Soul Space, part 1 of the new mini-series: "Margins." Dear Church Family and Friends,  We tend to fill our lives with busyness or distractions that don't refresh the soul. The space within us gets so crowded and cluttered that it becomes difficult to be at peace and make good decisions.Jesus calls us to have meaningful margins in our lives. Those healthy margins start in the inside with the state ...  Read More

Family Values, the final message in the "I Love My Church" mini-message series .Dear Church Family and Friends,  Jesus had a lot to say about the local church. In fact, Jesus loves the local church and died for people in the local church (and those currently far from it too). Jesus desires local churches to impact the world! How do we do that? How do we stay on course? What should be reflected in ...  Read More

Family Priorities, part 2 in the "I Love My Church" mini-series.Dear Church Family and Friends,  Among all the "good" things you can do as a family, what is most important in this present season? How do you discern what is priority for you, your family and your church family when there are multiple good things you could focus on? Jesus highlights what is priority for each expression of His church ...  Read More

Family PurposeDear Church Family and Friends,  A simple brochure about our purpose in life asks a straightforward question: "Why am I here?" If we are unable to answer that question, we should pause what we are doing and get back in touch with our purpose. God has revealed his purpose for creating us - that we might please Him and that he might delight in a loving trust relationship with people re...  Read More

Promise and Praise! Dear Church Family and Friends,  How does it make you feel when you see a beautiful sunrise on the horizon of a new day? Maybe even taking in a gorgeous sunset at the end of difficult day or week can give you a welcome calm and sense of peace. When we can see clearly and confidently God's good purposes in and through us for a new season of time, it stirs praise! God's promised ...  Read More

Failing UpwardsDear Church Family and Friends,  80% of our New Year's resolutions will be given up by February! As we prepare for the new year let's resolve not to give up, even though we will fail often. Romans 3:10 As it is written: “There is no one righteous, not even one; 11 there is no one who understands; there is no one who seeks God.As a society we’re obsessed with winning, it so impacts o...  Read More

The King has Come! Dear Church Family and Friends,  Have you ever met someone the world considers to be really important? How did you feel? Have you ever met someone that God considers to be really important? What impression did that encounter have on you?  God prepared people to recognize the coming of His Son, Jesus, the ultimate Savior and King. Through the prophecies in Isaiah and elsewhere, G...  Read More

Celebrating God with Us Dear Church Family and Friends,  Can you remember a time when a special person really wanted to be with you? Maybe it was a grandparent or parent, an older sibling or a special friend. When you realized that they WANTED to be with you in a time of need or for some special occasion, how did you feel?  God wants to be with us!! From the beginning of time God's desire was to b...  Read More

Being Made New! Dear Church Family and Friends,  Have you ever wished you could just start over? We become painfully aware of our need for new beginnings on the heels of our failures--after beginning an argument that wasn't necessary; after losing it around one of our kids; or after failing to take action to protect or help someone in need. God is the initiator of new beginnings! God comes to us a...  Read More

Preparing for a New Day- Song of the Vineyard Dear Church Family and Friends,  A modern-day vineyard is a beautiful and impressive sight to see. Row after row of healthy vines planted on hundreds of acres of prime real estate. State of the art production facilities strategically located along with picturesque buildings and gardens. Stately courtyards are arranged so visitors can savor the taste of...  Read More

Judgment and Future Glory Dear Church Family and Friends,    At any point in your life journey has there been a time that felt like a golden age? Was there a season that just felt like everything was starting to come together? Such a time had just passed for the people in Judah and Jerusalem as Isaiah began to speak God's message to them regarding their future going forward. (Isaiah 3-4) In it, Go...  Read More

The Day of the LORD, Preparing for a New Day, part 2, the message of Isaiah.Dear Church Family and Friends,    Have you ever faced a season of time that was going to be really, really difficult and demanding, but as you looked to the other side of that season you were filled with hope for the restoration of good things in your life and/or family?    "The Day of the LORD" generally refers to a seas...  Read More