Happy New Year. Here's to new beginnings and a fresh start! Do you approach the New Year as a chance for positive change and personal growth? Maybe you're like me and choose a word for the year to focus on. Or you bravely make a New Years resolution? Perhaps one or more of the goals on your list are; exercise more, lose weight, learn a new hobby, save more money, spend less money, quit smoking, re...  Read More

“Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” Today's verse tells us that the will of God for our lives are to rejoice, pray continually, and give thanks in all circumstance. As we looked over John 17 this past Sunday we focused on prayer for fellow believers and prayer for the unbelievers. I first want to focus on the believe...  Read More

I remember the first time that someone said to me “I’m praying for you.” I was 8 or 9 years old. We were living in Naples, Italy at the time (my father was in the Air Force, and he was stationed there). Our neighbors across the street had kids about the same age as my brothers and me. We had been there about a year when they moved in. Like all neighborhoods, the neighborhood kids always sized up t...  Read More

Having grown up in church my whole life, as a pastor’s kid, I have been around several people who I would consider to be “Prayer Warriors”. You may know some of these people in your own lives. The Prayer Warriors I have encountered are nothing short of admirable. To selflessly give up one’s personal time to make time for prayer, to not necessarily pray for themselves but to spend time praying for ...  Read More

Another year has come to an end… Goals were set, some were met, others were missed. With a steely resolve we attacked the 365 days that stood in front of us, although at times it may have seemed like the year fought back. Most everybody has been met with unexpected changes, loss, circumstances, blessings, and undulations we would have never anticipated. A year is a long time, yet it goes by so qui...  Read More

What is our purpose here on this earth? For years and years, as I was growing up, my dad would ask me what I was going to do with my life as an adult. In my elementary years, I was going to be a professional baseball player. In my teenage years, I was going to own my own business and be a millionaire. Then, finally in my college years, I set aside sports and business for youth ministry. I would be...  Read More