Susan Perelka

Christmas is a season where it seems we go from one celebration to the next. From our annual Christmas in the Valley celebration to a Christmas lunch, this is the season of planning, preparing, participating and putting away! This morning, I was chatting with a woman who was preparing for her Christmas lunch. As I…

The search for gifts had officially begun! Slipping into the cold back car seat, my excitement started to bubble. We were headed to the mall to find the deals of the season! Thanksgiving had passed, but Black Friday had come. The lines would be long, but the savings would be high. When I was a…

Thanksgiving…a day set aside to give thanks. All over our country, families and friends will gather, giving thanks for their countless blessings. They will recount the past year and the goodness of God, even in a year of difficulties. Thanksgiving is a time to reflect, to celebrate, and to look forward to in hope. Thanksgiving…

“How long?” Often asked by a child impatient to get to the end of a journey. The car ride is long or sometimes short, but they are ready for the adventure to begin! Knowing when the journey will end gets them through the car ride. Do you ever ask God “How long?” Our journey in…

Because of the sacrifice of many men and women, citizens of the United States have freedoms we all enjoy. Veteran’s Day is a special day set aside for Americans to honor veterans for their patriotism, love of country, and their willingness to serve and sacrifice for the citizens of our country. Their sacrifice provided for…

Worship. So often the word “worship” transports us to a Sunday Morning Worship Service where we lift our voices in praise to God as we bring honor to who He is and what He has done. With heartfelt offerings on a Sunday morning, for me time in the Word and prayer often becomes more of…

Seasons of busyness can come upon us, causing us to feel stressed, overwhelmed, and tired. Though staying organized and working ahead can help, our emotions can scatter, and the tiredness may lead to a lack of love, kindness, and selfishness. While I have been in a very busy season personally, my responsibilities at church have…

I love walking through the woods, so when the tornados tore up some of my favorite wooded area in the Arboretum, I was really sad. Thankfully, I had the opportunity to spend some time there this past week and found sections of the woods were reopened! Starting out on my normal trek among the trees,…

I had an interesting conversation with my daughter, Bethany, the other day. Curious to know her response, I asked “Do you feel loved?” Her response, “Yes and no…By family and those I am close to, yes, but not to people around me as a whole because people do not just come up and hug you.”…

Without much opportunity for clean up after the destruction of Hurricane Helene, Hurricane Milton made landfall in Florida last night. I wake up in the dark hours of the morning wondering what destruction it has caused. I cannot even imagine the fear, the uncertainty, and the troubles these precious people are facing as they look…