Category: Make Disciples

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Fighting for Joy

Joy

“But we are workers with you for your joy, because you stand firm in your faith.” —2 Corinthians 1:24

We don’t wake up every day in a good mood. We may find ourselves facing a day we do not want to meet and conversations we do not want to have. A lot of us dread what may be around the corner. We may dread the attitude our kids give us upon waking. We may fear a project deadline. Maybe we are too exhausted to meet the day. Each day brings its triumphs and its tragedies. How do we fight to remain joyful, despite the events and challenges of the day? How do we stand firm in the convictions we have developed as believers, work out our faith, and endure all things with joy? We fight for what we believe in. We fight for what we think is true, beautiful, and right, and we fight for what we love. Jesus tells his followers in Matthew 6:34, “Each day has enough trouble of its own.” We do not know what each day will bring; all we can hope for is an idea, so we plan and make provisions for what may come.

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Finding the “thanks” in Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving Day has long been a day of reflection, celebration, family, and traditions in America. I have fond memories from my childhood of my Mom cooking a wide assortment of pies accompanied by pans of dressing, bowls of potatoes, and other family dishes, which only made their way to the table once a year. I can still see my Mom making her famous chicken and dumplings as my father, brother, and I prepared ourselves for a day filled with feasting and football.

My experience changed slightly when I moved an hour and a half away from home to attend college. Thanksgiving began to be marked by the end of the semester and the beginning of studying for finals. Those days included a short trip down I-40, leaving the college world behind and journeying to the world and home, which molded my childhood.

Now, this day is marked by creating that same type of home for my children. My wife and I do not live with family nearby, so many of our Thanksgiving Day meals have been spent with people from our faith family. We have been blessed to gather around a table or a living room, enjoying the company of others.

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The Weight of Anxiety

The year 2020 will go down in history as one of the most memorable years for our community, our nation, and our world.  This year has been fertile soil where doubt, fear, and anxiety can take root, stealing our schedules, routines, peace, and, most of all, the joy we find in Christ.  This month, I want to share a chapter from Gospel Shaped Emotions, a book the Lord allowed me to write last year.  I pray you will find solace and peace as you shed the weight of anxiety as it is replaced with the comfort only Christ can give.

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