Spiritual Formation

Most of us don’t struggle with intimacy with Jesus because we don’t care.We struggle because we approach relationship the way we approach performance. “I should pray more.”“I need to be more disciplined.”“I just have to try harder.” Those statements sound spiritual—but they often carry more pressure than peace. Psychologists use the phrase habit stacking to describe what actually helps people change: attaching a new…

Fear can make us behave.But it cannot make us whole. That’s one of the hardest truths for many of us to face—especially those of us who grew up believing that fear was a legitimate tool in God’s hands. Fear of failure. Fear of judgment. Fear of “getting it wrong.” And yet, both Scripture and science are telling us the same thing: fear is a poor architect of transformation. In the brain, sustained fear elevates stress hormones. Those hormones…

Two Disney enthusiasts were asked to describe their experience with the Tower of Terror at Disneyland. Their perceptions were radically different. When they were interviewed to understand how their expectations impacted their experience, some interesting things emerged. Zoe had read about Disney her whole life and had been saving for years to go someday. And someday, finally came. She was especially excited about the Tower of Terror, which had very long lines. So, on the…

Jesus never said, “Get on the treadmill.”He said, “Come and follow me.” That distinction matters more than we realize—not just spiritually, but biologically. In recent years, neuroscience has been confirming something Scripture has quietly revealed all along: human transformation happens most deeply through invitation, not coercion. Growth flows from desire, not demand. From willingness, not fear. And our brains know the difference. Growth, the,…

Every now and then Scripture distills the entire gospel into a single, breathtaking sweep. 1 John 4 is one of those places. John writes with pastoral urgency—warning, comforting, instructing—all while calling us back to the center of our faith: Jesus Christ, God in the flesh, the One who loves us perfectly and drives out fear. John begins by reminding us that not every voice we hear is trustworthy. “Do not believe every spirit.” In a world filled…

(And Why We Can Still Learn From Mary Oliver) “Instructions for living a life:Pay attention.Be astonished.Tell about it.”— Mary Oliver Every once in a while, a line from outside the walls of the church echoes something profoundly true about the heart of God. That’s Mary Oliver. While she never claimed Christianity in a doctrinal sense, her writing carried a posture Christians would recognize instantly: wonder, reverence, stillness, gratitude, and a…

This morning, I joined Tommy “Rivs” Puzey on an iFIT walk through Stephen’s Grove in the heart of the California redwoods—towering trunks reached toward heaven, some standing for centuries. Along the trail, we passed fallen giants—massive logs with hundreds of rings visible inside. Each ring marked a year of growth, each scar a season of fire or drought endured. John Muir once wrote, “As soon as a redwood is cut down or burned, it sends…

There’s a sobering truth tucked inside Jesus’ words in Luke 6:45: “The good person out of the good treasure of his heart produces good… for out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.” Our words are not random. They reveal something deeper — the condition of our hearts. What we say (and how we say it) exposes what we believe, what we value, and who truly rules our inner life. When grace fills our hearts, grace spills out. When,…

Watch this little demonstration between Colleen and Steve, we see how our perspective shifts when we truly grasp eternity. It's not about neglecting our earthly responsibilities, but about aligning them with God's eternal kingdom. Key takeaways: • Our time, talents, and resources are investments • Eternal perspective changes how we live now • Even small investments in eternity have ripple effects forever • We're already living in eternity,…