September 30, 2024

Speaking Of Life 3044 | How Enemies Become Friends

United in Christ, we all reflect who God is. Whether it is evident to us or not, each of us is a conduit of grace with the ability to share God’s love and kindness with one another.

September 23, 2024

Speaking Of Life 3043 | An Unlikely Object Lesson

Jesus wholly welcomes us as we are. He accepts the beautiful, messy, and brutal parts of us. He takes it all, heals us, and makes us holy.

September 16, 2024

Speaking Of Life 3042 | Who do You Say I Am?

Our perception of who God is shaping the way we see the world and the way we move in it. It is easy to picture God as the self-serving changer of our circumstances, but the reality of who Jesus isour sacrificial rescuer, transforms not just our environment but the very core of who we are.

September 9, 2024

Speaking Of Life 3041 | Jesus Interrupted

We’ve all experienced interruptions to our best-laid plans. But what if what we perceive as interruptions are really invitations from God to participate in shining his light and sharing his love with our world? Life does not have to go perfectly for Christ’s perfect love to be the main idea of our stories.

September 2, 2024

Ordinary Time: James

As we continue with Ordinary Time, we remember that our relationships shape our lives, especially our relationship with the Creator of the universe. By drawing close to God through Jesus Christ, we find transformation, wisdom, and guidance to speak with love, care for the marginalized, and reflect Christ’s light in our daily lives.

More about the GCI Worship Calendar here: www.gci.org/articles/the-churchs-worship-calendar

August 26, 2024

Speaking Of Life 3039 | The Songs of Home

Did you have a memorable family trip while you were growing up? If you were to journey those familiar roads, the sights may take you back to a different season of your life and perhaps bring comfort and hope. Church practices of prayers, praise, and communion can be familiar roads for us, pointing our hearts and minds to God’s faithfulness and the hope we have in him.

August 19, 2024

Speaking Of Life 3038 | The Comfort and Connection of Bread

Research shows that breadmaking offers stress relief and a means of self-expression. When the final product is shared with others, it becomes a way to connect with them, even at a distance. This describes Jesus as our bread of life, the one who sustains, comforts, and connects us with God and one another!

August 12, 2024

Speaking Of Life 3037 | Under the Broom Tree

Broom trees or similar desert shrubs show up at pivotal moments throughout the Old Testament. They usually provide shade and relief in places known for being barren lands and having unrelenting heat. Have you experienced dessert seasons in your life? Take some time to reflect on the ways God has sustained you during these difficult times. Rest in the provision he is casting over your life.

August 5, 2024

Speaking Of Life 3036 | Having Only A Natural Relationship With A Supernatural God

Distant judge, vending machine, genie in a bottle – these are a few views that we see played out in our interactions with God, both in the Bible and in everyday our lives. In John 6, we see Jesus’ response when people ask God for too little. In these verses, Jesus highlights God’s generous nature and abundant love for us. We have a God who offers us more than we can ask or imagine.

July 29, 2024

Speaking Of Life 3035 | King David’s Foil

The word “foil” or literary foil is usually associated with a character in a story that brings out or challenges the protagonist’s character. This is what happened in 2 Samuel when Uriah continues to challenge David’s character, exposing his weaknesses. In the midst of any challenges, God continues to transform us to be more like Christ for our good and his glory.

July 22, 2024

Speaking Of Life 3034 | Walls of Hostility

Walls can either be a symbol of peace and protection or they can be an image of division. With all the confusion that is happening in our world today, Ephesians 2 shows us that Jesus came to our chaotic world to restore us, even if it means tearing down walls.

July 15, 2024

Ordinary Time: Ephesians

In Ordinary Time, we pay attention to how the Holy Spirit transforms our hearts, making us new in Christ. We’re called to build a unified, diverse community that reflects God’s love and inclusion.

More about the GCI Worship Calendar here: https://www.gci.org/articles/the-churchs-worship-calendar

July 8, 2024

Speaking Of Life 3032 | Watching and Waiting

Have you ever noticed how waiters in fine restaurants observe their customers with detail to make sure they have the best experience? A lot of us don’t observe other people like it unless it’s a part of our job. David reminds us in Psalms that our loving Father cares about the details of our everyday lives. If we take the time to pay attention we see that he is working in and around us for our good!