Author: GraceUMClaremore

Wednesday June 17, 2026

The Journey Begins

Scripture: “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” Genesis 1:1

Reflection: Every journey has a starting point. Rte. 66 in Chicago was that starting point for millions of people. Some were looking for opportunity. Some were looking for a fresh start. Some were just trying to find a better future, but they all shared the fact that they had no idea what lay ahead. Friends, we spend most of our lives wondering what comes next. We wonder about our families, our health, our careers, our relationships, and our future. We want to know where the road is leading and what waits around the next bend. But Genesis takes us back to the One who was there before any road existed at all. The Bible begins with God. Before there was anything, there was God. The opening words of Scripture remind us that God is not reacting or improvising to anything already here. God stands before all things and over all things. That matters because many of us live as though our circumstances are bigger than God. We focus on the diagnosis, the financial struggle, the broken relationship, the unanswered prayer, or the uncertain future. Those things are real and important, but before our problem, there is God. Before our fear, there is God. Before our failure, there is God. Before our doubt, there is God. Genesis also reminds us that creation was intentional. The universe is not an accident. You are not an accident. Scripture tells us that we were created in God’s image. That means every person has dignity, value, and worth. That is important to know because many people define themselves by their mistakes, regrets, labels or by things that were done to them. But Genesis says you are created known and loved by God. Throughout our lives we have failed, doubted, and even walked away from God but again and again God comes looking for us. God came looking for Abraham, Moses, David, the disciples and God comes looking for us. The entire story of the Bible is the story of a God who refuses to stop pursuing the people He loves. The same God who stood at the beginning of creation walks beside you today. The same God who guided His people through deserts, storms, victories, and failures continues to guide us now. Friends, you may not know everything that lies ahead but you can know who travels with you. And when the One who created the road is walking beside you, that is more than enough.

Consider this:

1. Are you defining yourself by God’s love or by your failures?
2. How have you seen God pursuing you throughout your life?

Prayer: Creator God, Thank You for being present and faithful through every chapter of life. When I become overwhelmed by my circumstances, remind me that You are greater than anything I face. Help me remember that I am created in Your image, loved by Your grace, and held in Your care. Thank You for never abandoning me and for constantly calling me home. Guide my steps this week and keep my eyes fixed on Jesus, the destination of every faithful journey. Amen.

Different on Purpose: The Character of a Methodist

Wednesday June 3, 2026

Scripture: “By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” — John 13:35

Reflection:

One of the questions early Methodists regularly asked each other as they gathered for small group was, “How is it with your soul?” Not, How busy are you? How successful are you? How much have you accomplished this week? But, How is your soul?

John Wesley believed the Christian life was not about appearances. It was about transformation. He wasn’t primarily interested in what label someone wore or what group they belonged to. He wanted to know whether the grace of God was changing their heart.

That may be one of the hardest questions for us to answer today. We live in a culture that teaches us to measure ourselves by achievement, productivity, and appearance. We know how to tell people we’re busy. We know how to tell people we’re fine. We know how to tell people what we’ve accomplished. But how often do we stop long enough to ask what is happening in our soul? Wesley believed that a transformed heart would eventually produce a transformed life. The evidence wasn’t perfection it was growth. The evidence was becoming more like Jesus. So maybe instead of focusing on everything you need to accomplish, take a few moments to pay attention to your soul. Ask yourself, Am I growing closer to God? Am I becoming more loving? Am I showing grace to others?

Is Christ shaping my character? What kind of person is God’s grace producing in me?

Again friends the goal is not perfection it’s transformation.

Consider This:

1. Ask someone you trust, “How is it with your soul?” Then take the time to truly listen.
2. You may discover that one of the greatest gifts we can offer another person is simply being present, listening well, and reminding them that they are not alone.

Prayer: Lord Jesus,Thank You for loving me exactly where I am and too much to leave me there. Help me to slow down and pay attention to my soul. Reveal the places where I need Your grace, Your healing, and Your guidance.Shape my heart so that my life reflects Your love. Help me to grow in kindness, humility, compassion, and faithfulness. Make me less concerned with appearances and more concerned with becoming the person You created me to be.Continue Your transforming work in me.In Jesus’ name,Amen.

