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Articles by Brenda Lee
From the Pulpit: A new chapter in ministry
Brenda Lee is director of pastoral services at Great Plains Health in North Platte. kAmx? pF8FDE[ x 3682? E@ 7F=7:== 2 BF6DE E92E 3682? 7:G6 J62CD 28@i r@>3:?:?8 BF2=:EJ DA:C:EF2= 42C6 7C@> 492A=2:?4J H:E9 E96 AC@G6? 36?67:ED @7 2?:>2=\2DD:DE65 E96C2AJ :?E@ 2 D6CG:46 7@C @FC A2E:6?ED 2?5 @E96CD H9@ 2C6 G:D:E:?8 @FC 9@DA:E2=]k^Am kAm%96 E96D:D H2D D:>A=6i r@>3:?:?8 E96D6 EH@ E96C2A:6D H@F=5 :?4C62D6 A6246 2?5 564C62D6 A2:?
From the Pulpit: A perspective on faith and AI
Brenda Lee is director of pastoral services at Great Plains Health in North Platte. kAmpCE:7:4:2= x?E6==:86?46 92D 364@>6 @?6 @7 E96 >@DE 5:D4FDD65 E@A:4D @7 @FC E:>6] px C676CD E@ 4@>AFE6C DJDE6>D E92E 2C6 56D:8?65 E@ A6C7@C> E2D<D E92E 925 EJA:42==J C6BF:C65 9F>2? :?E6==:86?46] %9:?8D =:<6 =62C?:?8[ C62D@?:?8 2?5 AC@3=6>\D@=G:?8]k^Am kAm|2?J E649 6IA6CED E6== FD E92E H6 2C6 @? E96 6586 @7 E96 ?6IE 8C62E C6G@=FE:@? H9:49 H:== 492?86 9@H H6 =:G6 ?@H 2?5 6G6? >@C6 :?
From the Pulpit: Let freedom ring on America’s 250th
Brenda Lee is director of pastoral services at Great Plains Health in North Platte. I need to be totally open and honest and admit that I love being an American, and the rights and freedoms that we enjoy, especially the freedom of speech and the right to assemble. Both are essential for Christians to share our faith and to worship together, anywhere and everywhere. I do want to clarify a misconception that being American makes one a Christian which is not scriptural.
From the Pulpit: Who is my neighbor? Seeing others through the eyes of Jesus
Brenda Lee is director of pastoral services at Great Plains Health in North Platte. kAmk6>m“%62496C[ H9:49 :D E96 >@DE :>A@CE2?E 4@>>2?5>6?E :? E96 =2H @7 |@D6Dn”k^6>mk^Am kAmk6>my6DFD C6A=:65[ “‘*@F >FDE =@G6 E96 {@C5 J@FC v@5 H:E9 2== J@FC 962CE[ 2== J@FC D@F=[ 2?5 2== J@FC >:?5]’ %9:D :D E96 7:CDE 2?5 8C62E6DE 4@>>2?5>6?E] p D64@?5 :D 6BF2==J :>A@CE2?Ei {@G6 J@FC ?6:893@C 2D J@FCD6=7]’ %96 6?E:C6 =2H 2?5 2== E96 56>2?5D @7 E96 AC@A96ED 2C6 32D65 @?
From the Pulpit: The power of reconciliation and forgiveness
“The Lord said to me at that time, ‘Cut two stone tablets like the first ones and come to me on the mountain and make a wooden ark. I will write on the tablets the words that were on the first tablets you broke, and you are to place them in the ark.’" kAmkDEC@?8m— s6FE6C@?@>J `_i`\a r$qk^DEC@?8mk^Am kAm(6 9F?86C 7@C 7@C8:G6?6DD[ 7@C C6?6H2= :? @FC C6=2E:@?D9:AD H:E9 @FCD6=G6D[ @E96CD 2?5 v@5] xE D66>D E92E @? 2?J 8:G6? 52J E9:D >2J 36 2 E@A:4 @7 4@?G6CD2E:@? 2D x >2<6 C@F?5D :?
From the Pulpit: Finding a purpose through pain
My beautiful 14-month-old granddaughter started getting a fever over a week ago. Everyone gets concerned immediately because she also lost some of her appetite and started getting tired but could not rest. kAmpD :E EFC?65 @FE D96 H2D ?@E :==[ D96 H2D 368:??:?8 E@ 4FE 96C >@=2CD] %96D6 E66E9 H6C6 42FD:?8 A2:? 2?5 5:D4@>7@CE]k^Am kAms:5 H6 H2?E E@ E2<6 2H2J E92E A2:?n *6D[ @7 4@FCD6[ >J 52F89E6C\:?\=2H 2?5 D@?
