Bonnie Zickgraf
Put God in Everything
(original July 10, 2020) Sometimes my brain and my heart live in grueling and anxious knots. Last night during a small group meeting, I listened for several hours as we talked about racial tensions in this country. I also listened for hours about how guilty we should feel and how wrong we have been and how…
Read MoreThe Need for Christian Community
This week’s offering is a reflection for Community of Faith United Methodist Church, Davenport, Fla. – an analysis of a sermon by Pastor Chris Jones, May 16, 2020 In case you missed it, here are the highlights of the pastor’s message this past weekend as he continued in the series called, “Credo: I Believe”…
Read MoreGod Listens! Parts One and Two
May 2, 2020, revised March 16, 2025 God Listens! Part One “We should never underestimate God. That’s what the disciples were doing in the boat. They underestimated God. ‘Wake up Jesus! We’re all going to die.’ They failed to realize the power of God was in the boat with them. We’re going to face many…
Read MoreBonnie: Are We Worthy?
I used to think ill of the term “we are not worthy” of God’s love. I think I may be getting it- understanding this way of thinking. The part where we were made in God’s image is often thought of in the physical sense. What a wonderful miracle it is. That’s the part we call…
Read MoreForgiveness then Love … or … Love then Forgiveness?
April 10, 2020 (original), revised March 2, 2025, April 16, 2025 Which is a more accurate statement? Forgiveness then Love … or … Love then Forgiveness? Are these words mutually exclusive? Can one word stand on its own without the possibility of the other? Do we forgive the actions or inactions of others first, so…
Read MoreA Visit to the Tomb, an Easter Sermon
Original 3/31/24, revised March 3, 2025 Today’s Easter Scripture is from the gospel of Mark 16:1-8. 16 When the Sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of James and Salome bought spices, so that they might go and anoint him. 2 And very early on the first day of the week, when the sun had risen,…
Read MoreThe King of Kings: A Quick Review
I don’t often go to the movies anymore and I’m surely not a movie critic. But perhaps because I’m a retired pastor or just a curious older lady, I ordered tickets online for Angel Studios’ production of King of Kings. Thinking that spring break was still in session (and that there probably wouldn’t be a…
Read MoreMy First Easter Sunrise Service
penned 4.22.2019, revised March 3, 2025 My twin sister had inscribed “Easter” on a stone two years before her death at sunrise Easter morning 1996. With the church’s permission, I laid the palm-sized stone at the foot of the outside cross for our Easter sunrise service this year, my first experience ever. It was very…
Read MoreDirect Gift from God in Noblesville, Indiana!
(revised Feb. 24, 2025; from July 31, 2019) I visited Noblesville, Indiana, today (July 31, 2019) in anticipation of closing on a home to complete the move north from Florida. I had already purchased a large backlit cross to hang on the wall, but I also wanted to get a new Bible for this new (old)…
Read MoreThe Parable of the Delivery People
Shipt has been delivering my groceries for approximately two years now. It saves a lot of time, especially now since I’m not fond of going to the stores, especially during COVID. I received a text from a young lady “Ameerah” telling me she was starting to shop for my groceries, but she was running a…
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