Scripture: 1 Peter 4:10–11

Reflection: This week our nation pauses for Memorial Day. We remember men and women who gave their lives for something bigger than themselves. Their sacrifice reminds us that freedom is never free. Courage, service, sacrifice, and commitment shape the culture of a nation. And as Christians Pentecost reminds us that the Church was also born through sacrifice, surrender, courage, and ordinary people willing to give themselves fully to the work of God. Before Pentecost, the disciples were hiding behind closed doors in fear. After Pentecost, they became bold witnesses who opened doors so others could meet Jesus. The Holy Spirit changed not only their hearts, but the culture they created together. I think for me that same question still matters today and guides many of my decisions. What kind of culture am I creating? Culture is formed by what we repeatedly value, practice, celebrate, and live out together. A culture of criticism grows when people constantly tear others down. A culture of fear grows when people stay disconnected and silent. A culture of selfishness grows when people only ask, “What do I get out of this?” But Spirit-filled culture looks different. It is built when ordinary people choose kindness over negativity, service over comfort, encouragement over criticism, generosity over selfishness and testimony over silence That is stewardship.

Stewardship is so much more than just money. It is about how we manage, our time, our gifts

our testimony, our influence, our opportunities and our everyday lives. Every act of faithfulness shapes culture. A simple conversation can shape culture. Showing up for somebody can shape culture. Welcoming somebody who feels unseen can shape culture.

The early church changed the world because ordinary people, filled with the Holy Spirit, used ordinary lives in extraordinary ways. And God still works that way today.

Consider This:

• What kind of culture am I helping create through my words, actions, attitude, and stewardship?

Prayer: Holy Spirit, help me faithfully steward everything You have placed in my hands. Teach me to use my time, gifts, words, and testimony in ways that reflect Jesus. Let my life help create a culture of grace, encouragement, courage, sacrifice, and love. Amen.

We Grow Together

Scripture: Hebrews 10:24–25

Reflection: One of the greatest myths I’ve come across as a pastor is the belief that we can follow Jesus alone.We live in a world that celebrates independence and self-sufficiency. People are taught to handle problems privately, and to avoid vulnerability. I constantly catch myself saying, “I’m fine,I can handle this myself.”

Now friends, personal faith is important and it’s ours but Christianity was never designed to be isolated.

Loneliness has quietly become one of the great struggles of our time. We are more digitally connected than ever before but so many people still feel emotionally and spiritually disconnected. We can scroll for hours and send messages instantly but still feel unseen. I believe people are starving for real community and that’s why the Church matters so much. Not because churches are perfect or because Christians always get it right. But because God shapes people through relationships. You can’t practice patience by yourself because eventually someone will irk you. You can’t practice forgiveness by yourself because eventually someone will let you down. You can’t learn humility by yourself because sometimes God teaches humility through serving with people who think differently, worship differently, or come from completely different backgrounds. You can’t carry burdens by yourself forever because at some point, life becomes too heavy to hold alone. And you can’t become the Body of Christ by yourself because a body only functions when different parts stay connected. The enemy loves isolation because isolated people are easier to discourage. Easier to hurt and easier to convince that nobody understands and nobody cares. That’s why the writer of Hebrews tells believers not to give up meeting together and to keep encouraging one another. Friends encouragement is not a small thing. It is spiritual work. A simple text message. A prayer. A conversation after church. A simple reminder that someone is not alone. Those things matter more than we realize. In isolation, we may think we are spiritually mature simply because nobody challenges us. But relationships expose impatience, pride, selfishness, insecurity, fear, and avoidance. And that is where transformation begins. Because God uses people to shape people. The Church was never meant to be just a crowd sitting in rows for an hour on Sunday morning. It was meant to become a family learning how to follow Jesus together. So maybe the question this week is not, Did I attend church?” but “Am I allowing myself to truly belong?”

Consider This:

• Have I been isolating myself spiritually or emotionally?
• Who are the people helping me grow closer to Jesus?
• Who might need encouragement from me this week?
• What would it look like for me to grow together instead of trying to grow alone?

Prayer: Jesus, thank You for creating us for community and connection and forgive us for the times we isolate ourselves, hide our struggles, or try to carry life alone.Help us become people who encourage well, love deeply, forgive freely, and walk beside one another faithfully.Teach us to be honest enough to be known and humble enough to grow.Protect us from loneliness, discouragement, and isolation.Surround us with people who strengthen our faith and point us toward You.And help us become the kind of community where people are seen, loved, challenged, and reminded that they never walk alone.In Jesus’ name, Amen.