From the Pulpit: To listen to God is to love
“Listen, Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength. These words that I am giving you today are to be in your heart.” kAmkDEC@?8m— s6FE6C@?@>J eic\e r$qk^DEC@?8mk^Am kAm%9:D A2DD286 @7 D4C:AEFC6 :D FDF2==J C676CC65 E@ 2D[ “%96 $96>2[” 3642FD6 E96 6>A92D:D :D FA@? E96 7:CDE H@C5[ D9’>2] x?
From the Pulpit: Life can be bad, but God is good
There may be times when we think we have it bad. Maybe we do have it hard, looking at ourselves or looking in the moment, we may not see the entire picture and we cannot compare our hardships with those of another. Maybe a time of difficulty is really a time to grow closer to God so that He can prepare you for something even bigger. kAmk6>m$@ 3642FD6 E96 xDC26=:E6D’ 4CJ 7@C 96=A 92D 4@>6 E@ >6[ 2?5 x 92G6 2=D@ D66?
From the Pulpit: Waiting for Jesus with hope
Christmas Hope kAmk6>mp== C:89E E96?[ E96 {@C5 9:>D6=7 H:== 8:G6 J@F E96 D:8?] {@@<P %96 G:C8:? H:== 4@?46:G6 2 49:=5P $96 H:== 8:G6 3:CE9 E@ 2 D@? 2?5 H:== 42== 9:> x>>2?F6= WH9:49 >62?D ‘v@5 :D H:E9 FD’X]k^6>m kDEC@?8m— xD2:29 fi`ck^DEC@?8mk^Am kAm%@52J 24EF2==J 4@>A=6E6D E96 7:CDE H66< @7 p5G6?E] x E9:?< E92E x D92C65 =2DE J62C E92E x 5:5 ?@E 8C@H FA H:E9 2? p5G6?E EC25:E:@? 3FE H2D :?EC@5F465 E@ E96 46=63C2E:@?
From the Pulpit: Facets of Suffering, Part 4 - Steps about suffering from Peter
We have come to our fourth and final look at suffering in our lives. I have shared about what suffering is not, and what it can look like, that sometimes we don’t know why we go through what we go through in life, and that suffering does not mean that we are being punished by God. kAm%@52J[ H6 H:== 282:? =@@< 2E ` !6E6C 2?5 6I2>:?6 E96 DE6AD H6 42? =62C?
From the Pulpit: Facets of Suffering, Part 3 - Sometimes suffering isn't punishment
Over the last couple of months, we have explored different aspects of suffering that we experience in our lives. First, we examined the courage that is required when we face suffering by reading 1 Peter 4 and 5. The courage to not be surprised by suffering and to not be fearful but to be humble. Last month was also from 1 Peter with the emphasis upon being courageous enough to say that we don’t know the “why” in the suffering. This involves surrender and trust in God.
From the Pulpit: Facets of Suffering, Part 2-Saying “I Don’t Know”
Last month I began to write about suffering and knew right away that this topic would take a little bit of our time. This is the second in an entire series which will explore suffering. We read last time that suffering is not a momentary inconvenience, but experiences which are much more inherent. My perspective comes many times from the medical perspective of suffering because my ministry is in a hospital setting.
From the Pulpit: Facets of suffering - a prayer
A long walk in a hospital can be a reflective, and sometimes sobering, journey. The term suffering may be a misused word in our everyday experiences, but this travel in this hallway can be a true embrace of what is means to suffer in this life.
From the Pulpit: God is a good father, even when people let us down
The question of God as our heavenly Father comes up when I teach and use that reference because so many people have poor mental images of what a father is, or even if a person had a supportive dad, can still have questions. What is/was your father like? Maybe your father played ball with you every Saturday growing up. Perhaps he protected you from bullies and told you he was proud of you. Maybe your father hurt you.
From the Pulpit: Pliable in the packed ground
My grandson Henry and I were trying to plant some bare roots for a future harvest of raspberries and blackberries a couple of weeks ago, before there had been any rain. We soon discovered that the ground was incredibly hard and packed because of the lack of moisture. We had to water the ground to plant the roots and continue to water them to give them a chance of growth. With patience and persistence, we should have some berries in a couple of years.
From the Pulpit: Wings or feet?
Given the choice would we want to soar like eagles or walk a long dusty road? This question may seem silly at face value, but it can tell us a lot about how we live and how we follow our Lord and Savior. I have been teaching from one of my favorite books of the Bible, Isaiah, recently as we approach Easter with reverence and with great celebration. During this time, I was researching a famous and often quoted passage, which is Isaiah 40:28-31 (Christian Standard Bible). Do you not know?
From the Pulpit: Stop gaining and start following
From that time on Jesus began to explain to his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things at the hands of the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life. Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. “Never, Lord!” he said.
