Your experiences may have left you with a sense of despair and hopelessness – dreams lost; relationships damaged; your self-esteem trashed. Does it feel as though God has disappeared? Or that there is no hope left for you? Spend some time on this journey and discover the comfort and hope… Read More

Do you find yourself in doubt, not recognizing yourself or some of the decisions you have made? Do you doubt that God cares or is present in the midst of difficult situations? You are not alone. Peter and Thomas, two of Jesus’ closest friends, also experienced times of doubt. Jesus… Read More

Henry arrived early for his next session with Pastor Jenkins. “Come on in, Henry. I had a cancellation, so we can get started now.” Henry found the familiar overstuffed chair, which had become a comforting presence in itself. “I can’t believe that I really told you that… Read More

Henry sat in the second row of the sanctuary. It was 4:10 p.m. He had knocked on Pastor Jenkins’ office door, but there was no response. Henry sat, mulling over his spiritual struggle of the past few weeks – how he had dared to open up, speaking the truth… Read More

Pastor Jenkins welcomed Henry to his office for their second visit. “Hello, Henry. I am glad to see you again. How are you doing?” “That assignment you gave me was pretty tough. You said to study the Scripture. I realized after I started reading it, I wasn’t… Read More

As Pastor Jenkins was leaving his office on a late Thursday afternoon, he saw Henry Jacobson sitting in the front of the sanctuary. Henry’s head was bowed, cupped in his hands. Pastor Jenkins heard muffled sobs. As he walked slowly forward, he saw Henry was dressed in fatigues, reminding the… Read More

Research has shown that among the common fears of death are the fear of dying in pain, the fear of being a burden to others, and the fear of dying alone. At some point many people approaching death also wonder about what lies beyond death for them. Is God… Read More

We all have a natural fear of pain, and a profound fear of prolonged pain. Pain without meaning is weakening. Pain with meaning, such as giving birth to a child, can be borne with a sense of purpose. Though we fear pain, pain is one experience that unites us… Read More

As death approaches we can feel like a child in the dark. Shadows are scary, becoming imaginary monsters. Sounds seem to signal an intruder in our midst. Familiar bedroom objects are transformed into dangerous phantoms. If we have experienced trauma, combat, or abuse, approaching death may jerk us… Read More

Dying is never easy, especially when we feel that we are a burden to those who care for us. Often we maintain our sense of control by being caretakers. When we become the one who is to be taken care of, our roles are reversed and we lose a… Read More