March 31st, 2021 by Erica Stephenson
The final week.
If you’re a follower of Jesus you know it as Holy Week. It was a petri dish of experiences that Jesus lived his final week here on earth.
March 22nd, 2021 by Alexi Leimbach
My birthday is coming up this week. The big 31…not so big I know, but it’s got me thinking back.
I think about my 20’s and man were they a doozy. I’m sure most people can say that about their 20’s.
For me, I think about the amazing experiences…and the heart-breaking ones.
I think about the five surgeries I had, including one that was one of the most traumatic experiences in my life. I think about my very public struggle with health, both physical and mental.
I think about the wonderful, amazing friends I made and the ones I lost along the way.
I think about falling in love and getting my heart broken.
I think about the people who lifted me up and the people who tore me down.
I think about losing my faith in God and everything I believed in; and then finding my way back to a relationship with God, stronger than I ever could have fathomed.
And so we keep going down the rabbit hole…
March 17th, 2021 by Carl Buffington
Our small group has been zooming together for sometime now. We recently read Dr. Larry Selig’s book together, Five Prayers God Loves to Answer, and we were blessed out of our socks. We’ll not hear or read The Lord’s Prayer the same again!
For Lent we decided to take on the topic of “Healing” as some dear friends, Don & Anne Bloch, agreed to join our small group.
Don & Anne began their healing ministry when I was rector of Christ Episcopal Church in Madison, IN during the late 70s to the mid 80’s. From there they went to work for Christian Healing Ministries with Francis and Judith MacNutt, and then on to be on the staff of a church in Jacksonville for 18 years.
Anyway, our small group now reaches into Ohio, Indiana, and Kentucky. Don & Anne invited a good friend of theirs to join us, Greg Toole. Greg is a prayer minister with Christian Healing Ministries and has shared with us the last couple weeks about Inner Healing.
What I have outlined below is a very simple and yet powerful way to pray for someone.
March 15th, 2021 by Sara Buffington
Let me tell you a story I am embarrassed to admit.
When I first moved to Central Florida, I was amazed by all the radio stations. Coming from rural Virginia where there were literally two stations (and even they went in and out), I was delighted to find so many options, including a Christian radio station.
One day soon after I moved here I was in line for the drive-up teller at the bank. I was blaring some Christian music. As I approached the teller, I turned the radio down. Way down.
I can sit here and tell you it was because I anticipated needing to hear the teller clearly.
But that wasn’t it.
March 10th, 2021 by Nathan Bryant
In order to draw near to Jesus, one has to know Jesus. At the very least, one must know where to look. Sometimes, we just don’t know where to look unless someone tells us.
My belief is that what the world always needs most is a clear picture of Jesus, locked into our hearts and locked into our minds. This is the only way we, as redeemed people, can continue to live out our redemption into a broken and unredeemed world.
But how do we get this picture of Jesus? How do we, 2000 years removed from the actual historical events of the Gospels, catch a glimpse of Him that is so captivating we cannot let it escape?
March 8th, 2021 by Ruan Humphrey
I will never forget the morning I asked a friend, “How are you?’ and he answered, “Battling the black dog!”
I responded, “What does that mean – the black dog?”
“You’re not familiar with that term?” He asked.
“Not at all.”
“It’s depression. Winston Churchill called it ‘the black dog’.”
“I am very sorry. How are you battling?”
Before he could answer, we heard the signal for our meeting to begin.
My thoughts turned toward Depression. It was only in retrospect that I surmised my friend used that term with me because of my work as a mental health counselor.
March 2nd, 2021 by Sheryl Shaw
A blog on mercy seemed such an easy task until today’s sermon.
It has been a hard week. Actually, ten days. That was when I received a message that a co-worker, a brother, a friend, had been picked up and taken in for questioning.
This injustice took place in a country where sharing about the hope of Jesus will get you arrested, and worse.
The means used for questioning are not things I want to write.