St. Luke's Blogs

Who do you turn to in difficult times? Who do you trust? Can you lean into the saving grace of God? Music speaks to my soul and often it’s how I experience God’s grace.
Several years ago, I had the privilege of hearing Kayley Williamson sing the contemporary song: He Never Failed Me Yet. As she sang, it became one of “those moments” when I just knew that God was present. In that moment, it became clear to me that God was sending a beautiful reminder that no matter what circumstances I have faced or will face, God is faithful.

He entered Jericho and was passing through.  And there was a man named Zacchae′us; he was a chief tax collector, and rich.  And he sought to see who Jesus was, but could not, on account of the crowd, because he was small of stature.  So he ran on ahead and climbed up into a sycamore tree to see him, for he was to pass that way.  And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up and said to him, “Zacchae′us, make haste and come down; for I must stay at your house today.”  So he made haste and came down, and received him joyfully.  And when they saw it they all murmured, “He has gone in to be the guest of a man who is a sinner.”  And Zacchae′us stood and said to the Lord, “Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor; and if I have defrauded any one of anything, I restore it fourfold.”  And Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, since he also is a son of Abraham.  For the Son of man came to seek and to save the lost.”

March 19, 2022

Create in me a clean heart, O God,
    and put a new and right spirit within me.
Do not cast me away from your presence,
    and do not take your holy spirit from me.
Restore to me the joy of your salvation,
    and sustain in me a willing spirit.
Then I will teach transgressors your ways,
    and sinners will return to you.
Deliver me from bloodshed, O God,
    O God of my salvation,
    and my tongue will sing aloud of your deliverance.
O Lord, open my lips,
    and my mouth will declare your praise.
For you have no delight in sacrifice;
    if I were to give a burnt offering, you would not be pleased.
The sacrifice acceptable to God is a broken spirit;
    a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.

Let all that you do be done in love. – 1 Corinthians 16:14

In my life, I have had several positions in childcare, both in the classroom as a teacher and in the office as a manager. As I was growing and learning, my biggest fear was failing. While working for a corporate childcare center, failing was not an option if you wanted to remain employed.

In 2005, I was given the opportunity to be the Director of St. Luke’s Children’s Center. The interview process was intense, and I was sure I did not do well. I obviously did better than I thought because I was hired as the director.

In July of 2006, Phil Greenwald became my direct supervisor. He has been a great influence in my life. He is such a Godly man, and spreads God’s word in everything he does…

We all need second chances. We are now into our first year of having a licensed teen driver in our house. Every time Ella Kate leaves the house, we tell her, “Be safe.” As we watch her drive away, we are often nervous. This past year has made me think about my many adventures as a young teenage driver.

I remember the first time I was pulled over by a police officer. I was only 16 and, apparently, he was not as impressed with my driving skills as I was. When he approached my car, he asked me for my driver’s license and if I might be aware of why he pulled me over. I quickly gave him my license and told him I was not sure why he was pulling me over. I sat in my car, shaking from being nervous. Because there were others in my car, the officer invited me back to his car for a moment. I had no idea what to expect! It was my first time being pulled over and my first time in a patrol car…

Have you ever met a person and instantly knew that they loved you without even knowing you? I had a friend like that years ago.

Now truth be told, she did not love me when she met me the first time, but that was not her fault, nor mine. She was skeptical when she met me because under the circumstances, I was about to cause her a lot more work. I met Diane when I was student teaching. If you have ever had a student teacher in an educational setting, it is a lot of preparation and added stress on the cooperating teacher’s part.

Diane begrudgingly took me on as a student teacher as a favor to a close friend and my professor at Oklahoma City University. Diane approached me and was very cynical. You see, Diane hadn’t had good experiences with her previous student teachers…

Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. – James 1:17

This spring, I taught a Wednesday Night Alive class on the book of James. The very first night of the class was held by Zoom due to a snowstorm. I was blessed to connect with members of our family of faith while we watched the snow outside our windows. Shortly after the class, my daughters joined me in our home office, where we enjoyed the snow falling gently upon our neighborhood. One of them made the comment, “It seems so much brighter outside at night when the snow is on the ground!”

Having just read and taught from James 1, I pondered verse 17 which talks about the “good and perfect gift” coming “down from the Father of the heavenly lights” and could not help but think that God was demonstrating his grace right in my own front yard!

Movies dealing with the crucifixion make it seem all of Jerusalem was shouting, “Crucify Him!” In Jesus’ time, 20,000 to 30,000 people lived in and around the city. During Passover, around 150,000 pilgrims would occupy every room or set tents on the hillsides.  On Friday, those in the Agora market with last-minute shopping on their mind were interrupted by Roman soldiers leading Jesus and the two thieves to Golgotha.  It seemed just like any other day.  That’s not an indictment; it’s human nature.

Every morning I wake up, drive to work, get that day’s meals out for Meals On Wheels Oklahoma City, and then start getting ready for tomorrow’s deliveries. I can get so focused on my routine that I have no idea what’s going on in the offices near mine. That’s why prayer, as part of my faith, is so important.  It connects me to others…

Now there was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews.  This man came to Jesus by night and said to him, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God; for no one can do these signs that you do, unless God is with him.”  Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born anew, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”  Nicodemus said to him, “How can a man be born when he is old?  Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?”  Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.  That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.  Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born anew.’  The wind blows where it wills, and you hear the sound of it, but you do not know whence it comes or whither it goes; so it is with every one who is born of the Spirit.”  Nicodemus said to him, “How can this be?”  Jesus answered him, “Are you a teacher of Israel, and yet you do not understand this?  Truly, truly, I say to you, we speak of what we know, and bear witness to what we have seen; but you do not receive our testimony.  If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how can you believe if I tell you heavenly things?  No one has ascended into heaven but he who descended from heaven, the Son of man.  And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of man be lifted up, that whoever believes in him may have eternal life.”  For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.  For God sent the Son into the world, not to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through him.

Have mercy on me, O God,
    according to your steadfast love;
according to your abundant mercy
    blot out my transgressions.
Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity,
    and cleanse me from my sin.

For I know my transgressions,
    and my sin is ever before me.
Against you, you alone, have I sinned,
    and done what is evil in your sight,
so that you are justified in your sentence
    and blameless when you pass judgment.
Indeed, I was born guilty,
    a sinner when my mother conceived me.

You desire truth in the inward being;
    therefore teach me wisdom in my secret heart.
Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean;
    wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
Let me hear joy and gladness;
    let the bones that you have crushed rejoice.
Hide your face from my sins,
    and blot out all my iniquities.

– Psalm 51: 1-9