Orchard Hill Church Blog
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We Need More Words!
It is God’s unique gift to us to be able to communicate through language because words have power; it has been said that one kind word can change the course of someone’s day. And, the more words we know, the more power we have over our own lives.
He Restores Me
I don’t know about you, but sometimes it takes God speaking to me a few times in different ways before a message sinks in! So, I decided to meditate on Psalm 23 a bit more and write down these thoughts.
Thanksgiving
I love Thanksgiving. I love it for the traditions and for the opportunity it presents us to stop, enjoy time with people who mean so much to us, and reflect with gratitude on the good things in our lives.
An Optional Illusion
Sometimes in life I question whether I am being real or if I am living in the illusion of saying I am a follower of Jesus Christ at those times when I don’t participate in His Kingdom by being His hands and feet on earth.
We are Made for Community
Being in a community of believers helped me to receive healing and the liberating truths of the gospel in ways that allowed those truths to soak deep into the core of my being. My ongoing work of transformation was taking place in community.
Sweater or Sweating for What is Worthy
Back in the nineties, if you were serious about celebrating Christmas, you owned and proudly wore a Christmas sweater. I thought it would make me look like I knew what I was doing but I was wasting time focused on something I thought would make me happy.
A Gift of Grace Through Serving
This opportunity to serve…. To be a part of something bigger than myself, led me down a road towards a faith I had lost, a family I craved, and a grace that only God could provide.
Path Blind
Thanks to Febreze commercials we’ve learned about going nose blind. But path blind? All it took for me was a bike, a path with shadows and some sun to learn from creation.
Live in Light of Eternity
One of my favorite spots to end up at is on top of a mountain. You know why? When I climb to that mountain top and look around, I am absolutely amazed at the vastness of God’s glorious creation.
100 Feet Ahead
You and I need summits in our lives. But sometimes the going gets tough and we want to give up. All we can see is the end and the end seems so far away. But what we can do, is look at something not too far away and work toward it.
I Want To Do Better
Instead of having gratitude for strength or recognizing the spiritual privilege it is to serve God, I sometimes smugly think that I am a good person for serving and I want to do better giving God the glory.
Choose the Right Shoes
Shoes make a statement. And shoes need to fit, or they become painful the longer they are worn. We need to choose the right shoes. So, what shoes do we need? Gospel Shoes of course!
Gathering at the Table
While food obviously satisfies our hunger, gathering at the table with family and friends is so much more than feeding our bellies. It’s an opportunity to open our hearts in conversation.
Grace, Community and Unity
If you’re a follower of Christ, I wonder: How big of a deal to you is Christian community? How about Christian unity? Christian community and unity are inseparable results of what Jesus has done on the cross.
Can You Imagine...Again?
Why did God give each of us the potential to picture things, places or scenarios in our minds? Imaginations aren’t just for the future or eternity, but God wants us to imagine in our prayers for the present.
God's Calling to Love
Love is such a huge part of our lives and affects everything we do. But it can be complex at times. It fills our hearts with joy, kindness, compassion, and hope but can also make our hearts feel broken, heavy and sorrowful. Love is complex, so how do we answer God’s call to love?
Peace in Chaos
Life can be challenging and chaotic at times which leaves us with feelings of disorder and loss of control. We are distracted and tempted by things that draw our attention away from the Lord. So how do we find peace in a chaotic world?
Social Media and Quiet Time
Something I have struggled with (and still do) in my walk with Christ is making time every day to be in the Word and pray. I make the excuse: “I don’t have time to spend 30 minutes with God.” What a LAME excuse!
How Chester A. Arthur Helped Me with Persistent Anxiety
Those of us who battle anxiety are involved in a power struggle with ourselves. Anxiety drives us to gain control over our world. But as we grasp the truth that even the struggles of life are inexplicably in the hands of a good, kind, loving, Sovereign God, we can relax our grip on the desire to control all the variables.