Shows
60 Seconds of Hope with Horace McMillonThe Difference Between Honoring and ObeyingSend us a textThe Difference Between Honoring and Obeying “Son, always do what’s right. Even if I tell you to do something wrong, do what’s right.” - my dad, The Rev. Horace G. McMillon, jr. My father’s instruction to me gave me a very different insight on a verse that is sometimes used for mischief: “Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. ‘Honor your father and mother’” (from Ephesians 6)We are not called to blind obed...2025-06-1501 min60 Seconds of Hope with Horace McMillonForgive Everyone, Including YourselfSend us a text“Look, you’re going to have to forgive everyone, including yourself.” - Horace McMillon (Jim Henson has a similar quote.)Every single one of us has fallen short. Every one of us has missed the mark. (Romans 3:23). We don’t say this to make anyone feel guilty. We don’t say this to shame anyone. What happened to us wasn’t right. It wasn’t ok. What we did wasn’t right. It wasn’t ok. Perhaps we didn’t know any bette...2024-07-2101 min60 Seconds of Hope with Horace McMillonLove is its own reward!Send us a textLove is its own reward.“Living a life of love and service is its own reward.” - Horace McMillonI think it likely someone else has spoken these exact words well before me. Google offered me no answers this morning. So I’m claiming them as my own. I grew up in a faith tradition that emphasizes that the decision to follow Jesus on his way is an individual decision that can only be made by person...2024-06-1400 min60 Seconds of Hope with Horace McMillonDevelop a Mountain MindsetSend us a textDevelop a Mountain Mindset “All battles are first won or lost, in the mind”-Joan of Arc (via Monique McMillon)One of the saddest stories in the Bible? The people of Israel had been liberated from 400 years of slavery, endured a trip through the wilderness, and were on the verge of entering the place God had for them. But they turned back because they saw themselves as grasshoppers unable to confront the challenges in front of them. They...2024-06-0900 min60 Seconds of Hope with Horace McMillonShine Bright! Become Your Best SelfSend us a textShine Bright! Become Your Best Self. “ I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; that I know very well.” - Psalm 139:14Do not let anyone use your past against you, or use your present circumstances to deny your future possibilities. A gold coin covered in mud is no less valuable than a shiny one. So it is with us. Each of us is the handmade creation of God. And God only does great work. 2024-06-0201 min60 Seconds of Hope with Horace McMillonBe still. Take time to watch, wait, listen and feel.Send us a text“Be still, and know that I am God;” - from Psalm 46Generally speaking, I emphasize how important it is for us to get up and get after it in life. That we are called to be active participants in facilitating what Jesus described as the Kingdom of God- a world where kindness and compassion reign supreme, human dignity is honored, and the least of these are cared for. What I sometimes under emphasize is how important it is for us to rest, to pause...2024-06-0100 min60 Seconds of Hope with Horace McMillonOur Lives Have Meaning and PurposeSend us a textOur lives have meaning and purpose. “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” -Jeremiah 29:11These words were written during extremely difficult times for audience Jeremiah was writing to. They were hard pressed by the great nations of the world and were on their way to being conquered and many carried away into captivity. Three things...2024-05-3100 min60 Seconds of Hope with Horace McMillonComing back from the pit.Send us a textComing Back from the Pit“O Lord, you have brought up my soul from Sheol; you restored me to life from among those who go down to the pit.” From Psalm 30When we are going through our most difficult times, we must never give up. On our most difficult days, we must remember that the way things are - are not the way they will always be. There are no situations where God is not. Therefore there...2024-05-3000 min60 Seconds of Hope with Horace McMillonLet their faith be our faith as well.Send us a text“God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging.” - Psalm 46:1-3This is a verse many of the old timers I was around growing up use to frequently quote. Looking back, they were probably around the age I am now, but that’s another reflection. They were a generation that knew struggle and ha...2024-05-2800 min60 Seconds of Hope with Horace McMillonPut in the work!Send us a text“Nothing ever comes to one, that is worth having, except as a result of hard work.” - Booker T. Washington I’m not sure that I need 60 Seconds for this one today. My prayer for us is that God gives us the energy and enthusiasm, the confidence and determination to put in the hard work that is required to build the future we want for ourselves and for those who come long after we are gone.In your name we pray. Amen. 2024-05-2700 min60 Seconds of Hope with Horace McMillonWith Hope As Our AnchorSend us a textWith Hope As Our Anchor“We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure.” - Hebrews 6:19It’s important for us to not get caught up in the limitations of the current moment. We have to keep our eyes looking to the horizon. We see the possibilities that are not but one day may yet be, that one day must be. Then we put one foot in front of another and begin moving...2024-05-2500 min60 Seconds of Hope with Horace McMillonPracticing Defiant GratitudeSend us a text“Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” - 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 Life can be a struggle. Some days are just plain hard. Meditation and prayer are powerful tools to help us through the difficult times. Yet like any other tool, it’s best for us to become proficient with it before we most need it. It’s important for us to pray and meditate in the good days and the bad days and on the in be...2024-05-2301 min60 Seconds of Hope with Horace McMillonBelieve we can be a part of changing the world.Send us a textBelieve we can be part of changing the world. “The people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world are the ones who do.” - Steve JobsOne of my favorite scriptures continues to be, “For God hath not given us the spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.” (1 Timothy 1:7)I believe we are called to live life boldly, bravely, and beautifully. Even while we acknowledge the short...2024-05-2200 min60 Seconds of Hope with Horace McMillonOur transformation