Tag Archives: hope

When All the World Seems to Die

Posted on December 13, 2025 by mitchteemley

All photos copyright © Mitch Teemley Who doesn’t love autumn? And by “autumn,” of course, I mean mid-fall when all of the leaves on the trees have turned to gold and amber and rubies. But what about late fall when … Continue reading →

Posted in Culture, For Pastors and Teachers | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 39 Comments

Gathering in the Harvest of Hope

Posted on November 28, 2025 by mitchteemley

“It is only when everything is hopeless that hope begins to be a strength.” ~G.K. Chesterton It doesn’t feel like harvest time when we’re surrounded by fallen leaves and barren fields. But that barrenness is an illusion. Late autumn is … Continue reading →

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Let God Nurture Your Dream

Posted on November 23, 2025 by mitchteemley

Nurture your dream: “The death of a dream is often a subtle form of idolatry. We lose faith in the God who gave us the big dream and settle for a small dream that we can accomplish without his help.” … Continue reading →

Posted in Culture, For Pastors and Teachers, Quips and Quotes, Religion/Faith | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 30 Comments

Two Spirits Sharing Our Human Experience

Posted on November 11, 2025 by mitchteemley

Above: Aslan the lion  –  Julian, California  –  Pirate’s Cove baptisms  –  Ancient Ichthus symbol My Real Memoir “We are not human beings having a spiritual experience. We are spiritual beings having a human experience.” ~Pierre Teilhard de Chardin We’d … Continue reading →

Posted in Humor, Memoir, Quips and Quotes, Religion/Faith | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 38 Comments

Let Us Hold Fast to Hope

Posted on November 9, 2025 by mitchteemley

“Have courage for the great sorrows of life, and patience for the small ones. And when you have laboriously accomplished your daily task, go to sleep in peace. God is awake.” ~Victor Hugo God is awake. ∴

Posted in Culture, For Pastors and Teachers, Quips and Quotes, Religion/Faith | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 40 Comments

What If It’s Not What We Expected?

Posted on November 2, 2025 by mitchteemley

Dear believers: What if God’s plans for the future don’t go the way we expect them to? (Has the present?) What if everything plays out in a way we could never have imagined? Does it matter? Has it ever? All … Continue reading →

Posted in Culture, For Pastors and Teachers, Humor, Quips and Quotes, Religion/Faith | Tagged , , , , , , , | 37 Comments

Beautiful Inspiration for Sundays and Beyond

Posted on October 19, 2025 by mitchteemley

Dear blogger friends: I’m in the midst of a week-long project. And so, in an effort to avoid creative overload, I’m taking a break from blogging. Meanwhile, may I invite you to peruse this wonderful collection of inspirational posts: For … Continue reading →

Posted in Culture, For Pastors and Teachers, Religion/Faith | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 18 Comments

When the Spell Suddenly Breaks

Posted on October 7, 2025 by mitchteemley

My Real Memoir My anxiety was still on the hunt. It whispered from under the bed and grinned at me from darkened hallways. But I drowned it with hope, and crowded its specter with friends, new comrades in faith. My … Continue reading →

Posted in Culture, Humor, Memoir, Movies | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 40 Comments

Are You Still Wearing a Mask?

Posted on October 2, 2025 by mitchteemley

‘Self-Portrait With Mask’ by Felix Nussbaum (1928) “We are intensely attached,” Matthew Kelly observes, “to being perceived in a positive light. Even by people we don’t know and will never meet. Perhaps most telling, we even want to be perceived … Continue reading →

Posted in Culture, Quips and Quotes | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 31 Comments

Hope Is the Thing With Feathers

Posted on September 11, 2025 by mitchteemley

When all seems hopeless, hope takes flight. We learn this again and again. Hope is always there, waiting. And when it’s needed, it spreads its wings. In memoriam: 9/11/2001. Click on any image to enlarge it, to read caption, or … Continue reading →

Posted in Culture, Quips and Quotes | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 48 Comments