse around us. And we are weary from a life that did not turn out how expected it would.”

Preached at Lakewood Presbyterian Church

“love that this is where the lectionary year leaves us– with the image of God the True Shepherd, fed up with corrupt leaders who abuse their power over the vulnerable they are called to serve. The image of a God who says, “I myself will search for my sheep and seek them out.”

Preached at Lakewood Presbyterian Church.

“We all know that life is precariously fleeting– some days we feel it more acutely than others– and so I think it’s wise to ask God to help us understand the finite time we have left on this earth. Understanding our time is finite helps us to be more present each day; it helps us find joy and gratitude for what we do have; it helps us be more generous.”

Preached at Lakewood Presbyterian Church.

“I think we can wrestle a blessing out of this strange parable if we are willing to admit that sometimes, we are the foolish ones. We aren’t foolish for being human beings with brains that are sometimes too full and too busy to remember everything perfectly. We aren’t foolish for being human beings who need sleep, even when we’re told to stay awake. We’re the foolish one when we believe that our mistakes define who we are.”

Preached at Lakewood Presbyterian Church.

“You are the Saints that they will remember. Some day, we hope it is far in the future, someone will light a candle in memory of you and of me. We hope that they miss us the way that we miss the ones who loved us well. We can hope and we can act. We can choose to pass on the faith so that the next generation may come to know the life-changing, un-ending, never-failing love of God.“

Preached at Lakewood Presbyterian Church

“When I think of Paul’s metaphor of pastor as nursing mother, I think of the best parts of who I am as a mom. I am not a perfect mom nor will I ever be a perfect pastor but, my love for my children and my people is the thread that weaves through every day.”

Preached at Lakewood Presbyterian Church

“I think we can choose to see it through the lens Jesus gives us. We give to “Caesar” what is Caesar’s. We live within the confines of the imperfect and often unjust world we live in but our heart, mind, and strength belong to God alone. We give what we must to the systems of this world, but we give all of our best to God. “

Preached at Lakewood Presbyterian Church

“We need reminders of God’s love, God’s faithfulness, and God’s generosity. We need reminders so that we can choose to be generous instead of afraid. Will there be enough? Enough to keep our families healthy, fed, and safe? Enough to get through retirement? Enough to keep the doors of church open? Enough to go around? I believe the answer is yes. Yes, we believe in a God of abundance who has never failed us yet.”

Preached at Lakewood Presbyterian Church