Community
Dear Saints of Valley Church, After over five decades of sharing the gospel in turnip fields, ten-thousand-seat auditoriums, and churches around the world, the evangelist Gypsy Smith was asked, “Gypsy, I heard you preach over fifty years ago, and my how you blessed my heart then. I have never forgotten it, but again tonight, how…
Remember “Show and Tell” from elementary school? Can you remember any funny or cringy experiences doing that? Imagine standing up in front of your first-grade classroom and talking about the concept of a small, high energy, short haired animal that can, and often does, fit into a purse. If someone had never seen a Chihuahua…
Dear Saints of Valley Church, One of the many ways Amanda and I are different is our timing of when to fill up the car with gas. Amanda was raised by a wise father who taught her to fill up the car once she reached about a quarter tank. I was also raised by wise…
In our series “No Rival, No Equal” in the book of Colossians, we’ve likened the sufficiency of Christ to the beauty and unrivaled splendor of Mt. Everest. But ascending Mt. Everest, even with a team, is no easy feat. It presents climbers with an intense challenge of extreme cold, dangerously low oxygen levels, and treacherous…
Dearly Beloved, Blisters-they are the unwelcome travel companions we would all rather avoid. Whether caused by friction from shoes, a burn, or even prolonged pressure, they are a small yet painful reminder of the wear and tear our bodies endure when we have pushed them beyond the limits. A blister might seem like just a…
Dear Saints of Valley Church, Over the past few weeks, we have been climbing what Pastor Glen rightly described as the Mount Everest of Christianity by beholding the supremacy of Jesus Christ (Colossians 1:15-20) and its implications for our lives (Colossians 1:21-23). This week, in Colossians 1:24-2:5, we will see that none of us will…
Dear Saints of Valley Church, The process of unpacking boxes after a move can be a tiring (and seemingly endless) process. However, looking through the contents of some of these boxes has provided an opportunity to revisit many cherished memories as we find new display locations for our pictures or artwork from our boys. Two…
Dearly Beloved, I just received an email from one of our precious saints here at Valley. The question was, “Hi Glen, what do you do when you are afraid?” How would you have responded? What do you do when panic, worry, anxiety, and serious concerns come upon you out of the blue? I sent an…
In the fall of 1981, I decided to go to San Jose Bible College for one year. As a relatively new Christian, I figured it would be a good investment in my future regardless of what vocation I chose. One afternoon I was playing some 2 on 2 full court basketball with the dean of…
Dear Saints of Valley Church, There is an old church joke about a Sunday School teacher who was using squirrels as an illustration for their children’s class. She asked, “What lives in trees, eats nuts, and has a long, bushy tail?” One of the children answered, “Well, it sounds like a squirrel, but the answer…