Author Archives: NextSunday Reflections

2 Timothy 1:6-12a “Kindle the gift of God that is within you” (v. 6). I love the warmth and crackling flame of a campfire. It draws people close and inspires conversation and imagination. One particular night, we had just settled down to make camp after an eight-mile hike. It was Brad’s job to get the […]

John 7:37-39 Roan Mountain, TN is one of our family’s favorite places. We took our kids camping there many times when they were small, and I have been enamored with the 360-degree mountaintop views for as long as I can remember. Even when we finally pass the sign for our destination, I never feel I’ve […]

Romans 8:26-30 As a young minister, visiting someone in the hospital was always a stressful time for me. I felt the weight of the person’s situation and wanted to ease their anxiety and their pain. I wanted them to know the comfort and the peace of God’s presence, especially in that moment of need. But, […]

Romans 8:18-25 The nurse stood at the foot of my bed whispering, “I don’t know what else to do,” as she and my husband discussed why the delivery of our first child was not progressing. “I can hear you!” I wanted to yell, but didn’t have the energy. Or the will. I was done. In […]

Acts 2:1-28 Several years ago, my husband and I went with a group for a three-day hike on the Appalachian Trail near the Grayson Highlands in Virginia. It is an area with stunning views of mountain ridges and meadows, a place where wild ponies roam free. The weather had not been the best as we […]

Matthew 5:1-12 Jesus thinks like a Jewish rabbi. Which is great news for underdogs. As a devout rabbi, he believes words take on lives of their own. That’s the idea behind the blessing of firstborn children and the occasional cursing of enemies in the Hebrew Bible. The act of speaking blessings and curses had power […]

Romans 8:12-17 The grandchild who looks most like me possesses none of my DNA. Abram is our family miracle. He arrived more than five years after the birth of Ezra, his big brother, following numerous miscarriages and between the return of two foster-to-adopt babies to their biological families. We wanted Abram badly, but didn’t know […]

Psalm 33:13-22 Virginia’s lifespan almost tripled Robin’s. She lived to be 106, and outlasted not only her generation but much of the generation behind her. Robin, however, died at 36, leaving a kind, loving wife and two precious children. Virginia had a full career practicing medicine and lived another four decades. Robin died just after […]

John 3:31-36 “Spare the rod and spoil the child” must’ve been tattooed on my rump when I was a kid. Although I was compliant and didn’t get into much trouble, both parents and three grandparents spanked me. Ironically, punishment from Popo—my mother’s father, who never laid a hand on me—hurt the worst. Popo was gentle, […]

1 Peter 4:7-11 When I was a kid, my mama taught me to say, “please” and “thank you.” Now, I particularly enjoy expressing appreciation at my favorite fast-food joint. I’ll say, “thank you,” just to hear “my pleasure” in response. On a good day, we work in three or four “thank you’s” and “my pleasures” […]