begins with appreciationSend us a text“And one called to another and said: "Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory." - Isaiah 6:3We get so caught up in the day to day, we get so weighed down by our cares and concerns, our duties and obligations that we often fail to appreciate the beauty and majesty of the world around us. All around the world humans have built temples and cathedrals, churches and other places of worship that are massive, bea...2024-05-2100 min60 Seconds of Hope with Horace McMillonWant to love your work? Love your why.Send us a textWant to love your work? Love your why. “Not everyone has the job of their dreams. But everyone can have their dream job.” - Horace McMillonOne of my extended family uncles worked two 40 hour a week jobs. At the time I visited him he had been working one job for 35 years and the other for 25 years. If a recall correctly he was planning to retire from one of those in the near future. I looked at him...2024-05-2000 min60 Seconds of Hope with Horace McMillonKeep your eyes on the goalSend us a text“So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.” -2 Corinthians 4:18The Gospel of Matthew tells one of my favorite miracle stories (14th chapter). Jesus sent the disciples ahead of him in a boat while he took some time to pray. The waves got strong and the disciples got really alarmed when they saw someone walking towards them. Jesus told them not to worry, it’s me. P...2024-05-2000 min60 Seconds of Hope with Horace McMillonHope from the Inside OutSend us a text“And hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.” - Romans 5:5 Other faith traditions describe this same experience with different words. When we allow the presence of what we Christians describe as the Holy Spirit to flow in and through us we are sustained and enlivened with a hope that defies our external circumstances. Even if we have been beaten down and crushed by extern...2024-05-1800 min60 Seconds of Hope with Horace McMillonAdmit your mistakes and move on quickly.Send us a text“Sometimes when you innovate, you make mistakes. It is best to admit them quickly, and get on with improving your other innovations”. - Steve JobsWhen it comes to growing and developing ourselves, there are two significant pitfalls we need to avoid. First we can’t be afraid to make mistakes. The only folks who have never failed at something, probably haven’t done very much. The second pitfall for us to avoid is just as critical. We can’t get so invested in our thou...2024-05-1700 min60 Seconds of Hope with Horace McMillonWe shall not be afraid.Send us a textWe shall not be afraid. “God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging.” - Psalm 46:1-3Even if everything around us is falling apart, we shall not be afraid. This ancient song writer invited us to live in trust, to live in faith. Trust that we are loved. Trust that we are never...2024-05-1600 min60 Seconds of Hope with Horace McMillonOur best days are yet to be written!Send us a textOur best days are yet to be written. “And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast.” - 1 Peter 5:10 True optimism is not delusional. True optimism does not live in denial. True optimism is fully cognizant of the difficulties and challenges of the moment. The author of First Peter certainly was. Nevertheless, true op...2024-05-1500 min60 Seconds of Hope with Horace McMillonDon’t wait. Make the change now!Send us a text“The key is to make the change so sudden that you experience a complete change of heart.” - Marie KondoIn reading Ms. Kondo’s quote, I immediately thought about Andrew and Simon (Peter). When Jesus invited them to join him in his mission. the text says, “At once they left their nets and followed him.” - Matthew 4:20Change is hard. Change is disruptive. Change can be a little bit scary. But change is also necessary if we want to become the fulles...2024-05-1200 min60 Seconds of Hope with Horace McMillonFocus on Today!Send us a text“So do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring worries of its own. Today’s trouble is enough for today.” Matthew 6:34Worry, it steals our peace and robs us of our joy. It saps us of our energy and greatly hinders our effectiveness. It’s been said that most of the things we spend time worrying about never actually happen. And I believe it. We have all been called to be wise and diligent stewards of everything we have. We till our land. We...2024-05-1100 min60 Seconds of Hope with Horace McMillonBoth/And not Either/OrSend us a text “As you grow older, you will discover that you have two hands– one for helping yourself, the other for helping others.” –Audrey HepburnSometimes we get caught up in zero sum thinking- the idea that there is only so much to go around. We too often fear that more for someone else means less for me. When we are caught up in this mindset we become selfish and stingy. This kind of thinking doesn’t make our individual lives better. And it sure doesn’t lead...2024-05-0900 min60 Seconds of Hope with Horace McMillonDo the Work and Give God the CreditSend us a text“There are two kinds of people– those who do the work and those who take the credit. Try to be in the first group; there is less competition there.” -Indira GandhiHow many times have we seen the work get neglected because the folk involved get distracted over who going to get the credit and who is going to get the blame? Let us all be inspired and instructed by the examples of two early apostles, Paul and Apollo. Some of the people around...2024-05-0800 min60 Seconds of Hope with Horace McMillonBe Afraid. But Do the Right Thing Anyway.Send us a textBe Afraid. But Do the Right Thing Anyway. "You should never let your fears prevent you from doing what you know is right."