2024 Lenten Devotionals

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This lenten devotional series begins on Ash Wednesday, February 14, 2024 and takes us through Easter. Each day's devotional is provided via email in weekly sets (sign up here to receive church emails), and daily on Facebook and via each day’s button above. Printed copies are available in the church office.

We acknowledge, with gratitude, the contributions of the Rev. Dr. Thomas K. Tewell, former Senior Pastor of Fifth Avenue Presbyterian Church in New York City to the original production of this Lenten Devotional.

What is Lent?

Our English word "Lent" comes from an Anglo-Saxon word which means "to lengthen" and is associated with the lengthening of days in the spring. The color for this season of the year is violet, which tells us that this season is one of self-examination and discipline. During this time of sanctioned reflection and cleansing we prepare our hearts for new life at Easter, jettisoning those things that separate us from Jesus.

For the first two centuries, this period of preparation for Easter amounted to forty hours in commemoration of the time Jesus spent in the tomb. By the early third century, this observance had extended to six days, and in 325 A.D., the earliest reference to a forty-day period is found. By the eighth century, Ash Wednesday was recognized as the beginning of Lent, a name derived from ancient times when sackcloth and ashes were symbols of repentance. We here at the Second Church observe a voluntary imposition of ashes and an evening service remembering our baptism.

Lent concludes with Holy Week as we are determined to accompany Jesus' triumphant entry into Jerusalem, share the Last Supper, bear witness to the crucifixion and burial, and experience the joy of the mystery and the truth of resurrection!

No sackcloth required -

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2024 Lenten Devotional Introduction

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Dear friends in Jesus,
 
I invite you to join me as I allow a new season to surround me and so envelop you -- the season of Lent! Observing Lent may be a new experience for some. I know that there are churches and denominations that don’t take the time or make an effort for special preparation for Easter. The question then, “Why should we?” Well, the pace of most folks' lives and the stress that most of us encounter on an average day hardly allows us the chance to grow closer to our God. So, I find it more than useful, imperative even, that I schedule some time to commit to my relationship with Jesus with the same energy and intentionality that I reserve for other things. The result is surprising, revealing and sure – I become more centered, more energized, more grateful – (and more fun!).

There are certain things that we can’t delegate and that we postpone or ignore at our peril - the primary thing being - allowing time for God.

So, I invite you to join me and others who will set aside fifteen minutes each day to reflect on the scripture passage, the quotations from some of today’s most insightful authors and seek to be transformed by God’s presence.

I pray that you will use this guide, commit yourself to Sunday worship, and position yourself for growth becoming disciples - those apprenticed to Jesus. Let’s make the most of this sacred season!

With great joy in being your Pastor, and in great anticipation,

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This 40-day devotional series begins on Ash Wednesday, February 14, 2024 and takes us through Easter. Each day's devotional is provided via email in weekly sets (sign up here to receive church emails), and daily online and on Facebook. Printed copies will be available in the narthex at the Ash Wednesday services, 8:30 a.m. and 7:00 p.m.

We acknowledge, with gratitude, the contributions of the Rev. Dr. Thomas K. Tewell, former Senior Pastor of Fifth Avenue Presbyterian Church in New York City to the original production of this Lenten Devotional.

Advent Devotional: Love

“The hardest spiritual work in the world is to love the neighbor as the self – to encounter another human being not as someone you can use, change, fix, help, save, enroll, convince or control, but simply as someone who can spring you from the prison of yourself, if you will allow it.”

– Barbara Brown Taylor

The wait for Christmas is almost over. “Love”- what better word to have this last Sunday of Advent? The English Standard Version of the Bible uses the word “love” 684 times. To complicate our relationship with love, it is said that the English language has only one word for love. In reality, we actually have many different words, they all just seem to end up meaning “love”. There is familial love, God’s love, romantic love, there is even the brotherly love between brothers and sisters in the church.

“Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth.”

1 Corinthians 13:4-8a, ESV

Most of us have heard this beautiful passage. If you haven’t, you should take in a wedding; they can be fun. Hearing 1 Corinthians at a wedding is setting the bar pretty high for the participants as well as those in attendance. Hearing it also gives us the perfect groundwork to help us achieve what Jesus called the most important commandment. 

