by Sherry Amick

​Is it just me, or does everyone wonder from time to time whether they “belong?” Do I “fit in?” Sometimes, it may even be that I ask myself, “why was I not invited?” This questioning originates mostly from my insecurities rather than being based in reality. God’s reality for all of us is that we are wanted, and we are loved. Take a look at this small sampling of proofs:

He wants you! He sacrificed His only Son, so that you and I could become His children. He acted on His love for us. He is our greatest example of how to love and be in relationship with one another. He invites us to behave lovingly toward the not so loveable as well as the loveable. He invites us to be the ones who give others a sense of belonging. He invites us to be the ones who invite, who serve, who “lose” their lives for the sake of the cause of Christ.
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So, how will you move forward in your ministry as a loved and wanted child of God

by Chip Johnson

​Why did Jesus sacrifice himself? At first blush, this is an easy one for those of us who believe Jesus is the Son of God and know that he died “for our sin”...but what does that mean? “Jesus died for our sins.” I’ve spent most of my life believing Jesus died and rose from the grave to cover my sin so God could tolerate a wretch like me. In essence, I have often seen Jesus as the cosmic problem-solver. The problem: we are full of sin and disgusting to a perfect God. The solution: God incarnate must come to Earth, sacrifice himself, and conquer death so we sinners can go to heaven when we die--if we accept him into our hearts.

Recently, another thought has surfaced for me: What if we are not sinners desperately trying to become saints? What if instead, God sees his children as saints who sin? There is a big difference. If God loves us more than he hates sin, then Jesus came to sacrifice himself because of our great value to God--even while we were yet sinners. Otherwise, the only reason Jesus would die and rise again is that God hates sin so much he must eradicate it in the only and just way...and we are the collateral by product. 
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This Easter, I hope we can come together around the idea that God’s love outweighs his hatred of sin. I wonder how it would shape a community of believers if they were sold out to the reality that the Good News is God saw great value in them before Jesus’ sacrifice--that God became man and gave himself up because we were already precious to him. A perfect God cannot abide sin, however, our loving God prioritizes his great love for us over his intolerance of sin.

by Rick Snodgrass

“In a society that always wants more from you, it’s important to draw a line in the sand. What I’ve learned though is if you can draw the line with your heart, you can take a stand with a smile, dump the guilt around doing less, and instead of disappointing others, remind them what’s important in their own life by honoring what’s important in yours.” Courtney Carver
I am working at working at the right things, which is a serious discipline for me. I have fallen time and time again to the mantra of our culture, “to be more, do more”. The problem isn’t just the obvious; that it doesn’t work. It’s that I rob myself of the greater part of my God story.  

This is a sabbatical year for me, so I am working through the following thoughts to guide a more virtuous life for me in Christ, where I am enough.

1. I will not say “yes” when my heart says “no.”
2. I will measure more by what’s in my heart and less by what’s crossed off my list.
3. I will prioritize love and health.
4. I will ask better questions, so we don’t have to talk about how busy we are.
5. I will not let my phone run my life. 
6. I will trade my fears for joy.
7. I will create space for solitude.
8. I will linger longer.
9. I will do the right thing and turn loose of the results.

For me to live in this reality I have to sacrifice the busy life for a full life. My experience so far is that, at the end of the day, it doesn’t seem like much of a sacrifice. I do have to fight off the voices of the illegitimate story tellers in my head, but that is a short battle when I do what Paul tell us in Philippians 4:2-9.

On a different note, it’s Passion Week. Engage the suffering Christ who died for the love of your messy life.

by Mike Larimer