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How can I prepare for Christ? Wednesday, November 30, 2022
by Alyssa Robinson tmumc.org/christmas In the United Methodist Tradition, the season of Advent represents the beginning of the new year in the Christian calendar. It is marked by the fo...
A Psalm of Thanksgiving Wednesday, November 23, 2022
by Alyssa Robinson I love Jonah, Chapter 2. This Psalm of Thanksgiving rests smack in the middle of Jonah’s story. At this point of the story he has been in the belly of a whale for 3...
What is happening in our denomination? Wednesday, November 16, 2022
a letter from Rev. Daniel Humbert In this month of gratitude, I give thanks for you and the ministry of Trietsch Memorial United Methodist Church of which we are all a part. Our mission of ...
How do I cope with grief? Wednesday, November 9, 2022
by Alyssa Robinson My grandmother, Jeannine Johnson, died the day after Thanksgiving in 2020. As she took her last breaths, we were gathered around her as a family praying, singing, and tel...
Is God chasing me? Wednesday, November 2, 2022
by Alyssa Robinson Jonah 1:1-3 Jonah Tries to Run Away from God Now the word of the Lord came to Jonah son of Amittai, saying, “Go at once to Nineveh, that great city, and c...
What if we gave generously? Wednesday, October 26, 2022
by Alyssa Robinson What if we gave generously? This is a big question that I think about often. What if everyone in the world who claimed to follow the teachings of Jesus gave generously? W...
Does God care about money? Wednesday, October 19, 2022
by Alyssa Robinson I have trust issues. My default setting is to assume that someone is trying to take advantage of me or manipulate me in some way. My guard is always up. Don’t worry...
What is my spiritual gift? Wednesday, October 12, 2022
by Alyssa Robinson I love personality tests and self-discovery books. Myers Briggs, Strengths Finder, Enneagram…I just can't help myself. I feel like I always learn something new abo...
Where is God? Wednesday, October 5, 2022
by Alyssa Robinson John 20:11-18 (NLT) Mary was standing outside the tomb crying, and as she wept, she stooped and looked in. She saw two white-robed angels, one sitting at the head and...
How do I start spiritual practices? Wednesday, September 28, 2022
by Alyssa Robinson When I start something new, I go a little too hard. If I’m going to start a new exercise routine, I buy all the gear and create an unsustainable workout plan. Whe...
What does the Bible say about prayer? Wednesday, September 21, 2022
by Alyssa Robinson Prayer is a mystery to me. Sometimes it comes so naturally that I feel like I’m in a constant state of prayer, and other times it just feels rote. One thing I wi...
How do I breathe in God? Wednesday, September 14, 2022
by Alyssa Robinson Have you ever had the wind knocked out of you? It can be a terrifying experience. The first time it happened to me I was 8 years old. As I was swinging across the monkey...
What habits do I need to stop? Wednesday, September 7, 2022
by Alyssa Robinson In this week’s YouVersion Reading Plan , Day 1 introduces us to the idea of spiritual practices as a form of training. Just like an athlete or musician trains to be...
Why can't I rest? Wednesday, August 31, 2022
by Alyssa Robinson There is a room in my house that has no modern technology in it except for a record player. I sit and look out the window in my leather chair, with my feet propped u...
How am I broken? Wednesday, August 24, 2022
by Alyssa Robinson In Rev. Doug Meyer’s message on Sunday, he said that the first step to healing the brokenness in others is to recognize how we are broken. I’ve been meditating ...

Wednesday, April 13, 2022

God Restores The Broken

Rev. Karen Chraska shares her thoughts on God's restoration. God heals brokenness. Come celebrate the ultimate restoration with us this week for Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and Easter . May all who feel broken be healed! I am extremely fortunate that I have enjoyed good health throughout my life. The things that have caused me physical pain make me so grateful that typically I live in comfort. Just this week I had a root canal. Ugh. Unfortunately, not my first one. On... Read More

at Wednesday, April 13, 2022

Wednesday, April 6, 2022

Restorative Time Alone

Denise Robinson shares her realization that restoration doesn't have to be work; it can simply be a time of rest: 2020 and 2021 were especially tough for me. I know what you’re thinking…wasn’t it tough for everyone? Yes, of course. I experienced emotions and feelings that I had never experienced before. It was a time of extreme pressure, extreme loss and then extreme burnout. I have experienced times in my life where I was so exhausted that I needed to take... Read More

at Wednesday, April 6, 2022

Monday, April 4, 2022

Stripping Your Paint

Rev. Doug Meyer thinks about his personal restoration compared to restoring furniture: A number of years ago I decided to tackle restoring an old piece of furniture. It was your basic 100 year old chest of drawers. It was nothing fancy: a heavy oak dresser, 4 drawers, straight clean lines, covered with multiple layers of paint. How hard could it be? After a waltz around the paint aisles at Home Depot, I came upon the recommended toxic chemical used for stripping furniture. The... Read More

at Monday, April 4, 2022