Grace For The Journey....

This is an introduction for a blog featuring christian devotionals that I have already written and published. (Smyth & Helwys has given permission for me to re-publish these). This first blog will give you a little of my background.... I grew up in New Jersey attending an Episcopalian Church one a week. I was also in the choir - kids were allowed to join at age 10. Going away to college in Kentucky, I stopped going to church for several years. When I began again, I attended the local Methodist Church and Baptist and occasionally, the Episcopalian one. Formal church was not a big draw but I really enjoyed the Inter-Varsity Christian Fellowship my graduate year in school; I realized that church groups can mean community. I'd never felt that before. I flirted with the idea of going to seminary then but decided against it for a few years. I moved to Louisville, KY, and attended a Presbyterian church for a while, singing in their choir, and decided to attend the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary (it was cheaper by far). I graduated in 1986 and then worked at a university as a hall director, using counseling skills to help students through life's events (like a suicide and community fund raisers and blood drives). I then worked as a Youth and Education minister from 1989-1993. I began writing and publishing articles then. I knew I did not want to stay a professional minister but also knew I wanted to keep writing.

The phrase "Grace for the Journey" comes from a former theology professor who autographed a book for me with that phrase; it's what I think we all yearn for. Sometimes Grace delivers us from the bad thihgs we do in life or the horrible things that have happened to us; sometimes we hope for Grace in our future; and sometimes the pain is so bad all we can do is know the promise that Grace will come very soon....

This blog is about Grace in my life and Grace for all of us to experience....

Many are from the following and Used with Permission

Reflections, Volume 4, Number 2, January 23-29, 1995.
Reflections, Volume 6, Number 3, June 23-29, 1997.
Reflections, Volume 8, Number 2, March 22-28, 1999.
Reflections, Volume 11, Number 3, August 19-31, 2002.
Reflections, Volume 13, Number 3, July 13-26, 2004.
Reflections, Volume 16, Number 2, April 19-30, 2007.

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