Good news! Renovations on our indoor playground are complete, and it is open during building hours.
In recent weeks at IBC, we’ve been discussing the importance of wrestling with our own personal past—our life story—to better understand our present and God’s intentions for our future. This is a vitally important part of our ongoing spiritual growth and development. God has made us who we are through the formative experiences and relationships of our lives: though our heritage, our heroes, our high points, and our hard times.
Read MoreIsn’t it interesting how simple definitions can unlock things we have never seen before? Upon further exploration on the topic of positive alacrity, an article explored the unexpected psychological benefit of positive alacrity - the effects of this behavior goes both ways by uplifting, observing, and voicing these micro-moments of joy to others, and we then actually absorb the joy ourselves.
These are the words that were spoken over me as I sat in the office of my friend, pastor and boss to tell him that I had made, yet another mistake on his calendar. I rambled on and on about how I should’ve done this and should’ve done that.
Forgiveness is one of the most challenging and complex things we are called to as followers of Christ. It’s a calling that often convicts our hearts as we’re wracked with guilt over how we feel about someone else. And the word forgiveness often leaves us with a sense of Christian duty, yet we scream inside:
Do you ever have trouble really trusting God? Truly believing that He is good and His plans are good? Can you know that He is present and is working all things together when everything around you seems hopeless and falling apart?
At different seasons of life, I have struggled with trusting God. No matter how many times God cared for and rescued His people in Scripture or in the lives of my friends and family, I still wonder if He will do the same for me.
As I was putting my four-year-old twins to bed the other night, we were discussing creation and how God spoke everything into existence. One of my boys started listing everything God created, “the sun, the moon, the ocean, the animals, people, cars…” Hmm. Well, cars aren’t exactly included in the creation account we find in Genesis.
The esteemed American philosopher and poet, Mike Tyson, once said, “Everyone has a plan until they get punched in the face.” I might have edited that quote to be more PG-friendly, but Mike’s words are true.