Lisa Brenninkmeyer's Blog, page 4

For Your Weekend: Need Peace? Start Here

Dig Deeper into Sunday’s Gospel: Read John 14:23–29

Of all the people who have shaped me most profoundly, my grandmother, my mom's mom, stands at the top of the list. We called her Grandma Joan, or more affectionately, Joanie. For as long as I can remember, my siblings and I absolutely adored her. That love only deepened when she moved into my family's home at the age of 81. I was just 14 then, and for the next 14 years, we had the immense privilege of sharing daily life with her. 

Grandma Joan ...

For Your Weekend: Marked by Love

Dig Deeper into Sunday’s Gospel: Read John 13:31–35

What makes a Christian, a Christian? It’s a simple question, but one that, sadly, can feel like a lightning rod in today’s world.

These days, the “criteria” we might use to answer seem fluid and ever-changing, influenced by any number of factors:

The church we do or don't attend.
The news outlets we follow or avoid.
Where we shop or boycott.
Who we voted for or didn’t vote for.

And that begs a deeper question: Whose criteria are we using? ...

For Your Weekend: When God Doesn't Feel Safe

Dig Deeper into Sunday’s Gospel: Read John 10:27–30

Have you ever been paralyzed by fear? In a season of panic and confusion, when everything was spinning out of control, I sought help from a friend, who assured me: “You are safe. It’s in God’s hands.” 

I wanted to punch her.

Here’s the thing: I know God holds me. I understand that His love for me and my family is incomprehensible on this side of the veil. But since when does being in God’s hands guarantee safety? After all, Jesus was in God’s h...

For Your Weekend: When We Return to Our Fishing Boats

Dig Deeper into Sunday’s Gospel: Read John 21:1–19

In Sunday's gospel, we come to see Peter, the rock upon whom Christ would build His Church, returning to his fishing boat. He's going back to his old life, the very life he left behind not too long ago in order to follow Jesus.

Keep in mind, this is the same Peter who walked on water, witnessed hundreds of Jesus' miracles, beheld the glory of the transfiguration, and even encountered the risen Lord.

I wonder what Peter was feeling or thinking. W...

For Your Weekend: He Is a Personal Jesus

Dig Deeper into this Sunday’s Gospel: Read John 20:19–31

There was a song when I was younger that stirred hearts, opinions, and—at least in my house—the rules. My parents wouldn’t let me listen to it, wouldn’t let me buy any music by the band, and would rush to change the radio station if it came on. Which, in 1989, it did—a lot. 

The song? “Personal Jesus” by Depeche Mode.

I wasn’t drawn to the band necessarily, but in the whirlwind of my tween-dom, this song was everything. Was it the gritty p...

For Your Weekend: Who Needs the Resurrection?

Dig Deeper into Sunday’s Gospel: Read John 20:1–9

My son is in the restoration business. His gift is seeking out worn, torn, and thrown-away luxury bags, wallets, and clutches. Seeing the potential, he upcycles and repurposes the leather with patience and precision, restoring its value and bringing it back to life. 

I love a good resurrection story.

Tomorrow is Easter Sunday, a most triumphant and joyous day—the resurrection of our Lord! After forty days in the wilderness, we can, at long last,...

For Your Weekend: From Admiration to Amazement

Dig Deeper into Sunday’s Gospel: Read Luke 19:28–40; Luke 22:14—23:56

And just like that, Palm Sunday is upon us—the final week of Lent is here. 

I want you to pause for a minute and think about how your Lent went. Do you feel as though you succeeded, a sense of accomplishment in the spiritual disciplines you embarked upon? Do you feel as though you miserably failed, disappointed at promises not kept, a season not entered into as fully as you'd hoped? 

Either way, I want you to know this: your h...

For Your Weekend: Put Down Your Stones

Dig Deeper into Sunday’s Gospel: Read John 8:1–11

Why is it important to read the Bible every day? 

What if I asked you to give someone utterly unfamiliar with the Bible, faith, or God a one-word answer to the above question? What would your one-word answer be?

If you know me, you know I’m less a “one-word” person and much more of a “soliloquy” person. 

Yet, I have a single-word answer for this question, and it has much to do with this Sunday’s gospel reading. 

Let’s start there.

We find Jesus i...

For Your Weekend: It’s Time to Go Home

Dig Deeper into Sunday’s Gospel: Read Luke 15:1–3,11–32

I keep hearing the thought that I need to make a “general confession.” And I don’t like it. 

A general confession is when you make an appointment to confess all the sins of your life instead of just those committed since your last confession. It requires a deeper examination, a boatload of courage, and quite possibly a glass of wine. As dreadful as it sounds, “making a general confession,” writes Father John Bartunek, “can be an effective w...

For Your Weekend: A Hard Truth, A Merciful Call

Dig Deep into Sunday’s Gospel: Read Luke 13:1–9

If I had to choose one emoji to describe my face when I read the subheading of Luke 13:1–5 and its verses, it would be 😳. If ever there was a gospel that kicked me into high gear and got me into the confessional, it would be this one. 

Repent or perish, Jesus tells us, not once, but twice. It's so simple and blunt that it leaves us with no room for misinterpretation. To make His urgent message even more explicit, He follows this warning with the pa...