~ Aung San Suu KyiAung San Sui Kyi has fought non violently her entire life to bring democracy to Myanmar and to bring down an authoritarian government. She spent over 15 years under house arrest. And has since been sent to prison and is there to this day.Despite this, she has n...2024-05-0700 min60 Seconds of Hope with Horace McMillonBelieve our voices matter.Send us a text“I raise up my voice—not so I can shout, but so that those without a voice can be heard. We cannot succeed when half of us are held back.” –Malala Yousafzai“The power of life and death is in the tongue.” (Proverbs 18:21) The world in which we live is created by thoughts and ideas. Every significant accomplishment was at first an articulated thought. When we begin to speak the words of hope and equality, we begin to make them possible. They take on a life of their own. ...2024-05-0600 min60 Seconds of Hope with Horace McMillonLet Your Light ShineSend us a text"Each person must live their life as a model for others." - Rosa ParksEach one of us has something to learn. Every single one of us has something to teach. We learn from our personal experiences. We benefit even more from the knowledge others hold and the lessons we observe. The word disciple means student. We are all invited to be students of life. For those of us who are followers of Jesus, we seek more and more each day to more f...2024-05-0500 min60 Seconds of Hope with Horace McMillonAm I on the right road?Send us a textEach of us is responsible for determining our desired destination in life and for choosing the roads we travel in our efforts to reach that place. Along the way we have to ask ourselves two questions. First, ‘Is our desired destination really where we really want to end up?’ If it is, then we have to ask, ‘if we are on the right road to get there?’Luke 15 tells the story of a young man who, “ got together all he had, set off for...2024-05-0400 min60 Seconds of Hope with Horace McMillonFocus, Focus, FocusSend us a text"Rebels don't produce change, because they are fanning their own anger. You have to learn to save your outrage and focus." Shami ChakrabatiAnger and outrage may be our initial impetus for seeking change be it personal or social. While anger can energize, too often it is blind and misdirected. Too often it becomes its own end. Ultimately, anger becomes self consuming and is rarely sustainable. As the writer of the James says, “for human anger does not produce the righteousness of God.” (James...2024-05-0400 min60 Seconds of Hope with Horace McMillonGod’s love is bigger.Send us a text“The circumcised believers who had come with Peter were astonished that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured outeven on Gentiles” - Acts 10:45It is appropriate for us to do what we believe is right. It is appropriate for us to follow and honor our customs and traditions particularly if this practices help keep us grounded and centered in God’s love.Where we get into trouble is when we try to limit God’s love, when we try to limit who is w...2024-05-0200 min60 Seconds of Hope with Horace McMillonTrust that things will be ok and keep going.Send us a textTrust that it will be ok and keep going. “Life becomes far easier once you know that things will still work out even if you are lacking something.” - Marie KondoI draw a great deal of inspiration and insight from the American Civil Rights movement of the 1960’s. I often think of how difficult things were for them, constantly criticized by friends and foes, doubted and demonized - all while facing the real prospects of imprisonment or death by assas...2024-05-0100 min60 Seconds of Hope with Horace McMillonGet a larger perspective.Send us a text“A frog in the well knows nothing of the great ocean.” Japanese Proverb Our ability to dream, to achieve, to create, to relate, to connect, is often limited by our limited perspectives. One of my best friends from high school has gone on to do really well in life. I say that he has done well in life not being of his economic or social status. He already had those. I say that he has done well in life because the life he dreame...2024-04-3000 min60 Seconds of Hope with Horace McMillonAffirm yourself and others.Send us a text “No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.” –Eleanor RooseveltThe internal and external voices that tell you that you are not good enough, smart enough, or talented enough are not from God. The voices that keep trying to use your past against you, that continuously attempt to heap guilt and shame on you in the Biblical tradition come from Satan not from God. It’s time for us to shut those voices up and cast them out of our minds. Some inter...2024-04-2900 min60 Seconds of Hope with Horace McMillonWalk with power, love, and self-discipline.Send us a text“The most common way people give up their power is by thinking they don’t have any.” –Alice WalkerWe are not all given the same opportunities and resources to begin our lives. And some of us encounter real challenges, obstacles and setbacks. Sometimes these are of our own making, sometimes not. We may not always get to choose our circumstances, but we always have the power to decide how we will respond to our circumstances. We get to determine our attitude. We get to se...2024-04-2800 min60 Seconds of Hope with Horace McMillonRelentlessly pursue excellence!Send us a textRelentlessly pursue excellence. “I was raised to believe that excellence is the best deterrent to racism or sexism. And that’s how I operate my life.” –Oprah WinfreyThere is no denying the reality that there is injustice and inequality in the world. The obstacles of racism, sexism, classism, and all sorts of other isms must be navigated and overcome by many of us. In facing these challenges it’s helpful to embrace the words of Proverbs: A...2024-04-2700 min60 Seconds of Hope with Horace McMillonChange is hard. Not changing is harder.Send us a textChange is Hard. Not changing is harder. “If you don’t risk anything, you risk even more.” -Erica JongThere is a comfort in what is familiar. There are some things in our lives that are broken and dysfunctional, but we know how to navigate them. We know how to get by. There’s an old saying that ‘it’s better to stick with the devil you know than the one you don’t know.’ I want to know why y...2024-04-2600 min60 Seconds of Hope with Horace McMillonOvercoming SufferingSend us a textOvercoming Suffering “Although the world is full of suffering, it is full also of the overcoming of it.” –Helen KellerAdversity, hardship, and struggle are part of the human condition. I believe it’s important to acknowledge that. It’s important to acknowledge our hurts and pains. It’s important to acknowledging when we are having a hard time. It’s important to offer ourselves and each other compassion in our suffering. Once we have acknowledged and tended to our...2024-04-2500 min60 Seconds of Hope with Horace McMillonNever Give Up!Send us a textNever give up!