Lord, we pray for the wedding coming up, for good health for all,
Pleasant weather, safety, and your presence in every part of the church and hall.
We pray for strength of body, heart, and mind for the elderly,
Joy and gladness for those who plan, arrange, and execute,
For wisdom, guidance, and your watchful eye over all,
This month we started asking why we didn’t receive more answers to our prayers. Then, God issued a challenge - are we ready to RECEIVE the answers to our prayers. It’s funny how that works. As Christians, we talk about prayer and the mighty work God can do. However, we forget the second half of the verse…believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. All of these years of prayer - and we forgot the second half of the verse!
Read MoreAs we pray, God will meet us where we are at and show us His grace and goodness. He will give us a heart for others, show us His heart for us, and heal us of the emotional consequences of doubting his goodness.
Read MoreWhat blessing have you been asking God for lately? Do you feel like your prayers are going unheard and unanswered? This is a reminder that there will be times when God prolongs a blessing after a season of waiting and painful wrestling with Him.
Read MoreOh dear, here I was, worrying again! A phone call I had just received had made my mood spiral down. I was reacting in ways I did not like. My heart was racing, I was fearful and sad, all at once.
Read MoreHave you felt overwhelmed lately? Do you see what is happening in the world and become anxious? Do you see evil and find yourself fearful and angry? Have you talked to Jesus about it yet?
Read MoreThis month, I wanted to take a moment to pause and spend some time sharing about prayer with you. We’re over halfway through this year now, and lots has happened. The seasons have been ticking by, and depending on which hemisphere you find yourself in, you’re either rugging up and enjoying the grey, cold days over steaming cups of coffee, or you're shimmying into your swimwear and heading to the beach for summer holidays.
Read MoreWhen I was little, my neighbor had rows full of strawberry plants in her garden. At the time, I knew that people grew vegetables, but the idea that you could grow something as delicious as strawberries in your own backyard fascinated me. I would have been only slightly more excited to find out that you could grow chocolate.
Read MoreNo other year has the message of Easter hit home like it did this year. A few weeks out from the holiday, my sister texted me the concerning news that my two-year-old niece was unwell. They had admitted her to the hospital for pneumonia. We prayed for her and believed that she would recover. A week later, unexpectedly, my niece’s health took a dramatic turn for the worse and within a few short hours, her life hung in the balance.
Read MoreThis year I decided that I needed to start my New Year’s resolutions a little bit early. Like a lot of people, my activity level has significantly decreased over the past year, partly due to not going to the gym and partly due to no longer walking around a school for seven hours a day.
Read MoreI don’t believe it’s possible to discuss the change of year and hope of rest and renewal without addressing the overwhelming amount of pain in the room. Pain from illness that took loved ones. Pain in protests and riots. Pain in politics. Pain in our lives. Pain in our relationships. I am weary with pain.
Read MoreRecently, I struggled to hear God’s voice in the midst of the chaos that is going on around me. I needed to grow in my relationship with God, but I felt stagnant in my efforts. Every time I tried to pray or read the Bible, God felt so distant. I felt like a bad Christian. It seemed like I was talking to an old friend, who couldn’t relate to me, and there was a barrier between us so I couldn’t clearly hear His voice. With tears in my eyes, I slowly admitted this to one of my friends… I struggled to hear God’s voice. I felt like the Lord was far from me. I read my Bible and prayed. But I still felt overwhelmed and defeated.
Read MoreWait. We don’t like that word very much, do we? I know I don’t sometimes and I think that as a whole, we are people who are in a hurry more often than not. What are some things that we don’t like waiting for? How about a paycheck? Food? Perfect timing, or as close to perfect as we can reach? Possessions—cars or beautiful homes? A husband? Kids?
Read MoreOver and over again in the scriptures we are instructed to pray. We are instructed to pray unceasingly and relentlessly. We pray, not because it makes God more inclined to help us, but because prayer makes us more attuned to Him. Often the results of prayer are not altered circumstances, but shifted hearts and attitudes. And this is especially true for our jobs.
Read MoreWhen someone lives through a life-changing event or trauma, like I did when I lost my sight, people often wonder how they are able to keep moving and carry on with life.
Read More“If you don’t use it, you lose it!” We’ve all heard that phrase before. It usually revolves around different skills like being able to play a sport well or speaking a different language fluently. As an immersion teacher, I can usually tell when one of my students speaks Spanish outside the classroom because when they communicate, it’s typically effortless.
Read MoreDo you believe it? Do you believe that there is a God who loves you, who is CALLING you?
Read MoreIn the midst of unspeakable tragedy, there begins the floodgates of memories—the beautifully painful memories of those we did not have enough time with, whose lives were cut short, but also memories to create anew. A friend’s recent Facebook post captured my attention about the cycle, brevity, and finality of life, and how quickly life can be altered. How beautifully it can be created, and how it can be violently taken away
Read MoreFrom someone who lived in Wuhan at one point in her life, and adopted her son from China, Brittany shares the Wuhan she knows and loves, along with ways we can pray and practically care for others during this COVID-19 pandemic.
Read MoreI love the book of Psalms. Over the last few weeks I have found myself going there often when I reach for my Bible. I love to read them, because you can hear the intensity with which the writer writes. They’re very raw and vulnerable—just like we are sometimes when we’re at our worst or lowest.
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