Category: Blog

“Spiritual Mothering”

May 11, 2025

Speaker, Pastor Amy Peters

Many women do noble things,
    but you surpass them all.”
(Proverbs 31:29)

I wasn’t particularly musical as an adolescent. I’d given up on piano lessons by sixth grade, and while I joined the school chorus, it was mostly for the elective credits rather than a love of singing. But there was something about Miss Scipione’s music classes —

At thirteen, I was searching for something I couldn’t quite name. I had a loving family, good friends, and I did well in school. Still, I felt a kind of hollowness, an empty space I couldn’t explain. My brother and I went to Notre Dame De Lourdes every Sunday with our mother; we’d both made our First Communion and been Confirmed. I knew God loved me. I knew Christ had died for the sins of all humanity.

So why did I still feel a spiritual ache?

Then one day, on the way out of music class, Miss Scipione quietly pulled me aside.

“I think you’d enjoy our after-school Bible study on Thursdays,” she said.

And something inside me knew this was what I’d been looking for.

She Didn’t Preach—She Discipled

Years later, I recognized what Pam—Miss Scipione—had been in my life: a spiritual mother, just like the kind Paul describes in his letter to Titus.

“Older women likewise are to be reverent in behavior, not slanderers or slaves to much wine. They are to teach what is good, and so train the young women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled, pure, working at home, kind, and submissive to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be reviled.” (Titus 2:3–5)

Spiritual mothering is not about biology—it’s about investing in the next generation of women with godly wisdom, love, and truth. It’s discipleship. And discipleship is at the very heart of the Great Commission. When Jesus commanded us to “go and make disciples of all nations” (Matthew 28:19–20), He didn’t limit that charge to pastors, missionaries, or men. He invited every believer to take part in His redemptive mission.

Spiritual mothers carry out this mission not from pulpits, but in living rooms, classrooms, coffee shops—and yes, sometimes even in music class.

God did not give this role as a consolation prize to women who couldn’t bear children. It is a high calling: a way to pass on the truth of God from life to life (2 Timothy 2:1–2) and generation to generation (Psalm 145:4). In his letter to Titus, Paul doesn’t focus on the outward appearance of these women. Instead, he honors their character. They are to be examples of godly womanhood (Titus 2:3), imitators of Christ (1 Corinthians 11:1), and people who “call good what God calls good” (Isaiah 5:20).

The Beauty of a Quiet Yes

I had a godly mother who took me to church and taught me how to pray. I had a godly grandmother who showed joy in worship.

But I also had Miss Scipione as my spiritual mother.

It was through her Thursday Bible studies, the letters she wrote to me each week the summer I was fourteen, and her faithful prayers that I was encouraged to eventually accept Jesus as my personal Savior. It was Miss Scipione—who insisted I call her Pam once I was in high school—who took me on my first mission trip to the beaches of New England with the Children’s Sand and Surf Mission. It was Pam who steered me away from “the wrong boy” in high school and gently showed me what to look for in a godly husband.

Pam married later in life, and to my knowledge, never had children of her own. But to those of us who gathered around her on Thursday afternoons, she was more than a mentor. She was our spiritual mother. Through her prayers, her letters, and her example, she discipled us into deeper faith.

That is the work of the Great Commission. And it’s a calling every woman in Christ can embrace.

Lord,
Thank You for the women who have nurtured our faith with love, wisdom, and grace. Help us to follow their example and become spiritual mothers to others—pointing them toward You through our words, our prayers, and our lives. May we joyfully take our place in the Great Commission, one heart at a time.Amen.

Holy Humor: Joy Rooted in the Gospel

April 27, 2025
Jokester – Mark Peters
Written by Linda Cobourn

Key Verse: John 15:11—“These things I have spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.

A Family Man with a Joke in His Pocket

My husband loved a good joke. Even more than the joke itself, he loved doing things he thought would make the kids and me laugh.

We had little money when our children were young, but our lack of funds only fueled his creativity. One Halloween, he dressed up as “Underwear Man,” wearing long johns with T-shirts and shorts pinned all over them. Another time, after breaking the earpiece on his glasses, he tied a piece of yarn over his ear to hold them in place.

