Through the Tumbler

Welcome to our site. Through the Tumbler was written under the counsel of the Holy Spirit, to comfort the grieving, to encourage the sick, to sit alongside the lonely, to be a light of hope to the oppressed, and to touch the hearts and minds of unbelievers. We are followers of Christ, ordinary people who follow an Almighty God, and who have experienced His amazing love, mercy and power in our lives. Please join us as we continually seek the Lord’s presence (1 Chron 16:11).

Read more about us.

Latest Blog Posts

All Authority Over Heaven and Earth

by Will Searcy – This past week, I was listening to EWTN radio, and the hosts asked their listeners to…

Death by Suicide – Part II

by Donna Berger – Last month in my blog, Death by Suicide – Part I, I spoke of the challenges…

Can A Religion Exist without God?

by Meredith Berger – I was recently having a conversation about the merits of human-led religion, and if man is…

A Better Plan

by Will Searcy March Madness is my favorite sporting event each year. As Christians, we are meant to hope, and…

Death By Suicide – Part I

Losing a loved one breaks our heart, but when that loved one has taken his or her own life,…

Put aside your pride

by Meredith Berger Every Wednesday I teach English to adults at the Ethiopian Community Development Center near my home in…

Back to Basics

by Will Searcy Our world has a lot of trouble right now. You can hardly turn on a television or…

Got Joy?

by Donna Berger How are you feeling today? Does the weight of the world have your shoulders sagging? Or, is…

Was God in Parkland?

“Where was God?” In the aftermath of the Parkland school tragedy, this question has been asked over and over in…

Lost and Found

I had a plethora of topics to choose from for this week’s blog. I considered writing a piece on Ash Wednesday,…

Are We Irredeemable or Immortal?

Nick Foles, the Super Bowl winning MVP quarterback, had far from a smooth ascent to his current position atop the…

Surviving the fire

Surviving the Fire Some of us hope and even pray to escape life’s trials and tribulations. As Christians we believe…

Faith and Football

Competitive. Aggressive. Physical injury. Heightened emotions. Dangerous loyalty. Those are descriptions that come to mind when I think of the…

Thank you for your dream

Thank You for your Dream Monday, we celebrated Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, and as I listened to…

Daniel’s God

It’s 2018! Most of the decorations are snug in their boxes and the last of the Christmas goodies have been…

A New Year Purpose

Well, it’s 2018 now and you probably saw the title of this blog and thought, “oh no, not another person…

The Dream We Dream

One common trait across all mankind is the propensity to dream. Our dreams aren’t all the same, and what some…

Trust in Your Safety System

John and I had just finished up some Christmas shopping at the mall and were headed home. Taking the left…

The pain and joy in waiting

It’s the first week of December, which means it’s officially socially acceptable to start stringing lights, donning your favorite seasonal…

Does It Actually Work?

We live in a results-driven world. Most endeavors we entertain are weighed with the benefits in mind as opposed to…

Something we can all be thankful for

Homes are filled with the fragrance of roasting turkey and pumpkin pie and the hustle bustle of the holiday season…

A Baptismal Wish

This past Saturday was a wonderful day. My second son, Bennett, was baptized into Christ’s church, and we spent the…

Never stop praying

Psalm 55:17 says, “Morning, noon, and night I cry out in my distress, and the LORD hears my voice.” And,…

Embracing My Inner-Kid

Nothing brings out the inner-kid in you quite like having a two-year-old. It is a special age in which the…

The Blame Game

Three times this past week I heard someone say, “I’m mad at God.” The best of us surely play the…

Like Mary in a Martha World

It has been a while since I’ve written a blog, and rather than ignoring that fact (or worse, making excuses),…

Brittney M. McBath 5/14/1990 – 10/5/2017

I never met Brittney McBath, but I feel like I have always known her. This past summer when my friend…

In the midst of chaos

It has been a difficult month. From Barbuda to Las Vegas and far beyond in every direction, natural and man-made…

A Modern Day Miracle

Romans 8:28 And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God…

The Heart of the Lion of Judah

This past Friday, I attended the funeral services for John Paul George. John Paul was not supposed to survive longer…

Your Will Be Done

My friend Carolyn called me up yesterday and we were discussing the state of our world: floods, fires, threats of…

