While gazing at a cluster of bleeding hearts, I remembered the importance of having a tender heart in every area of life. God calls us to be tenderhearted (Ephesians 4:32, 1 Peter 3:8). The one with a tender heart remembers who God is and what Jesus has done, gives freedom to the Spirit to bring […]
The Lion and the Lamb (Jennifer Miller, LPC)
So, I sat down to write this blog about the month of March and my mind began to trip over a bunch of associations — there’s March Madness, Spring Break, St. Patrick’s Day, and the Ides of March. But, none of those really sparked anything for me. Instead, I kept finding myself humming a song […]
Reverence – It Comes from Love (Mike Van Vranken)
Our society seems to have lost the sense of reverence—reverence for the person who is our boss at work, our employee, our supplier, or our customer—but especially, reverence for God. We can define reverence as the manifestation of that attitude of deep respect for someone or something that is coupled with awe or veneration or […]
Resolve … To BE (Rev. Carol Pazdersky)
Here we are, one month into the New Year. How are the resolutions going so far? Whether you are keeping them or have already forgotten them, one thing most resolutions have in common is negativity. Our resolutions focus on the worst aspects of ourselves—or at least what we perceive as the worst. Maybe it is […]
Seven Dollars and Forty-Three Cents (Rev. Larry Davies)
The following true story more than any other reminds me to be alert for opportunities God continually gives to help others in need. I blew it. I missed a valuable opportunity and learned a critical lesson. Over the next few weeks, I hope to share some of those lessons learned and offer ways that we […]
Surviving Christmas With the Family (Jennifer Miller, LPC)
For some, Christmas means … The Nativity. Heaven come to Earth. Immanuel, God with us. For others, it means … Decorations. Gifts. Egg nog. Carols. Even Santa Claus. Regardless, it most definitely means … time with the family. That is one of the most interesting things about the holidays. For many of us, it is […]
Connecting (Brett Beeson)
“Oh! I had forgotten.” But I hadn’t. I had been speaking to my friend Renee about an incident from three years ago, when she and our friends had taken it upon themselves to cure my gloom with retail therapy. They had then proceeded to buy me a lovely lavender hand cream from The Body Shop, […]
Be Still (Brett Beeson)
“Be still and know that I am God.” Be still. Be. Still. How often do we do that today? How often can we convince ourselves to just sit down and find that oft-sought, much-lauded, “peace”? What does that even mean? I, personally, am not very good at this trait. I feel constantly harassed, driven, pushed […]
Hunting for Acorns (Jennifer Miller, LPC)
I grew up as a Grade A certified people pleaser. I needed praise like that prehistoric squirrel in Ice Age needed that acorn. I was hunting for acorns, doing everything I could to receive positive, encouraging, uplifting words from those around me. It filled me up. It drove me on. It made everything right in […]
She Wants to Be Picked (Jennifer Miller, LPC)
Picture this: A 13-year old girl, all dressed up, excited to attend her first school dance. She is anticipating a magical event. She pictures herself walking in and being asked to dance by any number of boys. She wants to be Cinderella, chosen out of everyone else. Yet, it doesn’t take long for her to […]
