New/Renew

How to Be Part of the Greatest Adventure

How to Be Part of the Greatest Adventure

Two weeks before Christmas, I heard a very thoughtful sermon preached by Pastor Kendell Harger of the Spring Green Community Church in Spring Green, Wisconsin. The sermon was part of a series on
“Hope Because..” and this one focused on Mary.

One of the key takeaways I had from the message is that because Mary trusted God, much was entrusted to her.

A 27-Year-Old Woman Who Helped Bring an Entire Village to Christ (And she never knew it)

A 27-Year-Old Woman Who Helped Bring an Entire Village to Christ (And she never knew it)

Svea Flood.

You’ve never heard of her.

I hadn’t either.

So often, we look at our lives and wonder if we have made, are making, or ever really will make a difference for Christ. Will Jesus look at us and say “Well done.”?

The answer for all but a few is that we simply do not know the impact our lives have on others.

What Is Truth? And, Why Does it Matter?

What Is Truth? And, Why Does it Matter?

As a child, our truth rests with our parents. They are our truth. They tell us what is right, what is wrong, how we should feel, how we should adapt. They are our true north.

Soon, that true north is challenged. Friends enter our life, and they reflect the truths of their parents and siblings. And sometimes, that truth does not jive with our parents’ truth. Who to believe? At this point, most of us go with our parents, because they are our protectors, and we trust them.

But subtly, over time, we lose that true north. We begin to question what our parents have told us. Other authority figures enter our lives, and we start to wonder, what is truth? Where does it rest? School teachers teach truths that don’t mesh with what we have learned at home. Friends start to challenge our truth—and they make sense. What to believe? Where to go?

The Power of a New Year!

The Power of a New Year!

The power of a new year rests in one word: New.

Newness is something we seek. We want new life, new chances, new hopes. As we go through life, we know as Christians that key components of this life are endurance and perseverance. Yet, in the midst of difficult times—when our perseverance wears thin—we all want “new” hope, new dreams, a new life.

So how do we satisfy this desire for a “new” or “renewed” life?

We Win the Nations Through Singing! The Importance of Song to Our Faith.

We Win the Nations Through Singing! The Importance of Song to Our Faith.

I recently heard a message Dr. John Piper gave at the Sing! Global 2021 Conference. He so clearly outlined the purpose singing plays in our walk with God, that I wanted to share my notes on his message with you in preparation for the next six weeks, between Thanksgiving and the new year, when I will focus on some of this Holy Season’s most treasured songs.

Dr. Piper began his message by stating that human language does not suffice as an expression of the greatest realities of the universe, adding that the realities of the Christian faith are so glorious that they will never be adequately expressed by spoken language alone. They must be sung.