“The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.” (Psalm 23:1, NKJV) Psalm 23 was the second passage of Scripture that I memorized as a child of six. The first was Psalm 100. Memorizing those two passages early in life shaped my life. I've never doubted that God was my shepherd. I have always enjoyed thinking and…Read more Future World
A Call to 40 Days of Fasting and Prayer
Each year, I look forward to our annual 40 Days of Fasting and Prayer. For 25 years I have called our church family to a season of fasting and prayer. For some of us this may be something very new. To give up food for a meal, or for 24 hours, once a week. Why?…Read more A Call to 40 Days of Fasting and Prayer
Happy Sabbath #2
It is a pleasant surprise for a pastor when a Sunday morning message strikes a chord with so many. The message Sunday about Sabbath Rest has sparked conversations every day this week. A common summary of the comments reveals that most of us have not seen Sabbath as the grace gift that it is. There…Read more Happy Sabbath #2
Happy Sabbath!
When the Hebrews were delivered from slavery in Egypt, God gave these former slaves a gift that their taskmasters would have never thought of. The gift of one day of rest for worship, family, and re-creation. From the beginning of creation God gave us a unique gift of a week with one day specifically designed…Read more Happy Sabbath!
Christmas is for Everyone!
On this fourth day of the Christmas Season, my heart is full of joy! This year's Advent theme was at Woodland was a "A Few of My Favorite Things." The people, the decorations, the lights, and the gifts of Christmas brought us to the scriptural conclusion, "Christmas is for Everyone!" Every year the world is…Read more Christmas is for Everyone!
Christmas Eve at Woodland
A Few of My Favorite Things!
Christmas Lights
Christmas Lights Christmas Lights!
How Can We Help? Shout It Out Loud!
Last week I listened to four family members of the captives held in the tunnels of Gaza by Hamas. Their humanity, love, and courage touched me deeply within. I listened to their awful story of Hamas' attack, brutal slaughter of men, women, children and babies, kidnapping their parents, and the dystopian scenes of body parts…Read more How Can We Help? Shout It Out Loud!
Thanksgiving Memories
We have been enjoying the Season of Thanksgiving at our home. We have enjoyed Thanksgiving service at Woodland Church, hosting our family this week, sharing meals from different cultures, making new memories and remembering past memories filled with thanksgiving as we have shared picture. There has been a lot of laughter and stories shared. When…Read more Thanksgiving Memories
Pray Earnestly!
A few years ago a new friend committed himself to Christ while we prayed together. What an incredible moment. Those are moments that I think about often. Although, we prayed together, he often tells me how his parents prayed daily for him to commit his life to Christ. Their fervent prayers were heard and what…Read more Pray Earnestly!
Pray for Israel
The world suddenly changed as Hamas funded and directed by the government of Iran savagely attacked Israeli children, women, and men. The last account was over 800 civilians were murdered and women and children taken hostage to protect the cowards of Hamas from Israel's response. How do we respond as Christians? We pray, advocate, remember,…Read more Pray for Israel
The Gospel’s Success
"The gospel cannot live, fight, conquer without prayer — prayer unceasing, instant, and ardent." E. M. Bounds. As you are praying for your friends today, think about this. The problems and challenges facing them, God is working through those issues to bring His peace to them. The peace that passes all understanding. The peace of…Read more The Gospel’s Success
21 Days of Prayer for Our Friends
A few minutes ago, I prayed with a friend who is a godly pastor. When he asked me to pray for him, immediately what Jesus said in John 14:23, came to mind. “All who love me will do what I say. My Father will love them, and we will come and make our home with…Read more 21 Days of Prayer for Our Friends
It’s Quiet Tonight
For the last three weeks we have enjoyed two of our sons and their families visiting with us. We have had several picnics, two parties, visited museums, parks, carousels, swam, and enjoyed so much good ice cream. I have laughed, wrestled, played games, watched movies, read stories, and told stories. It’s very quiet tonight. However,…Read more It’s Quiet Tonight
Mentally Healthy
"My son needs help but he is afraid of being stigmatized. His career is taking off and he is being promoted. He is not enjoying his success. He is afraid of being thought of as weak and losing momentum for his career," the distraught parent said to me recently. Today I have had two conversations…Read more Mentally Healthy
A Spiritual Health Checkup
It is essential that we have a spiritual health checkup at least annually. When we are spiritually healthy, we thrive in all the facets of our life. You know that glow that you have after a workout or a vacation, there is a glow spiritually as well. “A glad heart makes a happy face; a…Read more A Spiritual Health Checkup
Deeply Secure
As a guest in so many homes, I have watched so many fathers and mothers play with their children on the floor. The hilarious laughter as children crawled over their Dad and Mom. One of the real benefits of being a guest in a home like that is being asked to pray over their children,…Read more Deeply Secure
Alive to Wonder
On a cold, and unusually clear night in the suburbs, Becky and I gazed in the night sky at distant planets and constellations. The app on our phone helped us identify stars and planets with some information about each. Learning only increased our wonder at the heavenly display of God’s glory. Our children were constantly…Read more Alive to Wonder
The Heart of the Father
"What I'm trying to do here is get you to relax, not be so preoccupied with getting so you can respond to God's giving. People who don't know God and the way he works fuss over these things, but you know both God and how he works. Steep yourself in God-reality, God-initiative, God-provisions. You'll find…Read more The Heart of the Father
Masterpiece
There is a warm memory in my mind of preaching after our first son's birth at a beautiful church campground in Florida, called Masterpiece Gardens. I remember doing a morning prayer walk with my heart full of praise for our first child and God's intention for his life. I would gaze on my wife singing…Read more Masterpiece
Deeply Secure
Deeply secure! It is a fact and it is a glorious sense of God's presence that I have known for most of my life. Deeply secure when our Pastor, Gerald Bailius would lay his hands on my head and pray for me with my parents my his side in the hospital. Deeply secure when our…Read more Deeply Secure
A Sense of Wonder
"The world is not lacking in wonders but in a sense of wonder." G. K. Chesterton "Blessed God! His love is the wonder of the world." Psalm 32:1, Message Fond memories for me include the sense of wonder our children had with each new discovery. A deer on a trail that walked up to us…Read more A Sense of Wonder
Anxiety Does Not Define Us
The beginning of anxiety is the end of faith, and the beginning of true faith is the end of anxiety. George Muller Anxiety has become the fixed mindset defining the future for many people today, according to a clinical psychologist at a major university. So many people are worried, hurried, harried, and less confident of their…Read more Anxiety Does Not Define Us
A Season of Thanks Continues
This week between Thanksgiving and Advent has been very special for many of us. Tonight is guest post by Pastor Mark Warda. Mark is a member of the pastoral team at Woodland Church, a good friend, and a passionate follower of Christ. Take My Hand 1 Thessalonians 3:9 (NLT) “How we thank God for you!…Read more A Season of Thanks Continues
Coram Deo 