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All Is Grace
Brennan Manning died Friday night. Long before the recent resurgence of interest in “gospel-centrality”, Brennan was a voice calling out in the wilderness–a voice reminding us that we are great sinners but God is a greater Savior. Theologically quirky and personally...
Good Parenting In, Good Kids Out… Right?
“Good parenting in – good kids out” is the paradigm we are most comfortable with. It is ironic though because, truth be told, none of us are the good parents we long to be. We are often impatient, inconsistent, unloving, and angry. Yet, even in those moments,...
What Will You Do With Easter? 48 hours Later
It’s been 48 hours since that celebratory worship service. It’s been 48 hours since the proclamation of God’s Word. It’s been 48 hours since we gathered to reaffirm the most significant part of our faith. So I want to ask you today - what will you do with Easter? What...
Who Am I: By Grace I Am
Who we are, our deepest and truest identity, is not built on what we do; it is based on what God has done for us in Jesus. “Who am I?” Dietrich Bonhoeffer asked this question in a poem from prison entitled “Wer bin ich?” Two possible answers presented themselves:...
Snorkeling and the Shallow Soul
Scuba diving and snorkeling are close cousins but have a fundamental difference: depth. And depth defines the experience. Snorkelers enjoy the views as they skim the surface of the water. The colors and sea-life are visible but at a distance. The surface seems safe...
An Abundant Life
An Abundant Life by Charlotte Donlon When I became a Christian 18 years ago, one of the things I learned is that Christ came to give us an abundant life. In John 10:10 Jesus says:The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and...
Bummer Lambs
I am very fond of sheep. I grew up on the west coast of Scotland with sheep all around me, field after field of white wool and incessant crying when things seemed a little off. I spent the first ten years of my life trying to get close enough to hug one but they’re...
Letter from Julie Sparkman
"The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God." Phil 4:5-6 Dear Friends, As I write this, I am in Newport Beach, California. The sun is shining. The temperature crisp but...
Help My Unbelief
The Root Of All Sin Temptation is a false promise–a promise that doesn’t deliver. When we give into temptation, we are believing a lie. In the moment that we’re being tempted to do something, say something, or believe something, there is a deeper temptation happening...
Vertical identity
Vertical identity is rooted in worshiping God as Savior. God is Savior because we are sinners. Worshiping God as Savior means that the most significant drama in my life is not what will happen to my marriage, children, possessions, or career, but what will happen to...