JoBeth Hawkins, Small Group Leader Proverbs 11:2 “When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom.” Reflection: I love an underdog! The heroine of a Hallmark movie who is about to lose her family business, the “walk-on” player vying to make his college football team roster, the runt of a litter of newborn puppies, and the unhoused child who grows up to be a renowned physician, all tug at my heartstrings. In her book, Hindsight, Dr. Sheryl Recinos describes her early life as a child from a dysfunctional family who is put into foster care, finds herself [...]

Charity Autry, Member since 2008, Families in Faith Sunday School Leader, Starting Point Leader, VBS Chair (Children’s Ministry Council) Proverbs 17:17 (New International Version) 17 A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for a time of adversity. Reflection: Simple, easy, “A friend loves at all times.”  It is easy to say, harder to do. What kind of friend are you?   Are you a true friend that is always present or are you an only “at my convenience friend”?  Being a friend is needed when someone is going through adversity, but you are also called [...]

Karen Limmer, St. Luke’s member for 11 years, Outreach Team member Proverbs 27:6, 9-10, 17 (NIV) 6 Wounds from a friend can be trusted, but an enemy multiplies kisses. 9 Perfume and incense bring joy to the heart, and the pleasantness of a friend springs from their heartfelt advice. 10 Do not forsake your friend or a friend of your family, and do not go to your relative’s house when disaster strikes you— better a neighbor nearby than a relative far away. 17 As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another. Reflection: My favorite verse here is Proverbs [...]

Cindy Donaldson, St. Luke’s member since 2012 Proverbs 30:8-9 (The Voice) Eliminate any hint of worthless and deceitful words from my lips. Do not make me rich or poor, but give me each day what I need; For if I have too much, I might forget You are the one who provides, saying “Who is the Eternal One?” Or if I do not have enough, I might become hungry and turn to stealing and thus dishonor the good name of my God.  Reflection: My grandfather was an Episcopal priest, and his pearls of Christian wisdom come to me in [...]

Brittney Ford, Children’s Council, Children’s Ministries Hospitality Team Lead, VBS Teacher, Member since 2007 Proverbs 31:30 “Charm is deceitful and beauty is vain, but a woman who fears the Lord, she shall be praised.” Reflection: This is NOT a Proverbs 31 lesson. I am not using this space to help you grow into a Christian-culture-approved Proverbs 31 woman. In fact, the core message here doesn’t exclude men. Undoubtedly, this is a chapter of Proverbs that we are familiar with, as dozens of books have been written about this chapter, an entire organized ministry has formed around it and it [...]

Linda Burch, Member 40+ years, Good Will Class Proverbs 20:12, 27 (NKJV) 12  The hearing ear and the seeing eye,       The Lord made them both. 27  The spirit of a man is the lamp of the Lord,       Searching all the inner depths of his heart. Reflection: The sky exploded! Spinning black and white circles filled the air before falling to the pavement in front of my car. Then they vanished! What was wrong with my eyes? An ophthalmologist's appointment revealed the "explosion" occurred when a vitreous detachment created a hole in the macula of my left eye. Surgery could [...]

Tiffanie Villasana  Proverbs 3:5-6 Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.  Reflection: I was so excited to see us talking about the book of Proverbs this month, and I was bound and determined to talk about something super wise from one of my favorite books of the Bible. My initial reaction was to write on discernment.  Then one morning in early December, I got a phone call from a close family member. She had received some bad news—some life-changing [...]

Rachel Fisher, Children’s Ministries Communications Specialist Proverbs 25:16 (NIV) If you find honey, eat just enough—     too much of it, and you will vomit. Reflection: If I could only eat one thing for the rest of my life, I think I would choose popcorn. Its mouth-watering delight is found in the happiest of places: movie theaters, amusement parks, even draped on Christmas trees. Ever since I was a child, my mom and I have made “good popcorn” on our stovetop popper, complete with a handheld crank and decades of grease build-up. Two tablespoons of olive oil and one-third cup [...]