A Pastor in The Northwest

Sunday was the big finale of the 2026 World Cup hosted by the US, Canada, and Mexico (in 16 cities). This wrapped up 39 days and 104 matches with some 48 different countries battling it out on the fields. And the sport you asked? Well, we call it soccer, but, for most of the world, it is futbol! If you didn't watch it, Spain and Argentina were in the championship, and Spain won the match. Guess what the estimated number of people who viewed it? A staggering 6 billion. That's with a "b" folks! Sunday I found myself pondering this sport and the global fascination with it, and, if you watched the opening ceremony, one might think this was religion. In fact, one of our tour guides in Barcelona, while on our trip to Spain this past March, said that while Roman Catholicism is Spain's official faith, futbol was the real religion. Ugh. As we who follow Jesus know, there is so much more to life than a 90-minute match! Jesus spoke of bringing an abundant life to any wh...

I was reflecting today on the idea of Jesus as my shepherd as described in John 10.  Specifically, I'm thinking about listening and hearing His voice - a voice I recognize because of the time I've spent with Him.  He calls Himself the 'good shepherd' who acts as a guide, a protector, and a defender.   2 The one who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. 3 The doorkeeper [ d ] opens the door [ e ] for him, [ f ] and the sheep hear his voice. He [ g ] calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. [ h ] 4 When he has brought all his own sheep [ i ] out, he goes ahead of them, and the sheep follow him because they recognize [ j ] his voice. 5 They will never follow a stranger, [ k ] but will run away from him, because they do not recognize [ l ] the stranger’s voice.” -John 10 NET I wonder sometimes if I allow too much noise and distraction to really hear from Jesus.  Do I recognize His voice?  Am I following where He and His voice are lead...

I've been thinking a lot about a concept I read recently called "radical obedience." This is the idea that if and when Jesus commands us to do something or go somewhere, we simply do it - no questions asked. To be honest, this challenges me greatly. Blind obedience with no questions asked. In theory, absolutely! In practice, well, I have questions. Yet, at the end of Jesus' famous 'sermon on the mount', He said it this way in Matthew 7: 24 “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. 26 But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. 27 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a gre...