Community (Page 5)
As a kid I remember seeing a show on TV called, “Let’s Make a Deal.” The basic premise of the show is that the host offers guests something of value who are then given the choice of keeping the item or exchanging it for something else. The “deal” is that the other item is kept…
Dear Disciples, Are you and I “real” disciples of the Lord Jesus in word and deed? Do others see Jesus in us? How do you spot an authentic “Christ follower?” It is not a trivial matter! If you were with us last Sunday we started our time in God’s Word with this verse, “David, after…
Dear Sojourners, Yes, you and I are going to go the way of all flesh. My last heartbeat as well as my last breath on this fallen planet will precede yours most likely. Last Friday I did a graveside service for one of our dear saints and celebrated his life on Saturday. Most of us…
Can you think of a time of prolonged waiting in your life? I recently went to the DMV and it seemed like it took FOREVER. On a more serious note, maybe you were waiting to hear back on a college application, or a job interview, or results from a medical test. Sometimes it seems like…
Vinko Bogataj probably isn’t a name you recognize. But for millions of people, Vinko is the symbol of all who have tried to do something and failed spectacularly. In 1970 the young Yugoslavian competed in a ski flying event where he hurled out of control off the end of the ramp, tumbling and flipping wildly,…
Dear Friends, Do you believe in destiny? How about a destination when you die? What do those two words mean and is there any connection? The word destiny refers to the predetermined course of events or the inevitable outcome of a person’s life. It often implies a sense of fate or predestination, suggesting that certain…
Hey Family, I met with Elena J. and Dave C. last week to talk about Valley’s new partnership with Foster the City. God stirred Elena’s heart to drive this for us at Valley. She’s our Advocate. FTC is about equipping churches to provide loving homes for children in foster care and to create supportive teams…
I recently reconnected with an old friend at the Perspectives class being hosted by Valley Church on Sunday nights. Among other things, Dan Lagasse is a seasoned global worker in nine different countries, an effective missions mobilizer, and an amazing horn player in the Sons of Jubal. On top of that, we’ve been friends for…
At some point most of us have been through an identity crisis. The dictionary defines it as “a period of uncertainty and confusion in which a person’s sense of identity becomes insecure, typically due to a change in their expected aims or role in society.” For me, it was during my high school years and…
Dear Saints, Is it possible for a saint to be deceived? A former Pharisee by the name of Paul who knew God’s law backwards and forwards thought so: “Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a person sows, this he will also reap. For the one who sows to his own flesh…