“Shrink it.” Not something you hear too often. You definitely don’t want to hear it in regards to laundry. You might, however, hear it from a villain in a children's television show or in the movie Honey, I Shrunk the Kids. No, we typically want things bigger and better. We have phrases like “larger than life” or “everything is bigger in Texas.” Even Disney, in the movie WALL·E, names the spaceship company “Buy n Large.” So, yes, we like things bigger—except when that something is the cross.

The book The Gospel-Centered Life by Robert Thune is a resource we use in our discipleship here at Heartland. In this resource, there is a chart that gives a visual of the maturation process a Christian goes through, called the Cross Chart. Simply put, after a person has placed their faith in Christ, that person should begin to grow in awareness of the holiness of God, as well as grow in awareness of their personal sin—like two paths getting further and further apart. The beauty of this chart is that as the pathways continue to diverge, the cross of Christ grows and bridges the gap between them at every point. This reveals the immense mercy, grace, and beauty of the cross!

In reality, however, we often do not mature in this direct manner. Rather, unlike our worldly tendency to make everything bigger and better—typically for our own comfort or control—we tend to shrink the cross. We do this in two ways. First, we shrink the cross when we pretend that our sin is not so bad.

We pretend by looking at individuals whom we believe have worse sin than we do. It is the attitude of, “At least I don’t do that.” We acknowledge that we have a problem, but make our problems seem lesser, more acceptable, than those of another. The other thing we do is try to perform.

Performing is when we think that we have to do something in order to validate our right standing before God. In other words, we think that if we just live a good life and follow all the rules, we should get into heaven. The other side of performing is the tendency to think that there is no way that faith in the gospel of Christ alone is enough to get us to heaven: “There must be more I have to do.”

As we reflect this Holy Week on our Savior, Jesus Christ’s journey to the cross and His glorious resurrection, I urge you to stop and consider what I have explained above. Because we all do it. I do it, other pastors do it, and even some of the greatest saints of all time have done it. When we engage in either of these tendencies—pretending or performing—we shrink the cross and diminish the sacrifice of our Lord.

Look at Luke’s Gospel as you walk with Jesus through Holy Week and the experiences and encounters He had with His people—His disciples, His enemies, and those who were strangers to Him—and you will see a grace, a love, and a mercy that you would never want diminished.

You will see people chanting His majesty, disciples betraying Him, enemies abusing Him, and strangers discovering the beauty of His act. But you will also see Jesus Christ, the Son of God, fully man and fully God, humbly submitting to the will of the Father, taking on the burden of God’s wrath as our sins nail Him to the tree. In John’s Gospel, you will find those glorious words: “It is finished” (John 19:30).

To wrap this all up: you don’t need to pretend your sin isn’t that bad—remember the thief on the cross—and you don’t need to perform anything for your salvation. “It is finished.” Place your faith and trust in the work of Christ. Allow the cross to grow more and more as you experience God’s holiness and understand your sinfulness. Embrace Christ’s mercy, love, hope, and redemption, found only at the foot of the cross. Then go and follow Him.

For His glory,

Austin Strange

When I sat down to write this post, I honestly didn’t know where to start. I kept racking my brain, asking God what direction He wanted me to go. And in the middle of that wrestling, my dad came to mind.

My father passed away on March 13, 2021. He was only 56.

Even now, thinking about him brings a mix of emotions — the happy memories that make me smile, the painful ones that still sting, the moments I wish I could go back and ask him for advice, and the deep gratitude for the life we shared. Grief is strange like that. It hurts and heals at the same time.

But as I sat there remembering him, something became clear: What we remember about the people who shaped us is almost always found in the small moments.

Not the big events. Not the perfectly planned days. Not the highlight reel.

It’s the ordinary, everyday moments that stay with us.

And that’s where this post began.

In Deuteronomy 6, God tells His people to talk about His commands “when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.” In other words, the small, unpolished, everyday moments.

And if I’m honest, those are the moments where I mess up the most.

I’m a dad who needs grace every single day. A husband who gets it wrong more often than I’d like. A ministry leader who teaches kids about Jesus while constantly needing Jesus myself.

But even in my weakness, I’m learning this: Kids have so much in their hearts.

They have questions. They have fears. They have hopes. They have thoughts about God, the world, and themselves.

And they want to talk about these things — with you.

They’re waiting for us to slow down long enough to listen. They’re waiting for us to ask one more question. They’re waiting for us to care about what’s going on inside them. Sometimes the most spiritual thing we can do is simply be present.

As a dad, I want my kids to remember that I loved Jesus — not perfectly, but honestly. I want them to remember that I loved their mom, even when life was stressful. I want them to remember that I apologized when I messed up, that I listened when they talked, and that I cared about what was happening in their hearts. As a ministry leader, I want the same thing for the kids in our church.

I want them to know that God sees them. That God hears them. That God cares about their questions. That God welcomes their honesty. That God is near, even when life feels confusing or dark. I want them to see adults who don’t pretend to have it all together, but who keep coming back to Jesus again and again.

When my kids look back someday, I hope they don’t remember a dad who was perfect, because that’s not who I am. I hope they remember a dad who kept trying. A dad who kept showing up. A dad who kept choosing grace, even when he needed it more than anyone else.

I hope they remember that I listened. That I cared. That I prayed for them. That I pointed them to Jesus, not by being flawless, but by being forgiven.

And as I think about my own dad, I realize that’s exactly what I remember about him too. Not perfection. Not a spotless record. But presence. Love. Moments. A life that mattered because it was shared.

And I hope the kids in our ministry remember the same thing. I hope they know and remember that they were loved, valued, and heard. That they had a place where their questions mattered. That they had adults who believed God was doing something in them right now, not someday in the future.

If you feel like you’re messing up more than you’re getting it right, you’re not alone. If you feel like you’re stumbling your way through parenting or discipleship, welcome to the club. If you feel like you’re constantly in need of grace, good. That’s exactly where Jesus meets us.

The gospel isn’t about perfection. It’s about direction. It’s about turning back to Jesus again and again.

And as we do that, in the small, ordinary, imperfect moments. Our kids are watching. They’re learning. They’re being shaped.

Not by our perfection, but by our dependence on Christ.

And that’s something worth remembering.

For His Glory,

I was born into a home with a black-and-white television, a rotary-dial corded phone with a party line, and a world where there was no instant replay in football. I have lived through a remarkable period of history—one marked by rapid and continual technological change. Nearly every day, I rely on tools that simply did not exist when I was born.
 
When I travel, I use Google Maps for directions. When something breaks, I turn to YouTube for step-by-step repair videos. I manage finances, communicate instantly through email, stay connected with friends, and follow world events—all through a computer or phone. Technology has woven itself seamlessly into daily life.
 
In my work, I have also become familiar with artificial intelligence. And since I am naturally a lazy person, I’ve discovered it can do some remarkable things with incredible efficiency. AI can review documents, prepare agreements, draft emails, analyze financial reports, conduct research, and more. It can save time and simplify many tasks.
 
This leads me to an important question, one that the church must thoughtfully consider:
How should we use technology, especially artificial intelligence, in the life of the church?
Where is it helpful and where might it cross a line?
Is it acceptable to use AI when wrestling with a personal spiritual question? What about generating discussion questions for a Sunday evening class? Finding creative ways to teach biblical principles to our children? Reviewing church finances? Assisting the worship team? Researching sermon background? Writing sermons themselves?
 
And perhaps the most important question of all:
Where is the line between being good stewards of our time and resources and relying on the Holy Spirit?
 
Scripture reminds us that wisdom itself is a gift from God. “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.” (James 1:5). The Bible also affirms the value of skill, preparation, and tools. Bezalel was filled with the Spirit and gifted with craftsmanship to build the tabernacle (Exodus 31:1–5). Proverbs repeatedly encourages diligence, planning, and learning (Proverbs 21:5).
 
Technology, then, is not inherently good or evil. It is a tool, like a printing press, a commentary, a concordance, or a microphone. Jesus Himself acknowledged tools and resources when He said, “For which of you, desiring to build a tower, does not first sit down and count the cost, whether he has enough to complete it?” (Luke 14:28).
 
At the same time, Scripture warns us not to confuse tools with trust.
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.” (Proverbs 3:5).
“Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, says the Lord of hosts.” (Zechariah 4:6).
 
The danger is not that we use technology, but that we substitute it for prayer, discernment, and dependence on God. AI can summarize Scripture, but it cannot bring true understanding. It can generate words, but it cannot produce conviction. It can organize ideas, but it cannot transform hearts. Only the Holy Spirit does that work (1 Corinthians 2:10–14).
Perhaps the right question is not “Can we use it?” but rather:
• Does this tool serve our calling or does it replace it?
• Does it lead us toward prayer, Scripture, and community—or quietly away from them?
• Are we using technology as a servant or allowing it to become a substitute for maturing in faith?
 
Paul’s words offer a helpful framework: “’All things are lawful for me,’ but not all things are helpful. ‘All things are lawful for me,’ but I will not be dominated by anything.” (1 Corinthians 6:12).
 
As the church, we are called to faithfulness in every generation. That includes discerning how to live wisely in a digital age, embracing helpful tools while remaining rooted in prayer, Scripture, and reliance on the Spirit of God.
 
Technology will continue to change. Our calling will not.
 
I am still thinking and praying through these questions myself. I would genuinely love to hear your thoughts on this topic, your hopes, concerns, and experiences. Please feel free to share them with me when you see me.
 
Because He Lives,
 
Bill Prichard

As I start this new year, I am struck once again by the mercy of God to us. It brings to mind Lamentations 3:22-24, “The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. “The LORD is my portion,” says my soul, “therefore I will hope in him.”” God’s mercies are not only new year to year but day to day. I can know this because of what He has already done for me.

