Author: John Willingham

“See, I am sending you out like sheep in the midst of wolves.” –Matthew 10:16a  The minister did not like my answer. It came on a day when I was taking the final step to become a clergyperson myself. I had graduated from seminary, passed my ordination exams, received a call to become pastor of… Read more

“Above all, maintain constant love for one another, for love covers a multitude of sins.” –1 Peter 4:8 Last October, Lori and I enjoyed a week in Utah. Traveling with her brother and sister-in-law we visited five national parks–Arches, Bryce Canyon, Canyonlands, Capitol Reef, and Zion. Each of those places has incredible beauty and, despite… Read more

“forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead,  I press on toward the goal  for the prize of the heavenly call of God in Christ Jesus.”  –Philippians 3:13b-14 Lori and I just returned from a trip to Iceland and Greenland.  Over the course of ten days we saw geysers and glaciers, waterfalls… Read more

“Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit,  but in humility regard others as better than yourselves.” –Philippians 2:3 Eight years ago, the congregation I was serving granted me a 12-week sabbatical.  Over the span of that time away, I traveled extensively, including overseas visits to Armenia and Georgia, Kenya and South Africa. The theme for… Read more

“He laid his hands on Saul and said, ‘Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus… has sent me to you so that you may regain your sight  and be filled with the Holy Spirit.’’ Acts 9:17 In 2005, Lori and I attended my college reunion. Other than a similar gathering ten years earlier, I had not returned… Read more

“Everyone then who hears these words of mine and acts on them  will be like a wise man who built his house on rock.” –Matthew 7:24 During my childhood, our family lived in five different homes.  For those of you who spent your entire growing-up years in one place, such frequent re-locating might seem strange… Read more

“Abraham buried Sarah his wife in the cave of the field of Machpelah…in the land of Canaan  Genesis 23:19 The verse above comes from a chapter that tells of the death of Sarah, the wife of Abraham, at the age of 127. “Abraham went in to mourn for Sarah and to weep for her” the… Read more

“Why do you see the speck in your neighbor’s eye, but do not notice the log in your own eye?”       –Matthew 7:3 A few years ago, I took the opportunity to worship at another church located a half-hour away. I didn’t get to do that very often in the years that I… Read more

“She opens her mouth with wisdom, and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue.. Her children rise up and call her happy.” Proverbs 31:26, 28a This post appears on Mother’s Day. On the subject of moms–biological and relational–I am a particularly blessed man. Everyday Lori, our daughter, and daughter-in-law inspire me with their love… Read more