Going small for Sermon Inspiration
Spirituality, Process Lisa Cressman Spirituality, Process Lisa Cressman

Going small for Sermon Inspiration

God's glory is revealed in the small as well as the big: in the sparrow and the heavens, the mustard seed and the mountains, the little children and the disciples. And our preaching grows stronger when we learn to attune ourselves to the way God appears in the smallest details of the Bible's stories and text. 

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Lenten Preaching: Why Change is So Hard
Spirituality, Holiday/Special Sermons Lisa Cressman Spirituality, Holiday/Special Sermons Lisa Cressman

Lenten Preaching: Why Change is So Hard

We preachers often wonder whether our words have any effect. The people we preach to and the world around us pretty much look the same week after week. It doesn’t often look like the Good News has caught fire in people’s hearts. It doesn’t look like the reign of God is being built. For all our efforts to preach the Good News, how come it looks like nothing much is changing?

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Your free, at-home Lenten retreat: Exhale
Spirituality Lisa Cressman Spirituality Lisa Cressman

Your free, at-home Lenten retreat: Exhale

We work hard to create an environment so that those we serve enter into a holy and sacred season of fasting, reflection, and prayer. And what about you?

We have created an environment for you with this free, at-home Lenten retreat. It includes quotations, poetry, Lectio Divina, and questions for reflection—with suggestions for three schedules to suit your schedule of ninety minutes, three hours, or six. By the end, you will have exhaled your concerns about what is to come, and be held in the present, liminal moment between breaths: our place of rest within the Holy.

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Cultivating Patience (A Free, At-Home Retreat)
Spirituality Lisa Cressman Spirituality Lisa Cressman

Cultivating Patience (A Free, At-Home Retreat)

However much we wish the the thorn in our sides would just go away, wishing will not bring the desired effect. Moreover, acting out our impatience is only adding thorns to others' sides, increasing their suffering. We could all use more patience—right now. From whence is it to come?

This free, at-home retreat is intended to help

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God grant us serenity
Spirituality Lisa Cressman Spirituality Lisa Cressman

God grant us serenity

The Serenity Prayer brings us into the present; reframes our worries, angst, and stress; right-sizes our power; and returns us to the grace of God that can help us in this moment. 

I offer it this Election Day in the United States as a spiritual practice for preachers this week—and to spark inspiration for preaching this Sunday. 

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Ditch Fear. Seed hope.

Ditch Fear. Seed hope.

Due to the sheer repetition of circling our gaze between nails, soldiers, and oppressor, our fear mushrooms until we believe that death is stronger than God. Jesus himself is always there to remind us of the truth, but there is another figure we can look to as a guide in restoring our faith in God alone: Mary Magdalene.

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