Suffering, heartache, pain, and uncertainty is no fun. And it's especially difficult when we feel like we have to bear it all alone. Yet we are reluctant to invite others into our tragedies. Whether it is fear of being seen as vulnerable or weak, or our desire to not cause a fuss, we don't very often call on people when we need them the most. But how much easier would the hard things be if we did them with others? Jesus' palm parade into Jerusalem before his death was more than a show of support, it was the community of the faithful doing what it does best - showing up for each other. Who can you invite to show up with you when the chips are down? Worship Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BH64HdNR-8o

While none of us get out of this life alive, conversation about our leaving this existence is among the most uncomfortable conversations we can have. When someone shares news about a terminal diagnosis or their readiness to 'go home', we often try to postpone the conversation. "Oh, don't say that," is all most of us can come up with. Life is indeed fragile, and perhaps we get uncomfortable with the topic because it reveals the precious nature of the present moment, laying bare the beauty and horror of it all. The pain we will all face invades our hearts and minds like a pervasive perfume... it's inescapable. But what if we stopped denying the limited nature of our lives and breathed in deeply the fragrance of vulnerability... of grace and hope? Jesus invites us to not only talk about such things, but to include him in the conversation. Worship Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tHgbSd-ZfCE

When asked how we are, it seems a point of pride to be able to answer that we are sooo busy. Many of us were raised thinking that to be idle, was to be lazy and wasteful. Productivity and efficiency are the name of the game! It's almost shameful to be unproductive. But maybe moving slowly, resting, and nurturing the tired parts of ourselves is more helpful than we think. The gardener knows that letting a plot lay fallow, and giving manure time to work, and waiting patiently for the seeds to sprout are all their own kind of productivity. Maybe we can discover that it's productive enough to do the same for our own souls. Worship Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xs0pL61h89o

Don't you just hate it when people don't behave as you would like, outcomes don't fit your agenda, and the world at large seems to disregard your preferences?! It's like trying to herd cats - none of them seem care at all about what you want, and they certainly aren't going to do what you direct them to do! What if we could let go of needing all things and all people to be “just so” and instead learn to be at peace with the unfolding of that which is not ours to control? Even Jesus was frustrated with others - it's a very human response to life. We all like to have control in our lives, but so much is out of our control. Maybe instead of controlling life around us, we can learn to enjoy improvising alongside God, and be at peace. Worship Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ePZ0PVa-6b8

Home means many things to many people. It's where we go at the end of the work day. It's where we visit parents and family. Many of us trust that "home is where the heart is." What about your spiritual home? Is there a place where your spirit is most at peace? Is there a place where you reconnect with God and connect with others in your spiritual tribe? Jesus talks about such a place and even offers to show us the way. In fact, Jesus says, "I Am the Way." Worship Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aOt4wui_5l8

If you've ever had to find care for your children, your parents, or even your pets, you know how difficult it is to find someone you can trust with the special people (and animals) in your life. Even with the best credentials and reputation, the hired nanny, caregiver, or dog-sitter is not the same as you being there. Will they really love and care for their charges in the same way you do? Will they truly look out for their best interests? Will they put the needs of your loved one above their own? What if there's a crisis, someone is hurt, or a situation becomes threatening? Can anyone else really love them like you do? But what about when we ourselves need love and care? Who can we trust to prioritize our best interests and put our needs above their own when we're hurting, when chaos breaks out, or when life seems uncertain? In the Gospel of John, Jesus says, "I am the Good Shepherd. I know my own and my own know me. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep." Jesus knows us and loves us like no one else can. There's no need to be afraid or feel like you have to go it alone. Jesus is with you caring for you and guarding you, just like a good shepherd. Worship Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1tTjlXwZlNw

As humans, we like to think we are clever and capable of handling our own business, making good decisions, and crafting our own fulfilling existence. It's probably closer to the truth to say that we get it wrong as often as we get it right; that we don't very often even know what we want; and that we make lots of mistakes as we seek to build a meaningful life. Is there a better way to do it, this thing called life, than meandering and making it up as we go? It might be helpful to have someone to guide, guard, and direct us. Jesus says he is just that person when he says, "I AM the Gate." Worship Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AlkBADR5cqw

The very aroma of something warm and delicious can make us hungry. Soup simmering on the stove on a cold winter day... steak on the grill on a Saturday afternoon... fresh bread baking... And that first taste does more than stop the grumbling in our stomachs, it feeds our very souls. We call food that satisfies both body and spirit "comfort food." But we also have longings and desires that even comfort food can't satisfy. Our deepest hungers need something more than dad's mac and cheese or grandma's spice cake. In the Gospel of John, Jesus gives us seven different pictures of who he is. Jesus says, "I am... the Light of the World. I am... the Vine, the Way, the Good Shepherd, the Resurrection and the Life." He also says, "I am the bread of life, whoever comes to me will never be hungry..." It's Jesus that fully and finally satisfies our hungry hearts - today and always. Worship Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PlvzMlX_i4I

We all have images in our minds of who Jesus is... maybe from a picture we saw on the wall in grandma's house, from a child's storybook, or from cultural experiences like movies and TV. But who does Jesus say that he is? And who does he say we are in relation to him? Who we are connected to has a strong influence on who we are. We find that our purpose and identity is tied up in who we spend time with. Drawing on the common agricultural image of his day, the grapevine, Jesus tells us who he is. He also challenges us to discover our identity and purpose in that image, as well. Worship Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KCuohokkKyc

Many of us have images in our minds of who Jesus is... maybe from a picture we saw on the wall in grandma's house, from a child's story book, or from a song we used to sing in church. And depending on the era in which we grew up, we might remember the Jesus depicted in the "Jesus" movie of the late 1970's, or the rock opera "Jesus Christ Superstar," or Mel Gibson's "The Passion of Christ." It may be that our only image of Jesus is from vague cultural references or social media memes. But who does Jesus say that he is? In the Gospel of John, Jesus said, "I am... the light of the world, whoever walks with me will never walk in darkness." It's nice to know that in the dark, scary moments of life, we have One with us to light the way! Worship Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZcqVglXR3W0