by Pete Schipper | May 30, 2026 | Via Maris Monthly
Swordfight Ephesians 6:13-18 Colossians 3:13 When Phil and Sue Martindale walked into my office that morning, I did a double take to make sure they were who I thought they were. Long-time attenders at church, the Martindales were friendly, outgoing and caring. Phil,...
by Pete Schipper | May 2, 2026 | Via Maris Monthly
Scarlet Cord Joshua 2 Matthew 1:5 James 2:25-26 It is faded now, more pink than scarlet. The memory of that day Caleb gave it to me remains clear. I remember, too, the day Otni’el wove it into a bracelet, and how joy rose up in my heart when gave it to me. It...
by Pete Schipper | Apr 1, 2026 | Via Maris Monthly
Rising Sunday Matthew 26-28 Mark 15-16 Luke 23-24 John 18-21 Leviticus 17:11 Matthew 26:28 Isaiah 61 The First Hour The weight of Jesus’s crucifixion was an iron weight on Mary’s heart. As bad as things had ever been for her in Magdala, what with the...
by Pete Schipper | Mar 2, 2026 | Via Maris Monthly
Sandals Luke 8:26-39 Matthew 3:11 Luke sat on a stool, bent over to lace his sandals. He stood, then winced. Ouch. I must get a new pair of sandals. These beastly old things will make me lame. Andrew called out, “Luke, are you ready? ‘Tis time to depart.” The day...
by Pete Schipper | Feb 1, 2026 | Via Maris Monthly
Nazareth Luke 4:14-30 <> John 6:25-65 <> Mark 12:10 My morning stroll was blessed, for the air was warm and soft, the hillsides laughed with new grass and wildflowers sang their delight. It was a lovely contrast to my rough night in Nazareth’s...
by Pete Schipper | Dec 31, 2025 | Latest Posts, Via Maris Monthly
Zacchaeus Luke 19:1-10 Before I unfold my story, I should tell you this:until I met Jesus, my life was a monument of resentment. A paean of anger. A tribute to bitterness. A waste. I can number many reasons for my woes, the most obvious of which is that I am an...
