Anna the Missionary
For over eight decades Anna persevered in her pursuit of intimacy with her God and sacrificial service that displayed her complete reliance on God’s love and character. On this particular day…
Anna: Help Her
In keeping with the Law of Moses, Mary and Joseph brought their little baby boy to Jerusalem to present Him to the Lord. Like Anna, Simeon was…
Anna: Helper
God created us to need one another. That is certainly clear way back in Genesis 2:18 when God declared that Adam should not be alone. God made a…
Anna Chooses the Life Road
Anna’s name means grace, favor and beautiful. In Luke’s brief description of this elderly widow, we recognize a woman who reflects all of the characteristics of…
A Pilgrimage Fueled by Hope ~ Week 6
Though Luke uses few words to describe Anna the Prophetess, each one gives us insights into her life and creates teaching moments that encourage us…
Give, Give, Give
A few years ago I read an article that smart business people were building storage rental units in preparation for all the stuff that baby boomers had collected. These business people…
Not a Parenthesis
“He’s perfect!” my friend exclaimed and continued, “A couple years ago I made a list of all the character qualities I wanted in a husband and he has every one!” “So what’s the problem,” I asked…
Anna Chose Life
After our son Mark’s death, I struggled to find joy and purpose in living. I wasn’t finished mothering Mark. I never wanted an empty nest. Mark had two more…
Ancient Anna!
Whether you agree with theologians who believe Anna was 105 or 84, Anna is old when Luke introduces her. Nevertheless, his description of Anna…
Getting to Know Anna
Luke’s comments about Anna are packed with information, but brief and lacking on details of Anna’s personal life. Luke writes only the words that serve…
A Pilgrimage Fueled by Hope ~ Week 5
Think of a beloved older woman who seems to appear at just the right moment with needed wisdom, loving encouragement and kindness. Every interaction with…
Praying in Community
Our small group always ended with prayer but our leader felt we needed to go deeper so she suggested that each person pray a sentence prayer…
Iron Sharpens Iron
To experience the full impact of commitment to doing life in community with a small group of Christians requires an equal commitment to vulnerability and a willingness to…
Sharing All Things
In our Today’s Treasure verse we see a practical application of the power of Christian community. In response to the teaching of the Word, early Christians committed…
Good and Pleasant Unity
David wrote Psalm 133, a song sung by the Israelites when they were on pilgrimage to Jerusalem. David knew the agony of division and conflict in…
Two Are Better Than One
When God said it was not good for Adam to be alone, He wasn’t just talking about the beauty of marriage between a man and woman. In those few words, God states that…
Loneliness Has Purpose
Aloneness created a need in Adam for another person. So God created Eve. Note that Adam’s loneliness was not an “oops moment” for God. Creating Eve was…
A Pilgrimage Fueled by Hope ~ Week 4
When Susan’s husband announced another promotion that required another move, her thoughts quickly jumped to grief over losing her circle of friends coupled with…
Praying in Desolate Places
How was your week? What does next week look like? Are people pressing in on you to meet their needs? Did your boss task you with…