Someone asked me today how I felt after my news fast. The fast wasn't about feeling better but focusing on what God's Word had to say about the issues in the news. I guess to answer the question I would lean into what John Calvin stressed. God is sovereign. That relieves all the stress.

We are hosting hundreds of children for an egg hunt today. Becky is telling the Easter story and her illustration will be great.

Just a quick thought before calling it a day. Easter is coming. Christ's resurrection changes everything for everyone everywhere who believes in Him. Since Christ has been raised from the dead there is hope, there is life, there is a future and there is no need to fear. As the angel said to Mary, "Go…Read more Easter is Coming

High up in the gable of my home church's sanctuary was a stain glass replica of Heinrich Hofmann's Christ in Gethsemane.  It was beautiful, inspirational if inaccurate.  Still I loved to gaze at the window.  In the balcony of the sanctuary I would sit and study each pane of glass with peace.   I think…Read more Gethsemane

Yesterday was a day of sadness.  We said good-bye at the funeral to a young man that one year ago placed his faith in Jesus Christ.  After his commitment to Christ, he joined a small group and started growing as a follower of Christ.  I sat in his bedroom, where he died, the other day…Read more In memory of Juan

Andrew flew home, last weekend for a brief visit.  Dana's bridal shower was held at Woodland.  They are so happy and of course so are we!  We consider Dana an answer to prayers we have offered since he was a baby. Over the years we have prayed for our children's wive or husband.  We've prayed for…Read more Miscellaneous

My greatest joys in relationships and work have resulted from commitment.  Building commitment into my life has been rewarding to say the least.  My model for commitment has been Jesus Christ.  Think about Christ's commitment to us.  His commitment to us carried Him to Calvary for our salvation and our new life in Christ.  I…Read more Building Commitments

I'm praying that tomorrow will be a joyful day when people realize that life can be wonderfully, and as we said when I was a teenager, radically different!  I was reading Mark 6 in the Message and this passage stood out in box car size letters.  "They preached with joyful urgency that life can be…Read more Saturday Night Fever!

Growing up in a non liturgical church meant that we didn't observe the special dates on the Christian Calendar with the exception of Easter and Christmas.  I didn't really know much about Lent.  If you had said "Lent" to me I would have looked to see in there was "lint" on my clothes that needed…Read more Lenten Thought

Pastor Mark spoke for our weekly staff devotions today and used a canteen for an illustration.  The analogy was great.  God determines the size of our canteen, which determines how much water we can contain.  Secondly God puts water in to be drank and then refills the canteen.  Third it's not the size of the…Read more Canteens and Paczki Day