Picture this scene: A store checkout line during holiday shopping season. A customer loudly yells at a young cashier over a coupon that won’t scan, questioning her competence, her intelligence, even her right to have this job. The line grows longer. People shift uncomfortably. Everyone sees what’s happening, everyone knows it’s wrong, but nobody speaks […]
Anyone else already putting up Christmas lights? I’ve seen several houses with full displays already. It’s not even Thanksgiving yet! We may shake our heads at neighbors who string lights in November, but honestly, I get it. I’m actually thinking about doing the same while the weather’s still decent – better now than wrestling with […]
Picture this: You’re at a family reunion, catching up with relatives you haven’t seen in years. As you share stories, you realize how many of you ended up somewhere completely different than you planned. Maybe you’re living in a town you never meant to stay in. Maybe you’re in a job that was supposed to […]
There’s something deeply hopeful about this morning’s soaking rain after our long dry spell. We’ve just experienced the 9th driest March on record over the past 131 years, with rainfall over 1.6 inches below normal. In fact, this has been the 15th driest year to date, with precipitation more than two inches below what we […]
Have you ever tried to delete your past? Maybe you’ve purged old social media posts, shredded embarrassing photos, or desperately wished you could unsend that angry email. As we gather just days before Thanksgiving, maybe you are dreading certain conversations around the holiday table, wishing we could erase past hurts or start fresh. An ancient […]
I find something magical about the Kansas State Fair. The aroma of funnel cakes, the excited shouts from midway rides, and the proud displays of prized pumpkins and handcrafted quilts create a uniquely Kansas experience. My family, perhaps like yours, has been coming to this fair for generations. So, some places, like the Domestic Arts […]
Today, as we come together on Mother’s Day, everyone here may feel different things. For some, it’s a happy day to celebrate the love of a mother. But for others, it might bring up feelings of sadness or hurt. No matter what, we can all find hope and comfort in the incredible power of Jesus’ […]
Imagine being one of the women who discovered Jesus’ empty tomb on that first Easter morning. Whether you’re here out of habit or curiosity, the message of the resurrection is just as powerful today as it was back then. The empty tomb reminds us that hope wins over fear and doubt. It promises that new […]
Picture a moment in your life when everything seemed uncertain, and you longed for a sense of direction. Perhaps you’ve faced challenges that overwhelmed you or doubts that shook your faith. In times like these, we all need a source of guidance and hope. Today, as we explore the words of Jesus in Mark 13, […]
It is difficult to make sense of the events of the day. The passing of the Traditional Plan was disorienting, heart-rending, and continues to be heavy on my mind. The church that has been home for my entire life feels a little less like home. The votes clearly reflect the reality of where the church […]
I have been using Lift as a tool to help restart this blog and I thought I would share with you some of that process. One of the steps is identifying an ideal target person – someone for whom this blog is written. So, here goes: The ideal target person for this blog is Methodist […]
“Return to your fortress, you prisoners of hope; even now I announce that I will restore twice as much to you” (Zechariah 9:12, NIV). Of all the things that I could be prisoner to, I hope that I will always be a prisoner of hope.
Rev. Andrew Conard 