Devotions (Page 14)

Getting to hear Pastor Anita preach to us again last Sunday was such a treat! Her sermons are always packed full of information and are overflowing with life.  One of the biggest takeaways for me was the reminder that none of the big transformations we long for, or the breakthroughs we pray for, happen instantly. They take time. That doesn’t mean they will never happen quickly or that changes can’t take place miraculously. Of course that is possible! Especially when…

Last week, I attended the Toronto Children’s Ministry Conference with some people from LifeSpring. I learned so much from the workshop presenters and speakers, and while I was reflecting on my takeaways from the conference, God gave me a verse that pretty much summarized them. “So then, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath; for the wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of God.” James 1:19-20 Let me break…

On Sunday, Pastor Anita shared a very timely message titled, “Restore Your True Identity by Renewing Your Mind.” Pastor Anita’s message reminded me of a time in my young adult years when God brought me through a season of learning and discovery about the importance of identity. Over the course of a few weeks I went through a series called “Identity Discovery” by Steve Chua (if you’re interested please ask me about Lifespring’s copy). I was so impacted by this…

Every time we talk about Kingdom Parenting, I want to make it very clear: Kingdom Parenting is best shown through the life of Jesus Christ. Jesus is the greatest parent that this world has ever seen, yet he had NO physical children of His own. As a Kingdom Parent to his disciples, he raised disciples that would change the entire world. Kingdom Parenting happens everywhere – not just at home. Provision Now I am ready to visit you for the…

As I was reading Acts 13, verse 22 struck a chord in my heart. Acts 13:22 (NIV) 22 After removing Saul, he made David their king. God testified concerning him: ‘I have found David son of Jesse, a man after my own heart; he will do everything I want him to do.’ Many of us are familiar with God’s words concerning David as being a man after His own heart, and willing to do everything He wanted him to do.…

It seems obvious, but to really dive into Kingdom Parenting, we need to look at the parents. To truly grow in this call, I believe the secret is found in the greatest commandment. Matthew 22:36-39 Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself The Kingdom secret is subtle here: the measure in…

A common piece you might find in a Finnish home is a “räsymatto”, or “rag rug”. They take on a striped pattern as they are, essentially, handwoven assorted fabrics. There are modern versions of these rugs and they can be as neutrally coloured or bright and colourful as you’d like. But, originally, these räsymattos were created from old clothing or linens that were no longer able to be used in the home. Rather than throwing them away or having an…

I heard so many gems from Dr. Siang Yang’s sermon and leadership training on Sunday. One line that really jumped out at me from the leadership training was “Don’t try to do great things for God. When you try to do great things for God, the emphasis is on the great things. It’s not about God, it’s about how great you are and the great things you do. Do things simply for a Great God.” He was spot on. If…

The Lifespring family is indeed blessed. Dr. Siang Yang Tan has published 17 books, been a pastor since 1983, and was even in charge of Fuller Seminary’s counselling department. With such a resume, any church would be happy to have him minister to them. Yet, even with a resume like his – the greatest gift Siang-Yang brings to the family of Lifespring is friendship, fellowship, and genuine care for Lifespring. He genuinely cares for this family.  As Siang-Yang was speaking,…

It was wonderful to have Donna speak at our Sunday Celebration last weekend. Whenever Donna visits, I feel like there are so many gems in her message that always encourage me and get me thinking. One gem that she mentioned was, “to go higher, you need to go deeper.” When Theresa and I were living in the US, we had a chance to visit Sequoia National Park in California. The size of these Sequoia trees was absolutely amazing. We stood among a…

“It’s not WHAT you know, it’s WHO you know.” This should be the mission statement for the Christian journey.  I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been in situations where I had no idea what to do but God spoke to me and what He said was exactly what was needed. I’m sure you’ve heard of this quote in the context of employment, where knowing the right people was more advantageous than knowing the right things to say. Sometimes…

It was another incredible Sunday having Donna Parachin come and speak to the Lifespring family. As always, she released so much – please, if you missed it, watch the sermon here: https://www.youtube.com/live/9uybzxWnqlY?si=2MSmn4J7V0j9Nd67 Numbers 13 Send some men to explore the land of Canaan, which I am giving to the Israelites… Caleb silenced the people before Moses and said, “We should go up and take possession of the land, for we can certainly do it.” But the men who had gone up…