Jesus said,

“Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.”

Matthew 22:37-29, KJV

As we look toward Christmas and the coming new year, let’s try to realize that what Paul said to the Corinthians so many years ago is as viable now as it was then. It seems as though loving our neighbor as ourselves starts with being patient and kind, then all we have to do is try not to be rude or arrogant. There is of course more, but at this time of year I also think a smile is a great start. I am going to try.

Merry Christmas,
Ken

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You can sign up here to join our mailing list to receive church emails.

If you are looking for a simple daily practice this season, you can download Kate Bowler's Bless This Advent devotional here.

Advent Devotional: Joy

“For it is good to be children sometimes, and never better than at Christmas, when its mighty Founder was a child himself.”

– Charles Dickens

We are now halfway through Advent; as a child, my anticipation was just beginning to reach a fever pitch. Christmas is right around the corner and we have now lit two of the candles on our Advent wreath. This week our candle is pink in color and “joy” is how we should be centered. Biblically, joy has us, again, looking to the future.

We often mistake “joy” for simple excitement and happiness. The Joy of Advent is much deeper than the often fleeting nature of happiness. This Joy is based on the solid foundation of God’s promises and gifts. The early disciples must have been full of God’s joy. They had witnessed so much. No matter how Paul was treated by those he was converting, he continued on. Paul realized that his earthly discomforts were temporary and would ultimately be replaced by the promises that Jesus has given us.

Paul’s epistle to the Philippians encapsulates the joy that marks our faith in God’s eternal love and mercy. Philippians 4:4 says, “Rejoice in the Lord always. I shall say it again: rejoice.” Our belief in Jesus and the knowledge that that means eternal life for us should make it easy to have joy knowing that this life is but part of the journey that leads us to paradise.

"Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me.

In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.

And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.

And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know."

John 14:1-4 KJV

Be joyful in this Holiday season. Christ is with us!

Ken

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You can sign up here to join our mailing list to receive church emails.

If you are looking for a simple daily practice this season, you can download Kate Bowler's Bless This Advent devotional here.

Advent Devotional: Peace

"Guide us gently and firmly toward each other,
Toward peace."

– Rabbi Sheila Weinberg

By contrast, the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against such things. And those who belong to Christ have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live by the Spirit, let us also be guided by the Spirit.

Galatians 5:22-25 NRSV

We are now in the second week of Advent waiting for the coming of our savior, Jesus Christ. The second Sunday is associated with peace. Depending on your age, peace can mean many things, but “the absence of war” is what often comes to mind. The word peace is used around 450 times in the King James Bible. It is used many different ways, for many purposes. Galatians 5:22 states that “peace” is the fruit of the Holy Spirit. In addition to being a part of the fruits of the Holy Spirit, peace in the Bible is not only the absence of war, but is also used to mean completeness. In Hebrew, peace is often translated as Shalom, which, in fact, means completeness. Shalom comes from the word Shalam, which stands for making something whole or righting the wrongs that we have committed. So, it seems as though the Bible wants us to first pursue wholeness and remember, Christians cannot truly be “whole” without Jesus.

Matthew 5:9 has Jesus praising the “peacemakers”, for they will be the children of God. Our military is often thought of as “peace keepers”; Jesus wants us to be “peace makers”. They are close, but very different. Peacekeepers make boundaries to push others away. Peacemakers go out in an attempt at minimizing conflict. Peacemakers go out to cultivate respectful and loving interactions that make a safe space for restoration and health.

When Jesus saw the crowds, he went up the mountain, and after he sat down, his disciples came to him. And he began to speak and taught them, saying: “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God. Blessed are those who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when people revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you."

Matthew 5:1-11 NRSV

How often do we, in our daily life, go out during a personal conflict and attempt to understand the needs of the individual with whom we are in conflict? That’s not what most of us normally do. It is usually easier to overwhelm and subdue our enemy, rather than open our hearts. I hope that we can all attempt to be the “children of God” we should be. Let our “peace”, be a peace of wholeness and love. If we all make an attempt to break down the walls that we have built for our personal protection and actively attempt to be the peacemakers that Jesus wants us to be, it could be a beautiful start during this wonderful season.

