Finding our way

Where is God's grace leading you? 

At the beginning of this month, I was able to celebrate the 7th birthday of my son. It was so amazing to see his energy and excitement. It was also the perfect day for a party. He was able to run around with his friends, eat birthday cake, and feel a lot of love from his community. Celebrating these milestones is a wonderful experience, and it makes me feel like we are all a part of something wonderful. I love taking these moments to pause and think about all the ways we can develop and improve as a people. I believe in celebrating the multitude of gifts we have and sharing them with each another. 

However, I can just as easily look at the world with distrust and fear. There are a number of very real concerns in our world, and we cannot just pretend these things don't exist. There is war in Ukraine and a threat of nuclear escalation. We are still in the midst of a pandemic, and there are a number of other mental and physical illnesses that are impacting us. 

Where are we being led? What is going to happen? Who are you turning to?

In our sermon series at Community Lutheran, we are on a journey with Jesus to Jerusalem. When Christ took a path that led him to the cross, he decided to live for what really mattered. He was not going to just share God's grace with his friends, he was going to share this gift with all people, even his enemies. Along his journey, there were moments of difficulty. Some of the people who followed Him didn't want to face the pain. However, Jesus told them that God's love would still provide. Those early followers saw a lot of danger and despair, and it certainly seemed like Christ's death was going to steal any hope they had of victory. Hope was fading, but there was a light in that darkness. Death was not the end.

Today, we are facing real trials on our journey of life, but God has promised to be there for us. There are going to be trials and difficulties, but I believe there is also hope. It is my prayer that we would all find a way to have faith in this season. There are blessings in the world around us. There is grace in the world around us. There is Good News that we need to share. Let us offer a bit of light to the world, and let us live with a bit of faith in God's Love.  

In Christ,

Brian 

Happy Spring!

We are entering into the season of Lent as a church. This season remembers the journey that Jesus took to the cross. Many people also view it as a somber time when followers are encouraged to give something up. Some of my friends are fasting from things like chocolate, alcohol, or social media. These individuals remember the suffering of Jesus, and they become a little more tuned in to Christ's work in their lives. 

However, Lent is so much more than giving something up. The word Lent actually means "Spring" in Latin. This is a season all about new life and new opportunities. Jesus taught that there needs to be a time of letting go. There needs to be a time when it is okay to say goodbye to all of the things we think we need. There is a season when we need to experience a kind of death. If we don't have a place where we can leave our ego and sense of entitlement behind, we can lose sight of the things that truly matter. 

Very truly I tell you, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds. Anyone who loves their life will lose it, while anyone who lets go of their life in this world will keep it for eternal life.

-Jesus in John 12:24

Jesus taught us about love, but He also taught us about vulnerability. If we don't take time to open our hearts to the new life being created, I think we are also going to miss out on the grace being shared everyday. Therefore, I do not believe Lent should only be about suffering and lament. This is a season to grow. This is a season to discover a new identity in Christ. So it doesn't matter if you are giving something up or enacting a new practice, this is a season of hope. You are becoming someone new, because you are loved. Let us enter into this season with vulnerability and grace. 

God is with you! Happy Spring!

Pastor Brian

What truly matters...

Last night my son was working on some of his first-grade homework. He had to write about a place that was meaningful for him. After thinking for a while, he chose to write about a trip we took to Florida to see his Great-Grandpa before the pandemic. We did a lot on that trip two years ago, but it was interesting to see what he remembered. He was only four years old when we took that trip, so it isn't surprising that he can't remember every detail. He did not have a great recollection of Lego Land or some of the other touristy things. Instead, he remembered eating ice cream with his Aunt, seeing his grandparents, and going on long walks through the "jungle" with his family. It was its own kind of mountaintop experience. He was able to see the world in a new way, and he found a new perspective. It also highlights the fact that sharing these moments with loved ones was the most important part for him.

There are times we forget the significance of the Love that surrounds us. We search for meaning in the small or insignifcant stuff. In the Bible, there is a story of a Samaritan woman who was finding meaning in all the wrong things. Jesus speaks to her saying:

"A time is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem… The true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth."

-John 4:21, 23

This unnamed woman in the Bible would have been seen as an outcast. By talking to Jesus, she realized that she was focused on all the wrong things. She was worried about where she fit in. Jesus tells her to come to God with honesty. God values the love she brings, and she does not have to hide her imperfections.

I think we all get caught up in the details. It is important for each of us to open our hearts and take note of God's Love. Let's take time to notice the grace that is present in our lives, and let's take time to experience these blessings with the people around us.

In Peace and Hope,

Brian Ward

Following Love

“My people have been lost sheep;

their shepherds have led them astray.

