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A Pioneering Spirit If you want to follow Jesus, to walk with him closely and experience the power of his love, then you must be a pioneer, a passionate leader in the exploration of the uncharted wilderness of your spacious life. You may not think of yourself as a leader, let alone a pioneer based on the way our world and culture defines them. But if you follow Jesus, then you are a pioneering leader. You may not recognize the authority and resources you’ve been given, others may not recognize your leadership, but if you have the Holy Spirit living in you, then God has anointed you to lead. What is in your hand today that requires the spirit of a pioneer? No matter at what point you are in life, it’s never too late. Nothing is impossible for the One who has called you and promises to do the journey with you. Start today - It’s time to look at life with the spirit of a pioneer. Be Blessed and be a Blessing

“Unconditional Love” If you want to love the way Jesus loved, if you want your life to be characterized by love in a way that reflects the heart of God to everyone you meet, then pay attention to how you respond to people who make you uncomfortable. You know… the ones who are different from you in significant ways, the ones you don’t like, don’t understand, and don’t enjoy. The people who hold different beliefs, practice different lifestyles and hold distinctly different priorities from your own. As painful as relationships can sometimes be, we are relational beings, created in God’s image to belong, to serve, to worship and to live in community. We’re called to be his hands and feet and God often touches our life through those around us; relationships are the lifeblood of the Church. While there are many different dimensions to Christian love, I believe the ability to love unconditionally is the one that most characterizes the spacious, abundant life we have in Chri

Fight, Surrender, or Invest Even though the concerns in our society may not be as new or extreme as we have assumed, they are present. So, how should we approach a broken society?  One option would be to fight back. The Bible is filled with examples of God sending His people to not only speak firmly but also stand in opposition to the injustice in the world. Yet while many Christians have taken brave stands against the marginalization of people, there are also examples of Christians who, in their efforts to stand up for truth, have actually hurt society.  Anytime we find ourselves putting down a community, it really means that we have a problem with people, because communities are made up of people. Any hateful feelings you may have toward these people are opposite of the feelings God has for them. Combativeness without compassion is always going to be counterproductive.  Another response would be to surrender to society. But because society is always in flux

Joy is Good for the Heart Joy doesn’t just affect you, but it pours out into the people around you. It can be good medicine for their heart as well. Joy has the incredible power to carry you through your darkest seasons and minister to others as they see your response. Find joy today, no matter where you are or what you are going through. Joy is Good for the Heart Joy is good for you and the people around you. I know sometimes it’s easier to bask in the difficulty of what you’re going through, but joy will be a much better response for you and for those around you. Some of the godliest people I’ve met are those who’ve been joyful in the midst of their trial, when they can point to God and proclaim He is good when their heart is in pain. I look at these people and I’m challenged in my own faith. Their joy overflows and becomes contagious; I can’t help but see my own joy expand a bit. Remember that joy doesn’t just affect you, but it pours out into the people aro

This summer I wanted to try something fun - A 30 Day Photography Challenge in the month of July. I invited members of my family to play along and as an incentive I offered weekly prizes. I wanted everyone from the youngest to the oldest to participate. Several accepted the challenge, we had a few that were quite competitive and in the end we had one who reined supreme. My middle son completed each of the daily challenges. It was a lot of fun, you can find many of these challenges on Pinterest or makeup your own. Below are links to a couple videos I put together, using the Adobe Spark app, with my 30 images. I used the Mixgram app for the collage above. Enjoy!!! Here's the link to Days 1 - 15 Click here for Days 16 - 30 Here's the 30 Day Photography Challenge list we used.

Fear Not and Follow the Holy Spirit We certainly don't want to move in the flesh or out of God's timing, but when God is moving, you can't be afraid to move with Him. Satan brings fear to our mind and emotions when the Holy Spirit is trying to lead us in a new direction. He tries to use fear to keep us from moving forward with God. Isaiah 41:10 says, 'Fear not, for I am with you.' If you've been afraid of something and desire to be free, the time will eventually come when you'll have to face your fear and not run from it. Just take Jesus' hand, acknowledge that He is with you, and do it. Don't be afraid, for He is with you. If you're at one of these crossroads in your life, let me encourage you to go forward. Don't stand still in terror, but take His hand and go forward. Remember, God wants to deliver you from all of your fears! I pray you will push your fears aside, move forwad, trust that God keeps His promises and His Word. He wil