It’s finally Friday… and I’m pastor James St. John. Today, I find myself in a place I’ve been many times, before. I’m sitting in a waiting room alongside my wife, watching a monitor that tells us one of our children is in the operating room. She’s been assigned a number, for privacy. It’s 1236. We are surrounded by reminders of the numerous children who’ve received help and healing here. Large banners line the walls of the waiting area, line the halls and play areas. They’re smiling faces of children in body casts, cranial halos, arm or leg casts. They come here with a variety of needs, repres ..read more

What do you think? I have heard that question many times in my life. How about you? Next question, on a scale of 1 to 10, with one being very negative, where does you mind tend to go. Positive or negative? What do you think? It makes a difference. In fact, it makes more of a difference than we often realize. Studies show, in fact, that a pattern of negative thoughts and feelings will often lead to depression. This was observed many years ago, by Solomon (or another wise person) who wrote: As a man thinks in his heart, so is he. Proverbs 23:7 We could talk about the science behind it all, but ..read more

I saw the look in his eyes and immediately knew something was wrong. He spun around and called out, “Kara! Kara?!” As he held tightly to the toddler in his arms, he ran up the stairs past me, turned around at the landing to try to get a better look above the crowd of people that surrounded us. “Kara! Kara?!” he called. The intensity of his voice and the obvious stress on his face told me all I needed to know. Someone was lost in the crowd. Over the next few minutes, he continued to call, reached out to one of the park rangers who stood close by, went up and down the stairs, looking intently. T ..read more

I haven’t seen an informercial lately. They are those long-form commercials that demonstrated some product, with exclusive discounts for multiple orders and the ever popular money back guarantee. There is always an emphasis on this guarantee meaning there is no risk for you to lose. If you haven’t ever seen one, I’ve included a video of one that made Ronco millions of dollars from those looking for cooking convenience on their counter top at the end of this post. All of us know, there are few guarantees in this life. We preachers sometimes use some form of the “your not guaranteed tomorrow, or ..read more

For most of us, there is a string of never-ending projects that require time and energy. At times, those will push us to the limits of our personal resources. Have you ever been on the end of a shovel and reached the point where your arms are trembling and you cannot physically move one more scoop of dirt? I was there last Saturday. I dropped the shovel, kicked off my shoes and collapsed on the couch for a much needed rest. At times, our circumstances push us beyond our limits. In those times, where do we turn? Where do we find the resources? In grief and hardship, when the pain is too deep to ..read more

But the Lord is faithful, and he will strengthen you and protect you from the evil one. 2 Thessalonians 3:3 Just in case you were wondering, the word BUT at the beginning of this verse was pointing to the statement just before this.  And pray that we may be delivered from wicked and evil people, for not everyone has faith. 2 Thessalonians 3:2 Let’s focus for a moment on that little statement, “for not everyone has faith.” I know it is not necessarily politically correct to say this, but human beings are not good by nature. We walk among a “wicked and evil people.” That may seem har ..read more

…for someone else. The upcoming holiday season will be hard for many people for many reasons. For some, it is a renewed grief over a lost loved one. For others, it is a reminder of past resentments or trauma. For many, it is filled with the disappointment of unfulfilled expectations. Still others are faced with ongoing circumstances that challenge them, personally, whether that be financial, relational, or…you fill in the blank. Whatever the case may be, let me pass along a proposal I received in an e-mail, recently. “Do something for someone else. Even if this has been a difficult year for yo ..read more

You’ve heard it said that it is better to give than receive. I tell you the truth, great receivers become better givers. He who has ears, let him hear. Are you a good receiver? A great one? If you watch the NFL, you know that we are living in a time like no other. We have a crop of the greatest quarterbacks of all time, right now…and they have some great receivers who make an enormous contribution to the statistical records they are setting. If the receiver drops the ball, it is called an incompletion. If the receiver tips the ball and the other team catches it, it is called an interception. I ..read more