All my life I have been somewhat of an introverted person but God has helped me grow into being more intentional about interacting and showing kindness to others, even to strangers. I read a devotion a while back that has stayed with me. It goes something like this: Think back to a time when someone…

When I write for the heart of the staff, I want it to be personal, from the heart, as the title states (‘my’ heart) . All of us have experienced this but when you see someone that you know or just met you generally ask, “How are you?” The most popular answer, it seems, is…

I would be remiss if I didn’t acknowledge and celebrate today, November 11, Veterans Day. Today we celebrate with great gratitude all who have served or are currently serving in the armed forces. Today we give honor to whom it’s due–to all military veterans. I am so grateful to live in a land where we’re…

I am one of those persons that doesn’t prefer to pray in front of people out loud. I can write a prayer of what is in my heart, pretty well, but I feel inadequate when doing it out loud. It probably has to do with my shy personality, my feelings of inadequacy and not wanting to…

Why is there so much violence and uncertainty in the world today, not just among nations, but also in our communities and schools and even our homes? We could list many reasons: economic inequality, injustice, greed, racial conflict and so forth. Humans hurt each other-sometimes in horrific ways – because we live in a world broken by…

Encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing. – 1 Thessalonians 5:11 Loving others includes encouraging one another. Paul lists encouragement among the gifts of grace in Romans 12:7-8. When people accomplish a common objective together, all are encouraged. Fellow believers encourage one another to “grow in the grace and…

“Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.” John 15:13 With the Memorial Day holiday fast approaching, I thought it would be appropriate to express what this holiday, other than a day off, means to me. Freedom and sacrifice are two words that come to mind. I…

Since we are focusing more on prayer as a church, I have also been working on my prayer life. You may ask, I know I should pray more, but how and how much more? In Ephesians 6, Paul reminds the Ephesians that The Christian armor, while it is very important, is not enough. We also…

Growing up in Ohio, we had some long cold winters. Living in the south now for 35+ years, I don’t miss them…at all! While I do look forward to Spring and the warmer weather, I recall a devotional by Julie Ackerman Line, that I read many years ago, that helps put things in perspective:  It’s…

Be generous and willing to share: 1 Timothy 6:17-19 I came across this devotion a couple of months ago in Our Daily Bread devotional that resonated with me. You may have heard stories like this below but what it represents is what I/we should be doing. Not only just ‘doing’ but being ‘compassionate’ about it!    …