We just wrapped up our time in a few of the minor prophets and truly what was revealed to me is just how merciful God is and has been with us. See we were like all the wicked people in those prophecies. We were the people of Nineveh, Babylon, Assyria, and the unbelieving Israelites. Yet, as Romans 5 reminds us, “For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life.” God showed us mercy and paid the penalty for us. Here is a different way of putting it.

Imagine a town with one important building—a courthouse. Inside is a big book. Every wrong choice, every broken promise, every debt goes in that book.

No one has a clean page. Not one.

There’s a guy, let’s call him Austin, who knows his page is bad. So he stays away from the courthouse, hoping that if he ignores it long enough, it won’t matter.

But one day everyone hears the news:

“The Judge is coming.”

This Judge is fair. He doesn’t miss anything. No lying. No pretending.

When Austin stands before Him, the book is open. Austin has nothing to say. He knows he’s guilty.

Then the Judge does something shocking. He shuts the book, takes off His robe, and puts it on Austin. He says, “Your debt is paid. You’re free to go.”

Austin didn’t earn this. He didn’t fix himself first. He just received it.

Loved ones, that's the Gospel. That is God’s mercy on display. We all have sinned. We all can do nothing to make up for the rebellion we have participated in and yet we are forgiven in Christ.

God doesn’t ignore our sin. He doesn’t pretend it isn’t real. No, He shows us grace and mercy in the reality of stepping down from His place on high wrapping us in His love and paying the penalty Himself through His blood.

By placing our faith and trust in Christ, we too get that same goodness. We get a “clean page". Because we have been redeemed by Jesus’s life, death, and resurrection.

So now we get to live a life full of abundance rooted in the mercy that God has shown
us. So this year as you go on day to day, remember the mercies of God found in Christ. Remember that even if you stumble and sin that Christ has cleared your page. Remember that you get to live from that mercy and grace and not for it. I pray that God blesses your days this year as live fully in His grace and mercy.

In Christ,
Austin Strange

I know that the holidays are not always joyous or easy for everyone, especially for those of us that have lost a loved one recently.  For me, the reality of this loss becomes strikingly more apparent as we gather with friends and family, and the one that has “always been there” no longer is.  Reflecting on what causes this extra portion of grief, I can only come to the conclusion that the “missing” person not only had always “been there in the past,” but they literally and figuratively were always there!  They were there for the times of joy and celebration (like your wedding or the adoption/birth of your children, as well as, the times of trial and pain (from a terrifying diagnosis related to your child or grandchild to just a bad work week).  They were there to provide whatever support you needed from a simple word of encouragement to something equivalent to moving heaven and earth to either get to you or to provide what was needed.  These individuals were truly loved ones as their love was undeniable and it had no boundaries or limits - as they were givers.  Givers of everything!

What I find amazing is that I believe each one of us can identify several people in our lives that are like those I just described.  These individuals don’t suffer from FOMO (a fear of missing out), but rather they genuinely seem to have been imprinted with something that tells them that there is a greater purpose than themselves.  Have you guessed where I am going yet?  Yes, we were all created, and as creations we can’t help but take on the traits and thoughts of our Creator.  So… those “Givers of everything” that are now or have been in your life, are an imperfect reflection of the true Giver of Everything - our Heavenly Father.  God, before the beginning of time, chose to create us despite also knowing that His creation would rebel against His established boundaries and limits. Rather than scrapping the idea of creating us, He displayed great love and chose a plan to Give Everything - including giving his only Son.  The beauty of the gospel is that God is the “Giver of Everything,” including the faith to believe. So as we enter this season of celebrating the incarnation of God’s redemptive plan, let’s remember that He has done everything and rest in that!  

For His Glory,
Jim

P.S. - As the Elder responsible for financial matters at Heartland, let me remind you that any year-end gifts must either be received by December 31st or postmarked prior to that date. Moreover, if you would like to discuss the tax advantages of making a Qualified Charitable Contribution from a tax deferred account or donating an investment to the church please reach out to our Director of Finance Bill Prichard or myself.

A phrase popped into my head at the beginning of the year, as my husband and I were talking about annual goals. We had landed on healthy living, eating right and getting active again, to steward well the resource that is our bodies. As I was thinking about milestones to keep us motivated the phrase popped in, loss is gain. My desire was for us to view the hard things about losing weight as positive. The phrase reminded me of losing everything to gain Christ which is no loss at all. Energized by the motto, I set monthly check-in dates on our shared calendar titled Loss is Gain. It was several months later, as one of those calendar reminders popped up, that it occurred to me how vastly different God had been working that concept out in our lives.

At that point the losses were piling up and not pounds lost. I thought back to August 2024 with the sudden loss of our 10-year-old family cat, Leo, who we had adopted at five weeks old. Not long after that our best friends (we were long-time friends before buying the house next door to them in 2020) told us they were going to sell their house and move to Potosi, an hour away. Their house sold within twenty-four hours on the market and they closed on their new house in early December. Then our oldest child moved away in early January to start her adult life in Minneapolis; a bittersweet moment as the first bird flew the nest.
Around this same time my husband, Brian, lost feeling in most of his fingers on both hands. This was followed quickly by constant radiating nerve pain up both arms and significant loss of hand strength. He struggled to stay sane enduring months of little sleep and constant pain. Praise God, He did get carpal tunnel surgery on both wrists at the end of May which cured the nerve pain. He is still working to regain hand strength and sensation in his fingers. Layered throughout Brian’s carpal tunnel saga was a major conflict with our best friends and tensions with our middle child. The conflict with our friends ended with us conceding to return a much-beloved dog to a person not fit to care for him; our friendship survived but a toll was taken. The tensions with our middle child were of the typical “young adult still living at home” variety and ultimately were the catalyst for her to step out on her own to embark on adult life. We moved her into an apartment over Labor Day weekend and just like that another bird flew the nest.  

But God, amidst it all, is working all things for good. He who saved me will also sanctify me; this means losing myself to gain Christ-likeness. As I think about the losses, I can see gains. I see on the other side of losing the close relationship with our best friends we have been able to foster deeper relationships with several other couples. These friendships have been an encouragement and blessing, pointing us to truth and reminding us of our identity in Christ. On the other side of losing our cat we adopted a five-month-old Corgi who is the dog friend neither Brian nor I knew we would need (this was not the dog we had to return). These small kindnesses have brought light amid many dark days so that rather than constant despair my heart has been reminded repeatedly of our hope in Christ and the sure foundation we have in Him.

My prayer is not just to endure the losses but for them to deepen my love for God, to grow my delight in resting in Him, for Him to be my peace as my heart and mind are in turmoil. Because we will continue to lose; there is no end to it in this life. My desire is to believe more deeply and trust more fully in the truth that God is doing something much bigger and far better than any of us can comprehend. If we will but draw near to Christ and surrender our agenda, we can watch Him do great things. (Philippians 1:21) The best part is we gain sanctification, deeper peace, fuller joy and an overflow of love. These gains empower us to love others as Christ loves, making us shine brightly to glorify God while He does great things in and through us. It’s as we lose ourselves that we find true life, life in Christ. (Galatians 2:20) The treasure we have in Christ is worth incomprehensibly more than anything we can lose, even our life on this earth because Father, Son, and Holy Spirit await us on the other side. You see loss really is gain with God.

For His Glory,

Who taught you to tie your shoes? Where did you learn about shaking hands confidently and looking someone in the eyes to show respect? Who was it that taught you how to wash dishes or to brush your teeth? We learn these valuable skills from watching and walking alongside people who have more experience than we do.

In the beginning of Titus chapter 2 we see instructions given to the church that the older men are to train up the younger men and the older women are to do the same with the younger women. This is what Paul wrote to Titus:  “But as for you, teach what accords with sound doctrine. Older men are to be sober-minded, dignified, self-controlled, sound in faith, in love, and in steadfastness. Older women likewise are to be reverent in behavior, not slanderers or slaves to much wine. They are to teach what is good, and so train the young women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled, pure, working at home, kind, and submissive to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be reviled. Likewise, urge the younger men to be self-controlled. Show yourself in all respects to be a model of good works, and in your teaching show integrity, dignity, and sound speech that cannot be condemned, so that an opponent may be put to shame, having nothing evil to say about us.” (Titus 2:1-8)

This is a picture of the church operating as a family in how it approaches training up future generations. Following this example, you should be able to pick anyone in a church body and witness them being mentored by someone who has been walking with Christ for a longer period of time. This same individual would be able to point out someone younger they are walking alongside and pouring into. Both the younger believer and the older believer are spending intentional time together to facilitate spiritual growth. In this model, every person in the church has someone to look up to, and someone to pour into from the next generation. Or, at least, that’s the ideal.

But, is there an example of a church that does this perfectly? Of course not! This dynamic does not exist perfectly because every church is made up of sinners like you and me. Churches are full of people who are prone to self-protection and the pursuit of comfort. And, if we are protecting our time, we won't want to disrupt our schedule with extra engagements or the time it takes to disciple someone or to teach them new skills. If we value our carefully crafted image, we may not be willing to walk in a relationship that requires vulnerability and deep honesty about our struggles. If we value comfort, we may not be willing to patiently spend the time and energy it takes to build new relationships with younger and older believers.

Because this model of biblical mentorship is not being effectively employed in church (or in the individual life of believers), the question is, “Why?” Why isn’t this functioning the way that Paul explained it in Titus chapter 2? And, what can we do to fix it?

I believe these breakdowns are rooted in the issue of unbelief. We speak often at Heartland about the pervasive unbelief the can sometimes rule our hearts. When undesirable fruit is detected in our lives, our attention should immediately turn to the root of the issue… which is always a  matter of unbelief? We must ask ourselves, what are we believing about God or ourselves that is not true and that is producing this bad fruit in my life?

Where God reveals that our lives are not operating in step with the gospel, the answer must never be to try harder to live up to a standard or to work more to gain God’s approval. The answer must always be to pray and ask God to reveal the unbelief that is happening in the heart. Once that is discovered, we are able to repent and ask God to help us believe the truth. Only then do we have the ability to live out obedience to God with rightly motivated hearts.

