PEARL STREET UNITED METHODIST CHURCH

God showed how much he loved us by sending his one and only Son into the world so that we might have eternal life through him. — 1 John 4:9 (NLT) We’re always trying to measure love — in words, in gestures, in distances. When our boys were little, one of our favorite bedtime books was Guess How Much I Love You by Sam McBratney. Little Nutbrown Hare and Big Nutbrown Hare try to outdo each other with bigger and bigger expressions of affection. The tender conclusion — “I love yo

“I will give thanks to the LORD with my whole heart; I will tell of all your wonderful deeds.” — Psalms 9:1 (NRSVUE) Do you remember writing thank‑you cards? After birthdays and Christmas, we had the boys write notes for the thoughtfulness they’d been shown. When they were little, those cards were authentic and adorable — simple, block‑printed gratitude from a first‑grader’s heart. But as the years went on, the thank‑yous became more of an obligation. Not because they weren’t

“The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace.” — Romans 8:6 (NIV) Life and death. We hear those words all the time — “It’s a matter of life and death.” They’re the two extremes that drive countless stories. Picture those cliff‑hanging movie moments: the hero speeding toward the edge, launching off a motorcycle, free‑falling for a breath, parachute snapping open, reaching for the train with only seconds left — all while the m

“Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.” — Lamentations 3:22-23 (NIV) A saint in our church, Priscilla, passed away a few years ago at 102. Though she had her fair share of life's troubles, her philosophy was, “When bad things happen, you can either laugh or cry—I choose to laugh." And if there were a theme song to her life, it would be the great hymn of the church, “Great I

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” — Matthew 11:28 (NIV) Have you ever felt the kind of weariness that settles not just in your body, but in your spirit? My grandparents used to talk about being bone‑tired — the kind of exhaustion that makes even small things feel heavy. Jesus knows that kind of tiredness, and he meets it with an invitation, not a demand, not a lecture, but a promise of rest. In those times, the familiar words of Psalm

“Sow righteousness for yourselves, reap the fruit of unfailing love, and break up your unplowed ground; for it is time to seek the Lord, until he comes and showers his righteousness on you.” — Hosea 10:12 (NIV) If you are a gardener, you know there is a lot of work that goes into it before you ever drop those first seeds. Each spring, you have to clear away the old growth and weeds. You need to turn the soil, break the large clumps into finer pieces, and rake the bed level.

“Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God, so that he may exalt you in due time.” – 1 Peter 5:6 (NRSVUE) Think back to a time when you served under a truly good leader. What made them someone you wanted to follow? Most of us can name qualities like patience, steadiness, or kindness, but beneath it all was humility. Good leaders make space for others. They listen. They invite conversation. Even when opinions differ, the goal stays clear and shared, and ego do

“I lift up my eyes to the hills— from where will my help come? My help comes from the LORD, who made heaven and earth.” — Psalm 121:1–2 (NRSVUE) If you’ve driven much in the United States, you’ve noticed there are parts of the country so flat you can drive for miles without ever adjusting the steering wheel. The road stretches straight ahead. The horizon barely moves. Everything feels predictable — almost numbing. More corn. More wheat. More cacti. After a while, you stop loo

“By contrast, the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against such things.” — Galatians 5:22-23 (NRSVUE) Something is reassuring about rules. They give shape to our days, keep us safe, and help us know what’s expected of us. Stopping at red lights, buckling seatbelts, turning on headlights in the rain — these aren’t arbitrary requirements. They exist because they protect life. B

Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What will we eat?’ or ‘What will we drink?’ or ‘What will we wear?’ “So do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring worries of its own. Today’s trouble is enough for today. — Matthew 6:25,31,34 (NRSVUE) We recently had some work done on our ho

“In their hearts humans plan their course, but the Lord establishes their steps.” — Proverbs 16:9 (NIV) We spend our lives making choices. As children, we formed friendships and lost them. We moved through classrooms, grades, and schools. Later we chose a direction — a calling, a profession, a place to belong. We met people who shaped us, perhaps found someone to love, perhaps built families through blood and through bond. All of these moments felt like steps we intentionally

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.” John 3:16-17 (NIV) On one evening this week, I was listening to a nationally syndicated gospel music station — and if you listen to that kind of music, you probably know exactly which one. The DJ posed a simple but profound question: “If you coul

“So if you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.” Colossians 3:1 (NRSVUE) There’s something tender about the word raised. It’s not a cold, technical term. It’s a word full of care, intention, and relationship. In reading today’s verse, two images come to mind immediately. The first image is simple and familiar. When our granddaughters spend the occasional overnight, there’s a moment early in the mornin

“For the Lord is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations.” Psalm 100:5 (NIV) The psalmist does not describe a momentary feeling or a passing kindness. He names something eternal: God’s goodness is pure, perfect, and unchanging, and His love is not measured in seasons but in eternity. When Scripture says the Lord is good, it is not comparing Him to human goodness — it is revealing that goodness itself has a source, a center, a name

“This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.” – 1 John 4:9–10 (NIV) I know this would work better in person but stay with me. If I were to ask everyone who is a sinner to raise their hand, I’d hope to see every hand in the room — including mine as I asked the question. Not because this is a

“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.” John 13:34 (NIV) Have you ever noticed how “new” ideas are often just old ideas reheated? The only thing that feels new is the twist in how they’re presented. Mindfulness is a great example — marketed as a cutting‑edge workplace innovation, but really just the ancient practice of paying attention dressed up for modern life. Most of what we call “new” is really old. But every once

“For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we will certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his” – Romans 6:5 (NRSVUE I was about ten years old when I was baptized. For as long as I can remember, my family was in church — Sunday morning and evening, Wednesday night, Saturday night. By that time, I felt God’s call and knew I wanted to accept Him fully into my life. I remember being surrounded by family and friends as I was immersed in the water, and a

“May those who sow in tears reap with shouts of joy. Those who go out weeping, bearing the seed for sowing, shall come home with shouts of joy, carrying their sheaves.” — Psalms 126:5-6 (NRSVUE) As a youngster, I often spent the night at my Pappa Sam and Mammaw Annamae’s house. In the mornings I would wake to the sound of my grandmother weeping and praying for her family. There were things happening at that time that grieved her deeply, and she pleaded with God that we would

“You also must be patient. Strengthen your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is near.” – James 5:8 (NRSVUE) We’ve heard the message preached for years: “The end is near.” It’s filled auditoriums for some evangelists, appeared in cartoons with a person wearing a sandwich board, and—tragically—led some groups to a heartbreaking end. Yet the message itself is no less true. As we proclaim in our Communion liturgy, “Christ has died; Christ is risen; Christ will come again.” But b

“But I say to you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be children of your Father in heaven, for he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good and sends rain on the righteous and on the unrighteous” – Matthew 5:44-45 (NRSVUE) As I was driving one day last week, I had a moment of testing. On the way to where I was going, someone passed me on a double yellow, well above the posted limit. On the return trip, while waiting for a light to ch