Long before I became a student at Appalachian Bible College in Beckley, West Virginia, my family would frequently head out to campus for long weekends to visit some close friends. (Consequently, those close friends are now family, but that is a different story for a different time.) My friends lived on the campus of ABC in townhouses for married students and their families. There was a small army...
“If everyone else jumped off of a bridge, would you do it too?” This is the quintessential question asked when one has or is preparing to do something of questionable wisdom. I certainly remember being asked said query my fair share of times throughout my life. While I am well aware that the question is meant to be rhetorical with the assumed correct answer being a resounding “NO,” I often found...
On my bed is a red flannel blanket that I have owned since I was about three or four years old. It was given to me by my mother when one fateful morning I decided I no longer needed my baby blanket, or rather the scant rags that remained of said blanket. I vividly remember walking to the dumpster outside of our apartment complex and throwing my beloved blanket away. I also remember losing my mind...
We all know someone who is both painfully and perpetually positive. I have certainly known my fair share in my lifetime. These people aren’t just simple-minded optimists. It takes an incredibly strong mind and a truly determined spirit to not only find the silver lining in a sky filled with storm clouds, but to bathe in the warm glow of the light it provides. It strikes we “normal” people as...
The baby of the Myers household is our golden doodle, Evie. She is an extremely gentle and affectionate dog. She believes herself to be a petite little princess. She is, however, a 90-plus pound mini-horse of a dog. As big as she is there is no way to miss her when she walks into a room. Her size alone makes her difficult to ignore, but when she walks she sort of shuffles her paws, which makes a...
Each year, I heft all of our boxes of lights down from our attic like a Himalayan Sherpa, minus their skill, strength, and style. Once the boxes and my person are safely on the ground, I begin the time honored tradition of checking the lights. Over the years, I have been exceptionally lucky when it comes to our Christmas lights. Occasionally, I will discover a bulb or two that has burned out, but...
One of my oldest and dearest friends, Pastor Mike Miller, recently reached out to ask me to offer some insights into an article he was writing for his church newsletter. As I read what he had written, I found myself both convicted and encouraged. His words cut through the mess of our current crisis and through the mess we often make of this time of year and point us to the true heart of Christmas...
The Christmas season inspires a great many feelings in each of our hearts. For the vast majority of us, fear is not one of them. It is of particular interest, then, that in several portions of the Christmas narrative angels are issuing the encouragement, “Do not be afraid.” As a matter of fact, almost every time an angel appears in the Christmas story, this is part of their message. This comes as...
“If you can’t say something nice, don’t say nothing at all.” I have the utmost confidence that all of us have either heard or uttered some variation of this phrase at some point in our lives. While the grammatical integrity of the statement is suspect, the personal integrity it encourages is above reproach. Generally, when the phrase is utilized in conversation it will be directly preceded by “My...
I am a coffee lover. I enjoy everything about it. I love the way it smells, the way it tastes, the way it keeps me from doing harm to other humans throughout the day. You know, the little things. I also very much enjoy the brewing process itself. I don’t brew my coffee in the same way most people do. I don’t even own a properly functioning coffee maker. I have a vast collection of brewing devices...
Jeremy Myers is the Lead Pastor of First Baptist Church of Seymour, Indiana, where he has served since 2017. He has over 25 years of experience in local church ministry and not-for-profit leadership. He has a passion for helping emerging and existing generations learn to make space for each other and caring for the under-served and marginalized. In 2016, he earned his Doctor of Ministry degree from Palmer Theological Seminary, with his thesis focusing on developing connections between senior adults and youth in the church. He is a passionate and gifted communicator and is regularly invited to speak at retreats, camps, conferences, and other events. He lives in Seymour, Indiana with his wife Robyn, their two children, Mikayla and JJ, and their Golden Doodle, Evie.
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