Blog Archives

Peter: The Making of a Great Leader

1/29/2019

Who was Simon Peter? Who was this citizen of Heaven and sojourner on earth? He's was a great leader, but he didn't start out that way. Let's look today at the life of Peter and discover how Jesus molded him into the great leader he became. If you see similarities in your own life, it may be that Jesus is also working to mold you into a great leader.

God didn't create us to just be stagnant Christians or to live stagnant Christian lives. He created us to grow and to be growing Christians—always growing in the grace and knowledge of Jesus Christ.

"But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ." 2 Peter 3:18

When we study Peter's life, we see this kind of growth—growth that developed a great leader.

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17 Books We Loved

1/25/2019

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“I declare after all there is no enjoyment like reading! How much sooner one tires of any thing than of a book! — When I have a house of my own, I shall be miserable if I have not an excellent library.” —Jane Austen

Every home should be equipped with a library! Don't you think? I know I'd love to have a library. Instead, I have books scattered from the sunroom to the guest room and everywhere in between. But I totally agree with Jane Austen that there is simply no enjoyment like grabbing a good book and curling up in your favorite spot.

Who doesn't appreciate a good book? We certainly do! We've gathered all of our favorite reads from the past year into one blog post and it's PACKED with reading goodness!

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30 Prayers to Pray Over Your Marriage

1/22/2019

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Love and marriage are as old as time. And like the Frank Sinatra song goes, "love and marriage, love and marriage, they go together like a horse and carriage..." they are meant for each other. God ordained marriage way back in Genesis. Thousands of years ago. It's the oldest institution still in existence.

There wasn't a photographer to catch the moment and there were no engagement photos either. No one had cake that night. Adam and Eve didn't spend their honeymoon on a cruise ship. Although, if they had waited about sixteen hundred years, they could have. Still, God ordained the union when He made a helpmeet for Adam from his very own rib. I love the thought of being a helpmeet to my spouse! As we think about being a helpmeet, let's remind ourselves of the most impactful way we can grow our relationship with God and our spouse—that is through prayer.

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A God of Unlikely People, Situations, and Lengths

1/18/2019

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God Uses Unlikely People

When I think of people, situations, and lengths that are unlikely, I am reminded of the story of Rahab recorded in Joshua 2.

If you're unfamiliar with her story, let me fill you in on a few of the more interesting details. Rahab was an innkeeper in the City of Jericho. Her inn was actually located within the wall of the city. But Rahab was more than just an innkeeper, she was also a prostitute. The Bible calls Rahab a harlot. Even more interesting than the fact that she was an innkeeper and a prostitute is the fact that she was in the lineage of Jesus.

Rahab became a poster child for hospitality, mercy, faith, patience, and repentance through her dealings with Joshua's spies. Thus, the harlot of Jericho became the unlikely picture of virtue.

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4 Phases of Jonah's Run: God's Compassion and Mercy

1/15/2019

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The 4 Phases of Jonah's Run and God's Compassion & Mercy If you are at all like me, raised in a church-going home, you've been quite familiar since childhood with the story of Jonah and the whale. As a child, the story fascinated me. As an adult though I realize this story is about so much more than just Jonah and some great big fish.

If you are at all like me, raised in a church-going home, you've been quite familiar since childhood with the story of Jonah and the whale. As a child, the story fascinated me. As an adult though I realize this story is about so much more than just Jonah and some great big fish. It's about identification, God’s call, and the struggle to obey and trust Him. It's about all that and more.

The story is rich with layers and application. This short, 4-chapter book is packed with a number of phases that Jonah struggles through. These phases can even be reflected in our own lives.

I was recently reading through the book of Jonah and discovered the most amazing thing. On so many levels I can completely identify the worst of myself in this story. When I read Jonah I feel as if I'm holding up a mirror and seeing my own reflection.

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Notes From a Blue Bike: The Art of Living Intentionally

1/11/2019

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"Our modern-day world provides every convenience we could ever possibly imagine, and then some. Our gadgets allow us to watch almost every movie ever made from the convenience of our handheld devices while we wait at the airport boarding gate. We can answer email as we wait in the carpool line, and our offices are composed of a thirteen-inch screen that we can carry into the kitchen so we can keep working while we start dinner. We have automated so many features of our lives, and yet instead of spending that reserved time for something enjoyable or fulfilling, we fill it with longer to-do lists. Our workweeks are longer, not shorter, as was predicted half a century ago....There's something magical about doing nothing, and we don't do it often enough."―Tsh Oxenreider

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One Thousand Gifts and a Lifestyle of Gratitude

1/8/2019

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One Thousand Gifts and a Lifestyle of Gratitude

Today's hurried lifestyle is filled with deadlines, to do lists, and goals, all pushing us faster and farther than ever before. We need reminders to slow down. Some of us, more than others.

We need to slow down, look around, and be grateful for the little gifts God leaves scattered along our way. Smell the rain. See leaves falling from the trees. Hear geese flying overhead. Taste the goodness of a homemade meal. Feel the warmth of a roaring fire.

But it's not just about slowing down, and it's not only about being grateful. It's even more about being intentional.

It's about praying for, seeking out, and anticipating divine, God-given opportunities—those opportunities to share the love of Jesus. It's about sharing my story all wrapped up in His, and His story embracing mine.

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