Endure: Advent Day 13

Psalm 107:1 O give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;     for his steadfast love endures forever. I’ve never quite understood the allure of an extreme endurance race. I mean, just consider this paragraph from an article about 9……

Delight: Advent Day 12

Psalm 36:7-9 How precious is your steadfast love, O God!     All people may take refuge in the shadow of your wings. 8 They feast on the abundance of your house,     and you give them drink from the river of your delights…….

Seek: Advent Day 11

Isaiah 51:1-3 Listen to me, you that pursue righteousness,     you that seek the Lord. Look to the rock from which you were hewn,     and to the quarry from which you were dug. 2 Look to Abraham your father     and to Sarah……

Prepare: Advent Day 10

Image credit: https://www.amazon.com/OLIVER-Mortar-Pestle-Unpolished-Granite   Luke 23:50-24:5 Now there was a good and righteous man named Joseph, who, though a member of the council, 51had not agreed to their plan and action. He came from the Jewish town of Arimathea, and……

Messenger: Advent Day 9

  Isaiah 52:7 How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of the messenger who announces peace,who brings good news, who announces salvation, who says to Zion, ‘Your God reigns.’   To be honest, I wasn’t feeling particularly inspired by……

Hope: Advent Day 8

Romans 15:13 May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.   HOPE How is it you Open the door of……

The Road Home

This sermon was preached at Glenwood and Canoe Ridge Lutheran Churches, Decorah, Iowa on December 9, 2018. It’s based on Luke 3:1-18. If you’d prefer to listen to it, find it at https://soundcloud.com/stacey-nalean-carlson/. Luke 3:1-18 1In the fifteenth year of……

Called: Advent Day 7

Isaiah 43:1 But now thus says the Lord,     he who created you, O Jacob,     he who formed you, O Israel: Do not fear, for I have redeemed you;     I have called you by name, you are mine.   I’ve read……

Live: Advent Day 6

To live in this world you must be able to do three things: to love what is mortal; to hold it against your bones knowing your own life depends on it; and, when the time comes to let it go,……

Righteousness: Advent Day 5

Psalm 36:5-9 Your steadfast love, O Lord, extends to the heavens, your faithfulness to the clouds. Your righteousness is like the mighty mountains, your judgments are like the great deep; you save humans and animals alike, O Lord. How precious is your……