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There are times when we are called to act, but also times when we are called to wait and let the process work. As Tom Petty said, the waiting is the hardest part.

We continue talking about transformation this week, and the role of prayer in that process. 

Are you "transformable?" Or are you one of those who says, "I am who I am ... take me or leave me?" Being "transformable" means submitting to the work of God in us, trusting that God uses us with others to accomplish something greater. 

This week is Women's Sunday, and our saints did an amazing job leading worship. I was asked to continue on the Lent sermon series on bread, and this is what I offered. Bottom line: The harvest is not in the manna.

Understanding this passage is critical for those today who believe in God and serve God through the church. We are called to be a Contrast Community, where life looks differently than the rest of the world.

Jesus dined with both Judas and Peter, in part because he recognized and honored the inherent value of both, regardless of their past actions or future accomplishments. Salt and Light people do too. 

The church is an outpost of heaven -- a territory of paradise. As such, it ought to look and function just as heaven does. 

Can you imagine how transformative we could be if we set aside our silly differences and focused on the one who truly deserves our loyalty?

We stand on the shoulders of giants. The people who have gone before us handed down their stories, to which we add ours. It's important for us to tell those stories to those who will follow us. 

Everyone stands on foundational beliefs and values that govern how they think and act. Our baptisms -- and all that baptism represents -- belong in the mix.

Did the Magi come to "pay homage," or was it more? And how about us?

Joseph had plans for his life. He invested significant resources in those plans. God, through Mary, disrupted those plans, using Joseph and his germinating family to show the world absurd love. Joseph embraced the disruption and trusted God. There's a lesson in that.

We are inheritors of the Zion promise -- the promise that God will establish an ideal society that will serve as a beacon of hope to the world. Can we submit to it?

Elections have become full-contact contests, and we're the ones who pay the price. Fearmonger have so many convinced that a loss means cataclysm. We know better. Here's your regular reminder.

We want certainty about heaven, don't we? We envision that there will be very familiar images, sounds, and smells, for instance. But, truthfully, we haven't a clue just how awesome it will be. We do, however, get a taste of it here on earth ... in the sweet communion of fellow believers. 

God has a vision for our lives. Parts of that vision may be unpleasant. But, God calls us to stay true to the vision, rather than romanticizing the vision to meet our own needs. 

We had a wonderful energy in our worship time this morning, and you may hear that in the recording. Paul embraced a new way of seeing his life as he looked back. Can we?

Perseverance in faith despite our challenges ... it's easier said than done. But, we God doesn't give up on us, so we need to stay in the game!

Scars tells stories. But what story are you hearing -- the story of the wounding, or the story of the healing?