Author: Sweet Tea and Front Porch Storyteller
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Human Tradition as Divine Law
Jesus did condemn certain traditions, but not tradition itself. What he condemned was a particular kind of tradition: tradition that replaced love, justice, and faithfulness with control, hypocrisy, or exclusion. Understanding this distinction is crucial. What Jesus Actually Condemned Jesus’ strongest words about tradition appear in passages like Mark 7:1–13 and Matthew 15:1–9, where he…
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Truth and God’s Communication
(Hebrews 1:1–12 as a foundation) Hebrews begins with a profound claim: God communicates. Not randomly, not vaguely, but purposefully and relationally. To understand how God communicates, we first need to ask a deeper question: 1. What Is Truth? Truth is not merely correct information or factual accuracy. In Scripture, truth is: Biblically, truth is not…
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From There to Here
Reflections from 76 Years of Living This is me holding a chicken standing near the chicken coop on our farm in Mississippi in 1954 This is me in 2026. I am 76 and I live in Springfield, MO. When I look back across seventy-six years, the distance from there to here feels both long and…
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Hold Fast: Faithfulness in an Age of Compromise
A Devotional Reflection on Revelation 2:18–29 The words Jesus speaks to the church in Thyatira are among the most searching and unsettling in all of Scripture. They are also deeply hopeful. This letter reminds us that Christ sees clearly, loves deeply, and calls His church to a faith that refuses to trade truth for comfort.…
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When God Is Silent: Saul, Psychics, and the Voices We Choose to Trust
A devotional reflection on 1 Samuel 28 There are moments in life when silence feels unbearable. The phone doesn’t ring.The prayer goes unanswered.The future feels dangerous and unknown. It is in moments like these that the ancient story of Saul in 1 Samuel 28 becomes painfully modern. A king in the dark By the time…
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A God Who Sees the Silenced
A Devotional Reflection on Tamar, Justice, and Jesus In Genesis 38, we encounter one of Scripture’s most uncomfortable stories. Tamar is twice widowed, bound by custom, and dependent on the integrity of men who hold power over her life. Onan uses her body but refuses her future. Judah delays justice and hides behind respectability. Tamar…
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Returning to First Love: Mercy, Freedom, and Joy
There is a quiet danger in faithful religion. We can do many things right and still drift far from the heart of God. Revelation 2:1–7 confronts us with this truth as Jesus speaks to the church in Ephesus—a church known for perseverance, discernment, and doctrinal clarity. And yet, Jesus says something startling: “You have abandoned…
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Jesus the Messiah vs the Autocratic Rulers of the World
1. How Power Is Expressed Jesus the Messiah “He will not wrangle or cry aloud, nor will anyone hear his voice in the streets.”— Matthew 12:19 Jesus does not rule through intimidation, spectacle, or fear. His authority is quiet, moral, and relational. Jesus’ power flows from truth and love, not coercion. Autocratic Rulers “They set…
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Between Stillness and Resistance
Psalm 46, Romans 13, and Faithful Living Under Fear-Driven Power “Be still, and know that I am God.” — Psalm 46:10“Let every person be subject to the governing authorities…” — Romans 13:1 Few passages in Scripture have been more misunderstood — or weaponized — together than Psalm 46 and Romans 13. When placed carelessly side…
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When God’s Promises Meet the World’s Pain
There are days when reading Scripture does not bring comfort—it brings confrontation. Psalm 85 speaks of restoration and peace. Exodus 3 tells of God hearing the cries of enslaved people. Hebrews 11 celebrates faith that endures. John 14 offers the assurance that Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life. And yet, when I…
The Curious Pilgrim 