More Than Showing Up

Wednesday May 6, 2026

Scripture: “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations… teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.” Matthew 28:19–20

Reflection: Friends, no matter where you find yourself today the truth is that the people who shape us most are always the most consistent.The ones who stayed, showed up and lived their faith in front of us.And if you want to understand discipleship just watch a mother or a caring woman. Not because they are perfect but because they understand that real growth happens over time through repetition, correction and through love that doesn’t quit. When Jesus gave His final instructions in Matthew 28, He didn’t tell His followers to build crowds or gather attention. He said, “Make disciples.” That’s different because it’s possible to gather a crowd without changing a life. It’s possible to share information without seeing transformation. And that’s the tension of the human condition. We hear the Word, attend church and know the language. But at some point, we have to ask ourselves if what we’ve heard actually changing the way we live because the truth is that you can sit in church for years and never follow Jesus. I believe that one of the greatest challenges in our faith is the temptation to settle for a label such as calling ourselves Christian. But faith isn’t something we get to claim once, it’s something we practice every day.  A disciple learns, follows, imitates and lives it out daily. It’s like having a gym membership but never working out. The membership might say something about your intention but your actions reveal your reality. Faith isn’t a membership it’s a movement. Discipleship Is relational. Remember Jesus didn’t develop disciples from a distance. He walked with people, ate with people and He corrected and encouraged in real time. He did it around tables, in conversations and in everyday life. And that’s why so many women, especially mothers, teachers and caregivers reflect this so naturally. They create spaces where people grow. They invest consistently and they model what it looks like to live something out, not just talk about it. Friends, the calling of women and really, the calling of all believers is bigger than a few moments in the Bible. When Jesus said “Go,” He didn’t separate the assignment or divide the mission. He said, “Make disciples”. And throughout history, women have lived that out powerfully, not always from stages, but through steady, faithful lives.

Consider This:

• Areyou just around Jesus or are you actually following Him?
• Are you just learning or are you actually living it?
• Because Jesus didn’t come to make you informed. He came to transform you.

Prayer: Jesus, Thank You for calling me to more than just showing up. Forgive me for the times I’ve settled for knowing instead of following. Help me live out what I believe not just in words, but in action. Give me the courage to take the next step and the heart to walk alongside others. Make me a disciple who makes disciples. Amen.

Generosity Is Our Reflex

Wednesday April 29, 2026

Scripture:  Malachi 3:8–10 / 2 Corinthians 9:7

Reflection: We don’t give because God needs something from us, we give because generosity changes something within us. God is not lacking resources. He owns the cattle on a thousand hills, the earth and everything in it. He is never anxious, never empty, never dependent on us. So when God calls His people to give, it’s not because Heaven is running short. It’s because our hearts need to learn trust, gratitude, and worship. In Malachi, God confronted His people because they were going through religious motions while withholding honor from Him. They still claimed to belong to God, but their priorities told another story. They were giving what was left instead of giving first. That is why the issue in Malachi was never about money. It was about priority, trust and worship. God was inviting His people back into relationship. He was saying, “Put Me first again. Trust Me again. Honor Me again.” The same question speaks to us today. Does God receive our first attention in the morning or only the moments we have for Him? Does we trust God with our finances—or only what feels safe to give to Him?  Does He receive our best energy or what remains after everything else drains us? Then 2 Corinthians gives us the New Testament heart of generosity. Paul says God loves a cheerful giver. The Greek word Paul used means glad-hearted, willing, joyful generosity. That means God is not looking for gifts dragged out of us. He delights in open hands and willing hearts. Generosity is not meant to feel like punishment. It is participation in God’s work. And generosity is about so much more than finances. You can be generous with your time, your encouragement, your patience, your home, your service toward the church, your resources and your compassion toward the hurting.  Every act of generosity declares God as first, as provider and trusted user of what we offer. When God is first, generosity stops feeling like loss and starts feeling like worship.

Consider This:

1. In what area of life am I most tempted to give God leftovers instead of first place?
2. Do I see generosity as pressure, or as an opportunity to worship?
3. How has God been generous to me recently?
4. What is one practical way I can reflect His generosity today?

Prayer:  Lord, thank You for being my faithful provider. Everything I have ultimately comes from You. Forgive me for the times I have trusted possessions more than You. Teach me to live with open hands and a joyful heart. Let generosity become my reflex. Use my time, my resources, my gifts, and my life to bless others and bring You glory. Shape me into someone who reflects Your generosity wherever I go. Amen.

