As we put away the old year and move into the new, could it be the right time to get back the qualities of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience that show the world who we are as a people of faith? And, is this something we can keep going even when times are tough? That’s what we talk about in this episode of The Untidy Methodist.
This year has been one for the record books...and we are all more than ready to say goodbye to 2020. Can we hang on for those better days ahead? That’s what we talk about in this episode of The Untidy Methodist.
As we prepare to celebrate Christmas in a very unusual year, the reason we celebrate stays the same. The birth of a baby in Bethlehem changed the world - and that’s what we talk about in this episode of The Untidy Methodist.
The Nativity scene has been recreated countless times, all around the world. It’s beautiful, and yet it’s also humble. That’s important - and that’s what we talk about in this episode of The Untidy Methodist.
As part of the Christmas story we remember the Wise Men and their precious gifts for the baby Jesus. What their visit meant, and how their gifts are reflected in what we do today, are what we talk about in this episode of The Untidy Methodist.
We remember the shepherds’ role in the Christmas story in every Christmas pageant. But have we ever thought about why the Angels were sent to them to tell the tale? The reason is important - and that’s what we talk about in this episode of The Untidy Methodist.
When Mary met her cousin Elizabeth, it was a great time of celebration for them both. In a year when some of the ways we celebrate are more difficult, can we still keep that joy and excitement in our hearts? That’s what we talk about in this episode of The Untidy Methodist.
Joseph’s figurine is a part of just about every Nativity scene. But, how much do we really talk about Joseph? And, what does his example say to us today? That’s what we talk about in this episode of The Untidy Methodist.
The Angel Gabriel greeted Mary with the news that she would become the mother of our Savior. While she was troubled when Gabriel first appeared, she willingly took on the honor and the responsibility of this most important calling. What are we being called to do...and how will we answer that call? That’s what we talk about in this episode of The Untidy Methodist.
The Advent season has already begun, and we enter the season with anticipation...and with a different set of expectations than normal. We talk about Advent, how it began, and what it means in this unusual year, in this episode of The Untidy Methodist.
Having someone there for you, to have your back when things are tough, makes a big difference in our lives. The encouragement and support we give each other is even more important in these times, and that’s what we talk about in this episode of The Untidy Methodist.
We’ve heard it before - “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race.” But, it isn’t just about looking back at the end of it all. It’s also a challenge to do good, now. Just how do we “fight the good fight”? That’s what we talk about on this episode of The Untidy Methodist.
Payback, giving someone everything we think the other person deserves and more, has become welcomed and even admired today. That’s especially true in social media but it’s true throughout our society. Paul’s message takes a different angle on this idea of payback, and that’s what we talk about in this episode of The Untidy Methodist.
The problems of today may not seem like a good reason for praise, so just why and how can we join in with “everything that has breath” praising God? And, how do we help others get to that place as well? That’s what we talk about in this episode of The Untidy Methodist.
Jesus set the example of being welcoming to one and all, even sharing meals with those looked down upon by society. How well do we follow that example in our daily lives? Being truly welcoming is a commitment that goes far beyond the doors of our sanctuaries. It’s what we talk about in this episode of The Untidy Methodist.
Keeping your cool is one way we talk about self-control. But, self-control has a whole host of meanings when we apply it to our walk of faith. That’s what we talk about in this episode of The Untidy Methodist.
Gentleness is all too often associated with “weakness”. But, gentleness can still be powerful. Being gentle can still make a difference in this world. And, gentleness is one of the Fruits of the Spirit that we talk about in this episode of The Untidy Methodist.
Being faithful, someone you can truly rely on, isn’t always easy. It’s something that we develop over time as we continue to grow in our faith. Becoming someone who can truly say “You can count on me” is what we talk about in this episode of The Untidy Methodist.
Goodness is a quality that we don’t always fully recognize in ourselves. But, goodness is something we can find in others. And hopefully, goodness is something others can find in us. That’s what we talk about in this episode of The Untidy Methodist.
Patience may be a virtue, but practicing patience in real life can be tough. We’ll talk more about “waiting on the Lord” in this episode of The Untidy Methodist.
When we say, “the peace of Christ be with you”, what kind of peace do we mean? It’s not easy to define, especially when peace in the world seems to be in short supply. We talk about peace, and peacemaking, in this episode of The Untidy Methodist.
Defining joy in a biblical sense is not as easy as it sounds. Joy and happiness may be linked in the dictionary. But, joy in this sense can be something we experience even when happiness seems far away. That’s what we talk about in this episode of The Untidy Methodist.
The word “Love” is used hundreds of times throughout the Bible. Yet, it all too often seems in short supply. God loves us, sometimes in spite of us, and commands us to love one another. The meaning of this kind of love, the kind we are expected to have for all of God’s children, is what we talk about in this episode of The Untidy Methodist.
Kindness seems to be in short supply these days. Yet, that may be just the thing we need the most. A little kindness can change hearts, change lives...even change the world. That’s what we talk about today on The Untidy Methodist.
The worries of today can easily get us feeling down. Just “letting go and letting God” isn’t as easy as it may sound...but it is still something we need to do. That’s what we talk about on this episode of The Untidy Methodist.
There are times in our lives that we may give up on someone...times we may even give up on ourselves. But, does God ever give up on us? That’s what we talk about in this episode of The Untidy Methodist.
There are plenty of reasons to feel worn down today. But, there is hope...and help for us. And, we can also provide that hope and help for someone else. That’s what we talk about on this episode of The Untidy Methodist.
The Golden Rule is one of the most familiar passages of the Bible, and of almost every religion and culture in the world. But, living it out isn’t always as simple as that rule would make you think. How do we make that work in our daily lives? That’s what we talk about on this episode of The Untidy Methodist.
57 years after Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr’s “I have a dream” speech, we still have a long way to go. We go back to his speech, and the challenges and hope that still speak to us today, on this episode of The Untidy Methodist.
When bad times strike, that question is one of the most common things we ask. But, are we asking the right question? That’s what we talk about in this episode of The Untidy Methodist.
