Scripture"A shoot will grow up from the stump of Jesse;    a branch will sprout[a] from his roots.2 The Lord’s spirit will rest upon him,    a spirit of wisdom and understanding,    a spirit of planning and strength,    a spirit of knowledge and fear of the Lord.3 He will delight in fearing the Lord.He won’t judge by appearances,    nor decide by hearsay.4 He will judge the needy with righteousnes...  Read More

Scripture"A child is born to us, a son is given to us,    and authority will be on his shoulders.    He will be named    Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,    Eternal Father, Prince of Peace." - Isaiah 9:6ReflectionHow many times as a kid did someone ask you, “What do you want to be when you grow up?” I imagine a lot. You probably had some pretty good answers that evolved over time. When I ask my 10...  Read More

Scripture"The people walking in darkness have seen a great light.    On those living in a pitch-dark land, light has dawned." - Isaiah 9:2ReflectionWhen I was younger, I was afraid of the dark. If I happened to wake up in the middle of the night, I would bury myself under my covers, no matter how warm it got under there. I’m not sure I even knew what it was specifically that I was afraid of: Monst...  Read More

Scripture"13 Then Isaiah said, 'Listen, house of David! Isn’t it enough for you to be tiresome for people that you are also tiresome before my God? 14 Therefore, the Lord will give you a sign. The young woman is pregnant and is about to give birth to a son, and she will name him Immanuel.'" - Isaiah 7:13-14ReflectionMy name is David and I have a house. Thankfully a prophet has not come to my home ...  Read More

Scripture"Whatever was written in the past was written for our instruction so that we could have hope through endurance and through the encouragement of the scriptures." - Romans 15:4ReflectionWelcome to the Advent Devotion. Whether you’re reading a devotional for the first time or fortieth, I’m glad you’re here. We offer up these devotions with scripture, reflection and prayer because we believe ...  Read More

CoreGroup Guide | Simply Christmas - Week 1Guide written by Denee Bowers and Jenny HuffmanWelcomeIn the first week of this series we are thinking about being present. It can be easy to get caught up in gift giving, travel details, and party planning, but God is calling us to something much less complicated. This Christmas could look completely different if we are able to focus our minds and hearts...  Read More