Weekly Christian Devotions from Bethany
Here you'll find weekly devotions Bethany writes, mostly following the lectionary. Sometimes the Holy Spirit leads in her in a different way and she's always ready to listen!
Bethany received her Master's of Divinity from Candler School of Theology at Emory University in Atlanta, GA. She has served in full time ministry since 2010 and is an ordained Elder in the United Methodist Church.
In every life, there are multiple beginnings and multiple endings. One of the keys to living a good…
They say that pastors only have one sermon they give throughout their life. Sure, we write…
At a recent conference, I was invited to do something I've never really thought about before -…
In our scripture reading from Proverbs today, Wisdom starts by calling out, by pleading, for…
Theologian Frederick Buechner once referred to the Holy Spirit as the "shy member" of the Trinity.…
In today’s scripture passage we continue in John’s story of the Farewell Discourse of Jesus. It is…
I want to focus here on one little phrase Jesus says about the Holy Spirit - that it will teach you…
If I had to choose one piece of scripture that encapsulates my Christian faith, well, it would be…
Over Easter weekend this year, I learned that a strong Christian progressive voice, author Rachel…
The last time Peter was asked three times how he felt about Jesus was the night of Jesus' trial…
So often when we read this story (almost always the week after Easter) we focus on the second half…
As a pastor, I spend a lot of time reading devotions and sermons written by others, for inspiration…
And just like that, all of a sudden, Holy Week is upon us. This is my first year in nine years that…
In this passage from the letter to the Philippians, Paul sure knows how to state his qualifications…
Ah, the story of the prodigal son. A story that is well- known by most Christians and yet one that…
Every week in the lectionary we are given readings from the Old Testament, the Gospels, the…
Since today just happens to be St. Patrick's Day, I thought it would be fun to look at St. Patrick…
Today is the first Sunday in Lent, a season of the church in which we prepare for Easter.…
Today is what is known as "Transfiguration Sunday" in many churches. It is based on this passage in…
Today is an especially poignant day for those within the United Methodist Church. Yesterday was the…
At first blush, this sermon Jesus gives in the Gospel of Luke sounds very similar to the famous…
When Jesus encounters these fishermen on the shore of the lake, they must be exhausted. They are…
I once met a pastor who said he had to hold back rolling his eyes every time a couple wanted to use…
In this scripture, Paul writes that “if one member suffers, all suffer together with it; if one…
Whenever I read this story about Jesus’ first miracle, I always get a little second-hand anxiety. I…
A few years ago I was getting ready to preach on this passage when I received a call from a…
Every year we read this passage just after Christmas, and each year I am struck by something…
The week between Christmas and New Year's is perhaps my favorite week of the year. It's an odd week…
At this point in the Gospel of Luke, Mary knows that she is pregnant with a special child, but no…
Today is the third Sunday of Advent, also known as Gaudete Sunday. "Gaudete" is the Latin word for…
Today marks the second Sunday in Advent - a time of waiting, preparation, and seeking the light in…
Today marks the first Sunday in Advent - a time of waiting, preparation, and seeking the light in…
"The only thing constant in life is change." The older I get, the more I realize the truth of this…
This passage in Hebrews compares the sacrifices the temple priests used to make (literal sacrifices…
On the surface, this story appears to be an admonishment of our generosity. See those who give so…
If you've known me for than five minutes, then you probably know that my favorite holiday is…
Bartimaeus son of Timaeus was blind in a time and place where it was exceedingly hard to be blind.…
There are many times throughout scripture that Jesus takes our expectations of what the kingdom…
This is a tough passage; it feels scolding, convicting, and like Jesus is commanding something…
In this passage Jesus tells us that 'whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child…