He Sees a Way
It blows my mind that God is infinitely more generous and creative than this. I often don't pray for my dreams and desires, thinking God will discard them as pointless or unnecessary. However, Ephesians 3:20 says that God can do "immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine." He knows how time, space, my finances, my family, and the world all fit together together like complex machinery, while I have no such perspective. Don't be afraid to ask God for your dream, the deepest desire of your heart. He may see a way where you see a wall.
An Illustration of Faith
The human heart is prone to wander which is why it is so important to remind ourselves of the truths of Jesus every day, every hour, every moment if need be. The gospel reminds us that Jesus is the only thing worth putting all faith and trust in. His love for us was proven at the cross, and for those who believe, it is not only what we fall back on, but the very thing on which we stand.
What it Boils Down To
I've found that as these doubts arrive, God gives us sweet assurances of his grace as we continue to press into him. He is true to his word. He WILL work in and through us if we believe and obey Him. My prayer is that we will no longer be surprised, but never cease to be amazed that we serve a loving God who saves sinners, transforms lives and uses ordinary people like you and me to accomplish his purposes in a broken world.
Unbreakable
As soon as you commit your life to Christ, you are not alone. Immediately, you are mortared onto the strongest, most unbreakable structure that ever was, a building that will only grow taller throughout eternity. It's easy to get bogged down in personal conflicts, the state of the modern church, or pain we've experienced from Christians in the past. But through all of that, do not forget - if we belong to Christ, we belong to the His building, along with all the prophets and apostles of old! We are unbreakable.
We Forgot to Pray
Regularly taking a moment to pause, praise and give thanks may seem insignificant, but I am convinced that our habits are constantly forming us into the people we are becoming. If you're like me and you tend to get caught up in the busyness of the day, take a moment now and ask God to grow in you a heart of constant gratitude! He hears your prayers and desires to help you!
Hope in Grief
Because of God’s great love for us he sent his son Jesus Christ into a broken world to take sin and death upon himself so that we could have a new and greater life. A life in relationship with Him. This life begins today and goes beyond our time here on earth into an eternity spent with our Maker. Because of the love of Christ I have HOPE- hope for Chris, hope for you, hope for me and anyone who calls on the name of Jesus...Because even in death, a life hidden in Christ can never be taken away.
We are Heirs
We glorify God when we claim our identity in Him, and call upon him in times of need! When life gets hard, straightening my crown and calling out to my Father should be my first instinct, not my last.
Lessons from a Ski Instructor
I believe God, in his grace, allows us to fall so that we are reminded that we don't have it all together and we still need His grace, forgiveness, healing, and instruction. This reminder makes me thankful for Jesus, who took the fall for me when he was beaten, mocked, and scorned while he hung on a cross for my sins.
Our Hope in Him
God does not call us to be perfect, He calls us to surrender. When we surrender and give Him our hearts, He will do the work in us to help us overcome our sin. But we are human, so we will always fall short therefore let us always remember that His mercies are new every morning.
Learning to Share and Sharing to Learn
I can say without question, when you begin to share your faith with others, you will grow deeper in your faith in Christ. It's important to note that God doesn't ask us to share with others what we ourselves don't already know or have. Many times our issue is not that we don't know enough, it's that we are not willing to live out what we already know with those around us.
The Work of Restoration
Like any restoration, our spiritual renewal can be slow and arduous and it can uncover things that we wish we didn't have to deal with. But I’ve also found, as God restores me into the person he’s created me to be, I feel the weight of my own brokenness being lifted off of me and I can honestly say, “Thank you Jesus, you are worth it”.
Surfer Theory
God's nature is not transactional, it’s relational. It’s out of intimacy with our Heavenly Father that He empowers us to do His work. Intimacy with God precedes ministry, not the other way around.
In His Right Place
No matter how "good" or "necessary" the task, if it is not done from a heart of worship and thanksgiving to God, it becomes idolatrous very quickly. It becomes worship of productivity or self or others - the list goes on.
His Abundant Pasture
If you've put your faith in Christ, you are the sheep of His pasture. It isn't greener in any other pasture! He made you and you are His. His pasture is full of abundance.
We all Want It
The longer we know someone, the more likely we are to be hurt or irritated by them. It is inevitable. However, as Christians we are called to keep each other accountable and help each other grow.
Trail Markers
We have a God who teaches and reminds us of His goodness through His creation and through the adventures we take! How cool is that? When we live life looking for God in everything around us, we see His truths covering over the entirety of it.
Feeding Waterville
Although, we have hosted our last meal at this point. We’re so amazed by the connections God has created through these times as well as how He will continue to use this service in future seasons.
The Blessing of Hospitality
As followers of Jesus, hospitality means making space in and outside of our homes not only for close friends and family, but also for the outsider, stranger, the non-believer and the skeptic. Jesus set the ultimate example of hospitality for us by giving up his home in heaven, so we could be brought home to our heavenly Father.
One of Life’s Greatest Joys
Gratitude being a joy in itself is not a thought that had crossed my mind before, but I couldn't agree more. Every day is full of blessings both big and small. Life, breath, food, clothing, shelter, people, beauty…..Praise God! When we express gratitude to God for his blessings it's like we get to experience joy again! Gratitude brings God glory but it is also for our good!