Posts with the category “rev-james-williams-weekly-blog”

Dear reader,As I prepare for my 57th Christmas, I’m celebrating that it reaches beyond traditions, decorations and crowded calendars. At its heart is the quiet miracle of God choosing to draw near. In...  Read More

Dear Reader,Thanksgiving comes with lessons. Sometimes we forget that every good thing in our lives was never meant to stop with us. God pours grace, resources and opportunities into our hands so we c...  Read More

Dear Reader,If you’ve known me long enough, you’ve heard me speak of a great Bible teacher named Sue Wiatt. She wrote a book of poetry and prayers and used to say, “Hurry is a sin and worry is a sin!”...  Read More

In the Gospel of Luke, we encounter a profound narrative that illustrates Jesus' unwavering dedication to His mission. As He approaches Jericho, Jesus is on a purposeful journey to Jerusalem, yet His ...  Read More

Dear friend, take my advice; it will add years to your life. I’m writing out clear directions to Wisdom Way, drawing a map to Righteous Road. I don’t want you ending up in blind alleys or wasting time...  Read More

Dear Reader,The world of Christianity and the universal Church have been in major transition over the past ten years. Many of the things that once felt powerful—our ideas, programs, even church tradit...  Read More

Dear Reader,The blood of Christ isn’t a topic that gets much attention today, yet it touches every person’s life and destiny. Some churches even avoid it, afraid such a “gory” subject might offend. Bu...  Read More

Dear Reader,There’s a myth that floats around Christian leadership an unspoken belief that if you’re called, it will be easy. That you’ll move from success to success, gaining favor like Joseph did in...  Read More

Dear Reader,For years I’ve worked at being a true friend more than a professional pastor. There were many years the professional won out. I used to dream of being a Nathan or a Jonathan, two key, auth...  Read More

Dear Reader,Life throws a lot at us, doesn’t it! Sometimes it’s easy to sleep right through the moments that matter most. That wasn’t the case with Hannah in 1 Samuel 1. She was wide awake to what God...  Read More

Dear Reader,Everywhere we turn, the world is full of noise and uncertainty. News headlines are filled with conflict, division, and stories that can leave us weary. Social media makes it worse, bombard...  Read More

Family of Grace,The past several days have been another stretch of confusion, sadness, and chaos. I’ve been thinking about divide et impera—“divide and conquer”—an age-old strategy to control the thou...  Read More

Dear Reader,Every year on September 11, we pause to remember a day that changed our nation forever. The images, the grief, and the sense of shock are still vivid for many of us who lived through it. T...  Read More

Dear Reader,Next week, our Pastor Emeritus, Randy Mickler, will begin a study on the Book of Acts. I am genuinely excited about this because Acts has been speaking to me in fresh ways lately. In parti...  Read More

Dear Reader,Lately, I’ve been reflecting  on all the transitions I’ve experienced in life. As a Methodist, new beginnings can be somewhat frequent. As I look back, there were times I loved the change,...  Read More

Dear Reader,Starting a new church is exciting, but it can also feel overwhelming. There are a hundred different things that need to be done, and at times it’s tempting to believe the weight falls on j...  Read More

Dear Reader,We humans, especially in the church still live by a process we learned in childhood.  When we’re hurt or lose a few points, instead of loving one another through the process of understandi...  Read More

Dear Reader,Lately, I’ve been thinking a lot about family, not just the people I grew up with, but the bigger picture. You know, the ones we don’t see around the Thanksgiving table. In Scripture, fami...  Read More

Dear reader,Over the years, I’ve been blessed by the wisdom and direction of mentors. Their presence shaped my life, my calling, and even how I see myself. Now, I find myself on the other side of that...  Read More

Family of Grace,Have you ever thought about the difference between “fundraising” and “fundreceiving”? Rev. J.D. Walt of Seedbed recently reflected on this in a devotion, and it changed how I view gene...  Read More

Family of Grace,From my vantage point in the pulpit each week, I’ve noticed a quiet but hopeful shift in our congregation over the past eight months. More young faces are looking back at me. In small ...  Read More

Family of Grace,My heart is heavy as I write to you today. Many of you have already heard the tragic news out of Texas. Floodwaters have devastated communities, and among the lives lost are children w...  Read More

Family of Grace,It’s a fact of life that we grow attached to the places we’ve known for many years. We humans are settlers by nature, and it’s often hard to make a change. This past week, Natalie and ...  Read More

Family of Grace,Have you ever heard anyone say, “We can’t mix religion and politics?” If so, I can assure you the statement was made by a well-meaning person, but maybe also a bit naïve. As a pastor, ...  Read More

Dear Reader,If you’ve been walking with Christ for any amount of time, chances are you’ve heard about the call to “make disciples.” It’s a foundational part of the Christian life, rooted in Jesus’ fin...  Read More

If you’ve never looked into your spiritual gifts, you’re missing something that could totally change the way you see your role in the church, and your everyday life.Spiritual gifts are special abiliti...  Read More

My time in early 2024 in New Delhi, India did a whammy on me. I returned to the States knowing two things:—The church I was pastoring would not be the place God assigned me to for much longer, and,— I...  Read More

Dear Reader,A few years ago,  I came across a book that I've not been able to forget. I’m reminded of it as we head into June, the month that includes Father’s Day. The title is To Own a Dragon by Don...  Read More

Dear Reader,Most of us don’t think twice when we grab a glass of water. Clean water just flows. It’s constant, expected. But for people in ancient Israel, water was a precious and limited resource, de...  Read More

Dear Reader,We were created to solve problems. Doctors solve physical problems. Mothers solve emotional problems. Dentists solve teeth problems. Mechanics solve car problems. Everything God created wa...  Read More

Dear Reader,I’ve felt really led lately to drive home the point to those under my care that God is a God who communicates.Years ago, I read a book called A Call to What Is Vital. It tells of the autho...  Read More

Dear Reader,After Easter, I always have trouble getting this one thing out of my mind: Why could they not recognize Jesus? Some reasons I think; just my thoughts:- It was toward evening, and the sun w...  Read More

Dear Reader,Leonard Sweet, in his book Faithquakes, tells the story about a West Virginia man who asked for directions to a certain place. The man said, after thinking about it a few moments, “If I wa...  Read More

Dear Reader,I’d like to share with you something written by Robert Test, of the Cincinnati Post.“The day will come when my body will lie upon a white sheet neatly tucked under four corners of the matt...  Read More

Dear Reader,I’ve been thinking about how similar today is to the lives of those throughout Scripture. They were going about their lives in pursuit of what they thought was important—until God, Jesus, ...  Read More

Dear Reader,Several years ago, I read a book that I’m now re-reading: The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire by Edward Gibbon. It was written in 1788, but some of his insights about the empire echo ...  Read More

"I've spent most of my life walking under that hovering cloud—jealousy—whose acid raindrops blurred my vision and burned holes in my heart." -Astrid AlaudaDear Reader,Envy is a sin that grows in the b...  Read More

Dear Reader,I’ve been thinking a lot about what truly matters—and how easy it is to take those very things for granted. My family is my most precious gift, yet sometimes, they don’t hold the place the...  Read More