It’s been almost six years since Ron moved to Heaven, but his hearty laughter still echoes in my ears.

Does God Have a Sense of Humor?

I think God loves a good joke, too. Just try looking at a hippopotamus without smiling!

But unlike worldly jokes rooted in sarcasm or cynicism, the joy we experience as Christians is grounded in the Resurrection—Jesus’ triumph over death (John 15:11). And God delights in our laughter.

Remember Sarah’s chuckle when she heard she’d have a child in old age? (Genesis 18:12). When that promise came true, she named her son Isaac, which means “laughter.”

The Greatest Punch Line in History

When we laugh with joy at the Resurrection, we’re joining in on God’s greatest joke—played on Satan. The enemy thought he had won. Judas betrayed Jesus. Pilate condemned Him. Jesus took His final breath on the Cross. But Satan had only set the stage for the greatest plot twist in history.

At sunrise on Easter morning, the women came to the tomb—only to find it empty. That empty tomb was the ultimate punch line. God flipped the script, turning Satan’s scheme into eternal defeat.

God Had the Last Laugh.

And we get to laugh, too.

Jesus’ Resurrection didn’t just secure our salvation—it gives us joy. Joy that frees us to laugh at the lies and foolishness of the Devil. The battle is over. The victory is won.

That doesn’t mean life is without suffering. Along with laughter, life brings tears. But “Holy Humor” reminds us that our trials are temporary. Joy is a powerful weapon against despair.

Research shows it’s even good for our health. The National Institute of Health reports that a joyful outlook can improve mental and physical well-being. The Mayo Clinic found that patients with a positive attitude often heal faster.

Ron’s Last Laugh

Ron’s final years were hard—too many surgeries, too many hospital stays. But in those last nine months on hospice, he held a quiet joy. He knew where he was going.

Just days before he passed, he told me:

“One of the first things I’m going to do when I get to Heaven is have a good laugh at the Devil.”

Joy Beyond Easter

That joy isn’t meant for Easter Sunday alone. It should fill every day of our lives. Satan is defeated! Jesus lives! His Resurrection is the greatest twist of all time—humbling the Devil and undoing his plot.

So, laugh loud. Laugh long. Laugh with victory—because Jesus has won. His joy remains in us and fills us.

Dear Father,
Thank You for laughter. Thank You for joy. Thank You for the ultimate triumph over the Devil that brings us daily j

oy. Help us reflect that joy to others and laugh with victory.

Amen.

Jerusalem is crowded with pilgrims who have come to celebrate the Passover in the Holy City. Like me, many of them have heard of the Teacher from Nazareth and the miracles He has done. I was present when He entered the city four days ago, riding on a donkey. I cheered and waved and my husband was among those who cut down palm branches to lay along the path. I had never seen Jesus before and I strained to get a good look at Him.

He looked like any other man, I suppose. Bearded. Long haired. Wearing a simple robe and sandals on His feet. He may have been shorter than my husband, Josiah, but it was hard to tell since He was on a donkey.

“I don’t see what’s so special about HimHim,” I whispered to Josiah.

And as if He had heard my words, Jesus turned to me. His eyes held mine for a moment, searching me. My breath caught in my throat. In that moment, I knew that He had looked into my soul, that He knew all there was to know about me. He knew of the child I had lost three years ago, of the poverty in which Josiah and I lived. He knew that while Josiah was obedient to the teachings of the Torah, I was often unhappy with my life. I tried to pull my gaze away from His face, but I found I could not. My heart pounded in my chest. Would He, like others, condemn me for my childless state?

Then He smiled. Gentle. Caring. A smile that said He knew my life was hard. He nodded His head and touched His hand to His heart. In that simple gesture, I knew two things: I had been forgiven for my faults and lack of faith, and I was loved.

I grabbed Josiah’s arm. “He IS the Messiah,” I whispered. I do not know if Josiah heard me; the crowd was shouting and pushing us away from Jesus as they all tried to get closer. I watched Him even as Josiah put his arm around me and pulled me close to his side, keeping the surging crowd from parting us.

*

Josiah did not want me to be here today, on this hill outside of the city. The Place of Skulls, they call it, the place where the Romans hang their criminals in the most cruel way. My husband tried to persuade me to stay away, but he did not forbid me. He indulges me more than his mother says he should. For the past four days, I have spoken of little else except Jesus.

