I spent months planning this event. Flyers, phone calls, and a budget that many still do not fully know how much it cost me. I showed up early, worked my tale off. Prayed and hoped for a massive turn out. I waited. And waited. And only a handful of people came out. That's a lot of empty chairs — and trust me, when the room is that quiet, you notice every single one of them.   Maybe your empty chairs looked different. Maybe it was a business idea nobody believed in, a project

"Now when they drew near Jerusalem, and came to Bethphage, at the Mount of Olives, then Jesus sent two disciples, saying to them, 'Go into the village opposite you, and immediately you will find a donkey tied, and a colt with her. Loose them and bring them to Me. And if anyone says anything to you, you shall say, "The Lord has need of them," and immediately he will send them.' All this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying: 'Tell the daug

Let me ask you something simple, but sit with it for just a moment. What would you do if following Jesus cost you everything? Not your comfort. Not your reputation. Everything.  Most of us, if we're honest, haven't had to answer that question with our lives on the line. We face pressure, sure. We face moments where following Jesus is inconvenient, unpopular, maybe even painful. But there's a man whose story most of us know without even realizing it. Every time we sing "I Have

Snow Day   As you are on your couch, wrapped in a blanket, holding a cup of coffee, your hair looking like you lost a fight with your pillow. I pray that you are safe and warm.   Just because the snow canceled our service does not mean God took the morning off.   Psalm 29:1-2 David writes:  "Give unto the Lord, O you mighty ones, give unto the Lord glory and strength. Give unto the Lord the glory due to His name; worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness."    Right out of th

Let me ask you something before we go any further with this blog today. What if the value of something had nothing to do with what it is — and everything to do with whose hands are holding it?  Think about this. I can pick up a basketball, and in my hands, it is worth maybe twenty dollars. It's just a ball. But you put that same basketball into the hands of Michael Jordan? Suddenly it's worth millions. It gets framed, auctioned, displayed behind glass. The ball didn't change

How Christ Holds All Things Together Have you ever heard of laminin? Now, before your eyes glaze over thinking I'm about to give you a biology lecture, stay with me. Laminin isn't the latest coffee trend at Starbucks, and it's not a new worship song—though "Laminin, You Hold Me Together" does have a nice ring to it, doesn't it?  Laminin is a protein. A tiny, microscopic molecule that exists in every single cell of your body. As you're sitting there reading this, as your heart

Joseph's Story/My Story You know that moment when your GPS confidently tells you to turn left, and you end up in someone's driveway? Then it says in that calm, slightly judgmental voice: "Recalculating." We've all been there, right? Following directions that seemed to lead us absolutely nowhere useful.  Life can feel like that sometimes. We think we're on the right path, doing everything we're supposed to do, and then—BAM—we end up in a pit. Literally, in Joseph's case. And u

From The Garden of Eden to the Cross of Calvary! If you read the Bible like a story, there's something tragic that happens really early on. In Genesis, Adam and Eve are created in God's image. They're made for relationship with God. They're walking with Him in the cool of the day. Everything is perfect. Everything is beautiful. And that goes awesome for about one page.  Then sin enters the picture. Adam and Eve eat the forbidden fruit, and immediately—I mean immediately—somet

Recognizing the Times we are in! I asked Alexa the other day, "Alexa, are you going to take over the world?" And you know what she said? "I like humanity. You're fun." Now, I don't know about you, but when my smart speaker starts complimenting humanity like we're a pet she's decided to keep around, it makes me a little nervous!    We've all had those moments, haven't we? You're talking to Siri, and she responds with something so eerily intelligent that you wonder, "Wait, is t

In Luke 15:23 Jesus is telling one of His most famous parables, and to be honest this father had clearly lost his mind. His son had just shown up at the front door smelling like a pigpen. I mean, we're talking about a young man who'd been living with actual pigs, eating their food, sleeping in their filth. He's wearing rags that probably violated several health codes. He's got mud caked in places mud shouldn't be. And he's standing there rehearsing an apology speech he'd been

Learning to Trust God Beyond My Comfort Zone In the early 2000s, when I was in my early twenties, I worked for a landscaping company. Looking back now, I can’t help but think, “Oh Lord, I’m getting so old.” Our company was contracted to install a brick patio and a shrub bed for a family who lived by a lake. The project was going to take a week or two to finish. During my lunch breaks, I would sit alone on the dock by the lake, enjoying the peace and quiet—no roaring tractors,

Reflections on Perseverance Through Trials I recently read the story of Job in the Bible, and my goodness—if anyone ever comes into my office and claims they feel even a fraction like Job, I might just have to laugh them all the way out the front doors of the church. (Now, anyone who knows me knows I would never actually do this!) But honestly, Job went through more than most of us can ever imagine. Job had a very good life. He was wealthy, had a large family, and loved and o

Standing Firm in a Changing Culture By: Pastor Doug Introduction My last blog was a lighter and more playful read, but today I feel an urgent need to share something heavy on my heart. While listening to a podcast about recent changes in New York following the election of Mayor Mamdani, I was deeply unsettled by what I heard. The news struck me so intensely that I felt a lump in my throat, and I realized how important it is for us, as Christians, to respond. A Call to Spiritu

Part 1: Introduction   As many of you know, Jesus was not born on December 25th. Now before you shut down, put away all your Christmas decorations, and become the Scrooge—Bah Humbug!—there is a reason why we celebrate when we do. And it truly is a great reason! So, let's jump into it.   The Mystery of Christ's Birth Date December 25th was not the date of Jesus' birth, nor was He believed to be born in the month of December at all. The exact date of this miraculous virgin birt