2008--one crazy year. 2009--a great big "do over" for a brand new day!

The Life-Light of the newborn Messiah blazed out of the darkness, and the darkness could not put it out. Now, the prophet Isaiah calls us to live in and reflect this extraordinary light, joyfully embracing...

Christmas reminds us there is hope for the hopeless, freedom from uncertainty, light in the darkness, a presence instead of presents.

Getting ready for Christmas means knowing that in tough times, with or without presents, there is always a presence--Immanuel--God with us. Are you ready to be part of the miracle?

Grace may be free, but it's never cheap. This Christmas we celebrate a Messiah, a deliverer, who was born to die. We, too, are called to give ourselves sacrificially with Christ for the world...

Jesus, the Messiah, boldly declares his mission statement in Luke 4: proclaim good news to the poor, freedom for the prisoners, recovery of sight for the blind--to set the oppressed free.

The HOPE of Christmas has been hijacked by materialism, gluttony, selfishness  - worshiping at the altar of "me." The people of Jesus are called to reclaim HOPE, living in joyous expectation and complete confidence that Christmas can still change the world...

Our financial commitment to God is the first step to investing in the future. We should be thankful for each blessing so that our hearts are open to giving generously not only to God, but to others as well.

You are living in the harvest today of the seeds that you have sown in the past. Your thoughts and actions today will be your harvest tomorrow. Making strategic plans for the future and then acting on those plans is essential for all life success. DO IT TODAY

How and where we spend our money clearly betrays our ultimate allegiance. It's time for rebalancing our life investments, no longer measuring our lives by the culture's criteria of possessions, position and power... Rebalancing Life Investments

Fear is not God's plan for our lives--no matter what happens on Wall Street, Main Street, or our own street. Upside Living in a Downside Economy always begins with… SEEKING GOD'S PERSPECTIVE

Guest speaker Jim Wallis of Sojourners brings a God-sized calling for all committed Jesus followers to...Change the World!

Why do we wait for the economy to tank, the bottom to fall out, or tragedy to strike before exercising the powerful privilege of prayer, finding immediate access to God's gift of himself...anytime, anywhere, no matter what...Power of Prayer

In 1872, Levi Strauss riveted together “waist overalls” out of denim, long-wearing pants for hard-working people. Today, we need “blue jean” faith—practicing patience, perseverance and character as we pursue God’s purpose during difficult days.  Blue Jean Faith

Wisdom can’t be measured by an IQ test, acquired in a post-grad degree, or proven by profession or position. True wisdom is seeing life from God’s perspective …and then just doing it.  Wisdom: Seeing and Doing

As the U.S. President and Congress meet to prevent economic chaos, the Church is also at risk, clutching the same consumerism, envy and self-directed ambition that has poised Wall Street on the edge of destruction. James calls Christ followers to redirect our ambition from self to service--using all of our drive, success and giftedness for the service of God's Kingdom...HeartHealth: confronting envy and selfish ambition

With our tongues, we both praise God...and curse others. Scripture calls us to "stop, drop and roll," choosing to use our tongues to heal, not hurt--speaking only those words that promote God’s purpose in our own lives, and in the lives of others. Two-Faced – confronting the contradiction within

It’s never a question of IF we’ll slip up—it’s only a matter of WHEN. But, in the midst of our failure, James reminds us never to focus on the bigness of our challenge, but on the bigness of a grace-filled God, the God who converts tragedy into triumph… Trip-Ups: When You Slip Don’t Fall 

Is what you “believe” lived out through what you “do”? Or does your real life little resemble the core values and beliefs you claim to profess? Two-Faced – confronting the contradiction within 

Transforming an obedient life into a joy-filled life, an ordinary life into an extraordinary life, doesn’t happen when we remain clueless, curious or merely convinced. It is only through complete commitment that we are empowered to live out God’s purpose and call...Convinced to Committed