“When you get into a tight place and everything goes against you, till it seems as if you couldn’t hold on a minute longer, never give up then, for that is just the place and time when the tide’ll turn.” –Harriet Beecher StoweLiving and working in a society where she herself as a woman did not have full legal rights, Harriet Beecher Stowe, went on to become one of the most influential and impactful abolitionists of her tim...2024-04-2401 min60 Seconds of Hope with Horace McMillonWhat do we want?Send us a text“We should be choosing what we want to keep, not what we want to get rid of.” - Marie KondoIn order to move from where we are in life to where we need to be, we must be clear in our intentions. It’s not enough to focus on what we don’t want. We must instead focus our energies on developing a clear picture of the things we do want. When Jesus encountered a group of blind men...2024-04-2300 min60 Seconds of Hope with Horace McMillonLet us do what we can todaySend us a text“How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single moment before starting to improve the world.” –Anne FrankHow often do we find ourselves standing around wishing that someone somewhere would do something about whatever the thing is that’s bothering us? ‘Somebody ought to be doing something about this’, we often complain. Well good news! We ourselves are the somebody who should be doing something about it. And we are free to start today. We are free, right where we are, using what we...2024-04-2200 min60 Seconds of Hope with Horace McMillonUnbound and UnharmedSend us a text“Weren’t there three men that we tied up and threw into the fire?”They replied, “Certainly, Your Majesty.”He said, “Look! I see four men walking around in the fire, unbound and unharmed, and the fourth looks like a son of the gods.” - from Daniel 3I would like to tell you that if you are a good person and do good things then only good things will happen to you. But I cannot. This is not true. Bad things do happen to good people. O...2024-04-2100 min60 Seconds of Hope with Horace McMillonEven if Not: Doing the right thing even if it doesn’t work out.Send us a textShadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were three people who lived in a foreign land. Their nation had been conquered and they now worked for Nebuchadnezzar- the conquering emperor. In every circumstance they carried themselves with integrity. They worked hard and tried to be a blessing where they were in the land where they lived. They were trusted servants of the empire. Nevertheless, they never compromised their core values. When given the choice of bowing down to an idol or being thrown into a...2024-04-2000 min60 Seconds of Hope with Horace McMillonWhat needs to be pruned in our lives?Send us a text“He removes every branch in me that bears no fruit. Every branch that bears fruit he prunes to make it bear more fruit.” - John 15:2I don’t know much about gardening or growing plants. But gardeners from time to time find it helpful to prune, to cut off or cut back parts of a plant in order to give it better shape or to promote more fruitful growth. Are there things in our lives that need to be cut back or eliminated? Are the...2024-04-1900 min60 Seconds of Hope with Horace McMillonUse what you have and get moving.Send us a textUse what you have and get moving. “Then the Lord said to Moses, “Why are you crying out to me? Tell the Israelites to move on. Raise your staff and stretch out your hand over the sea to divide the water so that the Israelites can go through the sea on dry ground.” - Exodus 14: 15-16Moses didn’t have faith problem. Despite the fact that the mighty Egyptian army was its way and they had no way to fi...2024-04-1700 min60 Seconds of Hope with Horace McMillonLetting go of good for better.Send us a text“Jesus said, “Do not hold on to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father….” - from John 20Often when we think of letting go, we think exclusively about the bad things we need to let go of. Sometimes we also have to let go of the good as well. For Mary Magdalene and Jesus’s first followers, there was nothing negative or toxic about their hopes, dreams and aspirations for Jesus. They had a positive vision, but it wasn’t the vision Go...2024-04-1700 min60 Seconds of Hope with Horace McMillonMay our actions match our words.Send us a text“Little children, let us love, not in word or speech, but in truth and action.”- 1 John 3:18It’s one thing to say that we love and care for the poor. It’s an another thing for us to share our hard earned money generously and sacrificially. It’s another thing to advocate for policies that may benefit others without directly benefiting ourselves. It’s one thing for us to say that we care for the marginalized and ostracized. It’s another thing for us to risk...2024-04-1400 min60 Seconds of Hope with Horace McMillonDon’t worry about the haters.Send us a text“You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.” - Psalm 23:5It’s not possible to get through life without facing some hardship and adversity. And unfortunately there will always be people who don’t particularly like us, who do not wish us well, maybe even some who intend us harm. The key for us is to not allow those people impact who we are or how we show up in the world...2024-04-1200 min60 Seconds of Hope with Horace McMillonGoodness and mercy show up when we show upSend us a textGoodness and Mercy Show Up When We Do (from Psalm 23)“Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD my whole life long.” - Psalm 23:6There are different ways of understanding the phrase goodness and mercy following us. In one of these ways we are centered in gratitude. We become fully aware of all the blessings we enjoy… the kindness, hospitality, and love we...2024-04-1100 min60 Seconds of Hope with Horace McMillonOur Whole Lives LongSend us a text“Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD my whole life long.” - Psalm 23:6Many people unfortunately believe that purpose of our practice of religion and spirituality is to secure our place in the next life. It is not. It’s about our individuality and collectively experiencing the wellbeing and peace of God in this life… to dwell in the house of the Lord our whole life long. ...2024-04-1000 min60 Seconds of Hope with Horace McMillonDo your best and stop being afraid.Send us a textDo your best and stop being afraid. We can stop being afraid. Stop being ashamed. Stop feeling guilty. The internal and external voices that tell us that we are not good enough or worthy enough are not from God. The book of Revelation describes those voices as the voice of the accuser. (Rev. 12:10-12). God silences that voice throws it out. We are fully and unconditionally loved. That is the message. We are invited to come int...2024-04-0700 min60 Seconds of Hope with Horace McMillonWe can’t be certain, but it’s good to believe.Send us a textIn looking at the world, I cannot offer you empirical proof that good overcomes evil and that love overcomes hate. Nor can we be certain that the moral arc