May peace be with you,
Ken

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You can sign up here to join our mailing list to have these devotionals arrive to your inbox each Monday morning during Advent.

If you are looking for a simple daily practice this season, you can download Kate Bowler's Bless This Advent devotional here.

Advent Devotional: Hope

"God, these are darkening days, with little hope in sight. Help us in our fear and exhaustion. Anchor us in hope."

– Kate Bowler

'For I know the plans I have for you,' declares the Lord, 'plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future.'

Jeremiah 29:11

During children’s time in church I once asked what they thought “hope” was. His answer was “faith”. Well, that sounds pretty accurate, but, perhaps biblically, “hope” is more accurately the part of faith that deals with the future.

Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

Hebrews 11:1

Our world is a difficult place. It is almost impossible to turn on any media source and not be fearful of our future.  How is that some people are able have joy in these arduous times? I would say, “hope”.  How can some seem to grow stronger through personal adversity? Again, “hope.”  We all need hope to get through these trying times. To know what God has for us is our salvation.

So I finish up this Devotion on hope by asking that we all, "be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.”

Romans 12:12

In hope,
Ken

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You can sign up here to join our mailing list to have these devotionals arrive to your inbox each Monday morning during Advent.

If you are looking for a simple daily practice this season, you can download Kate Bowler's Bless This Advent devotional here.

Advent Devotional: Love

"Blessed is the season which engages the whole world in a conspiracy of love."

-Hamilton Wright Mabie

Night after night under the wide night sky, the shepherds probably had a sense of perspective, of how they fit in the world. But when the angels come with their news - and call it good, and say that it's for everyone - it's an invitation to set out and see what is there, and to discover who they are in the presence of what they find.
 
This is about more than just the shepherds. When they arrive, they tell Mary and Joseph and the baby all that the angels told them. Then the shepherds leave, rejoicing. They've become carriers, bearers of God's good news, and witnesses to it.
 
Living in a post-birth-of-Christ world, we forget what it must have been like to wait in darkness, wondering if God had forgotten the Jewish people oppressed under Roman rule. There was no sign that God was in a hurry to fulfill the promise made centuries before, the promise that someday there would be one who would rescue them from the shadows of evil. They waited, and waited, and waited, with no sign that God remembered them.
 
Christ is the reminder that God remembers us. 

You who fear the Lord, praise him!
    All you descendants of Jacob, honor him!
    Revere him, all you descendants of Israel!
For he has not despised or scorned
    the suffering of the afflicted one;
he has not hidden his face from him
    but has listened to his cry for help.

From you comes the theme of my praise in the great assembly;
    before those who fear you I will fulfill my vows.
The poor will eat and be satisfied;
    those who seek the Lord will praise him—
    may your hearts live forever!

All the ends of the earth
    will remember and turn to the Lord,
and all the families of the nations
    will bow down before him,
for dominion belongs to the Lord
    and he rules over the nations.

All the rich of the earth will feast and worship;
    all who go down to the dust will kneel before him—
    those who cannot keep themselves alive.
Posterity will serve him;
    future generations will be told about the Lord.
They will proclaim his righteousness,
    declaring to a people yet unborn:
    He has done it!

Psalm 22:23-31 NIV

The Message version puts the end of this passage this way (with my own added emphasis):

All the power-mongers are before him 
   —worshiping!
All the poor and powerless, too 
   —worshiping!
Along with those who never got it together 
   —worshiping!
Our children and their children 
   will get in on this
As the word is passed along 
   from parent to child.
Babies not yet conceived 
   will hear the good news— 
   that God does what he says.
 
Good news is all around. May we be transformed by it. May we learn to love this world and all people just as we are loved.

With great love,
Jordyn

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Devotions this season are inspired by 2020 Advent lessons adapted from Shadow and Light by Tsh Oxenreider and In Light and Darkness published by Illustrated Ministries. You can sign up here to join the church email list to receive special devotionals like this directly.

Advent Devotional: Joy

If you take the time to listen, you’ll begin to hear the angelic proclamation: “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all people... a Savior has been born to you.”