So, regarding the generational discipleship to which we are called, obedience might look like being vulnerable and transparent with older saints who have walked with God longer than we have as we trust God to use that relationship to grow us. Simultaneously, obedience might look like stepping out in faith and pouring into a younger believer and risking rejection. Stepping out in this way forces us to be vulnerable and humble as we are dependent upon the Lord.

When we embrace this position of vulnerability, we are choosing not to rely on our own protective responses such as hiding our failures, or thinking we aren't qualified enough to offer anything of value. Instead, we are trusting God to use our imperfection (or lack of resources) for His glory and our good as He displays His strength through our weakness.

So, take some time to ask yourself some evaluative questions. Do you have someone you are spending intentional time with in order to pass on to them what God has taught you? Do you have an older Christian friend that you are able to learn from and glean wisdom from? If not, I would encourage you to spend some time in prayer as you ask God to provide a mentor. You can also ask God to reveal any ways where you are not trusting Him in this matter. You can ask God to reveal specific people that He has placed around you for this purpose. You may not get these answers right away, but as you seek God and desire to obey and follow His plans I am confident He will faithfully show you the way.


Jon Tegg
Pastor of Missions
Heartland Church

I keep hearing people near my age saying, "Whoever called these the golden years surely did not know what they were talking about."  Well, as in all seasons of life, there are things that we perceive to be good and those that we perceive as bad.  But Romans 8:28 tells us, "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose".  So, that truth tells me that all the things that God allows into my life are for my good.  Yes, some things are harder.  I don't have the energy I used to.  I can no longer get by with a few hours of sleep.  I have aches and pains.  These things have done wonders for my pride, meaning it raises its ugly head less and less.  I have had to accept that I am not the strong, super-independent woman I used to be, and that is a good thing.  The best part is that, because I am physically dependent upon others for some things, I am reminded that I must rely on my Savior for all the important things.  I cannot save myself, no matter what I do.  I cannot do his work without His wisdom and guidance.  There is an old hymn that says, "Jesus paid it all; all to Him I owe...". Truth.  But don't get the idea that I am saying we should sit back and allow friends, family, church and the world to serve us.  What I am saying is what God said, Job 12:12, "Wisdom belongs to the aged and understanding to the old", and 2 Cor. 4:16 "Though outwardly we are wearing out, inwardly we are being renewed day by day.” We should allow the Lord to work through us so that we can do the things that He has prepared for us to do.  

I hope I have not painted a picture that says growing older is really hard.  There are many advantages; one of the main things is a loosening of the grip the world has on us.  Many friends feel as I do and have told me that they no longer care much about material things.  In fact, most of us are getting rid of things.  In addition, we no longer care as much about what others think about us, because, really, it only matters what the Lord thinks of us.  We are letting go of the world, because we know we are only sojourners here and we are comfortable with whether the Lord leaves us here, or even better, calls us to heaven.  I was with a very elderly friend today and she spoke mostly about her wish to go be with Jesus.  She cares nothing for anything here on Earth, save the love she feels for her friends and family.  But she is more than willing to leave this life behind for the arms of Jesus.  

I used to think retirement would be staying at home, reading books, going to movies, leisurely lunching with ladies, relaxing, etc. And I do get to do those things occasionally, but the Lord had a much better plan for me.  I know that some who are technically retired are responsible for grandchildren, aging parents, or are ill and I certainly understand that those things are consuming your time and God bless you for taking care.  But for me, without being in the workplace and without family being in my home on a daily basis, I have more time to do the things that have a higher priority than relaxing, such as; Bible studies, devotions, prayer time, spending more time with my husband, my grandchildren, my aging mother, my friends and doing the good works that the Lord has laid out for me.  I think I am busier now than when I was working.  My friends, whatever the Lord has laid out for us in our later years, we know these truths and we can live in joy.

I’ll close with these words from the Lord:

Psalm 92:14 says, "They will still bear fruit in old age, they will stay fresh and green."

Psalm 90:12 says, "Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom."

Titus 2: 2-3 says, "Teach the older men to be temperate, worthy of respect, self-controlled and sound in faith, in love and in endurance,  Likewise, teach the older women to be reverent in the way they live, not to be slanderers or addicted to much wine, but to teach what is good.  

Psalm 16:11 says, "You make known to me the path of life; in Your presence there is fullness of joy; at Your right hand are pleasures forevermore."

Romans 12:12 says, "Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.

John 16:22 says, "So also you have sorrow now, but I will see you again, and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take your joy from you.

By God’s Grace,

Have you ever been overwhelmed with the circumstances of life that you find yourself  in? Maybe today feels like too much. Your to-do list is too long, the house too loud or  too quiet, and your soul too tired to take even one more step. Maybe you are parenting  young children on a hard day quietly whispering “I can’t do this,” in the bathroom  through tears. Maybe you are balancing doctor appointments, caring for aging parents,  navigating career demands, or simply trying to hold everything together. Do you feel  like you are barely hanging on or this season is squeezing the life out of you? If you are  feeling overwhelmed, exhausted, or like you are falling short — you are not alone. More  importantly: you are not forgotten and are incredibly loved. God cares deeply about  your exhaustion, your fears, your heart. You are not failing. He has not left you to carry  this by yourself.  

Jesus sees you in the chaos and He knows what it is like to be poured out.  In the gospels, we see Jesus constantly surrounded by people who needed Him. He  understands what it is like to be needed every second of the day, to feel drained and  empty. Rest is not a reward — it is necessary. We see in Luke 5:15-16 that the  demands of life push Jesus to prayer not away from it. Your soul needs rest. Not just  sleep, but soul-deep rest in the presence of our Lord and savior. He meets you where  you are and invites you to come away with Him, even if it is just a whispered prayer in  the hallway or a moment of stillness between what feels like constant storms and  chaos. He knows the burdens you carry, the tears no one else sees, and the way you  keep showing up when you feel like you have nothing left to give. You are fully seen by  God who never overlooks you or the condition of your heart.  

You don’t have to be strong all of the time. You don’t have to pretend you have it all  together. In fact, God often asks the opposite of us. There is pressure in our culture to  be strong and never admit weakness, but in 2 Corinthians 12:9 God says, “my grace is  sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” When we are  overwhelmed by life and at the end of our rope, He invites us to bring our exhaustion  and overwhelm to Him. “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give  you rest (Matt. 11:28).” We are in the perfect place for His strength to carry us when we  are crying in the car, overwhelmed by our to-do list, or unsure of what our next steps  are — God’s power is there sustaining us. He is sitting beside us in the mess offering  rest for our weary soul. 

You are not alone. When we are overwhelmed, life can feel isolating. We often think no  one else understands or are too embarrassed to ask for help, but God never meant for  us to walk through life alone. Not only is God with us, but He has placed us in  community and encourages us to “bear one another’s burdens” in Galatians 6:2. Reach  out. Ask for prayer. Enter into community and allow others to speak gospel truth to  you. 


Lean in. Not to yourself, the overwhelm, or the chaos, but into Jesus. Pray short  prayers throughout the day, even in the mundane tasks. He is Emmanuel, God with  you, even in the mess and the overwhelm. Maybe some days your time with God looks  more like a whispered plea over dishes, or maybe it is an exasperated, angry shout  rather than a full Bible study. That’s okay. God is not after your performance or  checking boxes on a to-do list — He wants your heart. He wants time with you in the  chaos and overwhelm. He wants to sustain you through it. God is not disappointed in  your weariness. He understands what it is like to be tired and in high demand and He  will strengthen and sustain you through all of life’s circumstances. 

So take a deep breath. If you are a busy mama like me, drink the reheated coffee. Let  the tears fall if they come and accept His invitation to come with Him and rest — even  if it is just for a moment. Lean into the grace that meets you right where you are. You  are seen, you are deeply loved, and you are sustained by the One who holds the  universe in place. He will give you everything you need one day, or maybe even one  moment, at a time.

By God's Grace,
Katie Meyer

1 Timothy 4:12 – “Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity.”

We live in a world that constantly tells us what’s important. A world that demands our attention and time—from screens and sports to home projects, careers, and even good things like Christian podcasts or inspirational content online.

But in all of that, how often do we stop to ask: What are we showing our kids matters most?

We chase the latest tech, the new car in the driveway, or a fancy new tool that might help “just in case.” We hustle to check off to-do lists, get ahead at work, or stay current with what’s happening in the world. But at the end of the day, what are we really modeling for our children?

Because whether we realize it or not, they’re watching.

Our lives preach sermons every day—whether we say a word or not. The way we spend our time, how we speak to others, how we handle disappointment, how we treat people who can’t do anything for us… it all speaks loudly to the kids who are growing up around us.

And many times, our loudest message is that faith is optional or that a relationship with Jesus is something to “fit in” if there’s time.

But what if we flipped the script?

What if we lived like our spiritual life was the foundation everything else rested on—because it is? What if we were intentional about putting Jesus at the center of our schedule, not just our Sunday?

Paul’s encouragement to Timothy in 1 Timothy 4:12 reminds us that age doesn’t limit the ability to lead. In fact, God calls young people to be examples—not in the future, but right now. But here’s the catch: kids can’t become what they don’t see. If we want them to lead well, we need to lead them by example.

The next generation is here—and they’re watching how to follow Jesus.

And I’ll be the first to admit: I haven’t always gotten this right. Not even close. There are days when I spend more time in front of a screen than I do in prayer. Weeks where the only reason I touch my Bible is to move it off the counter. Moments when I speak out of frustration instead of grace. Times when I’ve prioritized everything but spiritual leadership in my home.

This isn’t about pointing fingers—it’s about looking in the mirror. I’m not writing from a place of having it all together. I’m writing as someone who’s learning, often the hard way, what it means to lead well. And I know that I can’t call my children or the kids in our church to something I’m not actively pursuing myself.

