From buying products that we don’t need online to keeping up with the latest in fashion and technology, consumerism has consumed humanity more than ever. The story of King Midas tells us how material things can easily take our eyes away from what is important. God reminds us in Mark why surrendering everything we have can be a blessing and embracing the truth that Jesus is more than sufficient.

The bass provides a reference point for music, setting the mood and tone. The Bass note through the Bible is God’s goodness. In fellowship with our Triune God and one another, we experience the fullness of his goodness.

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.

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.

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.

Jesus Christ greets us with arms wide open, calling us his beloved, and offering us his embrace. How often do we have our hands full of all kinds of baggage that we believe we need to hold on to? Answer Jesus’ invitation to draw near to him, surrendering our burdens, and experience his full loving embrace.

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.

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!

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.

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.