- Honest Advent

This is the third week of Advent, which means it’s the second half of the season. Does the fact that we’re inching closer and closer to Christmas spark joyful anticipation for you? Or does the countdown elicit some panic as you think of all that you’d still like to accomplish before the 25th? What brings you joy right now?

Happiness is a lovely thing, but fleeting. That reality can leave people chasing the feeling, stuck in nostalgia, or steeled against the feeling so as not to be left abandoned by it. Happiness is wholly dependent on outside circumstances beyond our control. But joy is the byproduct of transformation, wholly dependent on our inward posture. Feeling joy isn’t required for acknowledging that there is real, genuine joy found in God’s never-changing love for us.

May we enjoy the trappings of the season, but may we not be overcome- or undone- by it. Happiness is not a guaranteed outcome no matter how many presents are under the tree or how well the holiday party goes. We can welcome joy into our lives, even when we may not feel quite ready, deserving, or willing. There is joy simply by entrusting our lives to the God who loves us and cares for us.

And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”

Luke 2:8-12 NIV

We often depend on faith, because it is hard to trust that there is unseen goodness and glory at work. May you be given the eyes to see all the unexpected messengers carrying good news of great joy in the world today. I hope that you find joy in the coming Hope of the World. And that such knowledge instills in you the good news that lights the world.

This is the day the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it!

With great joy,
Jordyn

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Devotions this season are inspired by 2020 Advent lessons adapted from Shadow and Light by Tsh Oxenreider and In Light and Darkness published by Illustrated Ministries. Aspects of the Sunday church service and the book Honest Advent that we used in Thursday night bible study were also referenced this week.

Advent Devotional: Peace

“Grace and truth is the invitation to be seen, and in that seeing to receive the gift of presence not withheld.”

- Scott Erickson, Honest Advent

At one of our Thursday night small groups last year we talked about peace, peacemakers and shalom. We sat out on a porch together imagining what implication a biblical call to peacemaking has on our lives and how that might shape us as a people of shalom. Shalom is a Hebrew word meaning peace, harmony, wholeness, completeness, prosperity, welfare and tranquility. Peace is a hope, a comfort, and a challenge.

Jesus embodied shalom on earth. People saw the glory of God in Jesus and described that wholeness as full of grace and truth. When we recognize ourselves as in need of and also worthy of grace we can extend grace readily. When we recognize truth as something that surpasses our own perspective, we can see things for what they actually are, which allows us to bear witness to the world around us but by continuing to seek truth, we can open ourselves up to other perspectives and point to the truth that is in fact good news to all people.

Jesus showed the world the grace and truth known in God. When we embody the wholeness found in truth that surpasses our own understanding, we can see others in their loving humanity and can offer ourselves in kind. In grace and truth we can see and be seen. We can offer the invitation of presence and come to know the gift of presence not withheld. When we are committed to creating spaces for people to be known and nurtured- when we can allow ourselves to be known and nurtured- the hard and holy work of peace can develop.

The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. (John testified concerning him. He cried out, saying, “This is the one I spoke about when I said, ‘He who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.’”) Out of his fullness we have all received grace in place of grace already given. For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. No one has ever seen God, but the one and only Son, who is himself God and is in closest relationship with the Father, has made him known.

John 1:14-18 NIV

May we make peace, with our words and with our actions, that contributes to peace everywhere. 

As we prayed on Sunday: Faithful God, you are at work to restore all of creation in its intended harmony. Give us your shalom that we may be reconciled to all enemies in the peace that passes all understanding, through Christ Jesus our Lord.

God of promise, God of hope, into our darkness come.

Shalom,
Jordyn

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Devotions this season are inspired by 2020 Advent lessons adapted from Shadow and Light by Tsh Oxenreider and In Light and Darkness published by Illustrated Ministries. Aspects of the Sunday church service and the book Honest Advent that we're using in Thursday night bible study were also referenced this week.

Advent Devotional: Hope

“The world feels dim, but glory grows in the dark.”

As a prayer for Advent this year Cole Arthur Riley offers, "the world feels dim, but glory grows in the dark." She reminds us that the glory we are waiting for is not “a God who delights in conquering the earth but who came in tenderness to bring healing and liberation.”

As we begin our journey through this season reminded of what was and is and is to come, we start out in hope.

