Community (Page 13)
Dearly Beloved, Can God really satisfy us in a world that screams for more? The question begs an answer – yes, no perhaps, it depends? How would you answer it personally? If you were to respond with a definitive “Yes, He can” – then I would surmise that you are a very contented person. If…
The following is a true story by Micah Brickner. It was winter, in the early 2000s. It was cold. It was also snowing. My father and I were getting ready to drive to the store in our less-than-reliable 1980-something Chevy Celebrity. The car’s alternator was having some issues, and the engine would not stay running.…
Desolation Wilderness is a beautiful but remote region of the Sierra Nevada mountains. Over the years, Valorie and I have enjoyed backpacking there, including several times with our girls when they were younger. One particularly dry and hot summer, water was scarce; our bottles were empty, and we were thirsty. We came upon a dried-up…
Hey Family! VBS starts on Monday – the greatest week at Valley Church all year. I saw Sonja Tillman in the classroom across the hall from my office working on T-shirts earlier today. When she left I sneaked in and held up one to my chest. Ah, to be a kid again! I loved VBS…
November 7th, 1995 ended the longest three days of our lives. We had been happily expecting our first baby to arrive sometime around the end of October. But she had other plans and didn’t even begin to arrive until almost a week later. After 30 hours of labor she was finally in our arms, healthy…
Do you have songs that remind you of certain settings? For Valorie and me, we try to pick an album for special occasions, like anniversary trips, that will remind us of those moments every time we hear one of those songs. When our kids were young, Saturday mornings were always set aside for cleaning house.…
Dearly Beloved, Is there marriage in heaven? This was the Lord Jesus’ reply in response to a question concerning a woman who had been married multiple times in her life — whom would she be married to in heaven? “At the resurrection people will neither marry nor be given in marriage; they will be like…
Some time ago my father-in-law Jack Popjes challenged me to make a list of the things I wanted in life. The idea is to put down initial thoughts that might include things like possessions or accolades and allow the Lord to refine those desires over time. (You can read the original post on his website…
Dear Friends, Who are you? Ok, I am quite convinced that you have not forgotten your name but “who are you really” – your identity? This question “who are you” is in our text this Sunday as we continue in our series, “Believe.” The priests and Levites from Jerusalem were sent to inquire about John…
When I was a new Christian someone shoved a copy of “Knowing God” into my hands. I had been going to church my whole life, but I freely confess I didn’t know much about God, let alone know Him personally. Oh, I knew He was loving and forgiving, after all, as one German poet said,…