Posts from 2023 (Page 6)

As I think about all the tidbits of knowledge and wisdom that have been shared this past Family Weekend, I wonder how I can apply these things to my life today. There were many things that were caught this weekend but for the sake of time and space I will share one that stuck out to me. In the first Parenting Session, Brett talked about the progression of Parenting being: Hands on, Hands near and Hands off. It is a…

I’ve been thinking about fulfilling your calling for some time, and I’ve been seeing a lot of it in the life of David, who has one of the most drawn out examples of fulfilling calling in the Bible. David was called (well, anointed) to be king, but he doesn’t seem to fulfill his calling for a long time. David probably though he would be a shepherd his whole life until Samuel anointed him (1 Samuel 16), and right after that,…

I am a firm believer that in life and in work and in all that we do, it demands excellence. I preach it to my staff on the pastoral team, I teach this to my staff at BeaverTails. I tell the pastoral team that if we do not do devotions, pray for our people, do our memory verses – what chance do the people we are meant to Shephard have? I tell my BeaverTails staff that before you serve our…

I am the vine; you are the branches.If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers;such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish,and it will be done for you.This is to my Father’s glory, that you…

Dear LifeSpring Family, I have been reading, thinking, memorizing and meditating on Psalm 121: A Song of Ascents.I lift up my eyes to the hills. From where does my help come? 2 My help comes from the LORD, who made heaven and earth. 3 He will not let your foot be moved; he who keeps you will not slumber. 4 Behold, he who keeps Israel will neither slumber nor sleep. 5 The LORD is your keeper; the LORD is your…

Hebrews 6:1: So let’s press on to maturity, by moving on from the basics about Christ’s word. Last week, I was watching a show that had a classic legal scene that some of you may be familiar with. There was a person who had served some time in jail, and now they were at their parole hearing. They sat in front of a group of people who had the power to get them out of jail, or send them back…

I used to hate change. However, over the last 10 months, I’ve gotten more reconciled to it, as starting my internship involved a myriad of changes happening to me. I become the youngest in the room, got put into a variety of leadership positions, and started writing devotions, to name a few of them. Change shakes up our comfort zone and reveals areas that we need to grow in. If we have no change, we become comfortable and can become…

At our Wildfire Youth Retreat this past weekend, we taught on discovering your Spiritual Gifts, Core Values and Identity. It was a time where we could all come together and seek God for what He wants to say to us. As I was teaching about Identity, I felt like this lesson was not just for the Youth but a lesson for us all. In the world that we live in, our identity, if not found in Christ, can be easily…

Once upon a time, WildFire went on a youth retreat! They worked their tails off to raise money and minimize costs. They plotted and planned and plotted some more. Meal Plans were made and Grocery Lists written; Costco was raided and Yummy Snacks hidden. “Iiiiii think I’ve made a mistake,” said Laura to herself.“Not about the youth retreat but about this weird format!!” I don’t think I can keep this story time going…But it’s so hard to stop when the…

We live in an incredibly fractured culture, we live with the tension of disunity every waking moment. Hate, dissension, and contempt fill our media daily. Whether we are discussing politics, racism, cultures, parenting, church practices, we set up divisions and demand everyone take a side. While this may seem normal in our culture, as God’s children, this should not be so! Our unity is crucial for the sake of advancing the Gospel. In Romans 15:5, Paul writes, “May the God who…

Dear LifeSpring Family, Recently, I have been working at my dining room table instead of at my standing desk in my office. There are two pictures (attached) on the wall by the dining table. The two pictures are of the words “believe and hope” in Chinese characters. The Holy Spirit was speaking to me as I gazed upon the two pictures. Do I really believe what I say I believe? This was connected to the verse that I was reading…

1 Corinthians 13:4-7 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Many years ago when I was in school, I remember learning about the story of John Landy. Landy was…