Before sunrise on Saturday, terror from land, sea and sky rained down on Israel. This surprise attack happened at the end of the seven-day Jewish celebration of Sukkoth that commemorates God’s protection of Israel as they fled slavery in Egypt 3000 years ago. Families were gathered to enjoy the holiday when air raid sirens sounded to warn of an attack. As 1000s of missiles were launched into Isra...  Read More

I witnessed a miracle on Saturday… a miracle I have dreamed about for years. I have witnessed this miracle again and again, for the last 40 years. Yet, to stand in the chancel of All Saints Church as both mother and pastor, I was overwhelmed with God’s gift. Many marvel at Jesus’ first miracle in turning water into wine at the wedding at Cana, but that miracle pales in comparison to the union of h...  Read More

Greetings from sunny southern California! I have spent the last two days enjoying all things Disney… well, maybe not the roller coasters… but so much more... The Bells know how to make the most of a Disney adventure! I know you thought I was in California for our daughter’s wedding. But first we plan to experience some of what our daughter loves about her new home. We will hike the mountains, expl...  Read More

Weddings…I have been paying attention to weddings these days… Granted, I have always been intrigued. I will stop to watch a wedding party as they pose for pictures, staying quietly on the fringe, hoping they won’t notice as I take in the styles and colors and flowers… and the joy. Seeing the beginning is captivating, so I have always been a sucker for a good wedding. But recently, planning our dau...  Read More

We all know the story…On the morning of September 11, 2001, Al Qaeda terrorists hijacked commercial passenger planes, turning those planes into weapons of war against the United States. That story… our story… often is reduced to a study in numbers. 4 planes involved in the attack 2 planes flown into the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center 1 plane flown into the Pentagon in Washington, D.C. 1 pla...  Read More

Make a joyful noise…Psalm 100 opens with this iconic phrase that has excused many a poor rendition of Christian music, celebrating heart over excellence of presentation. Noise… ‘Noise’ is the call of the people of God, yet Webster defines ‘noise’ as a sound that lacks an agreeable quality or is noticeably loud or unpleasant. It is hard to reconcile ‘noise’ with a joyful celebration of the people o...  Read More