of the universe bends towards justice as MLK declared. Most of us are like Thomas. He wasn’t with the other disciples when the resurrected Jesus appeared. He was told. He wanted to believe. Nothing would have made him happier. But Thomas wanted certainty. We want certainty. Eventually, Thomas had his own experience that made...2024-04-0600 min60 Seconds of Hope with Horace McMillonWhat does it mean to walk in the light?Send us a textWhat does it mean to walk in the light? We are encouraged to walk in the light, to be children of light. What does that mean? Practically speaking, what does that look like? I’m drawn to these words from Micah for a description: “God has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.Act justly...2024-04-0400 min60 Seconds of Hope with Horace McMillonOwning Our Own ShortcomingsSend us a textOwning Our Own Shortcomings For many of us, one of the most difficult things we can do is to acknowledge our own shortcomings and mistakes. Often we demand accountability from others while completely excusing ourselves from all responsibility or blame. Owning our shortcomings is not about making ourselves feel guilty or ashamed. It’s definitely not about pointing out the shortcomings of our neighbors. Rather it’s about first identifying where we need to grown and improve and then developing and implem...2024-04-0300 min60 Seconds of Hope with Horace McMillonForgiving is up to us.Send us a text“When he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained." - John 20:22-23Sometimes we wish we could just leave it to God to do all the forgiving and non forgiving? We would have no responsibility. We would not have to deal with our pain and anger. We would not have to deal with our guilt and shame. We wouldn’t hav...2024-04-0200 min60 Seconds of Hope with Horace McMillonRaised from the Graves of PovertySend us a text“There was not a needy person among them, for as many as owned lands or houses sold them and brought the proceeds of what was sold. They laid it at the apostles' feet, and it was distributed to each as any had need.” - Acts 4:34-35The first implication of the resurrection as described by Luke-Acts was that the divisions of race and class were destroyed and the personhood of women was fully affirmed as they were the first to witness and share the message.2024-04-0100 min60 Seconds of Hope with Horace McMillonHelp Carry the CrossSend us a textHelp Carry the CrossA certain man from Cyrene, Simon, the father of Alexander and Rufus, was passing by on his way in from the country, and they forced him to carry the cross. -Mark 15:21The work of redeeming the world requires our participation. We will let theologians and philosophers debate rather this is by design or by necessity. What we know is that each of us must take our turn carrying the cross. Jesus describes it as a requirement of being one of h...2024-03-3000 min60 Seconds of Hope with Horace McMillonOur Turn to Run the RaceSend us a text“Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight and the sin that clings so closely, and let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us,” - Hebrews 12:1In every generation there are people who catch a glimpse of the divine vision for themselves and the world. In every generation there are people who welcome that vision from afar and race towards it. Today we are being beckoned to take our turn running the race. ...2024-03-2900 min60 Seconds of Hope with Horace McMillonOur Roots Are Still Alive (Holy Week Day 4)Send us a text“For there is hope for a tree, if it is cut down, that it will sprout again, and that its shoots will not cease. Though its root grows old in the earth, and its stump dies in the ground, yet at the scent of water it will bud and put forth branches like a young plant.” Job 14:7-9Over and over again, during Holy Week we are reminded that adversity, hardship, and struggle are part of the human condition. Over and over again we are reminded that the ligh...2024-03-2800 min60 Seconds of Hope with Horace McMillonBoldly Use Your Influence for GoodSend us a text“When it was evening, there came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who was also a disciple of Jesus. He went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus; then Pilate ordered it to be given to him.” Matthew 27:57-58When the Romans tortured and executed a person for insurrection- as they did with Jesus, those bodies were dishonored. Often the bodies were left on the cross to be eaten by the birds. Other times the bodies were unceremoniously dumped. A dignified burial that allowed the frie...2024-03-2700 min60 Seconds of Hope with Horace McMillonBe Our Refuge, Oh God!Send us a text“Be to me a rock of refuge, a strong fortress, to save me, for you are my rock and my fortress. Rescue me, O my God, from the hand of the wicked, from the grasp of the unjust and cruel. For you, O Lord, are my hope, my trust, O LORD, from my youth.” -Psalm 71:3-5On this second day of Holy Week, we acknowledge that the world is not as it should be. Evil and injustice are widespread and pervasive. Our prayer and o...2024-03-2600 min60 Seconds of Hope with Horace McMillonPracticing Extravagant CareSend us a text“Why was this perfume not sold for three hundred denarii and the money given to the poor?" Jesus said, "Leave her alone. She bought it so that she might keep it for the day of my burial.” -John 12: 5 & 7Jesus lived his life in service. As a result of that service, he was on the verge of being arrested, tried, tortured, and executed. He knew had days to live - not months or weeks, but days. Mary was one of Jesus’s closest friends and a f...2024-03-2500 min60 Seconds of Hope with Horace McMillonBeating Anxiousness with Clarity, Gratitude, and Trust (Part 4/final)Send us a textThe final step in beating anxiousness is to live in trust. Martin Luther King, jr. describes faith as “taking the first step even when you don't see the whole staircase.” It’s ok and even necessary for us to acknowledge that we don’t have all the answers. We may not even have all the questions. But if we can see our way to the first step, we must the have the determination to take it. The ancient songwriter says that even if the righte...2024-03-2400 min60 Seconds of Hope with Horace McMillonBeating Anxiousness with Clarity, Gratitude, and Trust (Part 3)Send us a textThe next step to beating anxiousness is to actively practice gratitude. We get more of whatever it is that we focus on. Yes, we have specific problems and challenges- for some of which we have yet to find a solution. This is true. What is also true is that we have even far more to be grateful for. We can be thankful for our friends and family, the people in our lives who care about us and for whom we care. For food, cl...2024-03-2400 min60 Seconds of Hope with Horace McMillonBeating Anxiousness with Clarity, Gratitude, and Trust (Part 2)Send us a textIn part one we discussed how debilitating an amorphous sense of angst can be. It’s as if there is a monster lurking in our closet waiting to pounce on us. The first step to dealing with the monster in the closet is to open the door. Make a list. Get specific about the scale and the scope of the problem, the resources you have to address it and the actions you can take. Turning on the lights and opening the door robs the monster of its power. 