Tim Doppel

John 4:5-42   The woman then left her water jar and ran off into the town.   One particular Lent, I decided to give up drinking soft drinks. I don’t recall how much I drank at the time, but it must have been significant enough for me to feel that it would be a sacrifice to give it up. And I did it! For forty days and forty nights I did not consume even one sip, much less a can, of root beer, cola, or ginger ale. When Easter came, I looked forward to having a drink of my favorite ginger ale. I...

Matthew 17: 1-9   Suddenly Moses and Elijah appeared to them, conversing with Jesus.   Transformations can be hard. I recall that before our first son was born, I thought all babies hated me. If I attempted to pick one up, it would cry. I was terrified that my kid would scream bloody murder whenever I would try to carry it. I could not have been more wrong, of course. (Although, when he was born, he did scream bloody murder, but that was only because it was bloody cold in the delivery room...

Matthew 4:1-11   After fasting for forty days and forty nights, Jesus was hungry.   “But, Maaaaahhhhhaaaaammmmmm!!! I don’t LIKE salmon patties!!” “That’s all you’re getting, so you’ll sit there until you do.” And that, my friends, is how I recall Fridays in Lent.   I have a little truth to share: fasting has never been one of my strengths. Honestly, it’s been so long since I’ve done a true sacrificial fast that I couldn’t even tell you when the last one was. Yet here we are in Lent, and that...