pastor || writer || speaker
In the Sanctuary of Mercy church, in Borja, Spain, a fresco of Jesus entitled Ecce Homo (Behold the Man) has been revered since the Spanish artist, Elías García Martínez, painted it in 1930. While not an artistic landmark or overly valuable, this fresco holds a treasured place within the village and area. Still, everyone could see that the …
Continue reading "Fourth Sunday in Advent: The One Who Restores"
One of the deepest desires of human beings is for justice. We long for our lives and the world to be impartially guided by what is just, right, true, and fair. At our jobs or in our classrooms, in the courtroom or the sports field, we want all people treated well and measured equally against …
Continue reading "Third Sunday in Advent: The One Who Brings Justice"
When my children were young and they scraped a knee or faced some other injury, they would swiftly run to me or Kelly for immediate help to stop the bleeding or put ice on that bump on their head. After the immediate help, though, they would often look for something else: comfort. As we grow, …
Continue reading "Second Sunday in Advent: The One Who Comforts"
One of my uncles loves to research family history. He has traced our family line through many descendants and across generations back to homelands before they immigrated to the United States. We have learned some interesting facts along the way, such as that what we took as my grandmother’s first name was actually her middle …
Continue reading "Joining the Journey of Advent: 2024 Advent Devotional from Eastbrook Church"
When I ran cross country in middle school, one of the basic lessons I learned from my coach was not to spend too much time looking over my shoulder to see where I was in relation to who was behind me. Instead, my coach wanted me to strain forward, pursuing the runners ahead of me. …
Continue reading "Joining the Journey of Advent: 2023 Advent Devotional from Eastbrook Church"
Matthew Erickson 