Grief Turned to Joy, 24 Hours with Jesus, Pt 4 (John 16)Dear Church Family and Friends,  Jesus continues a heavy and confusing discussion with the disciples in their last meal together prior to his death. He encourages them to remain in his love. He encourages them in their purpose to bear fruit for the kingdom of God. That he is the vine and they are the branches. He builds them up and preps thei...  Read More

Staying Connected, 24 Hours with Jesus pt3 (John 15)Dear Church Family and Friends,  Most women are pretty intuitive about the quality of their relationships.  Most men tend to run on auto-pilot and then jump to action when there is a problem.  But best practice is to stay "current" and "attentive" to the nuances of relationship.  The dynamic along the way is part of the relationship building proc...  Read More

Marriage Matters Blog, 006Vows & A Daily Ring ExchangeEarly on in our marriage, we started the daily habit of renewing our vows. Before one of us would leave the house in the morning, we would hand the other person our wedding ring. A promise would be spoken over the other person as they slid the wedding ring onto the ring finger.The promise was always new, meaningful, and it's a daily habit of re...  Read More

Marriage Matters Blog, 005ExpectationsExpectations are not inherently bad- they are the standard we hold for our lives. Challenges arise in marriage when expectations are unspoken. Unspoken expectations are a recipe for resentment.Unmet expectations lead to frustration. Unrealistic expectations lead to feelings of inadequacy.Let's talk about the way forward for your marriage today:Stay away from t...  Read More

Table Talk, 24 Hours with Jesus, pt 2Dear Church Family and Friends,  The evening meal finished, and all the plates and wine glasses have been cleared from the table. There is tension and excitement in the air, as the disciples know there is something different about this Passover Seder. The 12 are down one, as Judas has already grabbed his loaf of bread and headed out into the night. It was a dar...  Read More

Love Serves, 24 Hours with Jesus pt 1Dear Church Family and Friends,  A true, unselfish love is evidenced best when it is not easy.  Watch what a husband does when his wife is battling an illness.  See what a young adult does when a classmate betrays their friendship.  See how a leader responds when a crisis threatens him as well as those under his or her oversight. When Jesus faced the most criti...  Read More

Singleness: A season to be stewarded or a gift to be enjoyed, Sacred Romance pt 4Dear Church Family and Friends,  Apple vs Android. In N Out vs Five Guys. Ford vs Chevy. Pepsi vs Coke. Angels vs Dodgers. Sushi vs Pho. Which is better?How about marriage vs singleness? Which is better? It’s easy to fall into the trap that one is inherently better than the other. The Bible doesn’t place singleness as...  Read More

A Lasting Romance, Sacred Romance pt3Dear Church Family and Friends,  For decades, I have noticed how the emphasis on romance tends to be limited to the initial phase of a relationship.  Think Hallmark movies and shows.  How many of them are about the ongoing married, committed relationship between a man and woman?  Right!?  Few. Most couples go toward marriage with aspirations for a shared life w...  Read More

A Passionate Pursuit, Sacred Romance pt2Dear Church Family and Friends,  Can you think of a relationship that had all the early signs of being something special?  You just seemed to click.  They were intriguing and captured your interest.  You couldn't stop thinking about them throughout the day and you looked forward to any opportunity to connect.Within the Sacred Romance are millions of stories ...  Read More

Sacred Romance, Pt 1Marriage is under attack in Western culture. It has been belittled, ridiculed and redefined. In some cases, it is totally dismissed as being outdated or unnecessary. Who needs a piece of paper to show that I love someone? Who needs an institution that uses or implies the term “covenant” between two people and speaks words like “till death do us part?” The culture around us says...  Read More

Marriage Matters Blog, 004How my life changed at age 46 when we married. A little late for both of us for our first (and last) marriage. Life has always been pretty good without having any major struggles. But, not being able to share the joy and wonderful things that God has given us, had left it incomplete. With Joann in relationship through marriage, has been so much better than ever expected. ...  Read More

Marriage Matters Blog, 003The best marriage advice I've ever received.Believe the best, rather than assume the worst.If we believe the best in our spouse, then conversations about our disagreements are much smoother, and reconciliation comes much quicker.When I assume the worst about my spouse, it causes suspicion, I doubt their intentions, and every action and word gets filtered through a lens of...  Read More