If our Bibles stay closed, not only do we notice the growing dust on them—but these kids notice it too.

If church is something we only attend when it’s convenient, they notice.

If our faith is compartmentalized—Sunday-only or surface-level—they notice.

They need more from us.

They need to see what real love looks like.

They need to see how faith holds up under pressure.

They need to hear prayers that aren’t rehearsed but real.

They need to watch us forgive people who’ve hurt us.

They need to know purity isn’t just about rules, but about living fully and freely for God in the good times and the bad ones.

That’s the kind of life Paul was urging Timothy to live—and it’s the kind of life we’re called to live in front of our kids.

We often say, “Kids are the future of the church.” That’s true—but they are also part of the church right now. And their ability to grow into strong, rooted believers begins with the seeds we plant today.

If we don’t lead them to Jesus, the world will lead them somewhere else.

If we don’t teach them to love truth, culture will teach them to question everything.

This generation is not too young. They’re not incapable. In fact, they’re often more open to the things of God than we give them credit for. But they need us—parents, leaders, and mentors—to be bold enough to live what we say we believe.

Let’s stop underestimating what God can do in their lives. Let’s stop overestimating how much time we have to get it right.
Let’s start showing them what it really means to walk with Jesus—so they’ll know how to do the same.

Because one day, they won’t just follow our example…

They’ll become it.

For His Glory,

Mike Meyer

During the month of June we are thinking about the topic of how the gospel cultivates generosity in the hearts of God’s people. After all, it is generosity that lies at the heart of the gospel. Just think about the overwhelming display of generosity as Jesus stepped out of heaven, took on the form of His own creation, lived the life that we couldn’t live, died the death that we deserved to die, and raised victorious over sin and death so that we could receive salvation as a gift of faith. It is this staggering display of generosity and love that has led to our lives being changed both now and for all of eternity. It is no wonder why the Christian life is inherently marked by radical generosity!

And yet, when you look around the modern church landscape, there seems to be a void of this type of generosity to which Scripture calls us. Instead of living open-handed with the resources that God has entrusted to us as stewards, the temptation is often to cling to those resources and to chase after more as if material possessions will bring fulfillment and satisfaction to our lives. So the question is, how should we think about the resources that God has entrusted to us and what does it look like to operate with a growing wisdom from God in how we utilize and distribute those resources? I believe the answer is fairly simple and is clearly evidenced in the story of the Rich Young Ruler. Three of the four gospels tell the story of a wealthy young man who approached Jesus to ask what he must DO to inherit eternal life. The response that Jesus gave to the man, and the instruction that Jesus gave to His disciples following that interaction, help us understand how we are called to relate to the resources that God has entrusted to us.

Here is the passage found in the Gospel of Mark:  “And as he was setting out on his journey, a man ran up and knelt before him and asked him, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” And Jesus said to him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone. You know the commandments: ‘Do not murder, Do not commit adultery, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Do not defraud, Honor your father and mother.’ ” And he said to him, “Teacher, all these I have kept from my youth.” And Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, “You lack one thing: go, sell all that you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.” Disheartened by the saying, he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions. And Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, “How difficult it will be for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God!” And the disciples were amazed at his words. But Jesus said to them again, “Children, how difficult it is to enter the kingdom of God! It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.” And they were exceedingly astonished, and said to him, “Then who can be saved?” Jesus looked at them and said, “With man it is impossible, but not with God. For all things are possible with God.” (Mark 10:17-27)

As we think about this for our lives, notice first that this rich young ruler was extremely wealthy, but he was not satisfied. From an earthly perspective this young man would have had it all. He had his youth, he had a position of power and influence that went well beyond his age, and he had attained great amounts of wealth. And yet, there was something that was clearly missing from his life. He was not satisfied or content with his position or with what he had accumulated. The powerful lesson here for our lives is that the things of this world will never satisfy us — they will only leave us wanting. I have known extremely wealthy people who, despite all of their possessions, lack any sense of fulfillment or satisfaction in their lives. I have also known (and have done life with) some of the poorest people in the world who have an incredible joy that cannot be taken from them by circumstance. I can say with utter confidence that the pursuit and the accumulation of more resources in our lives does not lead to greater satisfaction, but to less.

So the question then becomes, “what does lead to satisfaction and fulfillment in our lives?” We see the answer to this question in how Jesus responds to this rich young ruler. Jesus responds to him by pointing to the law. You will notice that Jesus lists six of the ten commandments in referencing the law. The young man indicates that he has kept all of those commandments. But then notice how Jesus points to the first commandment, which the man has clearly missed in his heart. In calling this man to give away all of his possessions to the poor and to follow Him, Jesus was cutting right to the quick of the issue in the man’s heart. He had placed money before God. He had made the pursuit and the accumulation of more an idol in his heart. We recognize this as the central issue as Mark tells us that “the man went away sorrowful, because he had great possessions.”

What is clearly at the center of this conversation is the condition and the disposition of the heart. To be clear, God does not need money from us. We are told in Acts 17:25 that “God is not served by human hands, as though he needed anything, since he himself gives to all mankind life and breath and everything.” What God desires from us is our heart. And it is when we give our hearts to God that we experience a growing sense of satisfaction and contentment in His presence. It is in His presence where the heart is set free from the love of money and the pursuit of things, so that we can distribute freely as God leads us in wisdom. This is how Jesus phrased it in the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew chapter 19:  “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.” (Matthew 19:19-21; 24)

As we think about living generously for the glory of God, let’s understand that the central issue is not how much we have, but whether or not God has our heart. Where the heart is pointed toward Him and the eyes are fixed on Jesus, He will grow us in generosity that reflects the radical generosity that He has lavished upon us in the gospel!


Because of Christ,

Jeff Neville

Teaching middle school students can be an adventure, full of unexpected twists and boundless energy. When it comes to weaving biblical truths with real-life connections, HSM Fusion never disappoints. Each class brings a unique mix of perspectives, humor, and curiosity that keeps every lesson lively and unpredictable. One moment, a student might spark a profound discussion with a single question; the next, they’re laughing over a quirky connection to their own lives. This dynamic atmosphere makes every session a thrilling journey of discovery. Recently, we completed a deep dive into the book of Esther, unpacking its themes of courage, faith, and divine providence. What an incredible journey it turned out to be!

The Book of Esther is a captivating tale of courage, faith, and divine providence set in ancient Persia. It follows Esther, a young Jewish orphan raised by her cousin Mordecai, who becomes queen to King Xerxes. When the villainous Haman plots to annihilate the Jewish people, Esther faces a life-or-death decision: remain silent or risk everything by approaching the king to plead for her people’s safety. “For if you keep silent at this time, relief and deliverance will rise for the Jews from another place, but you and your father’s house will perish. And who knows whether you have not come to the kingdom for such a time as this?” ‭Esther‬ ‭4‬:‭14. Through her bravery and trust in God’s unseen guidance, Esther’s actions lead to the salvation of her people and the downfall of their enemies. The story, strikingly, never mentions God’s name, yet His providence weaves through every chapter, showing His presence in the shadows of human decisions.

As we explored each chapter, the students showed such engagement and curiosity. They weren’t just listening; they were questioning, discussing, and connecting Esther’s courage to their own lives. For example, one student asked why Esther hesitated before approaching the king.  This sparked a lively debate about fear and decision-making under pressure, and God’s love for allowing us to cast out all fear (1 John 4:18). During a group discussion, a student wondered aloud how they could trust God’s plan in tough situations, like dealing with family conflicts. Which led to a heartfelt conversation about how God is faithful in all circumstances. “God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.” 1 Corinthians‬ ‭1‬:‭9‬. These moments showed how deeply the students were wrestling with the story and applying it to their own experiences. We talked about how God worked behind the scenes, even when His name isn’t explicitly mentioned in the book, sparking some meaningful conversations about faith—how God is always present, even in the silence.

To bring the story full circle, we capped off our study with a screening of A Night with the King, a movie adaptation of Esther’s story. There were audible gasps during pivotal scenes—Esther’s brave decision to approach King Xerxes, Haman’s sinister plot, and, of course, the triumphant conclusion where justice prevailed. Watching the story we’d studied come to life on screen was a great way to connect the dots.

Here’s to more journeys through scripture, more thoughtful conversations, and, yes, maybe even more movie nights. Who knows which story we’ll explore next? One thing’s for sure: God’s Word always has a way of surprising us, challenging us, and drawing us closer to Him—even in the middle school classroom.

For His Glory,

Tax season is upon us. I know that doesn’t bring anyone happy thoughts. Most of us, if we are honest, dread this time of year. While I don’t want to particularly address taxes themselves, we can save that for another time, I do want to address the idea of worth. Money, or what something is worth, is an idea that all of us can grasp. The Bible constantly uses money and finances to depict spiritual truths. The spiritual truth I would like to address is, “Is the gospel worth it?”

Matthew 13:44-46, Jesus says this about the Kingdom of God. “The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up. Then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field. Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls, who, on finding one pearl of great value, went and sold all that he had and bought it.”

Christ, definitely says that it is worth it. But what about us? Do we actually live and act as though it is worth it? What even is the kingdom of heaven? We know that it is what we receive and become a part of when we place our faith in the gospel, but what does that mean? Faith Builder Catechism answers it this way; God’s Kingdom is, “Where we live life with God under His loving rule.”

Who wouldn’t want that? The creator of the universe wants to be in a relationship with me! This just seems so far-fetched for many of us and it is something we struggle to fathom. It is easier for us to grasp and hold the tangible things of this world and tie our hearts there. But God tells us that a relationship with him is worth us giving up everything else we value in our lives.

