E-News Article
Childlike
Last week was my first full week with kids. I had them Sunday, Wednesday, and Thursday. My passion for my job was rekindled and I was reminded why Jesus told us to become more like children. I taught them 3 different lessons from the Bible. They taught me several. On Sunday, I taught on the unforgiving servant. It was a great reminder about how because Jesus first forgave us, that we too must forgive others. Later on in the week…
Community is Just a Click Away
If you have driven west on M-72 towards Traverse City recently, you may have seen a new billboard just after the Bill Marsh auto dealership. The billboard features a smiling family of 6 sitting at home on their couch with the words, “Community is just a click away.” The only other text on the board is a url, kccwired.com. Pop-up on kccwired.com Those who visit the website, which is a local church, are greeted with the same photo on the home page…
What really Matters?
Well, what goals do you have for 2021? If you were going to narrow down your list to three things you wanted to do differently or to be different once 2021 was over, how would your list read? Weight loss, more books read, finish a degree, stronger marriage, more time with family, a vacation? Not to cast judgment or to make anyone feel guilty, but do you think Paul had New Year’s resolutions? On the Morning Dive, we have been…
Where Do You Find Hope?
What brings you hope? Hope is something that is personal yet can also be universal. Some items that bring you hope could cause the next person anxiety. For example, if you finally decided to take charge of your finances, balancing your checkbook could be a source of hope and stability. While those who are struggling with financial discipline could find the sight of a checkbook and an anxiety-inducing tool. The same goes for the bathroom scale. If you are struggling…
Lessons Learned in 2020
Hope on the Horizon The year 2020 will forever be known for one thing – the pandemic of COVID-19. At the time of this writing, the Coronavirus has claimed over 300,000 American lives and over 1.64 million worldwide. While we are still in some of the deadliest days of the virus, there is hope on the horizon. The Pfizer vaccine has already been approved by the FDA and is rolling out worldwide. The Moderna vaccine is close to requesting emergency…
Unspeakable Joy
So what are the things that overshadow the true meaning of Christmas for you? As a kid, I am sure the gifts under the tree started to overshadow Jesus at times. The rush of getting things purchased and wrapped and making Christmas plans and writing Christmas letters, all at times seem to overshadow the joy and excitement we should have for the Christ child being born into this world. Herod allowed power to overshadow the birth of Jesus by making…
Battling Satan’s Isolation Game
I recently finished up a bible study that was one of the best ones I’ve done. It was called “Get out of your head” by Jennie Allen. It talks about how we can have a thought and it just spirals out of control and we are left feeling exhausted, overwhelmed, and insignificant. The study was based in Philippians and followed the journey of Paul. It was a very insightful and timely study. There is so much stress in the world right…
Unexpected Gratitude
One of the first lessons a parent will teach their child is to say “Please” and “Thank you.” It’s a core cultural norm and good etiquette. “Thank you” acknowledges the action, thought, or gift. It also shows appreciation for the gift and the giver. Scripture speaks of saying “Thank you” in several verses: “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 “I thank my God every time…
Forget About It!
How are you at forgiving and forgetting? I’ve heard many people say, “I can forgive, but I won’t forget.” I think this is almost a natural reaction. People do this as a way to protect themselves from being hurt again. As Christians, we strive to be like Christ. In fact, there are several verses that tell us to do this. But we like to pick and choose what we follow. John 13:13-17 says, “You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and rightly…
Truth under Fire
The concept of truth has become under attach in recent years. It used to be entertaining when you would watch a sitcom where the whole premise was to spend the half hour covering up a lie. It was comical and harmless. How times have changed. We no longer endure dishonesty in sitcoms alone but we’ve come to accept lies in real life – from friends, family, and even from our leaders. It’s a sad narrative that when a politician speaks,…
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