How are you feeling this morning? A little lopsided? Out of sorts? It is difficult to remain balanced when everything in our lives is calling for attention. When every notification pulls us out of the moment and into an attention-demanding interaction. How do we live well in the midst of so much? Mary & Martha were both faced with the opportunity to serve Jesus. Both chose differently. Did either find balance? #UnExpected #balancedlife

Be encouraged. Maybe this has been a long week. You have been busy keeping your head down in order to avoid the firefight swirling all around you. It would be easy to lose sight of who you are, how far you have come. Your courage is waning. You are afraid to be the “you” God created. Sit down. Take a breath. Get ready. Worship your God. Remember who he is. Find who you really are. Be encouraged.

The gospel, the good news. What is it really? In its simplest form the gospel is this: the grave is empty. The empty grave shouts death’s defeat. We have been liberated from fear of death, from all the ways we allow death and destruction to rule our lives. Some people do not know there is a different way, a better way. We must become proclaimers. Those who remind our world that the grave is empty. That they can live again.

NOTE: The Audio quality is due to not being recorded properly.

Sometimes we run out of words. Sometimes the pain is too great. Other times we cannot fully comprehend what is going on. In the most beautiful moments of wonder, sometimes all we can say is “wow.” What if that became our prayer? What if we really grasped how awesome God is? Would we write songs and sonnets? Probably. Sometimes though there is more truth in a simple “wow.”

Thanks. Depending on the context we can say this with sarcasm laced attitude, or with tear drenched appreciation. It is a simple word. Casual even. When it is used with honesty, its simplicity lets the hearer know how truly grateful we are. At the sunrise we should utter, “Thanks.” At the twinkling of the stars, “thanks” should be on our lips.

After considerable conversation with Joshua and the Elders, we are announcing that David Hasenmyer's last Sunday will be April 20. David has been a part of our staff for over 8.5 years. We are celebrating his time with us while we also know we will miss him in ways we cannot even imagine yet.

Help! When you have tried every possible way to fix things yourself, it is time to admit you need help. This is true whether we are talking about a washing machine, a car, a marriage, or your life. Will you consider risking a bit of your pride by asking for help today?

Prayer. For too many of us the thought of praying raises our anxiety. We have convinced ourselves that we will do it “wrong.” Or, worse, we are nervous about engaging the Divine. What would it take for us to step into our discomfort? When we worry we become less vulnerable. When we lack vulnerability we stay silent. Break the silence. Say something.

The Christmas list is completed, so many of us are working on our list of resolutions. We want to be better, thinner, and have more money in the bank. Perhaps we would be best served by pausing to make a different list: a list of gratitude. What makes your gratitude overflow? What do you want to be sure to remember as the years go by? Start your list today with five. Tomorrow, add another five.

Merry Christmas! Everything we have been waiting and preparing for is only a few days away. Sure there are last minute presents to wrap and stockings to stuff, but you can almost feel it getting closer. How is your heart doing? Have you taken time to breathe? The angel told Joseph to name the child Immanuel- “God with us.” Do you know he is with you? Can you feel his presence?