Thank you for journeying with us through reflections and stories during this season of Lent. We will be back online with Advent reflections beginning in late November 2014. Until then, live in hope. The power of Love WILL prevail.

By Richard Aguirre, co-director of the Peru Study-Service Term and director of communications and marketing (on leave for 2013-2014) DEVOTIONAL: Today’s powerful scripture epitomizes our Lenten Devotion theme of “Encountering God: What Have We Witnessed?” and the Easter Sunday sub-theme of “Go and Tell.” In just 208 words, and without embellishment, the Gospel writer conveys … Keep reading »

On this day of Good Friday, I invite you to reflect on Christ’s humanity, on the “earthly things” as well as the “things above.”

After experiencing near defeat, the psalmist is ecstatic that he or she is going to live – and will fully embrace that life by “recounting the deeds of the Lord” that have led to it. This and every day are gifts to us from our God of love, and how do we respond? Rejoice! Sing! Go and tell about it!

By Rose Shetler, director of annual giving and operations manager DEVOTIONAL: Does life sometimes feel like a wilderness, devoid of joy and comfort? What are the things that hold you in captivity? And where is God when life hurts? In today’s passage, the prophet Jeremiah is speaking to the people of Judah who were taken … Keep reading »

As a follower of Jesus and recipient of God’s grace, I need to be aware of, and intentional in broadening my circles of influence, circles beyond my comfort zone. Circles extending up, down, to the left and to the right. And may it be in those circles that God chooses to use me to proclaim and extend God’s grace, freely.

Perhaps faithfully stepping to our own collective beat in this day and age will require less focus on what we are saying or not saying, and more focus on whether we are listening or not listening.

The deity we aspire to follow does not turn to violence, instead we are called to walk a path where we can be mocked and harassed and hurt, and to do so bravely.

Despite our circumstances, there is much to be thankful for and God deserves that pause whenever we are presented with a blessing.

Jesus willingly humbled himself, and he even went down so low that he offered himself to die for our sins.