To be authentic to me means to be pure and real. With inanimate objects, there are certain qualities that is has to have to be authentic. But with people, I believe that the only person than can tell you how to be your authentic self is yourself.

This past April 7th, my sister and I drove from the Twin Cities to Decatur, Illinois, where we would spend the night before driving three hours south to our final destination: Carbondale! Under normal circumstances, Carbondale, Illinois, wouldn’t have been on either of our bucket lists. But something truly AMAZING was about to take place – a total solar eclipse – and Carbondale was in the path of totality!

To be authentic means embracing and expressing our true selves as God designed. It means recognizing and celebrating our individuality, not conforming to societal pressures or expectations. True authenticity involves vulnerability and openness, sharing our real selves with others.

For me, bravery is a form of strength. It is also extremely valuable because without it, we would succumb to our own fears. When we are brave, we have the ability to resist and overcome those fears.

Yesterday, we launched into our new worship series, contemplating how God has created us and instilled in us the capacity to take on the challenges of the world. One of those capacities is to call upon the bravery necessitated by a world that so often conspires to keep us afraid.

This Sunday, as we embark on a new worship series, "Created to Be," we are invited to dive deep...

“..the whole idea of the love of God was to draw people together in one body- reconciled to God.” John M. Perkins

We are designed to do life together, in congruence with one another, side by side, through the mountain peaks and valleys low.

The beloved theologian and writer Henri Nouwen, in his book Reaching Out, provides a profound insight into the nature of true community: “Community is the place where the person you least want to live with always lives.” This challenging statement reminds us that authentic community is not about comfort or convenience, but about growth, transformation, and embodying God’s love.

In the ever-changing landscape of our lives, where each day can bring new challenges, uncertainties, and decisions to be made, we have a steadfast and reliable guide in God’s Story. The apostle Paul reminds us in 2 Timothy that scripture is “God-breathed,” meaning it is inspired directly by God and serves a divine purpose in our lives. It is not just an ancient text but a living document, rich with wisdom and guidance.

Graduation time is always a bit hard for me as I know that many of the youth I’ve had the chance to get to know over the years I won’t see much of, or possibly never again, as they begin a new chapter of their life.

In her book Inspired: Slaying Giants, Walking on Water, and Loving the Bible Again, Rachel Held Evans invites us to engage with scripture not as a static rulebook, but as a living, breathing narrative that interacts with our own stories. She emphasizes that scripture invites our questions and reflections, encouraging us to bring our whole selves to the text.

In the wake of George Floyd’s tragic murder in 2020, over 2700 works of public and street art emerged globally, transforming cityscapes into canvases of protest and hope. These vibrant murals and poignant graffiti pieces became powerful expressions of collective grief, anger, and a profound yearning for justice. God is at work in these creative expressions, speaking through the hands of artists who channel the pain and hope of their communities into visual cries for change.

When I was in college I took an art history class called “women in the arts”. While we certainly discussed the few women who succeeded in the wealthy male-dominated fine arts scene of Europe’s Renaissance and beyond, what I found most fascinating was how much of the women’s contributions to the arts were simply part of the everyday experiences of life, necessary for survival (spinning, knitting, weaving, and mending clothing and blankets) or sometimes adornments for celebrations (lace, embroidery), and often in the fiber arts.

To be authentic to me means to be pure and real. With inanimate objects, there are certain qualities that is has to have to be authentic. But with people, I believe that the only person than can tell you how to be your authentic self is yourself.

This past April 7th, my sister and I drove from the Twin Cities to Decatur, Illinois, where we would spend the night before driving three hours south to our final destination: Carbondale! Under normal circumstances, Carbondale, Illinois, wouldn’t have been on either of our bucket lists. But something truly AMAZING was about to take place – a total solar eclipse – and Carbondale was in the path of totality!

To be authentic means embracing and expressing our true selves as God designed. It means recognizing and celebrating our individuality, not conforming to societal pressures or expectations. True authenticity involves vulnerability and openness, sharing our real selves with others.

For me, bravery is a form of strength. It is also extremely valuable because without it, we would succumb to our own fears. When we are brave, we have the ability to resist and overcome those fears.

Yesterday, we launched into our new worship series, contemplating how God has created us and instilled in us the capacity to take on the challenges of the world. One of those capacities is to call upon the bravery necessitated by a world that so often conspires to keep us afraid.

This Sunday, as we embark on a new worship series, "Created to Be," we are invited to dive deep...

“..the whole idea of the love of God was to draw people together in one body- reconciled to God.” John M. Perkins

We are designed to do life together, in congruence with one another, side by side, through the mountain peaks and valleys low.

The beloved theologian and writer Henri Nouwen, in his book Reaching Out, provides a profound insight into the nature of true community: “Community is the place where the person you least want to live with always lives.” This challenging statement reminds us that authentic community is not about comfort or convenience, but about growth, transformation, and embodying God’s love.

