Restored in Him

As 2020 comes to a close, the solar system has decided to grace us with a cosmic Christmas miracle that hasn't been witnessed in nearly 800 years. On Dec. 21 (aka the December solstice), Jupiter and Saturn will align so closely in the night sky that they'll almost appear to collide from our vantage point here on Earth, creating a radiant point of light often referred to as the "Star of Bethlehem" or the "Christmas Star." "Alignments…

I have a simple prayer for you today. May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope. Romans 15:13 (ESV) And that's the memo. Steve

One of the many benefits of communion with God is that he shares his perspective with us.  When I refer to communion I do not mean the sacrament of communion, although that can be part of it.  Communion means living in a connected way with our heavenly father, whether it is in prayer, fasting, or in scripture, worship, or just sitting and listening in his presence.  Miriam-Webster defines communion as "an act or instance of sharing", and "…

"Ask Jesus to show you his kingdom. Sanctify your imagination to him, all your spiritual gifting, and ask him to reveal to you pictures of the coming kingdom. Be specific—if you want to see the city, ask to see the city. If you want to see those waterfalls, ask to see them. You will need to be open to being surprised; do not “script” what you think you “should” see. I dreamed of ships last night—great, three-masted sailing ships. The…

Can you feel it?  Do you sense it?  Can you hear it?  In the midst of the cacophony that surrounds us...  In the midst of the pressure and business of daily life...  In the midst of the emotional upheaval and unrest of this season... Are you hearing God's invitation?  Can you feel that deep, quiet, persistent knock on the door of your heart? Come away with me.  This beautiful, intimate, blessed invitation is extended to each and every…

What’s happening here? Is this a shakeup or just a blip in the natural order of things? From a deadly pandemic to a global movement for racial justice, the year 2020 has already experienced its fair share of world-shifting events — and it is still months from being over. Here is a list of some of those events taken from a recent New York Post article. The country faced one of its most devastating wildfire seasons as the blazes continued from December 2019…

Scripture tells us the only Guide worth trusting is the Holy Spirit. He’s the One who knows our past completely, from the moment we were conceived to the present, and who also knows our futures, from this day to eternity. He knows God’s plan and purpose for us today and each day of our lives. He also knows what’s good and right for us. Jesus repeatedly referred to the Spirit as the “Spirit of truth.” Note what He said about the Holy Spirit&rsquo…

The Revelation of Jesus Christ is near. Bathe in the reality of what’s to come. A renewed earth when all will be made right again. The whole earth will be brimming with knowing God-Alive. “The wolf will romp with the lamb, the leopard sleep with the kid. Calf and lion will eat from the same trough, and a little child will tend them. Cow and bear will graze the same pasture, their calves and cubs grow up together, and the lion eat straw like the ox. The nursing…

I recently found myself in the midst of a discouraging emotional funk.  It started as an "off day" and the next thing I knew two weeks passed, full of negativity and discouragement, lacking hope and faith for the future, and I will be honest - even moments of wondering whether God could salvage anything good from my life and circumstances.  Normally, I am rather even-keeled and not prone to bouts of negativity that last more than a day.  I tried…