Posts Tagged ‘Spirituality’
Fresh Fruit // Part 2: Joy
Joy vs. Happiness The second fruit of the Spirit is joy. So, what is joy? Many dictionaries list it as a synonym for happiness, but they’re definitely not the same thing. Happiness is fully an emotion. It’s a product of our circumstances, and it changes with the wind. But joy is something that we can…
Read MoreFresh Fruit // Part 1: Love
How to Identify a Christ Follower Do you think you could recognize a trustworthy babysitter when you meet one? You couldn’t know for sure just by looking at them, because there are good people of all kinds of nationalities, body types, and fashion tastes. But what about if you had a quick, everyday conversation with…
Read MoreMasterclass: The Book of Mark // Living in God’s Kingdom Today
He Has Risen! In the final chapter of the Gospel of Mark, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome journeyed to Jesus’ tomb with the intention of anointing his deceased body. It eventually occurred to them that there would be a stone in place at the entrance of the tomb, and they’d have…
Read MoreMasterclass: The Book of Mark // Jesus Makes a Way to the Kingdom
You Have Said So, Pilate Pontius Pilate was a Roman official who was tasked with governing over Judea, during Roman occupation. In Jesus’ day, the Romans allowed the Jews to keep their own law, have their own leaders, and practice their own religion. The Sanhedrin were the ruling body of Jews in Judea, and they…
Read MoreMasterclass: The Book of Mark // The Family of Believers
People Matter to Jesus Do you ever feel like God is too busy with everything else going on in the world to be concerned about the problems in your life? Or do you think that, because you’ve done wrong time and time again, He would never find you deserving of His attention? Many of us…
Read MoreAdvance // Part 4: Financial Health
Let’s Talk about our Feelings Would you believe us if we said… 59% of Americans live paycheck to paycheck? 38% of households in America have credit card debt? 33% of the adult population in America saved $0 for their retirement? Now, these statistics are not to scare you – rather, they’re meant to draw your…
Read MoreAdvance // Part 3: Emotional Health
Let’s Talk about our Feelings I feel like ________. Fill in the blank. What are you feeling today? Sad? Frustrated? Overjoyed? Relieved? Tired? Whether you pay attention to them or not, our feelings affect us on a daily (if not hourly!) basis. God created us in His image, and like Himself, He made us to…
Read MoreAdvance // Part 1: Physical Health
Turning a New Page New year’s resolutions – many people make them each year, but statistics show that few actually follow through on them. Why? Because sticking to something over the course of a whole year can be challenging. It’s hard to make a goal and stick to it, especially when we’re trying to do it…
Read MoreChristmas The Supporting Cast // Part 6: Living as Christmas People Every Day
Living as Christmas People Every Day Christmas is over. It’s time to start boxing up the decorations, putting up the tree, and saying goodbye to family members in town. Every year, the “after Christmas” lull hits. The cheery feeling of Christmas fades, as the lights come down and the bright, fun Christmas music no longer…
Read MoreChristmas The Supporting Cast // Part 5: Worship Jesus This Christmas
The Role We All Play This Christmas season, we’ve learned about the roles the different supporting characters of the Christmas story played as they waited for the coming Messiah. Simeon obediently waited, trusting God to fulfill His promise. Anna remained faithful, even in the heartache and longing. The Magi joyfully sacrificed and invested in what…
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