My all-time favorite verse is Philippians 4:4-8. This passage is so practical and helps me “do” life. It instructs me on how to live in Christ as a follower of His. God’s Word here encourages me and convicts me. This verse calms my heart in the middle of the night when life feels dark and hopeless and out of control. It ends with promising me the peace of God. It is a verse I cherish with all my heart and I feel like God put this in the bible just for me. So let’s get into it!

Forgiveness. If you’ve been in church for a while, it’s probably a word you’ve heard more times than you can  count — a non-negotiable for those who follow Jesus. Yet, when you’re face-to-face with the  person who hurt you, or left sitting alone with the pain, it feels like a battle you’re unsure you  want to fight. Let’s be real: it’s hard. Sometimes actually doing it can feel like climbing a  mountain with no summit in sight… impossible and pointless…

Finally, I was out of the riptide and back on my feet, standing in chest-deep water after what seemed like forever. I was exhausted. I didn’t know it but Jill had jumped in too and, as I looked to my right, she was in the riptide now and struggling hard toward the beach. In spite of her best swimming, she was moving steadily backward toward the open ocean and would be out of reach any second. My first instinct was to swim over to her as fast as I could…

Wads of crumpled wrapping paper peek out from under the couch in my tousled living room — the norm after our traditional post-present-opening paper wad fight. New sweaters, books, puzzles and games lay haphazardly under the slightly tilted Christmas tree along with a few broken ornaments. Sighing, I scan the mess and head into the kitchen to rummage hopefully for some leftover turkey and stuffing as rain lashes the window in the growing darkness. Spotify is still crooning my Christmas playlist, but the music seems out of place and the joy I had just a few days ago listening to the carols is gone. Christmas is over and spring feels like years away…

“Joy to the world, the Lord is come!” We often sing these words at Christmastime, as we celebrate the birth of Christ.  But interestingly this song is about the second coming of Christ, not His first. More on that later. This song is still fitting to sing at Christmas as we celebrate the birth of Christ. We are filled with joy when we reflect on the first coming of our Lord and Savior, and we are joyful as we look forward to His return…

On a dark night, in a regular field, 2000 years ago, ordinary men watched over their sheep. On this seemingly routine work night for the shepherds, God chose to change their lives and make the most wonderful news known to them. He revealed the birth of the long-awaited Savior to these ordinary men! Why reveal this great news to shepherds? Why not share it with a religious leader or someone with political power? You see, God knew the hearts of these men. He didn’t just randomly flip a coin to see which field His angels should arrive in. God had a perfect plan. The shepherds were specifically chosen by God for His divine purpose…

The holiday season often feels like a whirlwind. Between holiday parties, shopping for gifts, decorating, and school events, the pace of December can leave us feeling tired. Christmas, the celebration of Jesus’ birth, can become just another thing on our to-do list. But what if we celebrate Christmas a little differently this year? What if taking the time to slow down this year isn’t just good for us but essential for experiencing the true joy of the season?

I love the musical diversity of Christmas carols. Seriously, how often do we get to sing in a minor key at church? Most of the time we are trying to capture the joy of the Lord with our worship music, but this carol is mournful. At a time as cheerful as Christmas, what is there to mourn?

When posed the question, “What are you thankful for?” God's provision in some form is likely to be the first thing to come to your mind. The list of his provision in your life might include your family, friends, health, freedom, food, or even a place to sleep. Now, if this is the case for you, like it is for most of us, you could use a change in perspective - we all could. When thinking about Biblical thankfulness, Colossians 1-2 is not a bad place to start…