“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the LORD. “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.” — Isaiah 55:8–9 NIV I am a chaplain in healthcare, but that doesn’t mean I know medical things like a physician or … Continue reading →
“Glorify the Lord with me; let us exalt his name together.” — Psalm 34:3 NIV On the Beatles 1969 Abbey Road album, the song Come Together was one of the most popular. It actually started out as a campaign song for Timothy Leary’s run for California Governor. The song ended up being filled with Lennon’s nonsensical lyrics (like “toe-jam football”) … Continue reading →
After 35 years of serving as a church pastor, I have learned something about why people come to celebrations or ceremonies. I’ve learned that at a baptism, we come to see the candidate take a public stand for following the Lord. At a wedding, we come to see the beauty of a bride and her happily ever after. But at … Continue reading →
I’m placing these items here so they are accessible to myself or anyone needing resources for a graveside ceremony. Scripture 1 Thessalonians 4:16-18 Psalm 23:1-6 1 Corinthians 15:51-57 Committal For as much as God in His infinite love and wisdom, has given us the life of _____________________ and has permitted him/her to fall asleep in Jesus, we do … Continue reading →
“The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace.” — Romans 8:6 NIV Sister Eva was a Catholic nun and a hospital chaplain whom I worked with for several years before she retired. She was fond of saying to me and the other chaplains, Don’t lose your peace. Whenever one … Continue reading →
“Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.” — Lamentations 3:22-23 NIV Let’s be honest, some days just don’t go as planned. On some days nothing seems to go right and everything seems to fight against us. Then there are those days that sideswipe … Continue reading →
”The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever.” — 1 John 2:17 NIV In 1974 the Rolling Stones recorded a slow-tempo song with an almost hypnotic melody called “Time Waits for No One.” Stones fans still consider it a classic, but everyone recognizes the stark truth the lyrics reveal about our world—time … Continue reading →
“A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of.” — Luke 6:45 NIV A man can suppress his actions and hide his real self for awhile but eventually … Continue reading →
“The Lord is my light and my salvation—whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life—of whom shall I be afraid?” Psalm 27:1 NIV Intimidation is when a person is threatening to us, it could be a situation, but its mostly something we experience when someone causes us to be afraid because of something they may do. Intimidation is … Continue reading →
“If you falter in a time of trouble, how small is your strength!” — Proverbs 24:10 NIV Not having the physical strength to overcome an illness is not something we should scoff at, because it could just as easily happen to us. We can look upon the misfortunes of another and feel sorry for them and their weakness but we … Continue reading →
“Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” — John 15:13 NIV The ultimate gift that one can give is their life. There is no higher expression of love than to sacrifice your life so another can live. There simply is no other gift that can be given beyond one’s life. I once … Continue reading →
There are three things that I hear as a chaplain from people who are counting down the days of their lives. I’ve heard these things as both a hospital chaplain and as a hospice chaplain. These patients have the same common denominator and that is that they are dying and they know it. Here are the three things that I … Continue reading →
“Jesus answered her, “If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water.” — John 4:10 NIV Jesus tells the Samaritan women at the well, If you only knew who I am you would be asking for more. The truth … Continue reading →
“Dear friends, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that has come on you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you.” — 1 Peter 4:12 NIV Being a Christian and living a life that follows the lessons, principles, and teachings of Jesus does not mean that you will be free from adversity. There are natural … Continue reading →
“For the eyes of the Lord range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him.” — 2 Chronicles 16:9 NIV Sometimes life has a way of making us feel alone, ignored, or unrecognized. You could be a stay at home mom, you could be a professional that spends your day by yourselves, or you could be … Continue reading →
“Then Jesus told him, “Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” — John 20:29 NIV If seeing is your standard for believing, you are missing out on the true power of Christian faith. When we live by faith and not by sight (2 Corinthians 5:7) we are inviting … Continue reading →
“Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.” — Joshua 1:8 NIV You can always tell what someone is passionate about because they like talking about it. Their words, however, are just the … Continue reading →