Pray for Charlottesville “On Many Sides”

C.S. Lewis once wrote, “Everyone thinks forgiveness is a lovely idea until he has something to forgive.” It’s a witty…

28th Anniversary

This week last year, my blog was a remembrance of my husband Gerry and our three precious children, Dawn, Stephen…

Hall of Fame Dad

When we think of the Hall of Fame, we usually think of great accomplishment. It’s a term most often associated…

That Good-Bye Hug

My alarm went off at 4:30 this morning. I pulled on some clothes and headed downstairs to pack a cooler…

Such As These

“13 Then little children were being brought to him in order that he might lay his hands on them and pray.…

Playing the Hand We Are Dealt

Last week on TV, I heard a professional player at the World Poker Championship paraphrase a quote from Randy Pausch,…

Pain Is a Blessing

There is logic behind the title to this article, and I promise to do my best to articulate it for…

Love Offerings

Last month I posted a mini-message on Facebook about how the simplest things in life can be seen as displays…

Humble Moses Wins NBA Rookie of the Year

Malcolm Brogdon, nicknamed “Humble Moses” by his family and “President” by his college and professional teammates, won the NBA’s highest…

To the Parents of Otto Warmbier

My blog this week is in response to the recent release by the North Korean government of imprisoned University of…

God Loves You

“I hear and behold God in every object, yet understand God not in the least.” -Walt Whitman This past Sunday,…

Make Room

With one child studying abroad and the other working full time, the task of driving the twin’s car back…

Great Marriage Quotes

My wife and I celebrated our eighth wedding anniversary a few weeks ago, and now we are heading off to…

Finding Joy in the Desert

Recently, with stinging tears running down her face, a dear friend of mine revealed that she had been trudging through…

Desert Fun

Warmest thanks to everyone for your prayers over Meredith’s trip. It has been going well and as you can see…

Immediate Answer to Prayer

This past Sunday was Mother’s Day, so before I get into it, I’d like to wish a happy belated Mother’s…

Letting Go

Like the silky sand of the beach sifting through my fingers, this school year has slipped away. Whether you are…

Tenderness In “You” and “Us”

Last week, “Ted Talks,” the popular platform for spreading inventive, revolutionary ideas, had a surprising guest speaker. World-leaders in areas…

Reserved for Florida Girl

Atop a small hill on the grounds of the University of Virginia, a red brick home has been keeping watch…

Clear Eyes, Full Hearts

Forgive me for borrowing this line from the show “Friday Night Lights,” but I couldn’t think of a better way…

He Is Risen!

Jesus Christ’s death and resurrection reconciled us to God the Father His love opened the gates of heaven for us…

Holy Saturday

Holy Saturday is the last day of Holy Week and ends the season of Lent. It commemorates the day that Jesus…

Good Friday

Good Friday is a day Christian’s observe as a solemn commemoration the suffering and crucifixion of Jesus Christ and His death at Calvary. It is…

The Commemorations of Holy Thursday

Among other names, the Thursday before Easter Sunday is called, Holy Thursday, Maunday Thursday, Great and Holy Thursday and Covenant…

Moving with a Toddler

My wife and I have been blessed enough to move into a new home. While we’re thankful for the luxury…

Try God!

…I expected to die…as a result I stopped relying on myself and learned to rely only on God…2 Cor 1:9…

You Are Loved

Today marks one year since my mother passed. It’s still early, so I can’t express all the emotions I feel…

The Hope of a Lifetime

This past Sunday was a day of both realized hopes and dashed dreams, but it served as a mere preview…

You are too busy not to pray!

I tucked a new and revised copy of a twenty-year-old book entitled, Too Busy Not To Pray, by Bill Hybels…

What Are You Being Called To?

We are two weeks into Beth Moore’s study of 2 Timothy, and some lights are coming on! Paul tells Timothy,…

Birds of a Feather

In my small men’s group, we’ve been going through Jeff Kemp’s book, “Facing the Blitz.” Kemp is a former NFL…

It’s Up to Us

February 11th whispered softly by. There was no birthday cake or fun celebration. Only a few silent tears for a…

Happy Valentine’s Day!

