The Gifts That Come Wrapped in Darkness

This is the time of the year when, in the northern hemisphere, the creep of darkness takes more and more of the light of day away from us. We are enculturated to fear the darkness; it’s the place where the bogeymen live and where things go bump in the night. The natural world tells us that darkness is not to be feared; it is an essential part of the cycle of life. The explosion of life in the spring would not be possible without the dormancy and darkness of winter. In this reflection, we’ll take a cue from the natural world and consider the gifts that await us in the darkness.

Pr. Jim Honig is a Nebraska boy through and through and a Lutheran pastor with 33 years of experience in parish ministry. He has served parishes in Missouri, Florida, Illinois, and now serves as pastor with the people of Shepherd of the Bay Church in Ellison Bay. Jim is married to Sheryl, father to Chris (Liz) and Tim (Stacey), grandfather to Hanah and Elijah. He is also dog-dad to Safia and Suzie. Jim loves the outdoors, reading, writing, and working on the never-ending list of house projects. He writes regularly for denominational publications and preaching resources, curates a blog, and is the  author of the novel, By Paths Untrodden.

Service Leader: Henk Wolst

Music: Beth Coleman