2024-03-2400 min60 Seconds of Hope with Horace McMillonBeating Anxiousness with Clarity, Gratitude, and Trust (part1)Send us a textDo not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:6-7How many of us have a creeping sense of dread? We can’t specify it but we have this nebulous sense of fear? We worry about our health, our finances, our careers, our social standing, our education, our families, our r...2024-03-2300 min60 Seconds of Hope with Horace McMillonReject RejectionSend us a text“The stone that the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone”. - Psalm 118:22 These words first written by the ancient song writer and then later applied to Jesus, can also apply to us. Not everyone grows up in a positive nurturing environment. Some of us have been told that we are not smart enough, talented enough, or attractive enough to achieve our goals.Some of us carry with us the weight of our past. The spiritual and emotional injuri...2024-03-2200 min60 Seconds of Hope with Horace McMillonUntil Everyone Is FreeSend us a textUntil Everyone is Free"I had my jubilee three years ago. I rejoiced all I could then; I can't rejoice no more." -Harriet TubmanDecades later civil rights leader Fannie Lou Hamer articulated a similar sentiment: “Nobody’s free until everyone is free.”Harriet Tubman found her own way to freedom. She experienced her own personal jubilee. At some point, she understood that there was no way for her to truly enjoy her freedo...2024-03-2100 min60 Seconds of Hope with Horace McMillonBe Driven by Compassion not AngerSend us a text“I have heard their groans and sighs, and seen their tears, and I would give every drop of blood in my veins to free them.” -Harriet TubmanOne of the more surprising statements I’ve come across came from Tubman. She stated that she would not be surprised to see some slaveholders in heaven because some of them really didn’t know any better.In that moment I came to see that all of Tubman’s bravery and commit...2024-03-2000 min60 Seconds of Hope with Horace McMillonThe Strength to FightSend us a text“..and I prayed to God to make me strong and able to fight, and that's what I've always prayed for ever since." - Harriet TubmanI believe the world is changed for the better by people who stop accepting the unacceptable. Our individual lives are changed for the better, when we stop accepting the unacceptable.Tubman changed her own life when she escaped to freedom. She reasoned that she was going to have her freedom or she was go...2024-03-1900 min60 Seconds of Hope with Horace McMillonRemember Past Victories in Present TroublesSend us a text“Oh, Lord! You’ve been with me in six troubles, don’t desert me in the seventh!” -Harriet TubmanWhen faced with a major challenge or problem, it’s easy for us to become overwhelmed and discouraged. Like the character in the “Cat in the Hat” we might feel like the problem is so wide and so deep and so tall that there’s just no way at all. Harriett Tubman had such mo...2024-03-1800 min60 Seconds of Hope with Horace McMillonDon’t Let Yesterday Steal TomorrowSend us a text“Do not let yesterday hold tomorrow hostage! Walk away from your investment in the penny stock of pride; it never pays dividends.” - Neal A. MaxwellSome of us have had some difficult things happen to us. Some of us have experienced profound injustice. Some of us are experiencing these difficulties right now. Let me say that what happened to you, what’s happening to you is not right. Many of the things that happened were not blessings in disguise. Nev...2024-03-1700 min60 Seconds of Hope with Horace McMillonBe Compassionate with YourselfSend us a textThere can be no self-care without self-compassion, which is compassion turned inward. It is the ability to connect to our feelings, to respond to our suffering with kindness, and to desire that our suffering be ameliorated.—Chanequa Walker-Barnes The Biblical tradition assumes a healthy self center. The command to love one’s neighbor as one’s self has built into the presupposition that we know how to love ourselves. Some of us need to learn how to care for ourselves. All of us at ti...2024-03-1600 min60 Seconds of Hope with Horace McMillonHow Freedom GrowsSend us a text“Rather, use your freedom to serve one another in love; that's how freedom grows.” - from Galatians 5Paul then known as Saul lived somewhat of a tortured life prior his being literally knocked over by God’s love on the road to Damascus. Despite all of his study, despite all of his religious practices, he never felt good enough. Religion was a heavy burden that he struggled to meet and never quite did. Further, he projected his strug...2024-03-1500 min60 Seconds of Hope with Horace McMillonRight Here. Right Now.Send us a textTrue religion always has a deep intuition that we are already participating in something very good, in spite of our best efforts to deny it or avoid it.—Richard Rohr There’s a lot of religious folks waiting for something to come that’s already here. This is how Jesus put it according to the Gospel of Luke.