As many of you know, for the past few months I’ve taken a bit of a hiatus from this ministry to focus on my family and my (never-ending) home remodeling project. (Just a tip: don’t buy a fixer upper during a pandemic and don’t plan to remodel it during said pandemic’s aftermath. It’s been an interesting time to say the least). This year two of my children are seniors (one in college and one in high school) and two are freshmen (also one in college and one in high school). So, there’s a lot of nostalgia flowing in the Constant household as I realize that the saying rings true – time passes so quickly. Thus, my goal for this summer was to be intentional about spending time with each of my kids doing the things that they love. Which led me to travel, ride roller coasters, watch late night movies and The Office Superfan episodes, and embrace guiding a teen through driver’s training for the third time. I also got to attend my first Comic Con and my first Taylor Swift concert. Spoiler alert: I am now a fan of both! Spoiler alert #2: I learned a lot at the latter two events. So, as we celebrate the “back-to-school” season (my favorite!) may I present to you, “What I Learned This Summer.”

Every spring as nature awakens from its winter slumber and life bursts forth anew, the church revisits the heart of the gospel message. An old rugged cross. The discovery of an empty tomb. The wonder of a risen Lord. The promise of an eternal kingdom in which all will be made whole.

Ezekiel stood, looking out across a valley filled with bones that stretched as far as he could see. Bones that were brittle. Bleached by the relentless sun and worn down by the ravages of time. Bones which represented the once proud nation of Israel, now seemingly without hope.

Detours can be so disconcerting. And confusing. Especially when they arise in the midst of following our calling. It would be easy for these detours to take us down. To cause us to despair in our frustrated efforts. But, if we listen carefully, sometimes the detours lead to something even better.

The last scene of the book of Exodus describes the magnificent moment when God’s glory descends to rest within the newly completed tabernacle (also called the tent of meeting).

It’s nothing short of miraculous every time God meets someone and ignites the process of transformation. One of my favorite tv shows is The Chosen. In one of the episodes Jesus encounters a demon-plagued Mary Magdalene and heals her, producing a change so radical that a Jewish religious leader seeks out Mary to inquire as to how and by whom she was healed. Mary responds that she is unsure of both.

Under the leadership of Saul, David, and Solomon, Israel became a powerful political entity. A true nation united with a centralized government under the umbrella of a centralized faith in the one true God.

Merriam-Webster defines trust as “assured reliance on the character, ability, strength, or truth of someone or something.” Sadly, in our current times “trust,” based on this definition, seems to be eroding at warp speed.

Who do you say He is? Jesus posed this question to his disciples as they approached the region of Caesarea Philippi, an area known for its pagan worship.