Archive for December 2025
One Door Closes and Another Door Opens
Transitions can be difficult. We transition from childhood to adulthood, from single life to married life, from job to job, and eventually from life to death. With each transition, a new existence begins. Even in death, we begin our eternal life with God in heaven. That’s how I feel every year on New Year’s Eve.…
Read MoreThe Blood of Christ Saves
Throughout my years of ministry I have heard many ‘catch phrases’ about salvation. Among my favorites is about the blood of Christ. Phrases such as, ‘saved by the blood’ indicate deep faith in Christ. They also indicate an ignorance of the Scriptures. When Orthodox Christians speak about the Blood of Christ, we speak about Holy…
Read MoreRepetition Leads to Faith
We should take notice when the Church repeats something. In the Liturgy, we repeat ‘Lord have mercy’ many times, along with other prayers. In the Scriptures, even the Holy Authors repeat stories within the text. So, when the Church repeats the same story over and over, we notice. Today is the Fifth Day of Christmas…
Read MoreCould You Be Like Stephen?
We talk a lot about martyrs in the Church. We are encouraged to be martyrs to our friends and neighbors for Christ. Sometimes we are even called to die, like martyrs, for the faith. My question today isn’t if you are willing to be a martyr. Are you able to be a martyr? Today is…
Read MoreChristmas Isn’t Over Just Yet
Christ is Born; Glorify Him! These words rang out across the Orthodox world yesterday. Bells rang. Christmas carols echoed through the towns. Families gathered to exchange love and gifts. Today is a different story if you pay attention. The ‘world’ has already moved on. We have not. For centuries Christians waited for Christmas to begin…
Read MoreEpisode 468 – God Gives us What we Need to Find Him
The first Christmas reminds us that everyone is invited to find God. Hearing in the Gospel that foreigners were the first who worshipped God at His birth, reminds us that God gives everyone exactly what they need to find Him. He gave the Magi a Star. He gave us the Church. Now, He has given…
Read MoreFinal Checklist for Christmas
ONLY THREE DAYS UNTIL CHRISTMAS and right about now you are beginning to panic you may not finish all the things you have to accomplish before Christmas. There are only 24 hours in a day, so I decided to help you narrow down your final checklist for Christmas. Prayer, fasting, charity, and worship are the…
Read MoreNo Shame about Christmas
When everyone around you seems to have forgotten why Christmas is important, it can be awkward keeping focus. We are fasting. ‘They’ are feasting. We are praying. They are shopping. We are serving others. They are demanding special treatment at the checkout lane. Being a Christian is hard enough in modern America. Being an Orthodox…
Read MoreEpisode 467 – Being with God in Heaven
When God invites us to Church, He is inviting to come and spend time with Him in heaven. Every Sunday we have the chance to accept God’s invitation to be with God in heaven. We don’t have to wait until we die to be with God in heaven. We can be with Him today in…
Read MoreThe Value of Money
“What I am worth to the company?” We hear it all the time in the workplace. We are trained to believe that our value to the company is measured by our salary. The more value we ‘bring to the table’ the more we expect to be paid. Too bad money has no value in real…
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