We stand on a hill, near the site of the crosses. Josiah will not let me move closer. I am on my tiptoes, my hand on the shoulder of my husband, to see. It is a gruesome sight and I will not describe it. It is enough that the memory of it will remain in my mind.

I see those gathered at the foot of His cross. There are soldiers who played dice in the dust, gambling for his cloak. When they look at Him at all, it is to taunt Him.

“Where are your angels?” they inquire. “If you are the Son of God, come down from there!”

He looks down at them, the movement painful to Him. His face is full of pity. “Father, forgive them!” He says. The soldiers at the cross hang their heads.

Another voice, raspy and choked with pain, rises up. “Remember me,” says the man hanging on the cross next to Jesus. “When You come into Your kingdom, remember me!” A young woman at the base of this cross reaches up to the man. Is she his sister? His wife?

Jesus’s words carry on the wind. “This day,” He says, “You will be with Me in Paradise.”

The young woman kneels in the dirt, her head bowed. His words have given her comfort.

His disciple, John, is there, supporting a woman I think is Mary, the mother of Jesus. She leans against him, but she does not take her eyes off her Son. How brave she is. I think of my own son, who lived so briefly and died in my arms. How can she bear this? But she will, I know. She has had His whole lifetime to prepare for this.

“Behold,” Jesus says to John. “This is your mother. Woman,” He says to Mary. “This is your son.”

I hear her cry out. John wraps his arms around her. She will survive. Women always find a way.

The sun grows hot. Josiah tries to lead me away, but I cannot go. I need to be here. I need to do…something. I don’t know what. Not yet. Josiah finds a young boy selling gourds of water. I am sure he paid too much for it, but I sip the cool liquid. Jesus has refused to drink what a soldier offered to Him on a sponge. Josiah says it was probably filled with gall to dull His pain. He chooses to feel each pang.

The sky grows dark and I cling onto Josiah. What is happening? The earth rumbles and shakes. Many in the crowd scream.

“It is finished!” Jesus cries. His voice is strong and sure. His eyes search the crowd. Briefly, they land on me. “Father, into your hands I commit My spirit!” His head collapses onto His chest.

The soldiers look up. One of them cries out, “Surely this Man was the Son of God!”

I lean onto Josiah’s shoulder and my tears stain his tunic. My husband leads me away. He whispers to me soothing words. I give one backward glance at the Cross. I have been a witness.

Now, I know what it is that I must do. For the rest of my life, I will be a witness.

May we, too, live as witnesses to His love, mercy, and resurrection—today and always.

REFLECTIONS ON THE SUNDAY SERMON

Linda Waltersdorf Cobourn, EdD

 March 30, 2025

Pastor Amy Peters, Speaker

FAMILY

Finally, all of you, be like-minded, be sympathetic, love one another, be compassionate and humble

1 Peter 3:8

What would it have been like to grow up in the earthly family of Jesus? Our church members called out the adjectives as Pastor Amy talked about the importance of family, both natural and spiritual. We know little about the family life of Jesus when He was a child in Nazareth. The Bible gives us a few facts.

Isn’t this the carpenter’s son? Isn’t his mother’s name Mary, and aren’t his brothers James, Joseph, Simon, and Judas? (Matthew 13:55)

Jesus had at least four named brothers. James, probably the writer of the Book of James, and Judas, the writer of the Book of Jude, became followers of Christ. We know less about Joseph, also called Joses, and Simon.

People knew Joseph, a carpenter, as the father of Jesus. Probably because of His birth in Bethlehem and the family’s sojourn in Egypt, no one questioned the parentage of Jesus or His birthdate. The belief exists that Joseph, crucial to Jesus’ early life, died before his ministry began. The Bible’s last reference to Joseph is in Luke 2:48-49.

And are not his sisters here with us? (Mark 6:3)

Jesus had at least two sisters. The plural form of “sisters” shows that there were at least two biological sisters.

This is the little we know of the natural family of Jesus. We probably know a great deal more about our own families! But we know quite a bit about the spiritual family, of which we can be members.

There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love. (I John 4:18-19).

