Discover how finding joy in the little things—like warm clothes, a cozy home, fresh coffee, and gardening preparation—can bring comfort and hope during challenging times. Embrace simple blessings that uplift your spirit and brighten your week.
Joy in suffering? At first, it sounds as out of place as a snowstorm in July. But Paul shows us that even in hardship, joy is possible because suffering produces perseverance, character, and hope. The Christmas story isn’t free from struggle. Mary and Joseph faced rejection and uncertainty, yet their journey brought them to the…
Imagine a group of travelers going hundreds of miles with a treasure chest in tow, guided by nothing more than a star. When they finally found Jesus, their first reaction wasn’t relief or exhaustion—it was joy! They “rejoiced exceedingly with great joy.” The Wisemen remind us that joy comes from seeking (and finding) Jesus. They didn’t…
This year for Thanksgiving we did something a little different. Instead of looking at the normal bible verses, we dove into a psalm. You know one of those passages that looks like a poem and acts like a poem but sometimes doesn’t feel very much like a poem? We all know that we have things…
The past couple of years have been challenging in many ways. For me personally they’ve been marked by some significant losses. My grandparents both ended their multi year battle with Alzheimer’s disease within a year of each other. Some friends have moved on to new endeavors. Other friends have remained but grown distant at best….
There are times in all of our lives when we wonder Where did God go! Generally these moments are filled with anxiety, fear and worry. When things don’t go our way, we jump to blaming some higher power for disrupting the flow of our lives. When calamity strikes and panic sets in, we readily jump…
As I stand at my desk in my office and look out the window at the snow falling on this last day of November in 2020, I decided it’s time to start the journey toward Christmas. We’re in a time of year in the church known as Advent. It pretty much means waiting, preparing, anticipating…
What in life gets you going? What brings you energy and passion that can’t be silent? What are those things in life that just put a smile on your face even when you’re not trying to smile? When these things happen in our lives it’s like we break out in a happy dance without even…
Sometimes we just need to go back a little. Not necessarily to a better time or a time that we even remember but to a different time. A different state of mind. A different way of looking at life, the world, our neighbor and even our churches.
I’ve always loved looking at the book of Psalms. It’s filled with real, honest and at times gut-wrenching thoughts poured out of a broken heart. We all too often paint a rosy picture of followers of Jesus having it all together and not facing struggles in life. Or if we do see them struggle we…
