New/Renew

How to Open Yourself to Renewal!

How to Open Yourself to Renewal!

The pandemic has certainly revealed idols for many of us. It also has revealed those things that are important and how perhaps we have not put enough focus on them—our faith, our relationship with God, community, family, friends.

This advent season, I plan to reflect on this. What idols are in my life? What stands between me and my relationship with God? What has prevented me from being a good neighbor? What has prevented me from being fully present in all of my relationships? What has stopped me from being the hands and feet of God? What has tarnished my reflection of Him?

Starting Each Day Off Right!

Starting Each Day Off Right!

We all love New Year’s Day!

New goals!

A fresh start!

We feel this way because each new year is very ceremonial.

The date we write is “new”.

The calendar we use is “new”.

We just concluded the holidays, and we are ready for new beginnings. New excitement.!

But, what if we treated each new day as a new beginning.

Renewal for Ourselves, our Communities, the Nations, and our World

Renewal for Ourselves, our Communities, the Nations, and our World

We serve a God who renews all things—and all people who call upon His name.

Renewal has several definitions, and each is relevant to our walk as Christians.

According to Oxford Languages, one definition of renewal is “an instance of resuming an activity or state after an interruption.”

Certainly, we have each experienced interruptions in our lives,

Fruitfulness--After Years of Barrenness...

Fruitfulness--After Years of Barrenness...

That tree.

It was only half the size it is now when we first bought the house. It was stunted, crowded by a Mulberry tree that stood over its shoulder, each competing for light and water. For 23 years, the tree grew by inches—not feet—and never produced a single pine cone. Never. Really, I thought it couldn’t.

But, about three years ago, the crowding Mulberry tree was showing signs of rot and had to be taken down.