In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

John 1:4-5 NIV

This Advent, consider the suggestion of John- and Genesis- that “the darkness” is what is, and “the light” is what comes. We are rooted in the first and we await the second, but our lives find meaning through them both.

Darkness can be sacred, offering rest and focus, and it is rife with creative possibility. The people John’s writing to would have experienced the return of light each morning as what made it possible for them to see and navigate the world around them, to know themselves and each other, and to work, learn, and discover. The darkness allows us to see the stars, but is also what offers us the promise of a new sunrise.

Enjoy the expectation of what's to come. Hold hope for what could be birthed forth even when things feel dim. And when our hope falters, may we encounter the face of God in those around us.

As we prayed on Sunday: renew us in hope, that we may work toward Christ's advent of peace among all nations. God of promise, God of hope, into our darkness come.

In hope,
Jordyn

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Devotions this season are inspired by 2020 Advent lessons adapted from Shadow and Light by Tsh Oxenreider and In Light and Darkness published by Illustrated Ministries. Aspects of the Sunday church service, the book Honest Advent that we're using in Thursday night bible study, and Cole Arthur Riley's "Holy Dark Advent" at Black Liturgies were also referenced this week and would each make a great option for extended study.

If you are looking for a simple daily practice this season, you can download Kate Bowler's A Season of Waiting Advent Devotional here.

Lent Devotional 6: Holy Week

Holy Week

As I write this, it is Palm Sunday. Jesus has humbly made his way into Jerusalem and we find ourselves here, yet again, in Holy Week. The season of Lent, the season of journeying to the cross and especially Holy Week are sacred times in the liturgical year. We are challenged to face our mortality and invited to rely on God through the Lenten journey but even more fully through the journey of our whole lives.

Holy Week, a week that is set apart; a week that invites us to sit in the darkness and to lean into the chaos, the unknown, and the grief alongside the disciples. It is a place most of us most likely do not want to be in and yet, we are called there, just as the disciples were.

One of my favorite scriptures is Mark 14:3-9, often entitled “The Anointing at Bethany.” In the Gospel of Mark, the woman is unnamed. A plot to kill Jesus has already been put in place, we find Jesus and his disciples at Simon the leper’s house and the unnamed woman breaks an alabaster jar of expensive ointment and anoints Jesus. She is scolded by the disciples for wasting this precious oil, that could have been sold. Yet Jesus defends her because he knows that she understands what is coming next, his death. The disciples so often miss what Jesus has been telling them all along and this unnamed woman honors Jesus with her knowledge and with her gift. The scripture reads, “She has done what she could; she has anointed my body beforehand for its burial” (Mark 14:8).

Friends, as we enter into this Holy Week, may we have the faith and courage of this woman. May we be bold enough and brave enough to accept the invitation to sit with our Lord as he moves towards the cross. To honor him on this journey by choosing to lean into the chaos, sit in the darkness, and do so with a hope that burns bright in our hearts and a love that leads us to break jars and pour out our gifts—for we know Sunday is truly coming.
Amen.

- Margaret Fleming

Lent Devotional 5: Loving What Is

Loving What Is

Many of us have heard the saying, “it’s easier said than done,” and we have probably said it a few time ourselves too. It’s one thing to say you are going to do something and it’s another to follow through and make the decision to take action.

When I first read this particular topic I felt a connection because handing over my worries to God and loving what is in the here and now is something I have always been working on. We tend to try and control every aspect of our lives days, weeks, and months in advance and we can forget about the present. We tend to forget that God can and will help us, but we have to continue to put our trust in him. And once we do that, God will handle all our worries and will give us the tools we need for everything. We have also heard people tell us what we need is right in front of us and I think that can be a reminder to take a pause and truly appreciate the present and what’s around us. We also need to fully immerse ourselves in particular moments to truly see all the beauty and blessings around us- to see all that God has given us- big, small and in between.

We have been programmed to think the future is what we have to live for when in actuality the most important is the present. God has created a beautiful world for us to enjoy for ourselves and with the people that mean the most to us. Soak up all the beauty and blessings surrounding you and trust that God will be right there to handle it.

