Devotions (Page 36)

There are lots of different patterns or cycles in the life of a believer and this Easter I was especially drawn to the movement from Hosanna to Hallelujah. On Palm Sunday the people cried out “Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest heaven!” quoting Psalm 118:25-26. With the revolution of Judah Maccabee fresh in their minds, the Jewish people were likely expecting Jesus to ride into…

April already! As the weather warms up and flowers and trees start blooming, we are without a doubt entering a new season. This time of year marks a nice transition as we start putting away winter gear and put on our fall jackets, in anticipation for warmer weather ahead. Along with the seasons changing, April is also the time of Easter this year. Easter weekend shares a lot of similarities with this idea of the seasons changing. Easter is about…

Last Sunday we got to hear from Lyndon DoJohn of GAiN Ministries sharing about his many experiences and how the love of Jesus has impacted his life. He shared a quote from a book that he had read that stood out to me: “Following Jesus is not about the scenery but about the company.”  My interpretation of this quote is that sometimes we have unrealistic expectations when we  follow Jesus. Sometimes our focus is on where we are going rather…

We had the privilege of having Lyndon Dojohn from GAiN come and speak to the Lifespring family for our Sunday Celebration. A man who has pastored for over 30 years and continues to love Jesus with his entire life. As Lyndon was sharing, he spoke a line that resonated with me: “Jesus came to disturb the comfortable and comfort the disturbed.” I felt God highlighting this line over and over and I just could not shake it. I felt that…

Once upon a time, Laura swore she would never get a tattoo… Fast forward twenty years and 1.5 tattoos later, I can’t help but wonder how many things I’ve missed in life because of what I threw myself into (or pitted myself against) as a child/youth/young adult/even now as a 32-year-old! I think that somewhere along the way, because I grew up learning that God does not change and that he never changes his mind, I began to believe that…

Dear LifeSpring Family, “Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath” Eph. 4:26 KJV Recently, I have been listening to Tim Keller’s podcast from his early days as the pastor of Redeemer Presbyterian Church in Manhattan, New York. The podcast I was listening to was his preaching series on the book of Ephesians. I found that this particular sermon on the emotion of anger spoke to me and challenged my beliefs. Pastor Keller…

Sometimes, being a Christian and following Christ can seem challenging. After all, being a Christian doesn’t mean we are exempt from the challenges in life. We still face the same struggles everyone else faces, whether it be stresses from school or work, relationships that are demanding or in conflict, or medical situations whether it be your own or your loved ones. It is easy during these times to focus on our own situation and not on who our Creator is.…

Luke 15: 22-24–“But the father said to his servants, ‘Quickly, bring out the best robe and put it on him! Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet! Fetch the fattened calf and slaughter it. We must celebrate with feasting because this son of mine was dead and has come back to life! He was lost and is found!’ And they began to celebrate.” Last Sunday we were blessed to have Donna speak and share some of…

Seasonally, we’re in a bizarre state where technically the season we’re in is called Spring… and yet the trees and ground look dull and dead. The bright green patches of grass have not yet taken over the hills or yards and the snow you thought was maybe actually gone, continues to reappear in sudden flurries. And so, we’re left in seasonal limbo which usually feels like looping through an eternal debate about whether it’s time for that slightly lighter jacket…

This past Sunday we had the privilege of having Grandma Donna come speak to the Lifespring family. A fitting close to grandparents’ month. She encouraged us and spoke prophetically into what God is doing in the house and where we need to grow to walk through the assignment. Maturing Faith & Maturing WisdomAs the family of Lifespring matures in our faith and wisdom, it will require journeying and walking together. Relationships that are not just horizontal, but vertical as well (generational).…

Dear LifeSpring Family As mentioned before, Dorothy and I are participating in Power To Change’s fasting during this season of Lent. Today is day 21 of the fast and the reminder to us is the need to relax in the Lord.  “So then, there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God, for whoever has entered God’s rest has also rested from his works as God did from his. Hebrews 4:9-10 ESV God wants you to enjoy what is called a “Sabbath rest,” which is taking time to step away from the daily schedule and have some down time with Him. Some people spend part of…

This month is our annual grandparents’ month here at Lifespring. We invite the grandparent generation to speak from the pulpit, we listen and learn from their experiences and we do our best to honour and thank them for being people who have shown and encouraged us to love God and love others. 1 Timothy 5:9-10No widow may be put on the list of widows unless she is over sixty, has been faithful to her husband, and is well known for…