Have you ever met someone who had a depth of character and relationship with God that made an immediate impact on you and moved you in your soul? Did it motivate you, inspire you, and convict you to move to a deeper place with God?
 
Solitude is one of the most critical and beneficial spiritual disciplines, and also the one that is least exercised and often misunderstood.

Did you know that fasting is mentioned in the New Testament more often than baptism? Most of you probably think fasting is for the spiritual elite, or the crazy committed. But what if fasting was a tool for helping us better hear from God, pray more directly, seek the transformation of our world, repent more readily, and altogether be livened in our spirit?

This past Sunday, we looked at two of the biggest obstacles in studying the Bible: discipline and recall.

Some of you may feel significant challenge in getting a consistent time in the Word. Some of you may be in the Word, but are unable to recall, or feel forgetful of what you've read in recent time.

In both cases, we need to be reminded of the holiness of God and power of the text to transform and shape our lives.

The Vision and Prayer Breakfast is one of our favorite Sundays of the year. We get an opportunity to look back at the previous year, look ahead into the new year, and join together in prayer.

Take a look at what we reviewed. 

Eating is a significant theme throughout the entire Bible. From the feasts and festivals of the Old Testament, to the meal Jesus shares with his disciples the night before he dies, and the final feast in heaven, the Bible affirms a great joy and delight as God's people eat together.

Many of your Christmas traditions involve food and family. Last Sunday, we remembered the practice of feasting together as a joy-filled, Christ-centered, hope-reminding activity. Our hope is that as we eat, we would never forget the giver of food and life who is at the center of it all!

Our society preaches maximum comfort and quick fixes to deeper rooted issues. How often do we ground ourselves in self-preservation and false senses of earthly security only to be startled at how quickly the next storm comes? The analogy found in Matthew 7:24-27 speaks to the eternal security that comes in knowing Christ, doing his work, and establishing Him at the center as opposed to just being a listener:

Waiting is a universal experience during the holiday season. We are waiting for packages, waiting in lines, we are waiting in traffic. 

So what if we saw this everyday experience as an opportunity to be reminded of what it means to wait for God? Waiting is a massive theme of the Bible, as we see God's people being constantly hopeful and expectant for God to come and restore the kingdom.

Last Sunday was the start of Advent. Advent means "coming" in Latin and is a period of time we dedicate to celebrating the coming of the Messiah, Christ Jesus. We often feel a tension this time of year between our desire to draw near to God and enjoy his peace and presence, and the frenzied bustle of holiday festivities and end-of-year chores.  

"A Simple Christmas" is a time to direct our hearts to delight in Jesus. 

These are serious questions, and we're glad we can have this conversation. 

There has been a great turnaround in the media around the challenges of mental health with a growing awareness of how significant this space is for overall health that spans across so many sectors of our world. But what does the Bible say about mental health and mental illness? Can Christians struggle with depression and anxiety? Is there physical medical healing we should pursue, or should we just trust Jesus?

These are serious questions, and we're glad we can have this conversation. 

The simple meaning of Christmas is that God came to be with us. And as we’ve celebrated God’s presence, we’ve also added layers upon layers of extra activities that have kept us from enjoying the original focus, Christ with us. But in our layering, it’s possible for us to get distracted with the things of Christmas and miss God in Christmas.