Author: Sweet Tea and Front Porch Storyteller
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The Love God Never Withholds
A Curious Pilgrim Reflection on Psalm 66, 1 Samuel 4:12–22, James 1:1–18, and Matthew 19:23–30 “Blessed be God, who has not rejected my prayer, nor withheld his love from me.” — Psalm 66:20 One of the deepest fears of the human heart is the fear of abandonment. We wonder if God has grown weary of…
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Five Songs for a Curious Pilgrim
Music That Has Helped Me Keep Walking Music has a way of reaching places that sermons and books sometimes cannot. A song can find us in our loneliness, remind us of God’s presence, and give us hope when the road ahead seems uncertain. As I reflected on Jesus’ words, “Stand up and raise your heads,…
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Lift Up Your Head: Redemption Is Drawing Near
A Curious Pilgrim Reflection on Psalm 87, 1 Samuel 4:1b-11, Acts 4:32–5:11, and Luke 21:20–28 Growing up in church, I heard countless sermons about the Second Coming of Jesus. Charts were drawn, timelines were explained, and every earthquake, war, or political upheaval seemed to be interpreted as another sign that the end was near. Like…
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The Questions We Bring to God
A Curious Pilgrim Reflection on Psalm 88, 1 Samuel 3:1-21, Acts 2:37-47, and Luke 21:5-19 One of the things I love about Scripture is that it is filled with questions. The Bible is not merely a collection of answers handed down from heaven. It is the story of people wrestling with life, faith, suffering, hope,…
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The Myth of Trouble-Free Faith
A Curious Pilgrim Reflection on Psalm 34, 1 Samuel 2:27-36, Acts 2:22-36, and Luke 20:41–21:4 “Many are the troubles of the righteous, but the Lord will deliver him out of them all.”— Psalm 34:19 One of the most persistent myths in religion is the belief that if we are faithful enough, obedient enough, or righteous…
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Restore Us, O God: When Our Vision Is Too Small
Daily Office Readings: Psalm 80, 1 Samuel 1:1-20, Acts 1:1-14, Luke 20:9-19 Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 13:12, “For now we see in a mirror, dimly.” Those words came to mind as I reflected on today’s Daily Office readings. Human beings live with limited vision. We see only a small part of the story. We…
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The Curious Pilgrim
When God Opens Our Eyes This morning I read a social media post from a woman who had walked through PrideFest in downtown Springfield, Missouri. She described the experience as though she had walked into Sodom and Gomorrah. She seemed fearful, convinced that danger surrounded her. She was troubled that families and children were present.…
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The Things That Make for Peace
A Curious Pilgrim Reflection on Luke 19:42 Daily Office Readings:Psalm 69:1–23, 31–38Sirach 45:6–162 Corinthians 12:11–21Luke 19:41–48 One verse from today’s Gospel captured my attention and would not let go: “If you, even you, had only recognized on this day the things that make for peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes.” — Luke…
The Curious Pilgrim 