This might lead you to ask, “What has God given in return?” This is an understandable question. First, since He is God, He really has no need to give anything, but the glorious truth is that He has given everything for us. “…looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.” ‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭12‬:‭2‬ ‭ESV‬

Easter approaches and as our hearts and minds begin to meditate on the gracious gift that God gave us in the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ, God incarnate, believed that the kingdom of heaven was worth the Cross. He gave up everything in order that we might obtain life with Him, which is everything. That is the worth that Jesus ascribed to the gospel and kingdom of heaven. Pray brothers and sisters that God gives you and I a heart that ascribes the same kind of worth.

For His Glory,

March Madness begins in just a few short weeks. If I am being honest it is one of my favorite times of the year. See I love basketball and this is like “THE” biggest basketball event. How I might be different from others is that I don’t just watch the game purely for entertainment purposes, but rather I like to watch the strategy that the coaches use and the players implement in order to overcome their opponent and win the game. Furthermore, I enjoy the late regular season build up to how these teams make it into the tournament. It reveals something about their preparation for being selected to compete in March Madness.

This preparation for the task at hand is not too dissimilar from the lives that we live as believers. See I like all those aspects of the game of basketball, because I used to coach basketball. Therefore, I see the planning, the scheduling, picking of opponents and plays as more important to the outcome than just the event itself. Is not God just like that with us when it comes to our lives as Christians?

The prophet Jeremiah in the Old Testaments tells us that God has prepared things for us, “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.” Jeremiah‬ ‭29‬:‭11‬ ‭ESV‬. God has prepared work for us to do and that these plans are good plans. Paul reminds us of this in the New Testament letter to the Ephesians, “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.” Ephesians‬ ‭2‬:‭10‬ ‭ESV‬‬. See God has been doing the preparation work for you from before the beginning of time to fulfill His mission for your life which is to become more like Jesus.

However, too often we don’t follow the game plan. We don’t remember how God’s strategies have gotten us through some of the toughest moments and opponents in our lives and we try to take matters into our own hands. I see this in my own life, especially in parenting, when I seek after a good helpful book or wisdom from a more seasoned parent. While these things are not bad in and of themselves, what is bad is that my heart's motivation isn’t directed at seeking God’s help first, but my wisdom or my ability to obtain that wisdom. Honestly, most of the time this just causes me to struggle more.

What we should all do in these moments is turn to Jesus as the example and author of our faith. Jesus, time and time again, listens to the Father and follows His game plan and His preparation knowing that He is good, He is consistent, and He will keep His promises. “So Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of his own accord, but only what he sees the Father doing. For whatever the Father does, that the Son does likewise. For the Father loves the Son and shows him all that he himself is doing. And greater works than these will he show him, so that you may marvel.” John‬ ‭5‬:‭19‬-‭20‬ ‭ESV‬‬

See we are competing on the largest stage ever, eternity. God has chosen those who have put their faith and trust in the work of Jesus Christ and His gospel. All we have to do is abide in Christ as the Father sanctifies us to look more like Him, and we will constantly be moving towards the completion of our goal, to be like Christ. That way when we have run our race and stand before the Father He might look at us and see Jesus and say, “Well done my good and faithful servant.”

In Christ,

My family was blessed to live very near Lake Tahoe for a couple of years during the early 2000’s. If you’ve ever traveled to that region, you know it is one of the most breath-taking places in the United States. The crystal blue lake is crowned on all sides with some of the finest ski slopes in North America. This feels like the right time to tell you that I am not an accomplished snow skier. In fact, I am about as low-functioning of a snow skier as you can imagine. My greatest accomplishment on the slopes was providing entertainment for those on the ski lift as I wiped out at full speed. This wipe-out resulted in my skis and gear flying in different directions, which prompted shouts of “yard sale” for the riders on the lift above. I decided in that moment, as I lay face down in the snow, that I would stick to sports that don’t involve slippery surfaces and steep declines. While I don’t enjoy skiing, I do very much enjoy riding the lift to the top of the mountain and enjoying the incredible views along the way.

As I have reminisced about riding the chair lift on the slopes of Heavenly in South Lake Tahoe, I have come to recognize it as a really helpful way to think about the journey of our sanctification. The illustration in my mind grows out of an incredibly powerful verse found in the book of Hebrews. Hebrews 10:14 states, “For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified.” Stop and think about how profound that statement is for your life. By giving Himself as a ransom for us, Jesus has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified. I find that verbiage to be very curious. The whole point of our sanctification is that God is growing us in maturity over the course of our lives. In other words, our sanctification is a journey of sorts, as we are conformed to the image of Jesus. This conformation over time results in us stepping into eternity as Jesus completes the work that He began in us at the time of our justification.

This means that the spiritual journey of our sanctification has a beginning point and an ending point, both of which have been determined by God. However, the starting and ending points (and everything that happens along the way) are controlled by the fact that we have already been perfected by the sacrifice of Jesus. This means that, in one sense, our sanctification has already taken place positionally. And, in another sense, our sanctification is an on-going reality as God grows us in holiness practically over time. But here’s what is most important for us to understand about how all of this works. All of this is God’s work that He is doing according to His timing and His purposes. In other words, while we might determine our disposition and level of contentment along the way, God is really the One doing the work to sanctify us.

I recognize that this can all be a little hard to understand, which is why the illustration of the ski lift is important for me. Just think about how a ski lift works. You don’t do anything to get on the lift. You are instructed to simply stand there and allow the chair to catch you, as you place your weight in it. It is the mechanism of the lift (with it’s motors and cables and chair) that is doing all the work. You simply entrust yourself to the lift. Once you are seated in the chair, there is nothing that you need to do to get to the destination. You will arrive precisely where you are meant to arrive, and you will travel at the pace that has been determined by that lift. The only thing that you can determine is your disposition along the way.

Some people spend the ride clinging to the safety bar with white-knuckles because they are having a hard time trusting the chair that they are in. Some people spend the ride looking at the cable above and the clasp that is holding their chair in place. They are gripped with a constant fear because they aren’t able to control the situation. Some spend their time looking at people in chairs that are behind them and judging them for a position that is not as far along as theirs. Or they spend time laughing at me and my gear which has been strewn all over the mountainside :). Others look at people in the chairs ahead of them and envy that they are closer to the destination. Other people rock their chair in futility wishing that the ride would go faster. But I can tell you from experience that the best way to enjoy the ride of a ski lift is to rest in the chair and enjoy the beauty around you. The more you rest in the chair and the lift, the more enjoyable and life-giving the journey will be.

And so it is with our sanctification. The more we rest in the finished work of Jesus and the sovereign working of the Lord to bring us to Himself, the more joy and contentment we will experience in this life. When we look at other people and compare our position to theirs, the less joyful and content we will be. When we are given to fear and try to control the outcome of our journey, the less joyful and content we will be. The more we worry and get anxious about the trustworthiness of God or the pace at which He is growing us, the less joyful and content we will be. Our calling is to place our full weight in Jesus and find rest in what He has done to perfect us for all time. This life is about experiencing the journey with Him as we grow in grace!

So, the invitation is to enjoy this incredible ride of sanctification as we delight in the presence of God and rest in the finished work of Jesus!


By His Grace,

Jeff Neville

Hard to believe that yet another year is upon us. Last year brought about many changes and challenges. I know that many had similar experiences. Isn’t that just how life goes? Doors open and doors close. Seasons come and seasons go. Challenges come and change is inevitable. This is part of life.

The writer of Ecclesiastes reminds us of the inevitability of change in chapter 3 verse 1, “For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven…” Yet, even though we know that changes are part of life, we need to avoid being carried aimlessly amongst the changes. Social media is often a perfect example of flocks of individuals being carried aimlessly amongst changes. The latest trends in what is being said or what is being watched changes day by day and sometimes even hour by hour. Even as believers this aimless change and drift throughout life happens all too often for us.

One doesn’t have to look far in the Christian world to see that changing just for the sake of changing occurs constantly. Too often the church, in trying to engage the culture, seeks to look too much like that culture, be it in;  their music, their media presence, or their messages.  While the heart may be in the right place the goal has changed, the Gospel. As individual believers we do the same. We seek to love those closest to us by changing with them and on the one hand that isn’t bad. Paul states in Corinthians chapter 9 that he too becomes all things to all people. However, he does so with a singular goal in mind, the Gospel.

This, the Gospel,  is what cannot change. This is what we must remember so we do not drift aimlessly about with today’s culture. Like a ship poorly anchored or a tree shallowly rooted, ‘if Christ and his gospel is not where our eye remains trained, then all is but like a puff of smoke,’ to once again paraphrase the writer of Ecclesiastes. Anything that we experience in this life removed from the presence and awareness of Christ is but a hollow version of itself. Christ said it himself that he came to give us life, life in abundance (John 10:10).

So as we transition into the year of our Lord 2025. Let us do so for the prize that is the gospel. “I do not run aimlessly; I do not box as one beating the air.” (1 Cor. 9:26-27) Don’t grow and change aimlessly in this new year, but grow and change by remaining and abiding in the presence of Christ who lives in all us who believe.

Blessings,
Austin Strange

I love Christmas time. Snow, fires, hot chocolate, baked goods, and family are only a small number of the reasons why I get extremely excited for the Christmas season. However, I like many have to do my best to focus on the true meaning of Christmas, Christ!

We live in a world that is full of busyness and distractions. A person just need only look down at the smartphone in their hand to know that distractions are ever present. We may be catching up on the latest news from our friends or the world at large. Maybe you are shopping for the best deal on that present you want to get a loved one. Let’s not even talk about the handful of Christmas parties that family gathers or children’s functions that need to be attended. Each of these are not bad in of themselves. It is ok to see what our friends are up to and know the news of the world we live in. Fellowshipping together at events is healthy and vital to our hearts and souls. However, too often these things drown out Christ and the miracle it truly is that Christmas even exists.

See the world, void of Christ, is dark and cold. Sin, when it entered the world, ushered in all the things that are opposite of what Christmas is. Sin brought about struggle, strife, hate, and sadness. Our time in Paul’s letter to the Romans has made this evident, “For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now.” Rm. 8:22.

