“For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not of your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.” Ephesians 2:8 OBSERVATION No one ever works to get a gift. Doing chores might get us an allowance and we might...
Isolation vs. Solitude solation is an evil twin of solitude. Because they’re twins, they often get mistaken for one another. It’s only when you see how they affect the world around them that you can begin to tell them apart. It’s crucial to...
“The people stood far off, while Moses drew near to the thick darkness where God was.” Exodus 20:21OBSERVATION When I think of darkness, I think of quiet, stillness, and a heightened awareness to everything around me. But I’m not always comfortable being still or...
Read Genesis 3:15 Today, Easter isn’t very violent. Walk into any grocery store and you’ll find lots of pastel colors, plastic eggs and baskets filled with candy to mark the season. I’ll admit, biting the heads off of chocolate covered bunnies and marshmallow chickens...
ASL InterpretationHow do we build for the future when the future seems so uncertain? This week, we'll turn to Acts 2 to see how the early church began as a model for how we can continue to build the future of the Church together. As we follow their lead, we not only...
The moment we believe in Jesus for the salvation of our sins, we are ushered into eternal life. Through no effort of our own, Jesus gives us new life we receive by faith. This life has the opportunity for growth and development. So how do we develop this new life...
Life is full of extraordinary challenges: wars, injustice, and politics just to name a few. When faced with these extraordinary challenges, we can look for a miracle that is just as extraordinary. But life also has its ordinary challenges: stressful emails or losing...
I’m a little obsessive compulsive. I like things a certain way. I like when the lines of the screws in an outlet cover line up with each other. If I go to a friend’s house and they have a picture frame tilting too far in one direction, I’ll try to level it. When...
As I’ve gotten older, I’ve become less and less spontaneous. I like plans. I like to know where I’m going, who’s going to be there, and where the exits are well in advance. I like being prepared and I don’t like surprises. Yeah, I’m the guy who shows up to the airport...
Have you ever set a goal that seemed impossible in the moment? Running a marathon, baking a perfect loaf of bread, or starting a new career can all seem impossible. Until you do it. Reaching a goal we once thought impossible gives us a new definition of what is...
Have you ever lost your voice? Maybe you lost your voice after scream-singing at a Dave Matthews Band concert. Maybe you got so sick it was too painful to speak. If something like that has ever happened to you, you may have noticed it’s difficult to communicate...
What if you knew, without a doubt, that your team would win the Super Bowl this season, or who the next president will be, or what features the next iPhone would have? Who would you tell? Would they believe you? The angel Gabriel has a tough job. He has to tell people...
Every four years, the Summer Olympics are held in one major city around the world. They’ve been held in London, Atlanta, and, in 2020, people from all over the globe will watch the Olympics in Tokyo. The impressiveness and beauty of these cities makes the games...