Have you ever watched someone you love lift off in a hot air balloon or seen the space shuttle blast off to outer space? You will find yourself watching it drift out of sight. Jesus said, “‘You will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in […]
Author Archives: paulrpurdue
In the year my Aunt Margarette died, and then my father, I began accompanying mother to Camp Nelson, Frankfort, Willisburg, and Rockbridge cemeteries. We cut lilacs, lilies, and Black-eyed Susans from her yard and placed them in coffee cans wrapped in aluminum foil. When mom moved into our home in Tennessee, we cut wildflowers from […]
As a college sophomore, I spent the summer as Southern Baptist Summer Missionary, in Minnesota trying to convert the Lutherans. We mostly worked with refugees from Vietnam and Laos, but we spent two weeks going door to door, knocking on doors in a small Wisconsin town, whose name escapes me. We worked with Pastor What’s-His-Name, […]
Risking frosts Stems ascend Lifting green ovules towards Heaven unfurling yellow, pink and purple prayer banners to dance in praise amid breeze and rain Who builds believing only buttercups will remain? Who erects fences knowing long after cedar posts collapse into the dust and barbed wires slowly rust that […]
The weight of Holy week bears down on Jesus- feet washing, bread breaking, Peter boasting, Gethsemane praying, disciples sleeping, Judas betraying, Peter denying, everyone scattering, mothers weeping, preachers lying, bishops whispering, governors conspiring, crowds mocking, thorns piercing, soldiers crucifying, sky darkening, sunshine hiding, earth quaking, love bleeding, hope dying. “Now my soul is troubled, what […]
“For God so loved the world!” What a beautiful image. Imagine, the Creator delighting in us, like a mother holding her new child. God loves us- sinners, prodigals, and misfits. “For God so loved the world that God gave..” What does Love do? Love gives. The Creator gives love, life, breath, thought, sunsets, […]
Jesus came to Nashville announcing God’s Good News: “The time is now! God’s kingdom is coming. Change your hearts and lives, and trust the Good News!” Is our world in need of Good News? Now is the time for faith, hope, and love. Now is the time to temper our speech, soften our hearts […]
About a week ago, Heather and I were talking about an upcoming preaching symposium and finding our confidence while preaching. I jumped up and pulled out a book I bought 25 years ago in college. It’s pages are yellowed and heavily highlighted. It’s spine cracked by use. It reshaped my life, electrifying my soul with […]
As we traveled to visit family over the holidays, we drove past a church camp I went to for several summers. Connie asked about the camp and as I reflected on my experiences, I realized part of my journey away from biblical literalism began as a college intern at camp. Everyone is on a journey. […]
Uncle Clellon was a bit of an oddball for example as a lifelong bachelor farmer, he ran irrigation pipes to dry fields, but never saw the need to pipe running water into the house. Sill, every Christmas Eve, the Purdues, Sanders, Simms, Scotts, Greys, Harolds, and Hendrix families gathered in a five room home. The […]
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