But Christ, on that glorious night came into the world, and with Him hope, peace, love, and joy for all.

“And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear. And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.” And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying,
“Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!” Luke 2:8-14

Christ is the reason for the season. No longer do we live without hope of redemption, no longer do we live in fear of war, no longer do we live with hate in our heart, and no longer do we live in despair of the future. Christ came and changed all of this. He came not full of the condemnation we fear of a sovereign God we rejected, but full of mercy from a servant who seeks to save. “For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.”
‭‭John‬ ‭3‬:‭17‬.

Why do I love Christmas so much? The same reason you should love it so much. It was God in all His splendor, humbling Himself to come and live among us that we might once again know the hope found in Him, the peace found in Him, the love found in Him, and the joy found in Him.

Don’t lose your focus this Christmas. One of the ways that helps keep my focus on Christ during this holiday season is by going through Advent devotional. I hope you picked up our family advent devotional box, but if not find a devotional or just read the Christmas story in the Gospels daily. Sit in awe of our amazing God and Savior!

For His Glory,

Prayer is something that we have been thinking a lot about at Heartland Church over
the last several months. It has been a great blessing to work through “A Praying Life” by
Paul Miller and to focus for 5 weeks on the subject of relational prayer in our weekend
gathering. I have become more convinced than ever of the overwhelming necessity of
prayer in all things, especially in the building up of God’s people and the advance of His
Kingdom through us. To put it simply, everything that happens in and through us is
God’s work and prayer is the language of our great dependence upon Him. If we are
being honest, all of us have likely been frustrated with our prayer lives in one way or
another. There seem to be countless excuses that we give as we avoid consistent
communion with the Lord through prayer. But perhaps the most common excuse given
in our hurried culture is that we are too busy to pray. I would like to suggest that we are
too busy not to pray!

Martin Luther famously said, “I have so much to do in a day that I shall spend the first
three hours in prayer.” Luther understood an important principle that we would all do
well to remember and apply: God can do more in a millisecond than we can do in a
millennia of our best efforts. The One who spoke all of creation into being by the word of
His power, the One who is currently upholding the universe by that same word of power,
is not reliant on our efforts to get things done. What God wants from us is relational
intimacy. His desire is that we would be with Him and that we would enjoy Him as He
enjoys us. And one of the primary ways that we enjoy relational intimacy is through
ongoing conversation. Much like a couple who has just “fallen in love” cannot stand to
go without talking to each other for even a short period of time, we are called into deep
and meaningful fellowship with the Lord.

So why is it that so many Christians seem to have such little time to talk to God? I really
think that we are far more busy than we ought to be as we live in a fast-paced, noisy
culture that is dominated by entertainment and comfort seeking. Because we often
focus on the wrong things, we end up short-timed on the things that actually warrant our
attention. In other words, there are things that we need to learn to say no to in order to
focus on the things that matter the most. Dwight L. Moody famously said this about
prayer and the competing business of the day: “If you have so much business to attend
to that you have no time to pray, depend upon it that you have more business on hand
than God ever intended you should have.” This is such an important observation that
Moody makes. If we are too busy to pray, then we are far more busy than God has
intended us to be. God’s intention is that we would be fully dependent upon Him as we
walk in the things that He has laid out before us in advance. This is precisely what Paul
wrote in Ephesians 2:10: “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for
good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.” We must
be consistently reminded that God has already established what we are to walk in each
day and that He supplies us the grace to walk in those things.

I can’t help but think that the reason that many of us don’t experience joy in the Lord
and a peace that comes only from Him is because we are busying ourselves and aren’t
experiencing well-paced, abiding prayer. I believe this is the connection that the Apostle
Paul makes in Philippians chapter 4 when he writes, “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I
will say, rejoice. Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand;
do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with
thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which
surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
(Philippians 4:4-7) The calling on our lives is to find rest and contentment in the
presence of the Lord through abiding prayer. Instead of trying to control things and do
more than we ought to do, we are called to bring everything to the Lord in prayer and
allow Him to guard our hearts and minds. This means that we must be consistent in
prayer!

If you are like me, you might feel a sense of failure when it comes to this kind of prayer.
The good news is that God’s grace covers even our lack of vibrant, consistent prayer.
God knows that this is a struggle for us. In fact, He has known about our failures before
the foundation of the world. His grace is sufficient for us to keep coming back to Him —
even and especially in our weakness and frailty — to experience His sufficiency. Let’s
ask God to do a work in us to stir up belief and to help us joyfully grasp the necessity of
relational, dependent, consistent, persistent and expectant prayer!

Because of Christ,
Jeff Neville

The changing of summer to fall is my favorite time of year. I love fall. It is the beginning of deer season, pumpkins, harvest, apples, bonfires, chili, football, shorter days, and the list goes on. These things bring up so many memories for me. For families each year this time also brings about the return to school and its related changes.  For us at Heartland this fall brought about the start of some new changes to our Sunday evenings. 

These new evening changes have been met with great enthusiasm. We have had excellent attendance in the Sunday Seminar classes for adults and a large number of children attending our evening HSM Kids. God is doing wonderful things here at Heartland and that is all brought about through the willingness to change. 

Change is a fact of life. There are two types of change that we all experience in the Christian walk. The first type of change that is brought about by growth in Christ. This change is positive and ordered. The second kind of change is the disordered chaos of the continually changing circumstances of our world. 

Encountering change as a Christian is a moment by moment occurrence and an integral part of our walk with the Lord. The changes begin at the moment of salvation. God grabs a hold of your heart and He draws it into His presence and you are then made brand new. “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.” 2 Co 5:17. Change occurs from the very beginning. This change is what leads us to action. We all witnessed the glory of this in the celebration of 7 baptisms this past month. God changes us. 

This change goes beyond just the moment of salvation. Remember change is a moment by moment occurrence. God reveals Himself to us more and more each day as we spend time with Him in prayer and in the study of His Word. As we interact with God we cannot but help to recognize the glory and majesty of His holiness while becoming ever more aware of just how sinful we are. This changes us. It begins to make us aware of just how awesome the life and work of Christ was for us. We now know we must be changed in order to enter the presence of the Lord. That odd reality prompted the question from Nicodemus. 

“Nicodemus said to him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?” 5 Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. 6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7 Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ 8 The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.” Jn 3:4–8.

Change is ever apparent. Each year children grow and change. Each year another relative goes home to see the Lord and another is born to the glory of God. Change is inevitable as we navigate life here on Earth. However, amongst the changing of the seasons there is an ever present constant that never changes. That is the presence of our Lord and savior Jesus Christ. 

When the Lord takes hold of your heart and adopts you into the family of God, that becomes the foundation for which all the changes in our spiritual life build upon. The foundation for which you anchor yourself too. So that when the second kind of change, the disordered chaos of the ever changing circumstances of our world throws one haymaker punch after another at you. Christ is there. He lives inside the hearts of every believer. He sustains you through both the positive and negative changes of our world. Charles Spurgeon dealt with the struggles of change and chaos of our world and had this to say about it. “I have learned to kiss the wave that throws me against the Rock of Ages.” 

Whatever change you find yourself encountering, be it growth in Christ or the circumstances in our culture. Let it drive you into the arms of Jesus. For it is He and He alone that dictates the changing of the seasons and it is He alone that leads to the calm waters and restful pastures in the midst of this turbulent world.

Peace in Christ,

What age do you think about when you hear the word, "old"?  Well, if you are 16, it might be 30; if you are 30, it might be 60; and if you are 60, it might be 90.  But if you are 90, you know you are old!  In the Bible, we learn about Methuselah, Noah's Grandpa, who lived to be 969 years old.  Living to that age is almost incomprehensible.  But, being as old as I am is also almost incomprehensible (at least for a few minutes each morning before my knees make noise and I look in the mirror - Yikes, who is this old lady?)  2 Corinthians 4:16 says, "Therefore, we do not lose heart. Although outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day".  It is reassuring to know that as our bodies experience aging, our Spirit is continually renewed by God.  Our true worth (and the worth of our older relatives and friends) are found in Jesus, not in physical appearance or abilities.  

In some cultures, elderly people are revered and considered a source of wisdom.  Not generally so in the U.S. Here, the common thinking is keeping up with the newest technology is of the utmost importance, and if it's old; throw it out; sometimes including people.  Leviticus 19:32 emphasizes the reverence and respect we should show older people, not only because they are our elders, but because they are made in the image of God, "You shall stand up before the gray head and honor the face of an old man, and you shall fear your God: I am the Lord".

I was blessed to have close and long relationships with two women who lived very long lives.  They passed away when my Grandma was almost 98 and my late husband's mother, Ann, was 104.  My Grandma was born in rural Mississippi to parents who picked cotton for a living (she and her siblings did too).  She was born in 1917, married at 15 (I know this is disturbing, but it was a different time and place), had my mother at 17 and moved to the big city of St. Louis at 19.  Ann was born in 1915 in South St. Louis to German speaking immigrant parents, left school at 14 and went to work at one of the major hat making companies downtown, married at 28 and started having children at 30. What an amazing time they both lived through: World War 2, the Great Depression, having phones and TV in the home, the moon landing, the advent of home computers, cell phones, fast cars and riding in airplanes.  My grandma had started out by riding a horse-drawn wagon to school and Ann rode her bicycle or took the Street Car (ask an older person if you don't know what that was).  They had very different lives, but they were good friends and had a lot in common. 

I learned many things from these two women. They were both welcoming and excellent hostesses.  My grandma especially was not happy if she was not serving you another cup of coffee or another piece of pie.  They were both very generous. even though neither of them had material wealth.  Ann used to make chocolate cookies for many families in her neighborhood. In order to be able to make the most cookies possible, she would hand place three chocolate chips in each cookie.  They were both good stewards as they were frugal and used what they had, and definitely did not have a throw-away mentality.  They were wise.  Proverbs 13:20 says," Walk with the wise and become wise, for a companion of fools suffers harm". This is a reminder to seek the company of the wise and knowledgeable, many of whom are older and more experienced than we are. As we grow older, we should grow closer to our Lord, which in turn, allows us to enjoy Him more, grow wiser and more emotionally stable.  

