Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. (Galatians 6:2) For the last 21 days, we have prayed and fasted together. We brought needs before God, some we shared openly, and others we kept between Him and us. We asked God to move, to provide, to give direction, and to answer prayers.But sometimes while we’re waiting for God to answer, we forget that He often wor...  Read More

“A voice cries: In the wilderness prepare the way of the LORD; make straight in the desert a highway for our God.”  - Isaiah 40:3I’m sitting here reminiscing on a very active and exciting past few days. Some of us in Arbor Youth had an opportunity to attend the Burning Ones Conference in Fort Worth, TX, this past weekend.  The key message for this year was for young people to be the voice crying i...  Read More

Do your relationships tend to be transactional? Are they conditional, based on your perception of received value? Do you keep a scorecard of what you’ve done for others and what you’ve received from them, almost like a bank register of expenses and deposits? Those who value this type of relationship tend to offer affection, attention, or support only when something is received in return. Pastor Ad...  Read More

In Ecclesiastes, the Hebrew word Hevel is used thirty-eight times. Hevel means a vapor or smoke, something you cannot grasp. A quote attributed to Solomon says everything is hevel. Toward the end of his life the wisest man to ever live realized that we have little control over what happens so why do we worry so much about what we have little or no control over!Most of us spend a great deal of time...  Read More

As our church prepares to enter a 21-day season of prayer and fasting, we have an opportunity to create space for God to speak, shape, and strengthen us. Prayer and fasting are not spiritual disciplines that we practice to prove our devotion or earn God’s favor.  It is a time to quiet the distractions around us and become more attentive to His presence.Before we begin this journey together, I want...  Read More

A few weeks ago, I had the honor of attending our youth summer camp. (If you know our youth, you know that statement holds zero sarcasm—they are truly AMAZING!) While there, a guest pastor shared an illustration that has stayed with me.Those blue reflectors embedded in the road aren’t placed randomly. They serve a very specific purpose: to guide firefighters straight to the nearest fire hydrant du...  Read More