Today is a wonderful celebration of love. I have to admit that Valentine’s Day played a crucial role in the…

Unity in the Spirit

What is the definition of the word “church?” Generally we define it as a building used for worship. It is…

Live With Purposeful Urgency

There are two facts on which just about every reasonable person can agree: we will all die and one day…

Just Sing!

There was such an enthusiastic response to my Facebook post of Michael W. Smith’s song, Breathe that I was inspired…

Hypocrisy: The Sin Jesus Condemns Most

If you read through the Gospel, by the time you reach the Book of Luke, I’d imagine you’ve figured out…

Recognizing the Enemy

1 Peter 5:8 tells us to, “Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.”…

A New York Icon

There were thirty minutes left before we had to catch our cab to the airport for a flight back home…

Focus on Jesus

Recently, I’ve found myself following a spiritual rabbit hole, of sorts. In my love for and desire to live for…

One Step Away

Ephesians 5:19 says, “Speak to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the…

Clemson’s Key to Winning the National Championship: Love

One of the reasons I love sports is that it provides an opportunity to witness a person or a team…

Looking for Good

One of my favorite Bible verses is Romans 8:28, “And we know that all things work together for good to…

Happy New Year!

To our family and friends, Will and I took this week off from blogging to spend time with our families.…

Blessings on the Horizon

Praying you find a year full of love, blessings, and happiness when you look out at your horizon. With love…

Advent Week Four: Make Your Heart a Manger

Christmas is the story of God’s unwavering love for us. There was no royal announcement or ticker tape parade…

Preparing a Thankful Heart for Christmas

It’s crunch time. Christmas is less than a week away. Most of us are frantically making last second preparations.…

Advent, Week 3: What Made the Wise Men Wise?

At the time of the birth of Jesus, the term Wise Men spoke of people who studied sacred writings, astrology,…

The End of an Era

In reflecting on this Christmas season, I happened to be struck with a thought – we celebrate the coming of…

Advent, Week 2: What Do You Worship?

As a few of my friends and I enter into week two of Max Lucado’s online Advent study, Because of…

Advent, Week 1: Time For A New Perspective

“It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas!” This past Sunday marked the beginning of Advent – the four weeks…

Prayers for Oakley

Thanksgiving is a time for family, for love, for reflection, and of course for a large, hot meal. It is…

A Thanksgiving Prayer

On this day designated to give thanks to God for faith, family, friends and abundant blessings, I would like to…

What about the rest of us?

This past weekend my husband, John, and I were out to dinner with some friends. Afterwards, we were sitting by…

Give the Gift of Today to God

As with many of you, I say my prayers before going to sleep. I’ll say The Lord’s Prayer, a Hail…

A Heavenly Birthday

This week, my daughter Dawn, would be thirty-six years old. I’ll never know if she would have become the Olympic…

Delight In Defeat – Coach Bennett, When You Were Weak, You Were Strong

Dear Coach Bennett, As a new season approaches, I’m sure you can’t help but reflect on how last season ended.…

A Simon Opportunity

This past month, I reconnected with a college friend. Michael and I commuted to Fairfield University and spent what free…

Mumford & Sons – “The Wolf” Can’t Prevail Against God’s Love

I guess I’m on a music kick lately, and one of my favorite bands of the past few years is…

Have Faith In God

Reading through Will’s blog this week led me to reminisce about the inspiring faithfulness of his beautiful mom, Priscilla. Often,…

Love Is Not a Victory March

My mother’s favorite song was a 2007 Virginia Gentlemen recording of Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah.” So when my wife sent me…

Homecoming

John and I spent last weekend visiting the kids and enjoying some fall color at UVA. It was Homecoming Weekend,…

The Power of Music

St. Augustine once wrote, “He who sings, prays twice.” David, a man after the Lord’s heart (1 Samuel 13:14), sang…

Hurricane Matthew: Preparing for the Worst

In a crisis, I fancy myself a take-charge kind of guy. So, when I awoke early Tuesday morning last week…

The Heart of the Matter

My Bible study group, Sisters in Faith, has begun its fall session. We are using The Gospel of Mark by…

Happy Birthday!