The biggest gift they shared with me was their reliance on the Lord and their concrete belief that this was not their home and how they longed for heaven.  Philippians 3:20-21 tells us, "But our citizenship is in heaven.  And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the power that enables Him to bring everything under His control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like HIs glorious body". Aging is nothing to fear. Isaiah 46:4 tells us that the Lord continues to love us as we age, "I will be your God throughout your lifetime - until your hair is white with age.  I made you and I will care for you.  I will carry you along and save you".  

Maybe my love for these ladies is why I so enjoy interacting with our Homebound church family members.  This group of men and women are wonderful Christians who need visits, companionship and love.  Many only get out of the house to go to doctor's appointments.  It has been my experience, and others have told me that those who visit receive more blessings than they give.  Please let me know if you have a desire to serve the Homebound.  The visits can be as little as once a month. 

Let's take the time and make the effort to honor, respect and love our older generations, whether they be parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, neighbors or church family.  James 1:27 tells us, "Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world".

In Christ,

Dana Alberternst

What do you think of when you hear the word conflict? I would imagine most people get an uneasy feeling. They likely recall broken relationships and words they wish had not been said. Because conflict can mean different things to different people, I would like to define it for us. Conflict is “a state of disagreement or disharmony between persons or ideas; a clash." The truth is that we all experience conflict in one way or another—it is impossible to avoid, however much we might like to. But I am going to suggest that experiencing conflict is actually good for us.

As adults, we understand how uncomfortable situations are often good for us. We may not prefer broccoli, but we likely eat it anyway because we know that it is good for us. As we consume more broccoli over time, we might actually grow to enjoy it. If we apply this same concept to our spiritual lives, we would intentionally seek God in the difficulty because we know it is good for us. There are many examples of this dynamic in the Bible. Take, for example, the account of Jesus calming the storm in Mark 4:35-41. Do you think Jesus didn’t see that storm coming? I would contend that the storm was not just an inconvenience on the way to where they were supposed to be. The middle of the storm is precisely where they were supposed to be. Why would they need to be there at that particular time? Couldn’t Jesus have just timed it better and avoided the storm? Jesus used that opportunity to teach the disciples about their lack of faith. Spiritual growth happened because of conflict. God used a painful and even a seemingly dangerous situation for His glory and their good.

It can be really easy to say, “God uses all things for His glory and for my good.” But, do we really believe that God uses disharmony for His glory and for our good? That is harder to believe because of how we have handled tension and disagreements poorly in the past. It is likely the case that we try to avoid difficult conversations because many times they end in hurt feelings. There are people that we avoid certain topics with.

What would it look like if we said, “I don’t prefer conflict/tension but I know God has something good for me in this?” What if God is trying to call out a lack of faith in the context of my anger and frustration? What if the conflict was just a venue for us to practice humbly seeking Jesus and serving others?

I think that something that often gets in the way of restoration and joy in this area of life is that we are quick to defend our honor or respond according to our feelings. Let me illustrate it with a totally made us scenario that I’m sure has definitely never happened in a marriage before…

W: “You never pick up your socks! I do everything around here! When will you start helping out?” (trying to communicate through hurt feelings)

H: *my honor and reputation are called into question. I am definitely not lazy! I will just angrily list all of my accomplishments in the week, and then she will feel better. “Are you kidding me? What do you think I am doing all day, playing games? Do you think my job is easy?”

Rather than listening to and addressing the concerns of the other person, we end up in a place where we have all been. This confrontation will probably devolve into a shouting match or maybe the silent treatment. The core issue will likely go unaddressed. Why does she feel alone or isolated? Does she actually feel that way? He probably won’t even think to address her feelings because his attention is now on defending himself.

What does it look like to submit to God in the setting of conflict? We need to remember some core truths:

1. I am here as an instrument of the righteousness of God.
2. The anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God.
3. I need God in the settling of conflict. He is the only way I will be able to respond in love.
4. Be quick to hear and slow to speak. God designed it this way so we could be praying for the other person, our mouth and our heart.
 
Do we care about winning the argument or seizing the opportunity to address areas of unbelief in our own heart? Do we care about the heart of the other person in that moment? If our purpose in the middle of conflict is to confront faith issues in our own heart and care for the hearts of others, what should these conversations look like? The following examples demonstrate some practical ways to shepherd and care for hearts in the middle of a tense setting while also addressing the core issues.

Example 1:
W: “You never pick up your socks! I do everything around here! When will you start helping out?”
H: “I do regularly take my socks off and leave them on the floor and I can see how that would have some effect on you. When you see my socks on the floor how does that make you feel?”*This response takes ownership and immediately starts caring for and addressing the feelings of the other person. There is no need to defend yourself if you love and trust the other person!
W: “I put a lot of work into keeping our house presentable. I feel like I am doing it alone though.”
H: “I am sorry that my actions made you feel that way. I really do value your ability to keep our family running!”

Example 2:
W: “When you leave your socks on the floor, I feel like you don’t appreciate what I have gone through to keep our house in order.” *Address how the action affected you rather than the action alone.
H: “I am sorry. I didn’t know that made you feel that way. That definitely wasn’t my intention.”

If our main objective is to address the offending action (socks on the floor), we run the risk of encouraging behavior modification without ever addressing the core issue of the heart (am I loved and appreciated by my spouse?). Many times we will deny or justify the action. “I should be able to take off my socks anywhere” or “I don’t do that very often.” Keep the focus on the heart that was hurt and not on the offending action. When we show that we were hurt, the other person that cares for us sees us hurting and it gives them the opportunity to address our injured feelings. Conflict and hurt feelings are a part of our lives for the purpose of pointing us to Jesus.

While this is not a comprehensive guide to handling conflict, it should point us to the fact that God has something for us even in the most uncomfortable situations! Some have even asked is conflict even necessary, “why not just forgive and let it go?” I agree. However, I need to understand that I cannot even forgive apart from God. I need Him every moment of every day. As God’s love flows through us and falls on the people around us, that often is seen in the way we speak and act toward each other. We should not avoid a conversation because we chose the “loving option.” We should love others and that will be evident in the way we speak to each other.

Remember what John wrote in 1 John 3:11 — “For this is the message that you have heard from the beginning, that we should love one another.”

Because of Christ,
Jon Tegg

Ever feel like the weight of the world is on your shoulders? Like you are struggling just to tread water? Like despite all your greatest planning and efforts, you just can’t get ahead?
I’ve been feeling this way lately as we are planning to hopefully launch a new work of the Gospel in a new city, and reading Ecclesiastes has been a big help. In the first three chapters, Solomon claims that all of our labor is futile, yet we refuse to believe it. The root of our frustration is that we have too inflated a view of our personal importance or the importance of what we are doing. I’m not saying that we have egos as monstrous as certain celebrities we see in the news all the time, just that we can take anything we are doing and make it seem like all of human history is riding on it.

This can come out in subtle ways. When a child loses a screw to the chair we are assembling or throws their cereal on the floor, we lose our cool. When we are working on a big project for a long time, perhaps even on a deadline, we start getting short with people. We’re happy to have them help, until they get in the way or somehow hinder the project. Our frustration and impatience reveals that we have an inflated view of the importance of finishing the house remodel, the landscaping, the budget proposal, or even dinner.
It gets even worse when you genuinely believe the project to be “God’s work.” We can easily push aside people who are standing in the way or bark orders at those standing around doing little or nothing. This is a divine project of eternal value. Why won’t people just get on board? It isn’t long before we hijack his project and wrap our identity around it. Or put another way, we infuse our own project with divine significance without realizing it and then make others guilty for not supporting us. I see this temptation already creeping into my life as I get excited and think about the upcoming work in Portland.

But these projects are not excluded from Solomon’s warning. The Lord can tear down and rebuild what he wants. Solomon’s temple was leveled and his people exiled. Herod’s temple was leveled and Jerusalem evacuated again. Churches go belly up. Their buildings are transformed into yoga studios, hip restaurants or bars, breweries or night clubs. The works of man are a delusion.
 
This can feel soul crushing, but it is actually a great relief. Only God has the final word. Not us. So, the pressure is off. we don’t have to get it perfect. We don’t have to impress people. Our identity doesn’t have to ride on the completion or failure of any of our projects. We can leave it in the hands of God. We can relax and trust him with the outcome of our life.

God’s work will last. Not only do we have an inflated view of ourselves and our work, but a deflated view of God and his work. Where all of our projects decay over time, the work of the Lord endures forever. Sure, churches die, meaning church buildings pass away, and communities no longer gather in the same location. But the church also lives on. It is more like a redistribution than a death. The members of his body join him in glory along with the saints who have gone before, or simply to join a new community of saints here on earth. His work that lasts is building his people into his family and that doesn’t die.

That doesn’t make the pain of separation go away when we part from those we love. It hurts all the more precisely because we belong to one another. But we are able to endure it because we will enjoy the eternal fellowship of God’s work, meaning his family, long after the toil that went into it has faded into the recesses of our memory.
 
So this is my charge to you Heartland Church–do not settle for anything less than the Lord’s best for you. And his best is that you labor for the food that lasts, that you engage in work that endures, and that is the work that Jesus is doing through the Holy Spirit in building up his church. It deflates our ego, gives us a right sense of his gravitas, and rightly orders our affections so that we can see that the sacrifices are worth it. Let someone else have the lifestyle upgrades and take Jesus instead. He’s the best upgrade you’ll ever have. Forget about getting ahead, child of God. That may be why you feel like you are drowning. Instead of kicking real hard for a long time, try laying back and relaxing.