From the Pulpit: When life seems tough, wait for the seventh stanza
Life is full of painful events. Has this year been difficult? For some, even many, the answer might be a resounding, “Yes!” Maybe you have lost a loved one, a job, a dream, had a challenging diagnosis, or things just haven’t gone the way you want? Maybe you are ready to slam the door on 2024 in hope that 2025 will be better? I want to reassure you that you are not alone.
From the Pulpit: The promise of presence
Do not fear, for I am with you; do not be afraid, for I am with you, do not be afraid, for I am your God. I will strengthen you; I will help you; I will hold on to you with my righteous right hand. — Isaiah 41:10 CSB I have been contemplating presence and the promise of God’s presence in our lives. Jesus, himself, even promised to always be with us before his ascension into heaven (Matthew 28:20).
From the Pulpit: A perspective on thankfulness (even when your life is crumbling)
Give thanks in everything; for this is God’s will for you in Christ. — 1 Thessalonians 5:18 CSB. With Thanksgiving here, we think about gratitude. We might go around the table and say something that we are thankful for this year. There is nothing wrong about this practice, in fact it can be very beneficial by getting everyone in the family to participate, but what about the rest of the year? What about the difficult times that we have found ourselves experiencing?
From the Pulpit: Treasure in fragile clay jars
In 1947, one of the greatest archaeological discoveries of the last century was found. The Dead Sea Scrolls were found in a series of caves by Bedouin shepherds, according to the legend, and archaeologists. They are fragments of 31 different scrolls with parts of Genesis, Leviticus, Deuteronomy, 1 Kings, Psalms, Daniel and Isaiah. A Jewish sect, the Essenes, probably hid them there, just before Jesus was born and after the Roman rampage of Jerusalem, to keep them safe.
From the Pulpit: Distractions and noise
Isaiah describes buds and flowers and singing and clapping tress, and people in the middle of this glorious procession filled with peace and joy (Isaiah 55). We think to ourselves, “How wonderful that would be.” Just like a fairytale ending to a favorite movie. Then we sigh as real life comes rushing in like a tsunami. We get distracted from the things of God by things and situations around us. Who could blame us? It’s a noisy world, demanding our time and attention.
From the Pulpit: Feeling stuck
The patient had received bad news. I don’t know whether he asked for a chaplain or a nurse had offered to call one. It didn’t matter much how I got here, what mattered was that I was there. I have sat with people, more than one person, who has been informed that they will need to make major changes in their lives. One has been told that he has a heart condition, and he need to remove certain stressors from his life.
From the Pulpit: God has chosen you
We know, dear brothers and sisters, that God loves you and has chosen you to be his own people. — 1 Thessalonians 1:4 Relationships with others can be interesting, some easier and others more difficult. When we meet someone for the first time, we might be concerned about what others think of us, whether or not we will be accepted or rejected. This causes tentative living. Always worried that someone could get upset, or a situation could blow up.
From the Pulpit: Growling at thunder
Last week during one of our overnight storms, I was awakened like many by a very loud clap of thunder which literally seemed to shake our house. Needless to say, it woke up both of our dogs. Ajax began to shake because it triggered his PTSD from his former life on the streets of Amarillo, Texas, but the funny reaction was from Algea.
Annice Gay "Ann" Wood, Age 62 Demorest
Annice Gay “Ann” Wood, age 62, of Demorest, Georgia entered rest on Saturday, April 6, 2024. Ms. Wood was born on September 23, 1961, in Habersham County, Georgia to the late Herman Wood and Eunice Coalley Wood. Ann dedicated much of her life to helping others and spreading love in her community. She began her journey of service working as a caregiver to the elderly as well as assisting at care facilities, where she touched the lives of many with her kindness and generosity.
From the Pulpit: A season of hope
I had a conversation with the family member of a patient who once asked me, “How do I tell others in my family that even though our loved one is dying at Easter, we do not need to be sad every Easter season?” I sat for a moment before speaking, wanting to say the right words. I answered with a story. On my first Easter Sunday as a very new chaplain, I was called to a room where one of our patients had just died.
From the Pulpit: Do I trust God?
I had my first bout with COVID-19 recently. I was able to avoid it until now, but this time I did not escape. During my days at home, as I sat on our sectional, my dog, Algea, would spend her time next to me. She was quite content to curl up with her head tucked on her deformed front paws or on my leg. She would look up occasionally and just release a deep, happy sigh. She did not care about what had transpired to give us this time, she was just very content to be together.
From the Pulpit: Fear does not need to be scary
We know when the calendar turns to October, not because we will probably experience our first frost and then freeze, but with movie theaters and TV filled with horror movies and stories of unexplained phenomena. The entire purpose of these is to make us fearful and unsettled. As you might guess, this is not my favorite part of the autumn season, because I love pumpkin spice coffee and the sound of crunchy leaves under my feet on a cool morning walk. But people of faith experience fear.