Did you ever wonder why we celebrate our birthday? Some historians report that when the pharaohs were crowned in ancient…

Dee Gordon: Believe through Mourning

“If you don’t believe in God, you might as well start.” That was Dee Gordon’s response to his first home…

Faithfulness in the Storm

Traveling back from Gainesville this weekend, my husband and I drove into some heavy rain. Now, I am the first…

Brotherly Love – Am I My Brother’s Keeper?

I love sports. To me, sports are both a guide through and a microcosm of life. No voluntary activity has…

Freedom through Forgiveness

Last week an acquaintance of mine passed away. Karen was an unyielding person who died having not spoken to most…

I’m Like a Baby In My Grief

In the past year since my son was born, there have been several moments a day when he just doesn’t…

How to fail

This is my inaugural blog (yippee!). I could be jinxing it by writing on failure, but I’m willing to risk…

Where Were You on 9/11?

Like many, I can remember exactly where I was when the first plane flew into the North Tower of the…

Call to Christian Community

I must confess from the very beginning that community is not one of my strengths. Writing and reading are both…

Remembering a Mother’s Love for Her Autistic Son

I saw this article on Twitter yesterday, and it changed the course of my day. I had briefly met Travis…

A Storm’s Coming

This past weekend a tropical storm was bearing down on south Florida, so we dutifully prepared for the possibility of…

An Exercise In Loving Your Neighbor

Next time you’re out driving and you are stopped at a busy intersection, I want you to try something. Without…

Back to School

It’s that time of year when so many of us are busily getting our children off to school, like my…

My Last 10 Minutes on Earth

I travelled this past weekend, so I brought a few books to read should I actually have both the patience…

Thinking of you

We grieve deeply, when we love deeply. Grief, like the love that is the foundation of our grief, never fades.…

The Olympics and why we love sports

The Olympics are one of the greatest displays of faith in action that the secular world has. For four years,…

Falling short and forgiveness

We don’t need to be told we all mess up, make mistakes, and well, flat out sin. The good news…

Since my mother passed away

Today, Thursday August 4, 2016, marks 158 days since my mother passed away. Stated another way, it has been four…

The whole earth is full of His glory

One of my favorite Bible passages is Matthew 6:25-34. It is my go to passage to share when a friend…

Am I like Red Dog?

About four years ago, my wife and I adopted a Redbone Hound from a local shelter. His alleged age was…

Living with the unimaginable

I recently saw the Broadway show Hamilton. As I enjoyed this fresh and exciting view of a slice of US…

Peace in times of trouble

“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But…

“Will, do the dishes.”

One thing I learned in having my first child was that there wasn’t time to be selfish anymore. That’s not…

Put On Your Hat!

Yesterday I left for a walk … without my hat! Almost every morning, my husband, John, and I take an…

Prayers in Difficult Times

In my daily reading, I came across a couple prayers that are truly beautiful and speak to the heart of…

The Freedom To Be Free

Today is Independence Day, a holiday commemorating the day that the thirteen American colonies declared themselves a new nation free…

Risen – Christian Film or False Prophecy

THIS ARTICLE CONTAINS SPOILERS FOR THE FILM RISEN When I first saw previews for the film Risen, I was beyond…

Understanding Grief- Part Two

“My heart was racing so fast it jerked me up off my pillows as I gasped for air in my…

Malcolm Brogdon – The NBA Draft’s David?

On June 23, the NBA Draft will take place, which marks the beginning of lucrative careers playing basketball for thirty…

Understanding Grief – Part One

When we are coasting along a smooth, straight road and the sun is shining, it is so easy to say,…

Tripp’s First Word

As with most parents, since the day he was born, I’ve been dreaming of all the things my son could…

Is God Mad At Me?

Recently a friend asked, “Do you think God is mad at me”? Bryan felt that God was calling him to change…

Blessings for a New Day

Each dawn ushers in a fresh opportunity for a new beginning…just as Christ was raised from the dead by the…

Graduation and the Gospel

Commencement is a ceremony or a day when degrees are conferred upon students who have completed a course of study.…

Hodor – Recognizing the Greatest Man in Westeros

WARNING – CONTAINS SPOILERS THROUGH SEASON 6 OF GAME OF THRONES Greatness is defined in many ways, and as Christians, we…

A Bittersweet Mother’s Day

This was the most challenging Mother’s Day of my life. On the happier end of things, it was my wife’s…