“Then he took his staff in his hand, chose five smooth stones from the stream, put them in the pouch of his shepherd’s bag and, with his sling in his hand, approached the Philistine.” — 1 Samuel 17:40 (NIV) The small shepherd boy, David, stood before the giant Goliath with a simple slingshot and a few stones. He wasn’t wearing … Continue reading →
“It is better to go to a house of mourning than to go to a house of feasting, for death is the destiny of everyone; the living should take this to heart.” — Ecclesiastes 7:2 NIV The real message in this verse is not that we ought to spend more time at funerals than at parties, but that we all … Continue reading →
If you have a loved one entering hospice care, you will have access to a hospice chaplain. The hospice chaplain is part of the interdisciplinary care team that includes a physician, registered nurses, nurses aids, social worker, chaplain, volunteers, and bereavement specialist. The chaplain’s primary function is to help patients and families cope with the internal struggles that often arise … Continue reading →
Andrew Huberman is a neuroscientist and university professor at the Stanford School of Medicine who offers YouTube videos and podcasts on the neuroscience behind human wellness. Not long ago I listened to a two-hour explanation by him on the neuroscience behind why we grieve after a loss of a loved one. I found it to be absolutely fascinating and thought … Continue reading →
My grandparents on my mother’s side were Martin and Margaret Soos, both full blooded Hungarians. As I understand their story, Martin met Margaret in Trenton, New Jersey at some point after Martin came to America from Ugod, Hungary. The Soos story as I know it was handed down to me through my older brother Lou and my grandfather’s brother, Joe … Continue reading →
“A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones” — Proverbs 17:22 (NIV). In today’s world, we all run the risk of crushing our own spirit with the anxieties of life. We carry concerns regarding our home, about paying the bills, our marriage, our children, and our jobs. The verse points to having “a cheerful … Continue reading →
I want to address “death anxiety” and caregivers. In particular, I wish to give you some tips for handling this anxiety when it rises up in your life. First, let me give a disclaimer, I am not a psychologist or trained therapist so everything I share here is pastoral in intent. I am speaking as one caregiver to another caregiver. … Continue reading →
I seem to get asked about my family history, often. It usually begins with my name when someone says, Durkac…what is the origin of your name? or they just ask, What kind of name is Durkac? Durkac is a unique name, and I usually tell people if you meet another Durkac we are related. At least we would be related … Continue reading →
Dave was a childhood friend who I knew from elementary school and the local baseball league. We weren’t particularly close friends growing up in our small Ohio town, because we simply hung out in different circles. It wasn’t until Facebook came around that Dave and I connected. At some point in the 30-years and 900 miles between us, Dave became … Continue reading →
Today is Saturday and it was my last day of employment as a hospital chaplain. Tomorrow is Sunday and it will be a day marked by me being unemployed. However, Monday morning I will start my new job as a hospice chaplain. In this post I simply want to reflect on going from a hospital chaplain to a hospice chaplain. … Continue reading →
I recently watched a documentary that followed a grief counselor as he gave advice and counsel to people and families facing death. I found it very thought provoking because his basic philosophy was that people shouldn’t fear death but instead should see it merely as a part of life. The setting for this documentary and local of the grief counselor … Continue reading →
Here are 12 Bible promises that have an application to an array of different trials or circumstances of living with a biblical faith. One of my favorite quotes on this subject is from Ellen White and it is “If we commit the keeping of our souls to God in the exercise of living faith, His promises will not fail us; … Continue reading →
I’ve written several posts on various aspects of grief and I have written on the value of using Scripture in pastoral care ministry and visitation. So here I simply want to share some passages from the Bible that can be helpful to encourage those in grief. You can also find other verses at the Topical Verse Finder‘s page on Grief. … Continue reading →
Growing old is not easy, when you consider that our physical bodies deteriorate and we simply fall apart. When we age we lose certain functions. Our vision fades, our joints ache, and even short walks become an unwelcome chore. As an aging follow of Christ, don’t think you are any less valuable to the Lord or the Kingdom of God … Continue reading →
Among my archived posts you’ll find me addressing both dispensational and historicist views. It may mean that I am eschatologically schizophrenic or I am ok with two different viewpoints being held in Christian churches. Personally, I think if one begins by looking for a pre-trib understanding of prophecy, they’ll find it. If one begins by looking for an historicist understanding … Continue reading →