Grace & Peace
Josh Wilder

Trust is the foundation for almost everything we do! We trust that our automobiles will start in the morning, that the roads will be open in order to get to work, and that our employers will pay us on the appropriate day.  Trust is also the basis upon which relationships are built, especially with those individuals close to us, as well as, the various institutions we regularly interact with and depend on (banks, government, medical facilities, religious entities e.g.). The list of relationships requiring trust goes on and on! Yet how solid are the foundations of those relationships? Can we really trust them? Can we really even trust ourselves?

I recently began seriously exploring the possibility of retirement, not just dreaming about it. As a result, I met with a financial advisor in order to get a second opinion (other than my own). My relationship with this financial advisor has been developing for over a year. He came strongly recommended by a close business associate and, to date, the advisor has provided me with some very sound advice/guidance that has kept me from making some silly mistakes. When I posed the question “Will I be financially okay if I retire?” his response was very quick. So quick that my “Spidey Senses” went off and I immediately doubted (did not trust) his assessment. In fact, I reminded him of what I did for a living and asked him if his firm had any kind of financial software that could run various scenarios to validate his “quick” and definitive response. He said of course and set up an appointment with another staff member in the office to walk me through a financial model. This model generates over a thousand potential scenarios and summarizes all of the outcomes with an overall “probability of success” calculation. That calculation, of course, was not 100%. When I asked “What do I need to do in order to attain a rating of 100%?” - the analyst said “you cannot attain that score,” as there is no total certainty. I tell you this story to say that there is only one in this world that can be totally trusted.

Proverbs 3: 5-6 says “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.” You see, there is only “one” relationship in this world that has a 100% “probability of success.” In fact, it is not “probable,” but rather certain. The “one” that I am writing about is our Lord Jesus Christ, and the trust that we can place in Him because of the work that He has accomplished on our behalf and the work that He is doing in us. As the writer of Proverbs says, when we place our trust in and acknowledge Him, He makes our paths straight. Isn’t it an “awe” moment when you think that He is the one that makes our paths straight (present and future tenses). Isn’t it also an “awe” moment when we truly understand that it is nothing that we do, but everything that He has done (past tense).

Now comes confession time!  As my retirement story clearly displays, there are several occasions when I fail to anchor all my trust in Him. Yet, that is what I am called to do!  Am I the only one that mistakenly anchors their trust in something other than Him? I don’t think so. Regardless, I am comforted by Matthew 14 and the story of Jesus and Peter walking on the water. You see Jesus called Peter to walk on the water as He also calls believers to follow Him. Yet even after being called and experiencing the success of the call (walking on the water and coming to Christ), Peter “saw the wind” and mistakenly anchored his trust elsewhere resulting in fear coming upon him and he began to sink. Peter, the rock upon which Christ said He would build His church, cried out to be saved and Jesus immediately took hold of him saying, “O you of little faith, why do you doubt.” Oh what a marvelous Savior!

My prayer for all of us is that, when the “winds of life” come upon us, we keep our eyes on Christ and remember that He has called us. After all,  it is he who has done, and is doing, everything. He is our anchor! Let’s rest in that assurance.

In Christ,

Jim Warren

What comes to mind when you hear the word hospitality? I think most people envision extending an invitation to people, an immaculately clean house, fancy table settings, an elaborate menu, entertaining guests, and then sending them off on their way home. But what if we treated hospitality as deeper and more relational than that? What if there was a constant open invitation into our homes and the messy reality of our everyday lives that did not end when we told our guests goodbye as they left at the end of the night? What if we traded the fancy china for something more practical that made everyone feel completely comfortable and welcome in our lives and homes (yes, even those that we do not agree with or even always like)? I love my neighbor, not because they love me in return or can do things for me, but because they are mine. There is something wonderful about giving a gift that will never be repaid. It may cost me something now, but when I have an eternal perspective in mind, the cost is never too great. The ancient Greek word for hospitality used in the Bible is philoxenia, which translates as ‘love of strangers.’ Hospitality makes strangers into neighbors and neighbors into family. This cannot happen without being close enough to have deep, personal, and even awkward conversations with people. I want my house to be a house where everyone is comfortable to talk about anything, no matter what. A house where we are not afraid of and do not hide sin and repentance. This will not happen if I am not willing to show people the mess of our everyday lives – to be transparent and vulnerable.

Biblical hospitality seeks to show love to each person we meet in a way that they will recognize and feel. It meets people where they are and loves them for who they are. Biblical hospitality is relational and leaves no room for independent onlookers – we should be either giving or receiving hospitality. It opens the door for us to build intimacy with believers and unbelievers alike which allows for differences to be discussed and for truth to be both spoken and received in love. In The Gospel Comes with a Housekey, Rosaria Butterfield discusses what she calls the “Jesus paradox.” Jesus touched hurting people, like the leper in Luke 5:13; he met them when they were empty or at their lowest and he left them full. Jesus took everything people thought they knew and turned it upside down, including our sense of hospitality. God is sovereign and does some of his best work in the middle of suffering or crisis. What if hospitality looked like using our homes as a hospital for the people in our neighborhood?  What better way is there to bring Jesus and the church to the community around us than to invite them into our homes and show them love and grace in times of suffering? We have the truth, the answer to so many of their questions. Why do we not give it to them? What is holding us back? Are we truly risking anything if it all belongs to the Lord anyway?

If you are anything like me, then maybe you're a busy mom who constantly has children attached to your leg or throwing tantrums or making messes. Even when we start to open our door to others, we apologize for the mess or our childrens’ behavior. You might be an introvert and find being around people to be draining. As an introvert, I find that I refuel by being alone; however, I cannot allow the fact that I am an introvert to be an excuse. If I do, then I miss out on great opportunities and blessings that come from practicing hospitality. As Rosaria Butterfield put it, “knowing [my] personality and sensitivities does not excuse [me] from ministry.” It just means that I may need to prepare for it differently than other people do and find other ways to get the alone time I need to recharge.
 
Let’s not miss out on all of the opportunities that come from practicing daily hospitality in our homes with those in our neighborhoods and communities around us. Hospitality is not meant to be glamorous or to be entertainment. It is meant to serve and love others. It is meant to share what we have with those around us and to showcase God’s glory. It is meant to be radical. It welcomes all people into our homes and shows the world that God has a plan for welcoming his enemies into his presence. When done well, hospitality reflects God’s character. We should welcome others into our lives and homes in the same way that Christ has welcomed us.

We cannot do any of this in our own strength, but rather we need Jesus. It takes humility, obedience, and dependence on God because we are powerless on our own. In order to obey in the way God requires, we must first receive his grace, pick up our cross, and die to ourselves and our idols. The gospel comes in exchange for the life we once loved. Dying to self leads to obedience, which leads to dependence on God, which leads to worship. What we win people with is what we win them to, so let’s win them with the gospel.

Grace & Peace,
Katie Meyer

What a testament the death and resurrection of Christ are to the intentional love He has for those whom He has called. As we move forward from Easter and the celebration of Christ’s resurrection I cannot help but reflect upon all that led up to this moment. Furthermore, my mind is shattered to think of all the emotions that our Saviour, who is fully human, was experiencing fulfilling His calling, and how we, though different, experience similar struggles.

So what did Christ go through? During Holy Week our family read and discussed the events of the week from The Biggest Story Bible. It took us through Palm Sunday and Jesus’s undeniable kingship. We discussed how the wrong heart motivations and actions in relation to worship greave and anger God, and can be seen in Jesus turning over tables in the temple. We reflected on the priceless worth of Christ in Mary’s display of washing Jesus’s feet with expensive oil. At the Last Supper we sense Jesus’s heavy heart as He prepared himself to be betrayed. This betrayal was played out in the inability of the disciples to stay awake, Judas’s love of money over Christ, and Peter’s fear of man more than love of Christ. We were saddened by Christ’s death and understanding the anguish of having God the Father forsake and punish Him. Then we experienced the joy and excitement of Christ’s resurrection and with the disciples the small doubt of, “Could this really be true?”
Jesus went through a lot, but humbly submitted himself to the will of the Father. If we zoom in to prayer in the garden we catch a glimpse of just how much Christ wrestled with fulfilling the will of the Father. Luke tells us in chapter 22 and verses 41-44,
 
“And he withdrew from them about a stone’s throw, and knelt down and prayed, saying, “Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me. Nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done.” And there appeared to him an angel from heaven, strengthening him. And being in agony he prayed more earnestly; and his sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground.”

Christ, while not weak in his faith, struggled with the task before Him, and yet submitted to the Father’s will with hope of what he knew to come.

I say all this to bring to attention that we at times struggle with what the Lord wills. We have moments of weak faith and struggle to see the hope that is set before us. This is why we must look to Christ, who is the author and perfecter of our faith, fixing our eye upon Him to guide us through our moments of weakness. What we must remember above all is that our faith comes from Christ. Only our nearness to Him will alleviate our doubts and our fears. This is why Christ went and prayed in the garden. Christ knew that when we wrestle with what the Father has laid before us. Then we go to the Father to work through it. When we do, Christ as mediator, takes our petitions to Him and the Spirit reminds us of all the fulfilled promises of Christ. We are reminded of the cross and the grace bestowed to us because of it. The Spirit reminds us that we are new creatures and the sin and shame of the past are gone and forgotten. We are comforted by the reminder that we do not have to work for His love, but that it is freely given and never removed.
 
The Easter season often creates a mountain top experience, but growing Christians know that valleys come. I pray that if you are in a valley or when you go through one, you hold to these truths and cling to the cross. Know that you have a saviour who understands, who is near to you, and who loves you.

I will close with lyrics from one of my favorite hymns that reminds me of my need for Christ and his righteousness.

To that old rugged cross I will ever be true,
its shame and reproach gladly bear;
then he'll call me some day to my home far away,
where his glory forever I'll share
So I'll cherish the old rugged cross,
till my trophies at last I lay down;
I will cling to the old rugged cross,
and exchange it some day for a crown.

Blessings,
Austin Strange