“Once, on being asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, Jesus replied, “The coming of the kingdom of God is not...2024-03-1400 min60 Seconds of Hope with Horace McMillonHow We Become FamilySend us a text"Whoever does God's will is my brother and sister and mother"-Jesus (Mark 3:35)And what is God's will for us but that we are merciful with one another, that we do Justice to one another and that we walk with humility in all of our being and doing? What is God's will for us other than that we live lives of loving engagement with the world around us?Being family is not about blood or birth. It’s not about race, gender or cu...2024-03-1300 min60 Seconds of Hope with Horace McMillonDare to Believe that We Are BelovedSend us a textWe all long for someone to tell us who we are. The great struggle of the Christian life is to take God's name for us, to believe we are beloved and to believe that is enough.Rachel Held EvansThe name satan means accuser or advisory in Hebrew. In other words the negative voices around us and in our minds are not from God whose very essence is love. Any voices that tell us that we are not worthy, that we a...2024-03-1200 min60 Seconds of Hope with Horace McMillonBe the Light for Someone!Send us a text“Nothing can dim the light which shines from within.” Maya Angelou Each of us has an inner light that has been given to us by our creator. That light is not to be hidden or extinguished. Rather the Gospel of Mark recalls Jesus saying that our lamps should be put on a stand so that everyone in the house might have light. Believe that you are a worthwhile person no matter how much the world may tell you otherwis...2024-03-1100 min60 Seconds of Hope with Horace McMillonBe Guided by Love in Our HeartsSend us a text“I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.” - From Jeremiah 31:33An important step in our spiritual journey is to grow beyond obligation based ethical practices which are imposed on us externally to love based ethical practices which are internally driven. For most of us rules and regulations are an important first step in helping us think about how we can live together in commu...2024-03-1000 min60 Seconds of Hope with Horace McMillonFrom Prayer to ActionSend us a text“God’s relentless care for those who are poor and suffering is the visible expression of our compassionate God, which moved the prophets from the praying stance of the psalms to courageous action on behalf of God's children in need.”—Catherine T. Nerney We pray that God opens our hearts, our minds, our spirits. We pray that we are given the empathy and understanding, the awareness of the various ways people are suffering. We also pray that this awareness not be limited to the suff...2024-03-0900 min60 Seconds of Hope with Horace McMillonBuild Each Other UpSend us a textSo encourage each other and build each other up, just as you are already doing.”1 Thessalonians 5:11Just about everyone we meet is going through something. Some have physical health challenges. Some are struggling mentally and emotionally. Some have financial challenges, career challenges. Some are struggling to fit in, to find their place in the world. Life can be hard. Sometimes life is very hard. So the best thing we can do for each other is to support and encourage each other. We need to be foc...2024-03-0800 min60 Seconds of Hope with Horace McMillonI Am Because We AreSend us a text"I am often struck by thedangerous narcissism fostered by spiritual rhetoric that pays so much attention to individual self-improvement and so little to the practice of love within the context of community." - bell hooksToday we couple this quote from bell hooks with Bishop Desmond Tutu’s description of Ubuntu: I am because we are. The concept of being an individual is meaningless apart from the larger whole from which we are individuated. That’s all...2024-03-0700 min60 Seconds of Hope with Horace McMillonWhat Are We Doing About It?Send us a textOver and over, when I ask God why all of these injustices are allowed to exist in the world, I can feel the Spirit whisper to me, You tell me why we allow this to happen. You are my body, my hands, my feet.Shane ClaiborneThe Biblical witness says that God created this world, created humanity and put us in charge of caring for it and for each other.It also describes us as being members of one body with...2024-03-0600 min60 Seconds of Hope with Horace McMillonUse Your Gifts for GoodSend us a text“Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms” - 1 Peter 4:10Another one of my favorite verses challenges not to just be hearers of the word but doers as well. We are not called to stand and watch the world pass us by. We are called to do whatever it is that we can do to make the world better- even if just by a little bit. Two deep tr...2024-03-0500 min60 Seconds of Hope with Horace McMillonRemaining the Same Is Its Own Punishment (John 3:14-21)Send us a textJust as the people in the wilderness during Moses’s time were living in a toxic environment largely brought on by their toxic attitudes and their toxic behaviors, we live in such an environment now. When the folks in the wilderness looked looked on the bronze serpent lifted up they were healed. The first step to our healing begins with our recognition of the ways we are toxic. Jesus on the cross opens our eyes to everything that is toxic and dysfunctional in the world starting with ourselves. 2024-03-0401 min60 Seconds of Hope with Horace McMillonOnly Love Can Cover Some SinsSend us a text“Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. “ - 1 Peter 4:8Both in the ancient world and today, many of us are stuck with the idea that every wrong someone has done must be punished, must be paid for, before we can move forward. We often demand restitution or retribution before we consider offending any level of forgiveness. We want the person in the wrong to be contrite and to have made amends before we even think about forgi...2024-03-0300 min60 Seconds of Hope with Horace McMillonNot from Fear. Not for Reward. But for LoveSend us a text“I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you.” - John 15:15The Gospel of John begins a profound transformation of our understanding of and relationship to God, our relationship with life itself. We no longer see ourselves as slaves to a taskmaster God who doles out rewards to his favorite slaves and harsh punishments to those who ang...2024-03-0201 min60 Seconds of Hope with Horace McMillonThe Truth of Who We AreSend us a textEven though the gold of your true nature can get buried beneath fear, uncertainty, and confusion, the more you trust this loving presence as the truth of who you are, the more fully you will call it forth in yourself and in all those you touch. —Tara Brach Our hurts, our insecurities, our pain… our anger, our fear, our resentments can make us lose focus on the reality of who we are at our core.My faith tradition describes us as God’s handcraf...2024-03-0100 min60 Seconds of Hope with Horace McMillonBecoming an OvercomerSend us a text“Then the man said, “Your name will no longer be Jacob, but Israel, because you have struggled with God and with humans and have overcome.” - Genesis 32:28All of Jacob’s insecurities had caught up with him. From the time they were born, Jacob envied his brother. The name Jacob itself meant grabber because it is said he was holding into