Fr. Barnabas Powell, Author at Faith Encouraged Ministries

The Coming One Shall Come and Not Tarry!

BlogDecember 20, 202223Views 0Likes 0Comments

"It's a marathon, not a sprint." Good advice to hear when you're struggling with sticking to a discipline or trying to push through a difficult task. It's even good advice for relationships. Usually, we humans give up too soon! And when we do, we usually regret it later. Or, sometimes, we stay too long, and…

Don’t Hurt The Little Ones

BlogDecember 19, 202220Views 0Likes 0Comments

As we approach the Manger in Bethlehem, we are so very familiar with the Story surrounding the Lord's birth. And sometimes that very familiarity gets in the way of actually dealing with the Universe-Shaking Event of God becoming Flesh for our salvation. It is no mistake that He first comes to us as a helpless…

He’s Not Against Us; He’s For Us!

BlogDecember 16, 202216Views 0Likes 0Comments

Tribalism has become so unhealthy in our modern age that we are now making up "tribes" to belong to because we are so confused about who we are as a people. But that isn't anything new. Tribalism has been unhealthy since we started choosing sides and reducing our identity to either our genetic roots or…

Don’t Be Ashamed!

BlogDecember 15, 202214Views 0Likes 0Comments

Rick Godwin once said: "Shame is probably the hardest emotion to sit with, to express. People go out of their way -- people drink themselves to death, people will murder -- not to feel shame. It's that much of a kicker." Wow. It's probably very important to get the feelings of shame tamed and discerned…

The “So What” Challenge!

BlogDecember 14, 202215Views 0Likes 0Comments

Is being materially "rich" a blessing? Well, it certainly can be, but material wealth can reveal a deeper truth about what true riches really are! I've known materially wealthy people who were genuinely content and I've known materially poor people who were always discontented, and vice versa. Material wealth or poverty reveals us as we…

The Hard Work of Being “Fair”

BlogDecember 13, 202214Views 0Likes 0Comments

"Well, to be fair..." I cringed when I heard these words because I knew what followed was an attempt by the speaker to shut down the discussion. After all, everyone wants "to be fair," don't we? Ah, but what is "fair?" Of course, we want to be "fair." It seems to be an ingrained and foundational…

Sunday Homily – You Are Invited to Commune

BlogDecember 12, 202217Views 0Likes 0Comments

Where does our desire, across all cultures, to prepare food and celebrate with family and friends? Why does every culture have focused etiquette about formal dinners and responding to invitations? We are hard-wired to be in community. And this flows from the fact that God created us and now invites us to return to serious…

Jesus Speaks the Plain Truth

BlogDecember 12, 202218Views 0Likes 0Comments

Today is the Feastday of St. Spyridon, the Wonderworker, and I always love the common scripture passages the Church gives us during these commemorations of the heroes of our Faith. Mainly because I get to learn about the saint remembered and I get to revisit familiar scriptures in light of the life of the saint!…

Rejoice O Barren Woman…

BlogDecember 9, 202222Views 0Likes 0Comments

It's always so fascinating to me to see the wisdom of the Orthodox Church year. Here we are approaching the birth of the Messiah, the God-Man, the Savior of the World, and today we celebrate the miraculous Conception of the Theotokos by St. Anna, her mother. Of course, you know this story. It is a…

Leaders, Be Serious!

BlogDecember 8, 202215Views 0Likes 0Comments

Bookstores all across the country have hundreds of books in the "Business" sections talking about how to be a good leader. They have lists and lists of characteristics and behaviors that a "good" leader has or needs. And they sell well because most of us who are leaders really do want to be successful in…

Author page: Fr. Barnabas Powell

Fr. Barnabas Powell

The Coming One Shall Come and Not Tarry!

Don’t Hurt The Little Ones

He’s Not Against Us; He’s For Us!

Don’t Be Ashamed!

The “So What” Challenge!

The Hard Work of Being “Fair”

Sunday Homily – You Are Invited to Commune

Jesus Speaks the Plain Truth

Rejoice O Barren Woman…

Leaders, Be Serious!

Office

Links

Get in Touch