Devotions (Page 31)

One of the gems that I caught from Ryan’s sermon on Sunday was the line about “The right thing at the wrong time can make it the wrong thing.” It reminded me of all the times I’ve played Rock, Paper, Scissors with Sam Lai. Let me explain:  One of the things I love about playing Rock, Paper, Scissors with Sam Lai is that he always goes Rock. Like, he even says he’s going to go Rock and for a second…

At the beginning of this month, we launched Lifespring’s vision for 2023 (see it here: https://youtu.be/dvDYU138YMc?t=2725). I, for one, am excited about what we’ll be doing in the new year. When Uncle Perry spoke about the new season coming up for Lifespring, he mentioned that God would be taking us from a place of equipping to empowerment. But what does the journey from equipping to empowerment look like? I compare that journey to another journey in the Bible, that of…

A friend of mine was sharing some really exciting news with me and she said that she felt like her whole self was cheerful! She’s been seeing God do really extraordinary things in her work life and the more she shared about this cheerfulness, the more I began to realize that what she is experiencing is the joy of the Lord…   I was amazed because it sounds like she is truly getting to experience a portion of the joy…

Dear LifeSpring Family, It has started. The Christmas gathering appointments, the gift buying, the decorations, the Christmas Tree, and the list of responsibilities/chores goes on. What was suppose to be a time of joy, rest and reflection can sometimes become a time of busyness, stress, and strained relationships. For me, knowing what love is and how love behaves has helped me to avoid sinning. I have memorized 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 to keep me focused on the reason for the season.…

As an Eldership & Pastoral Team we fast and pray in the month of September seeking God for His purposes for the next year. As we sought the Lord we felt God put on our hearts “Kingdom Parenting”. “Kingdom Parenting” is not restricted to the idea of raising your own physical children – parenting is raising the people whom God has put around us to be all that He has called them to be. Paul refers to Timothy as “my…

Last week, I had the opportunity to lead prayer for our weekly intercession meeting on Wednesday night. As I was doing listening prayer about where to focus our prayer that evening, my mind went to some of the events that Lifespring is involved in during December as well as some of the needs of people connected to the church. For this devotion, I hope that you can join us in prayer as we continue to lift up those in need…

Last week, I had the opportunity to lead prayer for our weekly intercession meeting on Wednesday night. As I was doing listening prayer about where to focus our prayer that evening, my mind went to some of the events that Lifespring is involved in during December as well as some of the needs of people connected to the church. For this devotion, I hope that you can join us in prayer as we continue to lift up those in need…

Growing in the Lord has always been a bittersweet thing for me if I’m being honest. The ideas of growth seem sweet to the ears. The idea of going deeper with God and allowing Him to take you to a different level than you were once at is something we all long for in our spirit. But when I focus on the pain more than the promise I end up resisting the process of growth. What makes growth bittersweet for…

It’s that time of year once again when I begin to reflect on where the Lord has taken me on my journey of growth in Him since the year began. Just as it excites a kid to see a mark on his growth chart higher than the previous one, any growth in the Lord is one of the surest antidotes to spiritual boredom. Whether in big measure or small, the Lord knows that when our heart’s desire is to grow…

Dear LifeSpring Family Dorothy and I were at a Weekend Getaway recently. In the relational oneness session, I was reminded of how I should be communicating with Dorothy and others around me. It reviewed the types of communication in a quadratic table. Top left quadrant – loving, but not clear“Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to your neighbors, for we are all members of one body.” Ephesians 4:25 n(NIV) Top right quadrant – loving and…

A few weeks ago at Intercession, Rodney led us all to consider our dreams. Not like… the ones we see in our sleep at night, but the ones we hold close to our hearts; the ones that often get buried beneath the realities of life. I had joined Intercession that night, straight out of a discouraging planning meeting about the Willowdale Christmas Market. Our planning team seemed to be divided and everyone had questions, comments and concerns… but nobody seemed…

If you did not get a chance to hear Jon Koh speak yesterday, please take a listen: https://youtu.be/4fbw9HDxlOg?t=2248 There are many gems and much wisdom that can be gleaned, but today I want the entire church family to hear Jon & Brenda’s heart in our lead up to these moments: At our last AGM, I asked that every leader (Elders, Board of Directors, Deacons) engage in listening prayer to hear from God if they were in the right position. The…