Culture Starts Here

Wednesday April 22, 2026

Scripture: Philippians 2:1–5

Reflection: Church culture is not built by accident. It is shaped over time by the attitudes we carry, the words we speak, the priorities we choose, and the way we treat each other. Before people ever hear a sermon or begin to dive into theology, they experience the culture of a church. They feel whether a place is warm or cold, joyful or tense, welcoming or distant, prayerful or distracted. That is why Paul does not begin with programs, schedules, or strategy. He begins with mindset. He calls the church to unity, humility, love, and concern for others. Paul knew that the spirit of a church is formed long before plans are placed on a calendar. If the people of God carry the mindset of Jesus then the culture of the church will begin to reflect the character of Jesus. This is true in every area of church life. Culture is revealed in how we respond when plans change, when stress rises, or when conflict comes. Do we complain or encourage? Do we compete or collaborate? Do we consume or serve? Do we isolate or connect? Do we pray or panic? Every church is filled with people in process, so both weakness and grace will always be visible. The question is not whether struggle exists. The question is how are we as a church handling the struggle. Do we empower or do we enforce? Mission trips seem to reveal this quickly. When people serve side by side, get tired, solve problems, and adapt together, what is beneath the surface rises up. You see generosity, patience, teamwork, prayer, and joy, but you may also see impatience or frustration. That does not mean failure. It means formation is still happening. God uses those moments to shape us into the people He is calling us to become. That is also true in the everyday life of the church. Every greeting in the hallway, every conversation after worship, every committee meeting, every act of service helps shape the atmosphere others experience. We are either reflecting the anxiety and division of the world, or we are revealing the peace and hope of Christ. So remember that culture starts with you and it starts with each believer choosing to carry the attitude of Jesus. It starts with humility instead of pride, encouragement instead of criticism, service instead of self-interest, prayer instead of panic, and connection instead of isolation. We are not just called to be a church that does things. We are called to become a people who live differently. I would even say we are called to be different on purpose.

Consider This:

• What kind of atmosphere do people experience when they are around me?
• How can I help create a culture that reflects Jesus this week?

Prayer: Lord Jesus, shape my heart to reflect Your heart. Give me the mind of Christ in how I think, speak, and respond to others. Help me be part of building a church culture marked by love, humility, encouragement, and prayer. May people experience Your presence through the way we live together. Amen

From the Middle of Mission

Wednesday April 15, 2026

Scripture: John 20:24–29

I’m writing this not from my office or from the stillness of the prayer room, but from the middle of mission. Me and nine others are spending a week on mission in El Paso, serving alongside the students and staff at Lydia Patterson Institute and I want you to know this week isn’t just about what we’re doing. It’s about what we’re seeing. What we’re learning. And honestly, how we’re being changed. And all week my thoughts keep coming back to the moment in John’s Gospel when Jesus shows up to His disciples after the resurrection and He still has the scars. He doesn’t hide or explain them away. He turns them into a witness and invites them to look, touch and see. Maybe it opened my eyes a little bit being on mission, but here you start to notice things differently. You see resilience in students who cross borders every day just to learn. You see faith that doesn’t depend on comfort. You see joy that isn’t tied to having everything figured out. And friends for me, if I’m honest, I start to see my own scars more clearly. The places where God has carried me. The places where life didn’t go how I planned it and the places where grace had to meet me. I love mission, being on them and seeing what it does to other people. I wish you could stand where I’m standing right now. I wish you could hear the stories. I wish you could feel the weight and the beauty of it all. But friends let me say this clearly, Mission isn’t just something that happens “over here.” It’s happening right where you are and that matters to all, of us. When Jesus showed His scars, He wasn’t just proving who He was. He was showing how love works. Love doesn’t avoid wounds, love goes through them and somehow, by God’s grace, those wounds become places of healing. That’s true here on the border and it’s just as true back home. Some of you are carrying quiet struggles no one else sees, questions about faith, regret, loss, or just plain exhaustion. Well friends here this, God does not disqualify you because of your scars, God meets you in them and can use them. You don’t have to cross a border to live on mission. You don’t have to get on a plane to serve. You just have to be willing. Willing to see people differently. Willing to listen instead of assume. Willing to let God use even the parts of your story you’d rather hide and because the same Jesus we’re encountering here is walking with you there. As we continue this week, no matter where we are, we’re not just asking, “What am I doing here?” We’re asking, “What is God doing in me?” What is God doing in you—right where you are?