- Michele Gray

Lent Devotional 4: When Words Fail

When Words Fail
Luke 19:28-42

Have you ever sent an email or a text message that someone read in a way you didn’t intend? Sometimes our words are ambiguous, or shrouded by double-meaning, or sometimes we project a tone that we don’t mean to convey. Other times, we just don’t have the words…

My words fail me most when I try to express my sympathies. Everyone has that day in their life when their world stood still; maybe it was the death of a loved one, the unexpected rejection of a loved one or a dream job, or maybe you got life-altering news from the doctor. Did anyone say anything to you to make that life-shattering moment better? Or instead, was there a friend who came over and brought some comfort food and a listening ear?

My wife loves home improvement; we’re always fixing things around the house. So on the day when we had our life-altering moment, my first instinct was to fix it. I offered solutions, I tried to find a reason for the tragedy, and I looked for something I could control, to keep it from happening again. When I saw how fruitless this was, my wife made it clear to me that she didn’t need any fixing or input. I just needed to listen.

In Luke 19, Jesus arrived in Jerusalem as a King in unorthodox form, on a colt with no saddle. Many were appalled by His apparent pride, especially the Pharisees, and they asked Jesus to rebuke those worshipping him like a god. But his reply was that of fact, not pride: “if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out.” Whether his enemies knew it or not, Jesus was God, and no words could alter this fact. He then wept for the city that wouldn’t listen to His words, that would choose to kill Him rather than receive Him.

Our world is full of distractions: Our phone buzzes every time someone calls, our watch vibrates when we’ve been sitting too long, our tablet dings when we get an email. These are indeed wonderful inventions that help us maintain connections with our friends and family, but how often does it help us listen to the Lord? If we make a sincere effort to listen in this season of Lent, we can receive Him in a new light. Maybe that means turning off the devices for a few minutes, or going to the beach for a walk, or sitting alone in a quiet place. When we can truly listen and receive the Lord, we’ll find comfort and rest when words fail.

- Dan Tenpas

Lent Devotional 3: Mediocrity for the Win

Mediocrity for the Win: Psalm 19

I’ll confess that I don’t even like the title for this devotional. I tried several times to come up with something else that wouldn’t make it look like I even knew how to think about or understood “mediocrity!” I’ll admit upfront that I’m competitive; I like to win. I like to do things right - the first time. I like for others to at least think that I know what I’m doing or good at what I do. 

I love to cook. I enjoy working in the kitchen with friends, preparing a wonderful meal, sharing stories and tasting as we add ingredients and spices. And the best part of all is serving up a meal for family, friends and strangers who sit at table together to enjoy a great meal! But don’t ask me for a recipe, because at best that’s where I started but it's nowhere close to where I end up. Afterall, if I followed the recipe, someone might see that I missed an ingredient or skipped a step in the process. They may expect it to taste one way and it end up very different! 

I love my woodworking. I am taken deep into my memories and cherish the thoughts of carrying on the craft that my father taught me years ago. When I smell the sawdust and fresh-cut wood in my shop, it is much like a balm to my soul and healing to my spirit. When someone asks me to make them a piece of furniture, I tell them that if they can find me a picture of something they like and give me the dimensions of what they want that I should be able to make them a nice piece. But you would be hard-pressed to find a plan with measurements, markings, instructions for how to build a cabinet, table or shelf just like the one in the picture. I’ve tried to make something “just like that” and it has never worked for me. So don’t send me a detailed plan - because I’d not want to disappoint you and make something that didn’t measure up to the plan or to what you really wanted from me. 

But tell me what you might like in the kitchen and then get out of the way and let me look and smell my way through the spice cabinet to come up with something that I’m pretty sure you’d enjoy. Tell me what kind of furniture or piece you’d like from my woodshop, step out of the way and let me be creative and work with the wood that is in front of me. Either way, kitchen or woodshop, when I trust in my own creativity; when I work with what I have available to me and use the gifts I have, I trust it will result in something pretty amazing - even if it might not measure up to the world’s standards. 

My challenge is to embrace and use the gifts entrusted to me by the Spirit. Your challenge is to do the same. And if indeed we use our gifts to add to God’s wonderful creation, then it will most certainly be “Mediocrity for the Win!” 

- William M Jewell