We all have gifts. I believe my gift has always been serving. I’ve always had a passion for caring for other people—whether it is serving for the 614 service, watching kids, setting up chairs, or just bringing someone a coffee when they are having a bad day. This verse tells us exactly how we should be using our gifts. I'm sure many people have heard of the importance of having a “village.” But to...  Read More

In my Christian life, I’ve always strived to do what I felt God was calling me to do. But if I’m honest, my humanness has often been my biggest hindrance. I am more of an introvert who longs to be an extrovert! I find myself second-guessing my actions most of the time, and I often hesitate to speak boldly for fear of rejection.Even after thirty years in Christ, I sometimes feel no more zealous tha...  Read More

Serving is such a beautiful thing, but if we’re honest, it can also be hard.I have worked with youth in some capacity since my early 20s—so, for many years now! I am so blessed that I get to serve these young people. I truly love them. There have been nights when showing up felt easy: the room was full, the energy was high, and it felt like God was moving in powerful ways. But there are also times...  Read More

Serving in the church has always been a bit of a mystery to me. I didn't grow up in the church, and when I became a Christian as a teen, I didn’t really understand what "serving" meant. It was always discussed in terms of being in front of people—singing in the choir, joining the worship team, teaching, or preaching.As a teen, I didn't mind the choir, but as I grew older, I became more introverted...  Read More

Encouraging one another—did you know that this is a spiritual gift? I do, because it is a gift I have been given. I love to encourage others, especially the women in our church and those I come in contact with. I love to let people know that they are important and that they matter. It is something that comes easily to me. Even if encouragement is not your specific spiritual gift, that doesn’t mean...  Read More

I had barely touched a Bible in my whole life until early 2024. As you can imagine, I had a lot of trouble getting started. I had heard the story of creation, Adam and Eve, and Noah and the ark. I knew the Christmas story, but that was the extent of my Bible knowledge.That started changing for me almost two years ago. I pulled out a Bible that had been given to me as a gift and started reading, on...  Read More

For so many years, I didn’t really read the Bible for myself. I went to church every week and listened to the sermons, but when I was with other women who could quote Scripture, I would wonder why it was so easy for them and not for me. How were they able to remember what they read? How did they even remember where it was in the Bible? When I did read my Bible, I certainly didn’t remember it well ...  Read More

The title “Prince of Peace” suggests a hope and expectation, reflecting the promise of a leader who would bring true and lasting peace. This peace is not just the absence of conflict, but a deep, spiritual wholeness and reconciliation between God and humanity. The Hebrews believed that the Messiah (the Prince of Peace) would come; that He would be able to ease their suffering and help them with a...  Read More

Isaiah says that God is the Everlasting Father (Isaiah 9:6). What does that really mean? According to the Oxford dictionary, “everlasting” means lasting forever or a very long time. Not to be confused with the Energizer Bunny that can go on and on and on. Eventually, the bunny’s power will be used up. Not so with God. In Revelation 1:8, God says, “I am the Alpha and the Omega, who is, who was and...  Read More

As we enter the season of Advent, our focus and attention centers in on the birth of Jesus Christ and the gift that God the Father has given to us through Him. I don’t know about any of you, but having children has completely changed the lens through which I view the birth of Christ. I gave birth to a baby girl in December and brought her home shortly before Christmas in 2019. I remember lovingly...  Read More

I don’t listen to classical music often, but during the holidays I always listen to Handel’s Messiah. I love how he uses text from the Old Testament to foretell the life of Jesus. There are certain Bible verses that trigger the music in my mind every time I read them. One of these is Isaiah 9:6: Note that the verse begins, “For unto US a child is born, unto US a son is given.” Jesus wasn’t just bo...  Read More

The name "Immanuel" is a powerful reminder that God is with us. Matthew 1:23 quotes Isaiah 7:14, a messianic prophecy from God to the wicked King Ahaz of Judah, assuring him that God was present, even in the face of overwhelming odds. Centuries later, that same promise was fulfilled in the birth of Jesus. God didn’t stay distant or removed. He entered our world as a baby, fully human, living among...  Read More