Sunday Encouragement

Our words reveal the way we follow Jesus.Moses moved from “I cannot speak” to boldly declaring God’s faithfulness.In this episode, we explore how surrender transforms our language—and how our words can invite others to recognize God’s presence and join His work.

What is the difference between doing our duty and living in obedience? Continuing our journey through Eugene Peterson’s The Jesus Way, we look at Abraham’s journey to Mount Moriah and how a lifetime of learning to trust God prepared him for a moment of extraordinary testing. Sacrificial obedience moves beyond religious performance and engages our whole lives—our bodies, emotions, possessions, decisions, and relationships. Following Jesus as the Way means learning to trust and obey God not only when it is easy to understand, but also when faithfulness costs us something.

Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life.” But what if we have reduced “the way” to simply what Jesus can get us—salvation, a better life, a stronger church, or even good results? Drawing from Eugene Peterson’s The Jesus Way, this episode considers a deeper truth: with Jesus, the means ultimately becomes the end. How we follow Jesus matters because the journey itself is shaping who we are becoming. The Jesus way rejects manipulation, power, anger, and self-promotion—even when they might seem capable of producing a good result—and invites us instead into a life increasingly formed by the character and way of Jesus.

Humility is often lived out in moments that seem too small to matter. In this final conversation from Humble Roots by Hannah Anderson, we consider how humility changes the value we place on our time, energy, and everyday interactions. From a stranded starfish to Admiral William McRaven’s challenge to “make your bed,” we’re reminded that faithfulness does not have to be impressive to be important. The simple choice to be present, available, and willing to serve can make a difference—even if it only makes a difference for one.

It can seem natural to overlook our circumstances, relationships, and current opportunities as a means to learn humility. It might be easier to pick up a book -- like the one linked below -- in hopes that things will magically change. However, God has gifted us in our places and gives us the grace to learn in those places. Humble Roots by Hannah Anderson

https://a.co/d/05MufsV9

We often assume that knowing more automatically makes us wiser. Scripture paints a different picture. In Proverbs, Solomon calls us not merely to collect knowledge but to pursue wisdom through a life of faithful obedience.

In this episode, Pastor Daniel Harding explores the relationship between humility and wisdom, drawing from Proverbs and Hannah Anderson's Humble Roots. Wisdom is formed through experience, observation, and faithful application—not through quick answers or intellectual shortcuts. Like a vine-ripened tomato that cannot be replicated by one bought off a grocery shelf months later, genuine humility develops slowly as we walk with God.

Join us as we consider why God is more interested in shaping our lives than simply filling our minds, and why the path of humility is always a walk of faith.

Our emotions can leave us feeling lost at times. Embracing humility while attempting to ascertain what is happening within us can be daunting. We can only do so when we rest in Christ; who He is and how He sees us.

Humility is finding ourselves living within our actual means and reality. This cannot be done without the bodies that we occupy. We can use our bodies to learn and apply humility in our lives.

How do you make yourself humble? Is it possible? How do the interruptions and problems of our lives call us into humility?

Finding rest for our souls.

Why do the smallest failures often seem to weigh on us the most? A forgotten email, an uncut lawn, or an empty refrigerator can quickly become more than inconveniences—they expose how much we long to be in control. Jesus points us to the lilies of the field and reminds us that God is faithfully at work in ways that have never depended on our ability to manage every detail. Humility is not thinking less of ourselves; it is accepting our place in God's world and learning to rest in His presence, provision, and power even when life feels beyond our control.