In the ever-changing landscape of our lives, where each day can bring new challenges, uncertainties, and decisions to be made, we have a steadfast and reliable guide in God’s Story. The apostle Paul reminds us in 2 Timothy that scripture is “God-breathed,” meaning it is inspired directly by God and serves a divine purpose in our lives. It is not just an ancient text but a living document, rich with wisdom and guidance.

Graduation time is always a bit hard for me as I know that many of the youth I’ve had the chance to get to know over the years I won’t see much of, or possibly never again, as they begin a new chapter of their life.

In her book Inspired: Slaying Giants, Walking on Water, and Loving the Bible Again, Rachel Held Evans invites us to engage with scripture not as a static rulebook, but as a living, breathing narrative that interacts with our own stories. She emphasizes that scripture invites our questions and reflections, encouraging us to bring our whole selves to the text.

In the wake of George Floyd’s tragic murder in 2020, over 2700 works of public and street art emerged globally, transforming cityscapes into canvases of protest and hope. These vibrant murals and poignant graffiti pieces became powerful expressions of collective grief, anger, and a profound yearning for justice. God is at work in these creative expressions, speaking through the hands of artists who channel the pain and hope of their communities into visual cries for change.

When I was in college I took an art history class called “women in the arts”. While we certainly discussed the few women who succeeded in the wealthy male-dominated fine arts scene of Europe’s Renaissance and beyond, what I found most fascinating was how much of the women’s contributions to the arts were simply part of the everyday experiences of life, necessary for survival (spinning, knitting, weaving, and mending clothing and blankets) or sometimes adornments for celebrations (lace, embroidery), and often in the fiber arts.

To be authentic to me means to be pure and real. With inanimate objects, there are certain qualities that is has to have to be authentic. But with people, I believe that the only person than can tell you how to be your authentic self is yourself.

This past April 7th, my sister and I drove from the Twin Cities to Decatur, Illinois, where we would spend the night before driving three hours south to our final destination: Carbondale! Under normal circumstances, Carbondale, Illinois, wouldn’t have been on either of our bucket lists. But something truly AMAZING was about to take place – a total solar eclipse – and Carbondale was in the path of totality!

To be authentic means embracing and expressing our true selves as God designed. It means recognizing and celebrating our individuality, not conforming to societal pressures or expectations. True authenticity involves vulnerability and openness, sharing our real selves with others.

For me, bravery is a form of strength. It is also extremely valuable because without it, we would succumb to our own fears. When we are brave, we have the ability to resist and overcome those fears.

Yesterday, we launched into our new worship series, contemplating how God has created us and instilled in us the capacity to take on the challenges of the world. One of those capacities is to call upon the bravery necessitated by a world that so often conspires to keep us afraid.

This Sunday, as we embark on a new worship series, "Created to Be," we are invited to dive deep...

“..the whole idea of the love of God was to draw people together in one body- reconciled to God.” John M. Perkins

We are designed to do life together, in congruence with one another, side by side, through the mountain peaks and valleys low.

The beloved theologian and writer Henri Nouwen, in his book Reaching Out, provides a profound insight into the nature of true community: “Community is the place where the person you least want to live with always lives.” This challenging statement reminds us that authentic community is not about comfort or convenience, but about growth, transformation, and embodying God’s love.

In the ever-changing landscape of our lives, where each day can bring new challenges, uncertainties, and decisions to be made, we have a steadfast and reliable guide in God’s Story. The apostle Paul reminds us in 2 Timothy that scripture is “God-breathed,” meaning it is inspired directly by God and serves a divine purpose in our lives. It is not just an ancient text but a living document, rich with wisdom and guidance.

Graduation time is always a bit hard for me as I know that many of the youth I’ve had the chance to get to know over the years I won’t see much of, or possibly never again, as they begin a new chapter of their life.

In her book Inspired: Slaying Giants, Walking on Water, and Loving the Bible Again, Rachel Held Evans invites us to engage with scripture not as a static rulebook, but as a living, breathing narrative that interacts with our own stories. She emphasizes that scripture invites our questions and reflections, encouraging us to bring our whole selves to the text.

In the wake of George Floyd’s tragic murder in 2020, over 2700 works of public and street art emerged globally, transforming cityscapes into canvases of protest and hope. These vibrant murals and poignant graffiti pieces became powerful expressions of collective grief, anger, and a profound yearning for justice. God is at work in these creative expressions, speaking through the hands of artists who channel the pain and hope of their communities into visual cries for change.

When I was in college I took an art history class called “women in the arts”. While we certainly discussed the few women who succeeded in the wealthy male-dominated fine arts scene of Europe’s Renaissance and beyond, what I found most fascinating was how much of the women’s contributions to the arts were simply part of the everyday experiences of life, necessary for survival (spinning, knitting, weaving, and mending clothing and blankets) or sometimes adornments for celebrations (lace, embroidery), and often in the fiber arts.