Quality and Excellence in my Life?
Dear LifeSpring Family, “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters,” Colossians 3:23 (NIV) In the middle of preparing my sermon for this coming Sunday’s Thanksgiving service, the Lord brought Colossians 3:23 to mind. The question of quality and excellence in my preparation challenged me. Am I going to practice this skill and attitude in my preparation or am I going to be a “game player” that relies and…
The Pharisee in Me
We had the privilege of hearing from both Rodney Lau and Peggy Leung at Toronto Lifespring yesterday. As they shared and spoke on Residential schools and the impact of the horrors that occurred that still last till this day. In a world where there are atrocities all around us – from murders, to abortion, to riots, to theft, to basically everything against the 10 commandments… honestly, sometimes it feels like TLCF & MLCF are going to heaven, but everyone else…
Legitimately Justified
2 Samuel 6:1-15 (NIV) – The Ark Brought to Jerusalem 6 David again brought together all the able young men of Israel—thirty thousand. 2 He and all his men went to Baalah[a] in Judah to bring up from there the ark of God, which is called by the Name,[b] the name of the Lord Almighty, who is enthroned between the cherubim on the ark. 3 They set the ark of God on a new cart and brought it from the…
National Day of Truth and Reconciliation
We have a really beautiful opportunity to collectively put into practice what Pastor Gabe preached about on Sunday! As we learn more about what it means for us to be part of God’s Family and to be a Kingdom Family at LifeSpring, we are learning about the importance of our families being places of learning. And who knew we would have a chance to apply this teaching to our lives so soon?! Tomorrow, September 30th, Canada will be celebrating the…
A Kingdom Family
Families can be a source of life; yet families can also be a source of much pain. Lifespring has been called to be a Kingdom Family: Genuine Love for God and Genuine Care for Others. The emphasis here though is that we are called to be a KINGDOM family, not a dysfunctional family. A Kingdom family is one that aligns and represents God – not our own thoughts, opinions, and desires. If Lifespring is to be a Kingdom family, then…
God’s Will, God’s Work, God’s Way
Matthew 4:19, “And he said to them, ‘Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.’” During a discipleship meeting with my life group recently, some of us were sharing how busy life had become over the past few months. Whether it was new tasks at work, packed schedules, or preparing for some kind of change, it seemed like many of our plates were full to the brim. I, for one, was definitely feeling the challenge of change in…
Unexpected Unity in Disagreement
Dear LifeSpring Family, As the new school year starts, I am excited to start another season of Bible Study Fellowship – BSF. This year we will be studying the book of Matthew – The Unexpected King. As all of us grapple with major decisions in our lives, like in the area of vaccination and leadership in our federal government, there will be disagreements. Allow me to share an article written by Karen McNary from BSF as a possible approach to…
Hope in God!
Today is election day! If you haven’t already, please take the time to educate yourself and go out and vote! Lifespring is called to be the huios (mature sons). We are called to grow in maturity. The challenge with this call, however, is that with maturity comes responsibility. As we mature and take on new and more difficult tasks – the reality is that everything comes with greater responsibility. When you work full time and receive a salary – you…
If I Were Your Enemy . . .
As a Pastoral Team, we are reading the book Nothing to Prove by Jennie Allen. In the beginning of the book she gives us a look into some of the ways in which the enemy tries to derail you from what God has for you, what He’s saying to you, and who He’s calling you to be. I would like to share the excerpt that got me examining my own life. As you read this, ask God to speak to…
Lightning and the Thunder
Have you seen the lightning lately?! I’ve started going for walks in the evening with the friends I live with and the last few nights we have been seeing these incredible lightning displays. Last night we decided to stop and enjoy it! We sat on a park bench and watched the clouds light up with mysterious streaks of lightning somewhere far behind them. We ooohed and aaahed as if we were watching a fireworks show and, honestly, it sort of…
Water for Life
“You Just Never Know” was the concluding words of our guest speaker, Mike Woodard of Global Aid Network (aka. Jerry’s boss”). As Mike shared about the impact of what a clean source of water can do – I couldn’t help but be reminded of our very first water project in Rubongi, Uganda. You just never know what kind of impact it can make. You just never know what God will do with small steps of obedience. When we installed a…
New Season, New Things
Look! I’m doing a new thing;now it sprouts up; don’t you recognize it?I’m making a way in the desert,paths in the wilderness. Isaiah 43:19 Back when Life-Spring was using the church house as our office, we had a little space in the entryway with a dining table and some chairs. Up on the walls, we hung a bunch of Bible verses that were significant for our church over the years. This verse from Isaiah 43:19 was one of them. The…