The Pastor's Corner

November 2025

But I call this to mind, and therefore I have hope. The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. (Lamentations 3:21-23)

It is hard to believe that the year is almost over. Thanksgiving Day is fast approaching. Some of us are excited and eager for the activities and celebration of the holiday season. Some of us are dreading this time of year – being separated from loved ones, financial strains, increased stress, and uncomfortable family dynamics. Thanksgiving and Christmas are intended to be a time of fellowship, celebrating, and remembering. It can be difficult to celebrate and be thankful when you are hurting.

There have been a lot of changes at Providence this year. Some changes are welcomed and celebrated – the birth of babies, new friends, and new relationships. Some changes have been less than joyful – friends moving away, health concerns, and the death of loved ones.

As we enter this holiday season, my prayer is that we will remember that even though our world is constantly changing, our God never changes. God is steadfast and faithful. God never gets tired or distracted. Whether we are rejoicing or mourning, God is always ready and available to hear us when we pray. When we don’t know how or what to pray, we can be assured that God knows what we need.

The Apostle Paul was convinced – he was absolutely certain – that nothing, not one thing, could separate us from God’s love. Why was he so certain? Paul personally experienced the steadfast, unconditional love of God. God’s love transformed Paul from a zealous enemy of the Church into a devoted evangelist.

Nothing in all creation can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus (Romans 8:39)

God is closer to us than anything or anyone. Jesus explained the inseparable love of God this way: “The kingdom of heaven is like yeast that a woman took and mixed in with three measures of flour until all of it was leavened.” Matthew 13:33. If you know anything about baking, then you know when you add a leavening agent such as yeast to flour, it is impossible to remove it. Once you put it in, you cannot take it out. In time, that leavening agent will transform the flour mixture and it will rise.

I asked my friend Danny Berley to help me with another analogy for this. He told me about mixing paint at the hardware store. When you add the colors in, you cannot separate them out. The mixture in the can is now forever changed, transformed into another color.

God’s love is like that leavening agent mixed with the flour and like the colored dye mixed into the paint. You cannot separate yourself from God’s love. Nothing can separate you from God’s love.

Rev. Teresa Reed