-Jeremiah 50:6

Have you ever felt led astray? In our scripture passage this week, God’s people listened to the voices of false prophets. They wanted to hear an easy message that told them that everything would be all right. They wanted to hear that they could blame their mistakes on someone else. They didn’t want to see the victims of their own injustices, and they didn’t want to hear about their responsibility to make things better…

This text was written over 2,500 years ago, but it is still one of our most relevant passages. Today, we live in a different context, but there are still a lot of similarities. Humans have always wanted to pin their mistakes on someone else. Like Adam and Eve, we want to hide from our own sin, but God is still calling to us:

God’s people will ask the way to home

and turn their faces toward it.

-Jeremiah 50:5

Are you listening to the voice of the Good Shepherd? The shepherd who is calling to us to learn from our mistakes. Jesus came to tell us that there is always a new path, but we have to face our own sins with vulnerability first.

This past week I spent a lot of time working from home with a three-year-old boy. Our daycare had to shut down for a while to stop the spread of Covid. This has sent me right back to life in quarantine and a lot of frustrating situations. I am getting pretty anxious to get back to normal. However, it has also led to a lot of one on one time with my three-year-old. It is hard to get a lot of work done when he is around, but he is certainly cherishing every moment. He is also really tuned into the things that matter. He knows exactly where I am putting my attention and love. He will catch me immediately if I grab my phone or try to tune him out to do something “important.” 

There are so many distractions in this world that try to keep us from the love that is right in front of us. These distractions, or false idols, try to lead us astray from Love. They say they can give us happiness or joy sooner and better than anything else. However, the scriptures tell us that the greatest gift is love. God is with us. Let us take the time to follow the Good Shepherd and find God’s Love in our own lives.

Blessings,

-Brian

Faith on the Mountaintop

As I write this, in January of 2022, it is hard to believe we have spent two years dealing with the coronavirus. There are days when I feel like we are close to discovering the new normal. Other days I feel like everything is about to be flipped upside down. In January of 2020, I never imagined I would still be writing about the virus today. Nevertheless, I am once again seeing the hospitals fill up. I see people struggling. I see people fighting. There are people on staff at CLC who are working from home while they recover, and I just finished speaking to a church member whose husband is fighting for his life. 

 

I desperately want things to be back to normal, but this is something I don’t get to control. I simply live with faith in a God who is in control. I would love to dive into the next year without hesitation, but there is more to life than what I want. Life is a journey, and we are all called to open our eyes and ears and listen to God...

 

“The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are healthy, your whole body will be full of light.

-Matthew 6:22

This week we begin a new sermon series that will challenge us to see the world differently. In the Bible, people often climbed mountains to experience God and gain a fresh perspective. Today, we know that God is everywhere, but we still need the mountaintop experiences on our faith journey. 

Today I am praying for all those who are suffering, but I also want to find a deeper relationship with the people around me. The world has become so divided in the past two years. Every day I talk to people who want to prove someone else wrong. I wonder what we can do to lift each other up. This is not a moment for hate. We need to pull ourselves out of the rut we are in, and we need to look at our neighbors with hope.

Blessings!

Pastor Brian

Happy New Year

2 Corinthians 5:17

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, they are a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.

 

Happy new year! Entering into a new season is always exciting. It can be healthy to look for a clean slate and a fresh perspective to start the year. The real problem begins when we find something to complain about. We forget our blessings… We count complaints… As soon as this happens, it is easy to start wishing our time away.

 

How are you feeling today? After a week of 2022, are you still living with a fresh perspective? Are you still looking forward to all that is to come, or do you feel like things are back to normal? Earlier this week, my three year old son looked out of our window and saw the sky turning bright pink at sunset. He started shouting as loud as he could that the sky was beautiful, and he declared that he loves pink! Life is a joy and it is meant to be cherished. I am so grateful to be reminded of this by my children. Their hugs and enthusiasm when I get home at the end of the day always remind me of everything I have to be thankful for.

God is doing a new thing in your life too. I hope we can all take a moment to delight in the wonder of the world around us. Let’s not simply get through another day, month, or year hoping that next year will be better. It is way too easy to wish life away. Let’s live our lives fully! 

Blessings,

Brian Ward

Merry Christmas!

Isaiah 9:6-7

For to us a child is born,

    to us a son is given,

    and the government will be on his shoulders.

And he will be called

    Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,

    Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

Of the greatness of his government and peace

    there will be no end.

Christmas is here! God is with us, and God is alive in our world. Jesus gave everything to come into our world, and there is nothing that can separate us from Christ’s love. This is the Good News the Angels sang about, and it is for all people. This year I hope we can take a little bit of time to hear the story again with fresh ears.

My two little boys are filled with such excitement. They have been practicing their Christmas songs, acting out the story, and eating plenty of treats to get into the spirit. I know that I am truly blessed to watch them grow, but they can also be pretty exhausting. They need constant reminders to get ready, brush their teeth, and get moving! It can be fairly frustrating at times. 

Instead of letting our frustrations win the day, I hope we can all cherish the blessings that are in front of us. Life is filled with plenty of things to stress about, but we are also surrounded by God’s good gifts. God gave everything to love you… let’s cherish this love today!

Blessings!

Brian