READ: MATTHEW 11:28-30; GALATIANS 1:10; COLOSSIANS 3:23-24 Have you ever felt pressure to get straight As or be the best athlete on the field? There are so many things in this world telling us to be the best at this or that. When we feel this pressure on our shoulders, it can start to crush us. The truth is, it can be good to use the skills and abilities God has given us as we work hard for things and do our best—this can be an act of worship, honoring to God. But once we allow ourselves to be controlled by achieving the highest standing because we want to be well-liked, accepted, or feel valu ..read more

READ: MATTHEW 11:28-30; 14:13-23; MARK 5:21-43 One of my biggest pet peeves is slow walkers. I remember in high school I would inwardly scream when I was caught behind someone dillydallying. And now, when I go to the grocery store, I weave my cart in and out of families on busy afternoon shopping trips. I drive over the speed limit. It never seems to matter that I get up hours before I need to leave for work or class—I’m always rushing out the door with my shoes untied and coffee spilling out of my mug. But then I think, and I wonder: Was Jesus a slow walker? If I were lucky enough to be one o ..read more

READ: PSALMS 23:5-6; 34:8; HABAKKUK 3:17-19; JAMES 1:17 In the goodness of the Lord I will rejoice! He has given Life to me— His sinless sacrifice set me free. In the goodness of the Lord I will rejoice! In the grave His body lay— Sin’s ransom fully paid. In the goodness of the Lord I will rejoice! On the third day Hell did weep— Death’s final, dark defeat! In the goodness of the Lord I will rejoice! May His grace be ever praised, Oh, the glory of His ways! In the goodness of the Lord I will rejoice! In the goodness of the Lord I will rejoice! What comes to mind when you hear the words ..read more

READ: PSALM 23; 2 CORINTHIANS 7:5-7 Once again, intense pain had brought me to the emergency room where I waited to be admitted to an upstairs room. Beyond discouraged, I asked the Lord, “Do You still love me?” My depression deepened as one nurse after another poked me with needles and questioned me. The paramedics had been concerned and caring. At the hospital, the staff seemed determined to add to my suffering. How I longed for someone gentle to care for me. Someone like Annie. Annie was the friend who had introduced me to my boyfriend. A few days earlier, she had begun her first nursing job ..read more

READ: MARK 2:13-17; JOHN 6:37 It’s common sense that showers are for the dirty, hospitals are for the sick, and life preservers are for the drowning. So why is it so hard for some of us to accept that we don’t have to fix up our lives before coming to the very One who promises to clean us, heal us, and save us? We may resist coming to God for help because we think we’re too far gone. We are correct in seeing that our sin separates us from a Holy God; we were all once totally lost in spiritual darkness (Ephesians 2:1-10). But God didn’t leave us there! Jesus Christ’s death on the cross and resu ..read more

READ: JEREMIAH 42:1–43:7; EPHESIANS 2:1-10 “Rhode, tell us what to do. We will die here on the planet Yavorah! The Kuvil Regime took the rest of our people to their planet, and they won’t let us live here peacefully. It’s been years since Juro’s old dynasty held us in slavery— maybe if we go back, their new rulers will help us.” The desperate shouts and worried exclamations filled their meeting space, a hollowed-out tree trunk aglow with jars of lightening bugs. Rhode closed his eyes for just a moment, resting in Yahweh’s presence despite the contentious atmosphere. After generations of sin an ..read more

READ: GENESIS 1:26-31; PSALMS 119:73; 139:14; EPHESIANS 2:1-10 Who am I? This question is one we wrestle with throughout our lives. And it’s an important question to ask, because much of what we do flows from who we believe we are. Here’s the thing though—we can’t answer this question without God. And thankfully, He provides the answer in His Word. Take a look. God created human beings, and He did so out of love. Genesis 1:26-31 says that God made us in His image, and He entrusted us with the important job of caring for His creation. Furthermore, if we are in Christ, Ephesians 2:10 says we are ..read more

READ: PSALM 104:10-28; MATTHEW 6:19-34; 10:29-31 There is a lot of nature outside my window. I hear birds singing their morning songs and talking to each other all day long. Occasionally I see rabbits and even a few deer. I hear coyotes howl at night, and I’ve seen turkeys strut across the yard. All of these animals have a home out there. They know how to survive in the forest and get what they need to make it through each day. And God is the One who made all of them. He gave them the ability to make a home in the wild and survive. When I think about all the animals and what God has given them ..read more

READ: PSALM 107:21-24, 31; COLOSSIANS 1:16; REVELATION 4:11 Have you been to an art gallery or installation recently? It’s amazing to see the way artists create memorable and beautiful works of art using paint, pencils, clay, stone, fabric, metal, wood, glass…the possibilities are nearly infinite! And just think about how our ability to create art reflects the Creator who made us—He is the greatest artist. Have you ever thought of God as an artist? Have you noticed how creative He is? Both the cold winter snow and the warm summer sunshine were His idea. He made oceans, and He also made deserts ..read more

READ: ROMANS 6:11-14; EPHESIANS 5:1-20; 1 JOHN 1:7-9 Have you ever finished cleaning a room…only to notice the sun shining on a dusty spot you missed? In our Christian lives, the same thing happens in our hearts. Often, we don’t even notice our own sin. But, through God’s Word, through our prayer times, through our times at church, or through something else, Jesus continues to show us forgotten places in our hearts where we are struggling to love God and our neighbors well. Think about it this way—Jesus is the Light, and in His mercy He shines on us, showing us sin in our lives that He wants t ..read more