Do It God's Way

contributed by:
Eric Dunaway
Communications & Missions Pastor


Children are a blessing. But let's be honest, they have their moments. Like, for instance, when my eight-year-old is supposed to be going to sleep, but is shining a flashlight (by the way, how'd she even get a flashlight?!) in her big sister's eyes. Or when my five-year-old son keeps barging into his sisters' room after repeated (and very animated, I might add) requests not to. Please tell me we're not the only family to experience this! 

GOD > everything else

contributed by:

Tyler Ward

Spiritual Formation Pastor

 

This past weekend, Pastor Ron talked about one of my favorite stories in the Bible. It's a story about one of my favorite people in the Bible - a guy named Elijah. I like him because his life inspires me…it reveals to me how profoundly God can use us when we walk closely with him and are fully confident in him. 

Defining Decisions

contributed by:

Becky Johnson

Women's:Life Director

I am 45ish years old...ok, add a couple of years to that and you might be a little closer to my actual age. Even at my “advanced" age however, I can still remember my high school years and how difficult some decisions were. I had to decide if I would give in to peer pressure regarding issues of integrity, alcohol and purity. Would I do what others accepted as right or go against the popular crowd…Would I give in to the pressure around me or hold to my convictions? The decisions I made then have affected how my life is lived today.

The Foolish Wise Man

contributed by:

Ron Klopfenstein

Men's:Life Director

Last weekend Tyler Ward took us through the story of Solomon and an amazing story it is.  Here is a man who is granted his request of God for great wisdom yet whose life is marked by times of great foolishness.

A Fresh Start

contributed by:

Staci Overbeck

Ministry Assistant to Adult Life

What is it about New Year's Day that makes it different from any other day of the year? Nothing. Yet, every year on December 31st millions of people make a list of resolutions that they hope to fulfill starting on January 1st. I am typically one of them. There is something about a clean slate that ignites the dream of what could be. Unfortunately, as soon as we fail in our resolve, things tend to return to status quo until next December 31st when the process begins again.

Extravagant Redemption

contributed by:

Ron Klopfenstein

Men's:Life Director

God desires to redeem you.  Do you really believe that?  I mean REALLY?  Sometimes we fail to understand the intensity with which God pursues us.  He is relentless and passionate about redeeming people.  His motive is love and it covers our sin, our circumstances, our past and our present.  He has paid the ultimate price of His son Jesus to accomplish this.

Insurmountable

contributed by:

Staci Overbeck

Ministry Assistant to Adult:Life

Laura was living a dream. She had written a number one worship song, was working in a ministry that she loved, and she had just married her high school sweetheart. Things were definitely good for her, but shortly thereafter, she realized that there was something a little off. A visit to a doctor and some testing revealed that Laura's husband had a brain tumor. His surgery resulted in some touch and go moments with the end result being significant vision and memory loss - including the memory of their recent marriage.

Depth

Contributed by:
Tyler Ward
Spiritual Formation Pastor

One of the things that many Christians seem to be desiring is greater depth in their faith and relationship with Jesus. I think this is a great thing that as a pastor I celebrate - and as a fellow follower of Christ, I am desiring as well.

Heartbeat for Relationship

Contributed by:

Becky Johnson

Women's:Life Director

Recently, I ran across this prayer of Father Simon Tugwell:

“So long as we imagine that it is we who have to look for God, we must often lose heart. But it is the other way around. He is looking for us. And so we can afford to recognize that very often we are not looking for God: far from it, we are in full flight from him, in high rebellion against him. And he knows that and has taken it into account. He has followed us into our own darkness; there where we thought finally to escape him, we run straight into his arms. So we do not have to erect a false piety for ourselves, to give us the hope of salvation. Our hope is in his determination to save us, and he will not give in.”

Deliverance

Contributed by:

Tyler Ward

Spiritual Formation Pastor

This past weekend Ron Klopfenstein continued our series called The Story. We looked at chapter 4, which tells the story of God delivering the Israelite people from their slavery in Egypt through a man named Moses.

Through this story of deliverance, we were reminded of a variety of things that we need deliverance from – our past, the mentality that when God asks us to do things…it's all up to us, our comfort, and our tendency to fear and try to control things. As Ron pointed out, not only do we need deliverance in these areas, but thankfully God is fully willing and fully capable of delivering us.