In the spiritual family of Jesus, we have perfect love. We are not perfect people, but the love of our Savior surrounds us.

Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves (Romans 12:10).

We are commanded to love one another. No matter what.

But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God. (John 1:12)

Anyone who believes in Jesus as Savior becomes part of God’s family.

            The natural family of Jesus may have had seven or more people living in one house. That’s a big family! But the spiritual family is even bigger. Over 2.6 billion people acknowledge Jesus as Savior.

We need to take care of one another and continue on the path before us.

And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us (Hebrews 12:1b).

How is God asking you to care for His Family?

A NOTE FROM THE AUTHOR.

Everyone has a “God story” to tell! Please talk to me about sharing yours. If you’ve enjoyed reading this and would like to read more about my faith walk, please join my free blog at: lindaca1.substack.com

REFLECTIONS ON THE SUNDAY SERMON

Linda Waltersdorf Cobourn, EdD

 March 16, 2025

Pastor Amy Peters, Speaker

BREATHING

He says, “Be still, and know that I am God;
    I will be exalted among the nations,
    I will be exalted in the earth.”

Psalm 46:10

“I missed the exit!” exclaimed my daughter. “Sorry, I’ll get off at the next one and head back.”

I closed my eyes and concentrated on my breathing. One, two, in. Three, four, out. I wondered how my husband, awaiting a heart ablation at Hahnemann Hospital in Philadelphia, was breathing. While Ron tried to remain positive despite the multiple surgeries he’d had in the last ten years, the cardiologist was concerned about Ron’s heart. It was enlarged and only working at 30% capacity. An ablation—which destroyed parts of the heart to restore normal rhythm— was minimally invasive, no surgery had ever been routine for my husband.

“It’s not 9 O’clock yet,” said Bonnie. “Surgery isn’t until nine. We’ll make it.”

“Sure,” I said, although I had my doubts. Ron was probably already being prepped for surgery and might be on his way to the operating room. I held back my tears. I’d always been able to pray with Ron and kiss him before each surgery. It looked like I might not make this one.

“Let’s pray,” I told Bonnie. “I’ll call Chris. She can pass the word at church today.”

Breathe in the Spirit of God.

At Sunday’s service, Pastor Amy spoke about JD Walt’s ministry and a breathing exercise that can help us to calm our hearts and minds and concentrate on God. The video is at https://youtu.be/Sypz7muHWOE. It’s a simple practice that can provide assurance for us in any situation. Be conscious of your breathing as you try this. Breathe and exhale deeply. Remember that Jesus grounds you. Your breath comes from God.

Be still. Inhale deeply and hold for a count of two.

And know. Expel your breath for a count of two.

That I. Inhale deeply and hold for a county of two.

A God. Expel your breath for a count of two.

You can continue the verse using two words at a time to rest in the mercy of God. As JD Walt reminds us in the video, we have nothing else to do in those moments but to rest in God and be his Child.

My daughter and I knew our loved one was a Child of God. As Bonnie expertly drove us back to Hahnemann, we breathed and prayed. God knew what was best for Ron. I knew our entire congregation would also be praying, alerted by my best friend, Chris.

We reached the hospital at 9:30 and took the elevator up to Ron’s room, expecting he would already be in surgery. But my husband greeted us with a bright smile.

“They canceled surgery,” he said as we hugged and kissed him. He didn’t know why. In a few minutes, the cardiologist stepped into the room.

“We were preparing him for surgery,” he said, “when suddenly his heart went back into rhythm. It’s beating normally now.” He held his hands up. “I can’t explain it.”

Bonnie and I looked at each other. “Do you know what time that was?” I asked.

Dr. Engle looked at his watch. “Around 9:05, I think.”

We nodded, understanding that God had heard and responded to our prayers.

I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.

John 16:33

            We live in a troubled world with many unknowns. But we can, always and anywhere, breathe in the peace of God. How can you trust His peace today?

A NOTE FROM THE AUTHOR.

Everyone has a “God story” to tell! Please talk to me about sharing yours. If you’ve enjoyed reading this and would like to read more about my own faith walk, please join my free blog at  Quirky: Because we’re all a little different | Linda Cobourn | Substack