his brother’s heel when they were born. Jacob wanted his brother’s birthright and manipulated him out of it. Jacob outright stole his bro...2024-02-2900 min60 Seconds of Hope with Horace McMillonChop, Chop, ChopSend us a textSuccess in life is founded upon attention to the small things rather than to the large things; to the every day things nearest to us rather than to the things that are remote and uncommon.Booker T. WashingtonThere is nothing more important than having a dream. We must develop a positive vision for ourselves and for our futures. This vision should be so compelling that it inspires and energizes us.Then we have to become...2024-02-2901 min60 Seconds of Hope with Horace McMillonGood News for All. Especially for Those Who Embrace ItSend us a text“That is why we labor and strive, because we have put our hope in the living God, who is the Savior of all people, and especially of those who believe.” - 1 Timothy 4:10The season of Lent contains two components:First, we mourn. We grieve the brokenness in the world, the brokenness in our communities, the brokenness in our families, and the brokenness in ourselves. We acknowledge the roles we have played or failed to play in reme...2024-02-2800 min60 Seconds of Hope with Horace McMillonSpeak, Listen, Always Give RespectSend us a text“Talk without being offensive. Listen without being defensive. Always leave your opponent with their dignity.” - John Hope Bryant I am fully convinced that our ability to build a better future depends on our capacity to listen to each other, communicate with each other, and respect each other. So, “Let our conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that we may know how to communicate with everyone.” -(Colossians 4:6)Let us show proper respect to...2024-02-2600 min60 Seconds of Hope with Horace McMillonPlant the Tree AnywaySend us a text“Even if I knew that tomorrow the world would go to pieces, I would still plant my apple tree.” - Martin LutherIf one is even half way aware of what’s going on in the world, it’s easy to become overwhelmed and discouraged. There are prophets of doom and gloom everywhere. I have no idea if gold is a good investment or not. But I do know that the idea that we all need to be hoarding gold in order to survive the impending...2024-02-2500 min60 Seconds of Hope with Horace McMillonDon’t Go Tiptoeing through LifeSend us a text“All around you, people will be tiptoeing through life, just to arrive at death safely. But dear children, do not tiptoe. Run, hop, skip, or dance, just don't tiptoe.” Shane ClaiborneOne of my favorite sayings about life: “They slap you when you come into the world and throw dirt on you when you leave.” None of us make it out of this thing alive. While it’s a good idea to not be a fool going through life doing stupid things, gett...2024-02-2400 min60 Seconds of Hope with Horace McMillonAffirm YourselfSend us a text“And Ain’t I a woman?”- Sojourner Truth“And ain’t I a woman?” - perhaps the greatest refrain to a public speech in America history delivered by Sojourner shows us how to affirm ourselves. Truth lived reality of double discrimination being both Black and a woman. She gave her speech in the immediate response to a man who argued that women didn’t deserve equal rights because they were delicate and needed special care. ...2024-02-2200 min60 Seconds of Hope with Horace McMillonThe Religion God WantsSend us a text“Rend your hearts and not your clothing” - From Joel 2:13Those of us who participate in organized religion find beauty and meaning in the customs, traditions, and rituals. But unless we allow these to touch our hearts, unless these serve as catalyst for transformed thinking, they are meaningless. The old timers described adult baptism without a sincere change of heart as going into the water as a devil coming out as a wet devil - To borrow...2024-02-2100 min60 Seconds of Hope with Horace McMillonSurround Yourself with Good and Capable PeopleSend us a text“Moses’ father-in-law replied, “What you are doing is not good. You and these people who come to you will only wear yourselves out. The work is too heavy for you; you cannot handle it alone” from Exodus 18Moses is one of the greatest figures in all of human history. He is remembered as someone who gave up his comfort and privilege to stand up for the rights of his people. He is remembered as both liberator, and the giver of the law. As grea...2024-02-2000 min60 Seconds of Hope with Horace McMillonNothing Without Hope and ConfidenceSend us a text“Optimism is the faith that leads to achievement. Nothing can be done without hope and confidence.”- Helen KellerToday’s reflection is more of a prayer:Dear God,In the midst of our difficulties and struggles, in the midst of our hardships and pain, we pray that you give us the hope we need to see our way through and the confidence in ourselves to believe we will overcome somehow, some w...2024-02-1900 min60 Seconds of Hope with Horace McMillonMoving Through Life With HopeSend us a textMoving Through Life with Hope“Hope is much more than wishful thinking. Hope is a way of moving through the world.” - Justine MuskYes, life comes with hardship, obstacles, setbacks, and disappointments. There’s no getting around it. But life also comes with joy, beauty, love and opportunity. Living in hope means being attentive to the beauty that lives all around us. It means pausing to take it all in and appreciate it. 2024-02-1700 min60 Seconds of Hope with Horace McMillonDon’t Accept Everything OfferedSend us a textJust because it comes with, doesn’t mean we have to eat it.” - Horace McMillonA big part of my journey towards improved health has required me to become very intentional about what, where, and when I eat and don’t eat. I have a daily calorie budget that work to stay within each day. As part of my work, I travel a lot. I left home very early this morning. So I decided to grab breakfast at the airport. I settled on a ba...2024-02-1401 min60 Seconds of Hope with Horace McMillonDon’t Be Perfect. Be Better ConsistentlySend us a textDon’t Be Perfect. Be Better Consistently. - Horace McMillonOver the past 17 months I have eliminated 100 pounds of weight and I have maintained my new weight. Before starting the process I was on medication for high blood pressure, diabetes, and high cholesterol. Under medical supervision, I’ve since been able come off all medications. After consulting with a nutritionist, I went on a daily calorie count. And committed to drinking at least 64 ounces of water per day. No one would consider me a healthy eater. But I am...2024-02-1100 min