By Steven Norris The lure of binary thinking can be unavoidable. Our tendency is to simplify things into two categories: yes and no, right and wrong, good and bad, black and white, start and finish, us and them. There are times that this can be extremely helpful and...

by Steven Norris A few weeks ago, I was brought to tears by the vulnerability of a friend. In an online post, he shared about an incident with his son. My friend had completely lost his temper and gotten to the point where he recognized fear in his son’s eyes. It was...

By Steven Norris I love to be right. I mean, I really love to be right. There are few things that I dislike more than having to admit that I am wrong about something, though it does happen. If I am not careful, however, it is entirely possible to be completely wrong...

By Steven Norris “Don’t take it so personally.” How many times have I heard that phrase uttered in my lifetime? Usually, it is followed by something that feels extremely personal, not to mention painful or offensive. Over the past couple of months, I have been...

By Steven Norris Have you breathed today? I’m guessing that if you’re still reading, the answer is “Yes.” But, when was the last time that you went outside in the cool of the evening, inhaled deeply, and felt the cool night air hit the back of your throat and expand...

By Steven Norris We’ve all been there. Whether it was a church service, wedding, funeral, or concert. Someone steps up to the microphone, preparing to sing. We sit up on the edge of our seat, anticipating the soothing beauty of the voice that is about to take us on a...

By Steven Norris Once again, that familiar voice on the other end of the line was there right when I needed him. I don’t know that he told me anything novel or that he imparted any great wisdom, but he reminded me of my identity. He reminded me of my calling. He...

By Steven Norris Last week, I sat dumbfounded as I watched a 30 second video on social media. Someone had noticed a series of small fires in the port area of Beirut, Lebanon and pulled out their cell phone to record what was happening. All of a sudden, an explosion...

By Steven Norris It’s been that time of year around the Norris house this week. As we prepare for the beginning of another school year, it is time for the annual visit to the pediatrician. When it comes to our children, we have always been diligent about regular...

By Steven Norris “All you have to do is grin and bear it.” This was the advice I received as a child. It was the advice of calloused-handed farmers who had seen more than a few lean harvests. It was the advice of penny-pinching survivors of the Great Depression. It...

By Steven Norris In 2018, my family spent fall break at a friend’s condo in Panama City, FL. News about an impending tropical storm had barely registered for us. It wasn’t supposed to be that bad. We arrived on Sunday, enjoying a lazy evening settling in. As the sun...

By Steven Norris “Over the last few decades we have been inundated by a torrent of words. Wherever we go we are surrounded by words: words softly whispered, loudly proclaimed, or angrily screamed; words spoken, recited, or sung; words on records, in books, on walls,...

By Steven Norris Freedom. It’s been on my mind quite a bit over the past days and weeks. Maybe it was watching the fireworks on the fourth of July from the parking lot of Southern Crescent. Maybe it was joining in the national phenomenon of seeing the musical...

By Steven Norris “How can two people walk together, unless they are in agreement?” The prophet Amos was onto something here. Shortly after the death of George Floyd, I received a phone call from one of my fellow ministers, asking if I would be willing to attend a...

By Steven Norris Jesus said, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free” (John 8:31-32). When I was a boy, I used to spend an extended period each summer with my Mamaw at her farmhouse in rural...

By Steven Norris In my role as pastor, I get asked to be present in moments of intense grief and loss. These moments may come in the wake of a death, a family dispute, or as counsel in times of personal turmoil and anguish. I have found that one of the most powerful...

By Steven Norris Isaiah. Now, there’s a prophet for our day. A man who spoke to a people on the brink of destruction. A man whose call echoed through the wilderness to a people marching headlong toward their own demise. A man who wasn’t afraid to mince words and...

By Steven Norris In these days of pain, confusion, uncertainty, and fear, it is hard to know what to think or where to turn. A cartoon I saw this week caused me to stop in my tracks and inspired this reimagining of Luke 15:1-7 for our day: After Jesus had been...

By Steven Norris This Sunday, Christians around the world will celebrate Pentecost, the “birthday” of the Church. In our worship, we remember the gift of the Holy Spirit, poured out on a small band of Jesus-followers, huddled together in prayer inside an upper room in...

By Steven Norris “I just want things to go back to normal.” If I had a dollar for every time that I’ve heard that phrase uttered over the past few weeks, I’d have a pretty healthy vacation fund going. The truth is that most of us are over it. We are done. We are ready...

By Steven Norris In the next days and weeks, as many churches in our area will be returning to in-person worship services, things may look a bit different from what we are accustomed to seeing. It got me to thinking, when you hear the word “worship,” what comes to...

Rev. Steven Norris When you think of the word “home,” I wonder what comes to mind. For many, it may include a particular house in which they grew up. For some, it may bring to memory the faces of people that inhabited that dwelling and made it feel like home. For...