The other day, I was talking with a friend about how the government issued my birthcertificate, my marriage license, my social security number, and will ultimately issue mydeath certificate. From the ...  Read More

As I type this newsletter, it’s Friday morning, and I’m watching the snow beautifully fall to the ground. I went outside earlier this morning and was amazed at how big the snowflakes are, and how soft...  Read More

Teaching someone to pray isn’t the same as coaching my kid’s soccer team where I can tell the kids to run over there, stay in-between the lines, pass the ball this way, and follow these rules. Sure, t...  Read More

Hi Hope! Thanks for walking through this month-long season of Advent with us. By way ofreminder, the Advent season is the celebration of the coming of (or the advent of) Jesus. It is aseason of longin...  Read More

A few weeks ago, I went to check on my kids in the middle of the night. It was completely dark in our house, yet I figured I could navigate the familiar terrain without a problem. I was wrong. As I tu...  Read More

Unplanned MomentsHave you ever sat at a restaurant or coffee shop all by yourself, waiting for the other person to arrive? How uncomfortable does that make you feel? Do you get frustrated or annoyed? ...  Read More

Jesus Cries Tears With UsJesus wept. Have you ever stopped to think about what emotions Jesus must have been feeling to make him cry?In John Chapter 11 we see Jesus show up late to his friend Lazarus’...  Read More

Small and Seemingly Inconsequential ThingsI recently read that slot machines make more money than the film industry and major leaguebaseball combined. That fact surprised me, but it makes sense: even ...  Read More

When you think of Thanksgiving, what do you think of? Embarrassingly, food is my firstanswer… But wait! I love many things about Thanksgiving other than just the food; I lovethe time with family, the ...  Read More

We Need Your Help!In the coming week we will be sending out 20,000 mailers to our surrounding neighbors inviting them to our 3rd annual Community Christmas Tree lighting! Yes, you read that correctly,...  Read More

Liz and I have a chair in our living room that sits perfectly in the morning light and has a beautiful view out the window. In the mornings I can grab a cup of coffee, sit in that chair, and gather my...  Read More

For many years, Hope has offered weekend “courses” consisting of teaching and discussion onspecific topics, called Hope Institute. In the past, we have been able to discuss a variety ofsubjects, such ...  Read More