For years, my job when selecting the response song after the sermon was simple: match the message.If the pastor preached on grace, I'd pick a song about grace. If the sermon was about surrender, I'd find something that felt like surrender. The criteria was the content of the sermon —...
For years, I picked the opening song the same way.I'd think about the congregation walking in — some still half-asleep, some carrying whatever the week had left on them — and I'd ask myself: what's going to get everyone in the same place, energetically speaking? Something accessible with a strong...
I still remember the first time I sat through a worship service and didn't understand a word.It wasn't ancient history. It was my mid-twenties, traveling in a country where I didn't speak the language. A friend had invited me to his church, and I said yes without thinking through what...
Renee Gotcher
“And rising very early in the morning, while it was still dark, he departed and went out to a desolate place, and there he prayed.” – Mark 1:35 (ESV)I did it again this morning. I set my alarm an hour earlier than I needed to so I wouldn’t have to...
Written by: Marianne White“ Your word is a lamp for my feet and a light on my path.” - Psalm 119:105This verse emphasizes the importance of seeking guidance from God through His word. It invites us to recognize that our understanding is limited, but His wisdom is infinite. When we...
Lori Altebaumer
GeneralDec. 15, 2024Season of Preparation Day Thirteen: God's Good Shepherd“I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me,” John 10:14 There is but one Good Shepherd. If we’ve learned anything this past year, it’s that our human shepherds are . . . human. Going into...
Lori Altebaumer
Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. -- Psalm 119:105 Please pray:Lord, thank you that Your Word is a trustworthy and true guide for the path of life. By it I will navigate through this world in peace. Your Word makes my steps...
Lori Altebaumer
Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. -- Psalm 119:105 For years we have driven by the entrance to the Capulin Volcano National Monument while on our way to other destinations . . . always looking over and saying how we should go...
Lori Altebaumer
We love because he first loved us. -- 1 John 4:19Yahweh, Jehovah, Abba, Father. Many names, one God of all creation—sovereign and eternal. How humbling it is to know He welcomes us into a relationship with Him, and how joyful it is to experience those sacred times of fellowship with...
Carol McLeod
I was engaged! I had met him – the man of my dreams and I was head over heels in love with this blue-eyed young man with a southern drawl. Our wedding was only three months away and my heart was overflowing with joy. There was only one challenge to...
Hannah
As a Christian reader, you find solace and direction in the Bible's teachings. Your faith shapes how you see the world and guides your choices. You believe it is crucial to share the message of Christ with your loved ones. You feel a strong duty to introduce them to the...
Via Valenzuela
Life is a bit of a wild ride. Work stress, personal stuff - it is like a maze we are all navigating. But, hey, the good news is we got a guidebook, a roadmap, and it is called God's word. Let us dig into that treasure chest and see how...
Kathleen Orenza
“The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit.” -Psalm 34:18In the moments when life feels overwhelming, and your heart is heavy, you can find true emotional healing in the comforting pages of God's Word. This type of healing is a gentle process, a slow unfolding...
Hannah
Are you grappling with the exhaustion of sleepless nights, the constant churn of unsettling thoughts, and the haunting sense of worthlessness? The advice you often receive is to seek help, yet you have diligently explored various avenues – medications, meditation, and even donned the facade of positivity in the hopes...
Hannah
Are you thinking about telling someone about your faith—maybe a friend, a coworker, or just someone you bump into? It is natural to feel a bit anxious, especially if it is your first time. You might wonder, "How do I even start?" or "What is the right way to share...