We all have heard the children’s phrase, “sticks and stones will break my bones, but words will never hurt me.” While it is a nice idea, most of us have discovered over the years, it’s not really true! The words we use are truly powerful.

What does real faith look like? If you look the word “faith” up in the dictionary it would say something like, complete trust or confidence in someone or something. Hebrews 11:1 says, Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. Still, the question remains, what does it look like to live out our faith?

What is your favorite color? Do you have a favorite flavor of ice cream? What
about TV shows or movies, do you have a favorite? Choosing a favorite color,
flavor of ice cream or television show is natural and good, playing favorites in
relationships is more problematic.

Benjamin Franklin once said, "In this world, nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes.” This is sort of a bleak outlook on life, but it reminds us that everybody is sure to face some challenges in life, and we have to decide how we will respond to life’s tough times.

Do you remember playing hide and seek as a kid? One person was “it” and would close their eyes, count to “10,” while everyone else was busy hiding. When “it” finished counting, they would yell, “Ready or not, here I come!” And the search was on! Sometimes we live our lives like a game of hide and seek when we ought to be alert and standing watch.

Do you ever struggle to ask someone else for help? Why is it
so hard for us to admit that we require assistance? Habakkuk is finally there. He admits that God’s people are lost and need help from their Creator,
and yet He seems so far off.

Several months ago, a family was packing for vacation. Each family member had multiple bags and wanted to ensure each bag was within the airline limit of 50lbs. The family was concerned about one bag possibly being too heavy, and each in turn lifted and attempted to measure the weight of the bag. Due to different strength levels, experiences, and expectations, each family member assessed a wildly different weight. And, each member was sure their assessment was the most accurate and that their strength was the defining strength! Thankfully, Jesus provides us with the strength necessary to grow in Him.

There are many ways we can be described throughout our lives. We may be called son, brother, husband, wife, mom, Arizonan, Kansan, or even our school mascot (Cougar, Viking!). There are many ways to be described, but the one that means more than anything; Christian.

To learn more about Wallula Christian Church, please visit www.wallula.org!

Every year, we celebrate the birthday of our nation. What a grand experiment the United States of America has been. The US was founded on the premise that “all men are created equal.” Of course, we know our nation has struggled to live up to that ideal. There is only one way to make “one new man in the place of two,” only one who can “kill hostility.”