Consider this:

• See someone you normally overlook. At work, at the store, in your neighborhood and slow down long enough to really notice them.
• Listen before you speak. Ask one honest question this week and really hear the answer without trying to fix it.
• Share a piece of your story. Not perfectly. Not polished. Just honestly. Your story might be the bridge someone else needs.

Prayer: Lord Jesus,You showed Your scars without shame and turned them into a testimony of love.Be with us here in the work we’re doing and be with those back home in their daily lives.

Open all of our eyes to where You are moving. Give us courage to live on mission, whether across the border or across the street and remind us that nothing in our story is wasted in Your hands. In the name of the risen Christ, Amen.

You don’t have to be on this trip to be part of the mission—God is already at work right where you are.

Walking Without Knowing

Wednesday April 8, 2026

Scripture: Luke 24:15 “While they were talking and discussing, Jesus himself came near and went with them.”

Reflection: Have you ever had a moment where you realized later that God was there the whole time?That’s the Emmaus story.They were walking away.Not toward faith—but away from it.They were disappointed, confused and trying to make sense of what just happened.

And Jesus shows up but they don’t recognize Him. Not because He isn’t there but because they don’t expect Him there. And if we’re honest neither do we. We expect God in big moments like church services, answered prayers, mountaintop experiences. But Jesus shows up on ordinary roads in everyday conversations. In quiet moments we almost miss. The truth is that you may have walked through this entire week and Jesus has been right there beside you.

Consider This: This week, slow down and ask:

• Where might Jesus already be walking with me?
• What moments am I overlooking because they seem too ordinary?
• Am I trying to explain my faith… instead of experiencing Jesus?

Prayer: Jesus help me recognize You in the ordinary.On the road, in the conversations and in the quiet moments of my day.Open my eyes,not just to understand You but to experience You.And if I’ve been walking away turn me around.Walk with me this week.

Amen.

Wednesday Word

April 1st 2026

When It Gets Heavy

Scripture: “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death… Stay here and keep watch with me.” – Matthew 26:38

Reflection: As we approach the middle of Holy Week things start to feel different.

Palm branches have been put away to be used for next years Ash Wednesday ashes. The cheering has faded and the tension is rising. Jesus knows what’s coming. The cross is close enough to feel and in the Garden of Gethsemane we don’t see a distant, untouchable Savior. We see Jesus heavy, overwhelmed, troubled and honest. We see Jesus saying, “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow.” And maybe that’s where some of us are today. Not really celebrating but also not defeated. Just carrying something heavy. Friends, at Grace UMC we don’t have to imagine a garden. We can walk right out the back door of the church and as you step into the prayer garden, you’re met by Jesus sitting, waiting and present. Not rushing or demanding. Just there. Almost as if He’s saying, “Come sit with me for a minute.” And maybe that’s exactly what midweek Holy Week is meant to be. Not a sprint to Easter. But a moment to sit with Jesus in the weight of what’s coming. In the Garden at Gethsemane, Jesus doesn’t run, He kneels and He prays, “Father… if it is possible, let this cup pass from me, yet not my will, but yours be done.” That prayer models two things for us. Honesty and surrender. Jesus doesn’t pretend it’s easy. But He stays. For Us today we live in a world that tells us to push through, stay strong and keep moving

Jesus shows us that sometimes the most faithful thing you can do is sit in the garden and be honest with God. Friends maybe today you need to slow down, step away, walk into that garden and sit with Him. Not with polished prayers or perfect words just honesty. Before the victory of Sunday there is the surrender of the garden. Before resurrection there is stillness. Before joy there is trust. So friends here’s your invitation this week. Go to the garden, wherever yours may be, and spend some time with Jesus. And remember, He knows what it feels like to carry weight. He knows what it feels like to face what you don’t want to face. And still He stays. So bring Him your fears, your stress, your unanswered questions and if you don’t know what to say just sit. Because sometimes the most powerful prayer is just saying, “Jesus… I’m here.”

Prayer: Jesus, In the middle of this week, when things feel heavy, meet us in the garden. Thank You for not being distant from our struggles, but present in them.

As we walk into our own sacred space and as we picture You sitting there help us slow down long enough to be with You. Teach us to be honest. Teach us to trust.

Teach us to surrender and remind us that even here You are with us.

When life gets heavy… go sit with Jesus in the garden.