Finding Christ in the Storm

Two weeks ago, I wrote a blog post about my four month old baby catching a cold. Since that time, he has gotten better, but my older boys got sick. In the midst of their snotty noses, my nine year old also caught a stomach bug, and that slowly went through the house. After this, the same 9 year old got a major black eye when he bumped into another kid playing soccer. It was a hectic few days! They say when it rains it pours!

This week at CLC we are going to look at the scripture text describing Noah and the great flood. This is a pretty dramatic story, but we all have to go through storms in life. We all face moments of darkness and despair. The Bible story speaks of Noah lost on a stormy sea of waves. He could only trust that God would lead him through. 

Sometimes we try to convince ourselves that we are in control. We attempt to conquer trials by our own will and determination. This kind of resolution can be helpful, but the Bible tells us we also need faith. We need to acknowledge that we can't control everything. We have to be able to let go at some point and trust that we have a Savior who has always loved us. 

As I look at my family, I know I am blessed that we haven't had to face too much adversity. However, we need to remember the greatest gift we have is the gift of faith. We can believe that we are loved, and there is nothing that can separate us from God's love.

I pray that all of you are able to trust in God even when the storms are raging outside. When we face sickness, uncertainty, fear, or even death, we have to trust in a deeper love. We are asked to believe that we will never be alone or abandoned. We belong to Christ forever.

Blessings!

Pastor Brian

Love matters

Last Sunday my four month old baby woke up with his first cold. We have had a number of close calls with the two other boys bringing home all kinds of germs, but it finally caught up with him. Overall, he is doing ok. He has a rough time sleeping, and he is dealing with a lot of congestion. However, he is not running a fever, and we are optimistic that he can power through this without it getting too far out of hand. It's just hard to watch somebody suffer. I want to do something to make him feel better, but all I can do is show him love. 

We live in a world filled with problems. There is violence, there is hatred, and there are natural disasters. I believe we all have a role in helping one another though these situations, but sometimes our job is simply to sit beside those in need. It is impossible to fix every evil. There is always going to be pain in the world. However, we are called to believe that our acts of love offer more hope than we realize. 

This weekend in worship we will focus on a scripture passage that deals with sin and brokenness. As human beings we are going to make mistakes. We are going to fall apart under pressure, but this does not mean we have to give up hope. God continues to love us, and where there is love, we can find hope.

This morning my son still woke up with a lot of congestion. However, he still was able to smile without too much effort. His older brothers also wanted to hold him and care for him. (My older kids are amazing! Yes, they can be a little wild, but they really love their brother! It is also super helpful when they hold him when I am busy!)

You wouldn't even think he was sick from this picture!

Today I hope we can all find some small way to love our neighbor. If we can't solve all the problems in the world at once, it's okay. God still loves us, and God is leading on a path of hope.

Blessings,

Brian Ward

Searching for Hope

I still remember learning about Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. as a child. My teachers spoke about the hatred and violence in the world, and I remember the hope I felt as we learned about Dr. King and the civil rights movement. 

This weekend in worship, we will celebrate MLK day, and we will lift up the inclusive love of God. Jesus came to this world to offer hope to all people. Jesus did not discriminate. He gave everything so that all people could have a voice. Throughout the Bible, prophetic leaders have had a very important role. They reminded us that there was hope, but they also had to face resistance. Jesus certainly felt pushback his entire ministry...

Christ never traveled the easy road. He went to the cross for all people. Today, as I reflect on Dr. King, I think it is so important to lift up the people who find hope in a dark world. I think it is important to give thanks for the people who choose to pursue hope even when it is not easy. 

Conquering all the world's problems may leave us feeling overwhelmed. However, I believe each person can offer something. My six year old son may not have much worldly power, but he can share hope. He loves to roll his window down as we drive home from school and greet all his friends. He is not looking at the color of their skin. He simply sees a friend he wants to say "Hi!" 

Today I hope we can all find a way to reach out the world in love, because every bit of love matters!

Blessings,

Brian Ward