There isn't a day that goes by now that doesn't have an unthinkable headline hitting the news outlets. Long gone are the days that I remember as a teen when I would spend a summer afternoon lying on the front lawn of my home, along with a friend or two, looking up at the sky and pointing out the animals that we saw in the cloud formations. Life has become increasingly comp...

Does it sound to you like we are owning stuff that no longer belongs to us? Listen to our words: My sorrow My pain My loneliness My lust My addiction My anger My fear My fatigue My confusion My lack My depression My anxiety... We forfeit our peace when we fail to recognize the victory Jesus has won for us on the cross. Once, for all!Romans 6:6 (Message) "Coul...

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him and he will direct your paths." -Proverbs 3:5-6 This scripture became real for me when I was in college several years ago. My first year in college was extremely challenging for me. In addition to all the normal "identity crisis" challenges that people face when...

"You are dust, and to dust you shall return." Genesis 3:19b These words were spoken by God to Adam when he fell into sin in the Garden of Eden. They remind us of the fragile and fleeting nature of life. The phrase is often read at the graveside during the funeral of a Christian or repeated in Ash Wednesday services in . many different branches of the church. They serve as...

We are going to be fasting on Thursdays for the month of Lent. Here are seven reasons to join us: Fasting fights against food idolatry. Fasting is a way to fight against eating as a source of comfort or escape. It's a way of declaring, "As much as I want food right now, I want YOU, Jesus, even more!" Fasting reminds us we do not belong to this world. Sometimes w...

The apostle Paul said in Ephesian 5:18 "Do not get drunk on wine,which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit..." To Christians who already had the Holy Spirit dwelling in them, Paul says to be filled with the Spirit. In the Greek, it has the idea of a continual present tense, sort of like "continually be getting filled with the Spirit." In this past Sun...

As we approach our 2024 membership meeting in March, our Nominating committee - made up of a few members at large (Pat Hess, Debbie Robertson and Christine Aylett) and one baord member (Bob McDonough) -- will be meeting a couple times to discuss and pray about any new potential board members. Bob Daber and Scot King will be finishing their third terms and will need to ste...

A few years ago, I had the idea to share the books I've read during the year. I didn't do it. A couple years ago someone suggested I share books I'm reading. I didn't do that, either. This year the idea came back, so I'm gonna' do it. The following are books I've read this year. All kinds. You may or may not be interested in them. You may or may not like them the same wa...

I must confess, I am not a fan of New Year's resolutions. Any goal worth setting is worth setting on November 1st, December 1st, or February 1st. Making a goal simply because it's a new year is usually not a good sign it will be taken seriously beyond January 15th. But I also know God is a God of seasons, so taking inventory of our values and asking God to help us reset o...

16Rejoice always,17pray continually, 18give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus. - 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 We often worry about discovering God's will. Who should I marry? What town should I live in? Where should I go to college? Those are certainly important questions, but the bible is not exactly black white on them. Scripture i...