It has been said that to cultivate a garden is to walk with God. The frost will be visiting soon, and the flowers are retiring. It is time to cut and pull our friends. They have helped us through the summer with beautiful blooms that reminded us to keep looking up. Do you remember those beautiful yards of yesterday? We never called them lawns, and landscaping was not professional, but…Keep Reading

Had this friend, Marilyn, who I only knew for such a short time. She had breast cancer. From the moment we met, we melded together like only God could plan. She and I were in our 30’s. Each time we saw each other, even if it was only minutes ago, we delighted in, and celebrated seeing each other again. Marilyn would ask me, “Can’t you see these three Angels on…Keep Reading

Finding Joy . . . All of us have seen kids dance around as they find joy in life. What a joyful feeling it gives us just to see this. God wants to enjoy, and to see joy in His Children . . . Us. No matter what our age, condition or situation, He wants to see our joy. He wants to delight in it. We all find joy in…Keep Reading

“And thou child (John the Baptist), shall be called the prophet of the Highest: for you shall go before the face of the Lord to prepare his way: to give knowledge of salvation unto the people by the remission of their sins. Through the tender mercy of our God, whereby the DAYSPRING from on high hath visited us.” Luke 1:76-78 “Dayspring,” I do love the language of the Bible. This…Keep Reading

~ Locks, Bars and Treasure ~ “One day very soon there will be no need for locks and bars. Jesus Christ is going to come back to rule and reign as the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords forever! That’s my hope this morning! That’s what sustains me! That is my future according to God’s Holy Word! Isaiah 45:2-3 I will go before thee, and make the crooked…Keep Reading

Jesus ate with sinners, preferring their company to that of the hypocrites. However, we go astray if we believe that this preference was because he embraced their lifestyle over that of true believers. Jesus fellowshipped with sinners because he had a mission. When Jesus was criticized for eating with sinners, he responded: “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I have not…Keep Reading

“Please tell me your name.” But he said, “Why is it that you ask my name?” And there he blessed him.” Genesis 32:29. “You shall call His name Jesus.” It is unimaginable that a Christian should not joyfully and confidently speak the name of Jesus. We speak the precious name because we love Him, and to be silent is impossible. A blind man sat beside the highway begging when he…Keep Reading

Pastor Will Shewey, Shades of Grace United Methodist Church Link to YouTube Video – James 3:1-12 From Pastor Will Shewey Shades of Grace , a United Methodist Congregation wants you to know there is place for you. You are invited to join us for live services at our storefront house of worship at 313 E Sullivan Street in Kingsport Tennessee , and online by means of Facebook or UTube. We…Keep Reading

“Let it be twilight just a little longer…Don’t turn the light up yet; Twilight’s a time for remembering, twilight’s a time to forget; a decompression chamber where the soul can un-begin, and slowly rise tonight.” -Ruth Bell Graham “The chimes of time ring out the news Another day is through Someone slipped and fell Was that someone you?” I find something very comforting as the shadows of twilight begin to…Keep Reading

“They feast on the abundance of Your house, and You give them drink from Your river of delights.” Psalm 36:8 Grace, like water, flows to the lowest point. We are a success-oriented society that often measures a successful person as one who makes it to the top, and has the most of everything good, and the least of life’s hardships. Life isn’t that way for anyone. The truth is that…Keep Reading

“Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.” James 4:10 I do not know the dynamics of flying a kite, but I do know that it needs a tail to stabilize it. It keeps the bottom pointed down, and the top pointed into the sky. The same is true with living by faith. We too need enough of a burden in daily life to stabilize our living….Keep Reading

“I have a Savior, He’s pleading in glory, A dear, loving Savior, though earth friends be few; And now He is watching in tenderness o’er me; And, oh, that my Savior were your Savior too.” A man had come to his pastor’s office with a drinking problem that was destroying him and his family. He explained how it started and how many times he had tried to stop, but it…Keep Reading