From the Pulpit: 'Great' team work
In August, I wrote about doing a “great” work using the story of Nehemiah. It focused upon the mission which God gives us as followers even if there are dangers and threats along the way. The emphasis was upon Nehemiah’s faith and tenacity. But what his leadership? He didn’t build the wall alone, the mission of bringing security and dignity back to the people of God with the rebuilt wall took many people agreeing to work together.
From the pulpit: Learning to pray
Many people tell me that they want to learn how to pray. I don’t usually rehearse any given prayer and no two prayers are identical, I just talk to God. Some of these same people who tell me they want to pray but have difficulty may have a misunderstanding about prayer. There are people with different motivations, so the question may be why people want to learn to pray.
the gift of legacy
Gift this article Share this article paywall-free. Faith shows the reality of what we hope for; it is the evidence of things we cannot see. Through their faith, the people in days of old earned a good reputation...Although Abel is long dead, he still speaks to us by his example of faith. - Hebrews 11:1-2, 4b NLT Several years ago after enumerating the renowned of the Greek philosopher Aristotle, a political science professor said this, "Aristotle was born.
From the Pulpit: Just breathe
The Theodore Shafer House built in the early 1900s in Kansas City, Kansas has history written all over it
From the Pulpit: Just breathe Original
I came through the door of my office with the intention of putting my clipboard on my desk and then proceeding five minutes late to a meeting that I had promised to attend. The day hadn't been any more chaotic for us than normal, though some of the situations recorded on my clipboard indicated that I had walked through some very uncertain and difficult times with the people involved in those situations that day.
The power of touch
Of all the senses most people say they want more is usually sight or hearing. Both are very important to our everyday lives. Smell and taste work together, so that we can enjoy a wonderful dinner. But why is touch important? It is a sense that is taken for granted until we try to pick up a delicate or intricate object during the winter with gloves or mittens on our hands.
What if the reason is a conversation?
Then Jesus went from Galilee to the Jordan River to be baptized by John. But John tried to talk Him out of it. "I am the one who needs to be baptized by you," He said, "so why are you coming to me?" But Jesus said, "It should be done, for we must carry out all that God requires. So John agreed to baptize Him. After His baptism, as Jesus came up out of the water, the heavens were opened and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and settling on Him.
From the Pulpit: The food dish of trust
Column: Others see Christ followers' beautiful transformation There are so many beautiful transformations in life. I think about winter as she changes to spring; or summer as she phases into autumn with her breathtaking color. I’m reminded of the caterpillar as he transforms from worm to butterfly. How about you and me? Are we being beautifully transformed? We are if we’re in Christ Jesus. Second Corinthians reminds all of us, with unveiled faces, that we should behold the Lord’s glory as in a mirror.
The food dish of trust
"Then, turning to his disciples, Jesus said, "That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life-whether you have enough food to eat or enough clothes to wear. For life is more than food, and your body more than clothing. Look at the ravens. They don't plant or harvest or store food in barns, for God feeds them.
What if we get it backward?
How many of you are like me? Your day is going along pretty well and something small happens - maybe it is a hangnail on your pinky toenail or a paper cut on your index finger. Then all of your focus is directed toward a part of the body which normally you would never even think about. In my world, I encounter people with more complex physical issues every day. Maybe that pain in the arm is diagnosed as a heart attack or the upset stomach is a blockage in an intestine.
From the pulpit: May 14
Editor's note: Area ministers who would like to be part of this feature can contact Joan von Kampen at 308-535-4707 or joan.vonkampen@nptelegraph.com. Submissions may be edited for length or to conform to newspaper style. Run to win: Even when we don't feel like it! Don't you realize that in a race everyone runs, but only one person gets the prize? So run to win! I will admit I love sports, but even so I had not set a reminder to watch the Kentucky Derby last weekend.
Caregivers Request
Do not ask me to take your counsel or advice as well intentioned as it may be There is so much I am experiencing that you can’t know or see My husband, as I have known him, is vanishing before my eyes His daily needs for help keep growing in spite of how hard he tries I spend my days looking for things he’s lost like clothing and glasses and the past we share And wonder where we go from here and what we will do when we get there Can anyone really know how hard I try to be a caregiver and a...
Lesley Gore - You Don't Own Me Songtext
Original Übersetzung You Don't Own Me Songtext You don′t own me I'm not just one of your many toys You don′t own me Don't say I can't go with other boys And don′t tell me what to do Don′t tell me what to say And please, when I go out with you Don't put me on display ′cause You don't own me Don′t try to change me in any way You don't own me Don′t tie me down 'cause I'd never stay I don′t tell you what to say I don′t tell you what to do So just let me be myself That's all I ask of you I′m...
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