Today’s #Advent2025 readings if you’re following along:
Psalm 21; Genesis 15:1-18; Matthew 12:33-37
Here’s a link to the readings at Bible Gateway.
My workout schedule is lifting M, W, F; cardio T, Th, Sa; rest on Sunday.
Today, I didn’t want to run. I didn’t want to be on a treadmill. I did it anyway. I jogged my three miles and after a brief cool down, walked for 20 minutes a 10.0 incline.
I’m glad it’s over.
Today was pure discipline.
Today’s #Advent2025 readings, if you’re following along…
Psalm 21; Isaiah 41:14-20; Romans 15:14-21
A link to open the readings on Bible Gateway
If you’re in the Ypsilanti/Ann Arbor area, come on out to Tap Room tonight for a special “Ask Me Anything,” at 8 pm.
It is so refreshing to simply listen to music and read some non-fiction after a full Sunday.
Currently reading: The Hero of Ages by Brandon Sanderson 📚
Today’s #Advent2025 readings if you’re following along:
Psalm 21; Isaiah 24:1-16a; 1 Thessalonians 4:1-12
Lives Hidden With Christ - Put on Love
You can listen to this message here: Lives Hidden With Christ - Put on Love
Colossians 3:5–14 is a passage overflowing with challenge, hope, and vision for what it means to live as renewed people in Christ.
Paul writes:
“Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. Because of these, the wrath of God is coming. You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived. But now you must also rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips. Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator. Here there is no Gentile or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all and is in all. Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.” Colossians 3:5-14, NIV
There is enough in this passage to preach on for months. But today I want to focus on what I believe is the heart of the whole section: verse 14 — “Over all these virtues put on love.”
Love is not just one virtue among many. It is the virtue that holds all the others together. It is the defining mark of people whose lives are “hidden with Christ” (v. 3), people who have been transferred from the dominion of darkness into the kingdom of the beloved Son.
Paul’s question is essentially this:
What does a renewed life look like?
His answer: love—love expressed, embodied, practiced.
So how do we put on this love?
Advent Reflections - Justice, Hope, and Becoming Like Christ
I think one of my enduring memories of Advent as a child is the Advent calendar. I don’t recall us using one very often, but I distinctly remember them being in our house. So many Advent calendars had little chocolates or other treats behind each door. I also remember the Christmas countdown rings—red and green paper strips linked into a chain, with one link removed each day leading up to Christmas. The goal was Christmas morning and getting to open presents.
The readings for the Second Sunday of Advent, if you’re reading along…
Isaiah 11:1-10, Psalm 72:1-7, 18-19, Romans 15:4-13, Matthew 3:1-12
#Advent2025
If you’re reading along, here are today’s readings for #Advent2025…
Psalm 72:1-7, 18-19; Isaiah 30:19-26; Acts 13:16-25
Good morning! Here are today’s #Advent2025 readings if you’re following along:
Psalm 72:1-7, 18-19; Isaiah 4:2-6; Acts 1:12-17, 21-26
Who else is playing?
It is so peaceful.
The problem with playing the “Last Christmas” game is that you can’t watch a single video. You never when and where that song is going to pop up.
Tap Room Tuesdays Donations
Each year the community that we call, Tap Room Tuesdays picks a local organization to support at the end of the year. This year, we are gathering donations for the Brick Elementary Food Pantry and the Lincoln Clothes Closet. If you would like to donate anything to the cause, you can drop things off on our porch until December 16 or you can order from Amazon and ship them to me: Amazon List
Here are the items that we are collecting: