How do you feel about entering the year ahead? Like most, you probably have mixed feelings about the blend of things you are certain will come and the unforeseen, unknown events that will take place.

What if you could decide now, at the beginning of the year, how the year will go and how you will finish? According to the Bible, that's possible. We hope you are encouraged and inspired by this message as you "choose the path" you will walk in 2024, keeping your eyes on the prize.

Primary Text: Proverbs 4:25-27
Other passages mentioned: Matthew 7:13-14, Hebrews 12:1-2, Philippians 3:13-14

The one woman in the history of mankind that God chose to carry and care for His own son? Yeah, she's incredible. And so are the things she teaches us and ways she points us to Jesus as she waits for her special child to be born. We hope you are encouraged by this final installment of the series.

Text: Luke 1:26-56

In this message, Willie Brown continues our Advent series with a closer look at the story of Simeon from Luke 2. We hope you're encouraged by God's faithfulness and use of his faithful servant, Simeon.

Where do the things I'm going through, maybe praying about, register in the heart and mind of God? Are my trials and questions insignificant in light of eternity and everything else God has on His plate?

The story of Zechariah, Elizabeth and the birth of their son John answers these questions with the simple truth that our lives and the things we go through are never insignificant. Because God has chosen us to be part of His master plan for the world, we know that our lives fit into His big story, and the day-to-day ups and downs of our lives matter to God.

We hope you enjoy this message about disgrace removed, waiting done well and a God who's big and kind enough to create and oversee the entire world and also love and lead our lives personally.

The birth of Jesus signified God's cosmic, divine response to centuries of prayerful waiting. Waiting is part of the human experience, and waiting on God is paramount to the abundant life of a Christian.

But this doesn't make waiting easier. As we wait, sometimes we struggle to stay positive, sliding into anxiety, frustration and despair.

Fortunately, the Bible teaches and faithful men and women of old have shown that staying connected to God, seeking Him and trusting Him while we wait is one of the ways he grows and strengthens us. Because God knows us best and knows what is best for us, we can trust that waiting is part of His good plan for our lives.

In this series, we will explore the significance of Christmas through the eyes of those who experienced God's profound response to waiting firsthand. We hope you're encouraged by part one of "Worth Waiting For."

Are you a grateful person? How about a generous one?

As we enter the holiday season, it's the right time to take a closer look at what the Bible teaches us about these two Christian attributes. As we see, the two should fuel and produce one another, like 2 sides of the same coin. 

Stick around to the end for some questions you can ask yourself to be more intentional this holiday season (and the rest of your life).

Ever read the last chapter of a book or the synopsis of a final episode before deciding to invest the time and emotional resources into a new book or TV series? The beauty of reading a book like Ezekiel now is that we can see where God was headed the entire time by looking at the final 9 chapters.

In this final message of the series, we take a look at Ezekiel's final (and longest) vision - the New Temple in a city called "The Lord Is There." What did this mean for Ezekiel's audience then and what does it mean for us now? What's the right way to think about "the temple"? We hope you're encouraged by this message.

Ezekiel 37:1-14

Maybe the most famous 14 verses in this Old Testament book, the "Valley of Dry Bones" passage held a significance for its original audience, and it holds a significant message of hope for those of us who read it today. When God decides to bring dead things back to life (as only He can!), He will use His word and His spirit to accomplish the resurrection. As we hold fast to His promises, let us invite and wait in joyful expectation for His move. Without Him moving, there's only exhaustion waiting for those trying to accomplish this on their own!

Perhaps one of the most beautiful chapters in the entire Bible, Ezekiel 34 puts on display God's heart for his sheep -- people who've been misled, taken advantage of, neglected, overlooked and find themself scattered and lost.

This chapter is all about God's heart for people like you, and his intention to personally intervene in your story, heal what's broken, care for you, and lead you into an eternal future of love, security and mission.

We hope you are encouraged and challenged by this teaching of God's word through the prophet Ezekiel.

Today, we jump ahead to chapter 11 of this Old Testament book and take a closer look at God's response to a broken-hearted Ezekiel. We see the compassion and kindness of God in his brief message of hope. And we learn two things specifically about God:

1. God always has the full story and big picture in view.
2. God hears our cries, cares about us and looks to encourage, inspire and help us see how He's working at all times.