Posts by Michele Crater

DAILY READING Isaiah 40:28-31 FIELD NOTES We generally associate January 1st with new beginnings. However, in the life of the church, the season of Advent is actually the beginning of a new year. The year does not start with Christmas, with new birth and celebration. Instead, we are meant to wait.  Waiting and patience are crucial…

DAILY READING Malachi 3:1-4 FIELD NOTES The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines “foreshadowing” as: “an indication of what is to come.” In this section of Malachi, we see another example of God speaking through the prophets to guide His people. The prophets foretell of disasters and calamities as a warning to a misguided people, however, they also…

DAILY READING Romans 8:22-25 FIELD NOTES Whenever I get impatient or frustrated in life, I am usually met with the well-known adage “patience is a virtue.” To be honest, this does not help me very much and often adds to my growing frustration. However, celebrating Advent calls on us to prepare for the Incarnation, or…

DAILY READING Luke 1:26-38 FIELD NOTES One of the things that I love about ministry is hearing various faith testimonies from the congregation. Every single one of us has a story about how God has called us to action in some way, and the leap of faith that it takes us to answer that call.…

DAILY READING Matthew 18:1-5 FIELD NOTES I have always loved poinsettia flowers, but I never knew why they were associated with Christmas and the season of Advent. Some decorate with poinsettias out of tradition or because the shape of the flower is thought to symbolize the Star of Bethlehem, but an old Mexican legend might…

DAILY READING John 1:14 FIELD NOTES Listen to this 1965 recording of Paul Harvey’s Christmas classic story titled “The Man and the Birds” Sometimes it is hard to follow God. We want something to hold on to, something we can see, something we can touch. God understands our human need to see and feel. Out…

DAILY READING Psalm 147:12-20 FIELD NOTES I lived in Albuquerque, NM, when I was a child and one of my favorite things about the month of December was that you could see luminaria everywhere. Luminaria are paper bags filled with sand, with a lit candle placed inside, making a lantern that glows in the night.…

DAILY READING Mark 12:41–44 FIELD NOTES A friend of mine recently shared a story with me about an experience he had with ministry based in a correctional facility. One of the units he visits is a protective custody unit for inmates who are trying to leave gang life. The Christians in the unit decided to…