We want to focus on ways for each of us to strengthen our faith, move forward, and avoid stagnation. Being a faith-filled follower of Jesus does not mean we don't ever experience fear - it just means that FAITH is the FUEL that propels us through our moments of FEAR. And trusting that faith requires building your "faith muscles" through training and repetition.

How do I embrace a God I don’t fully understand? We tend to fixate on what’s right in front of us. But God is acting on the basis of a big picture we can’t even begin to see in its entirety. And then there’s the fact that we filter circumstances through our own self-centered lens. To trust God, we don’t need to completely understand him to have faith in his actions, but what we do need is belief.

God is good. He judges sin and loves those who live in the wake of sin’s consequences. He had every right to walk away, yet he chose his son to become one of us to suffer with us. Our present sufferings are reminders of the global consequences of sin and our need for a Savior.

Our questions for God are important. Questioning can help you grow your faith. And if we don't ask those questions, we don't get the answers we need to move forward in faith.

The birth of Jesus is the promise of peace, but we have to take seize that promise for ourselves. This Christmas Eve, we look at what might be a familiar part of the Christmas story to see what it says about taking hold of the promise of peace available to us.

God loves the world so much! Love is all over the story of Jesus' birth. He sent Jesus to be Good News for us. God sent his son that through him you might be brought into relationship with God. And that gift is available to anyone who will believe.

The birth of Jesus means God is paying attention. He sees us! It means that our sin is not our sentence and this life is not what we're destined for. Jesus' arrival means we are destined for peace and that should provide great joy. Is it possible that great joy could crowd out the pain produced by going through difficult times?

Jesus saw his entrance into the world as anything but peaceful. His coming was a declaration of war against darkness. We may sometimes forget that since a lot of Christmas songs paint a picture of the peace of the season. So which is it? Jesus couldn't provide peace until war was waged against what made peace impossible.

Today as we enter the Advent season we’re going to talk about Hope. Right now, you may feel there is no hope, that walls are closing in around you. But today, you can know there is hope for one reason above all else. No matter what season of life you’re in, today, hope can find you if you let it. Hope is calling to you, if you listen.

Thanksgiving is a posture to be taken all of our lives. Being grateful is an action; when we choose not to express gratitude, we convey an attitude of ingratitude.