Dana’s Blog

I have been at this preaching business for over 25 years. I have been ordained only 23 of those years but if you count the many times I preached to my stuffed animals as a child who knows how long I’ve been at this task of preaching the Word?

You might think that after so many years I would have all the answers as well as have all the questions, but this is not true. I am a struggler on the way. I struggle with the big issues of faith and with the little issues of daily living. I struggle because I’m far from having all the answers. That is why I keep on preaching and keep on teaching. As I preach and teach I find that God speaks to me. So when ever you say that the sermon spoke to you … sorry I was speaking to myself, preaching to my own needs, because I’m struggling.

The good news for me is that I don’t think I’m struggling alone. I see so many people struggling with the easy and the hard issues of the faith. I see people with smiles on their faces but questions in their eyes. I feel the desire among so many to become the man or woman the God desires us to become but not knowing how to always get there.
So I preach to myself and to each of you with the love of God flowing in my heart.

Sometimes my sermons may seem sweet, sometimes harsh, sometimes my sermons are challenging and other time affirming. But know these are my words coming from my struggle with the scriptures and the great theologians and others. I give all these words to God and ask that I not waste your time with my own stuff but that I help God speak to you through me in the midst of my struggle. Sometimes we will disagree and I hope many times we will agree but … each time I hope we grow and move through the struggle even if just a little bit.

I thank you if you have ever listened to even one of my sermons. I thank you for being daring enough to sit and listen. I pray that my words covered by the power of the Holy Spirit might have helped you in your struggles. I know they have me at times as well as your words back to me.

Thanks for struggling and allowing this short United Methodist pastor to struggle with you.