The Season on Easter

I love Easter! As the calendar turns from winter to spring, we are opening our hearts to God's gift of new life. In Minnesota, there were plenty of things to complain about this time of year. The snow would become slushy and filled with dirt. We also still had to deal with a number late snowstorms. Just when the streets became clear, we would get blasted with another round of winter weather. In spite of all the chaos, there would also be days when the temperature would reach 60 or 70 degrees. It was amazing! In Las Vegas, we are on the verge of a brutally hot season, but I can't help but to enjoy these beautiful days. 

The day after Easter, my two boys and I went for a hike in Red Rock. We were there to spend some time in nature, and enjoy the spring weather. It was a joy to see God's gifts in the desert. We saw all kinds of flowers, and we waded through some pretty cold streams. My 9 year old even decided he wanted to jump into the icy cold water. The experience was wild, but more than anything else, we enjoyed the time we had together. 

In a similar way, I also loved our Easter worship services. The music, lights, and everything else all added to the moment. However, it was seeing the church filled with people that made the difference. Everyone was there to share God grace. This is the most important thing.

Easter is a season to remember that God's Love is eternal. As a church, we live in relationship with others. We celebrate the good gifts that we share together. We also remember that there is nothing that can ever separate us from God's Love. Not even death can remove us from Christ's presence. Today I hope you all can take some time to be reminded of God's gift of New Life. I hope you can also share God's gifts with the people around you. 

Peace,

Pastor Brian

The Roller Coaster

Next week, we are going to be remembering a very special time in the church year. Holy Week is the commemoration of the final week of Jesus' life. It all begins this weekend when we celebrate the triumphant entry of Jesus into Jerusalem. People waved palm branches, shouted hosanna, and they looked to the future with hope and anticipation. However, things changed rapidly when Jesus overturned the tables of the temple and told the money changers to get out. By the end of the week, Jesus would be arrested and put to death. Finally, we look forward to Easter Sunday when Jesus rose from the grave. It is hard to understand how all of that could happen in one week. How did people change their minds so quickly? How were the disciples able to follow Jesus when they faced so many moments of desperation and fear?

Some of these questions are still quite hard to understand. However, from another perspective, we all are living on a roller coaster. Life goes up and down rapidly. We have moments of Joy followed by moments of failure or defeat. 

Just over a week ago, my kids were out of school for Spring Break, and we decided to go on a trip. We went to Florida to visit my 92 year old grandfather, and we did all kinds of Florida things. We went to the beach, we went on boat rides, and we saw all kinds of alligators, eagles, and armadillos while exploring the inland swamps, but it wasn't all fun and games. While we were there, my younger son and I wound up with a 24 hour bug. We had to cut out a few of the touristy things while we tried to feel better, but we had a great time. My kids are still talking about seeing their great grandfather, and they can't wait to go back to see him (and drive his golf cart!) again. 

When we returned home, I was ready to start working on Holy Week and Easter services, but instead, I received the news of the sudden death of a 17 year old member of our church. This person was dearly loved, and it sent shock waves through our youth group. As awful as this moment was, we came together as a community. People showered us with their support, and we had an incredible opportunity to share love.  

Everyday we face a roller coaster of pain and blessings. Life can be really hard to understand, but I think it is important to remember that we have a Good Shepherd who loves us and is leading us the entire way. God is always present. I hope you can take time to find Christ's light now.

Blessings,

Pastor Brian

God's gifts are here!

My wife was out of town last weekend on the annual CLC women's retreat. She had a great time in Springdale Utah, and she came back refreshed after being around a great group of women. While she was away, I thought I would plan my own little adventure. I wanted to take my boys down to the hot springs on the Colorado river. This is a super fun hike, and it has enough scrambling to make it really interesting. However, that was not to be. Instead, we faced a crazy windstorm! The only adventuring I was able to fit in was a short bike ride to the neighborhood park. We were able to burn off a little energy, and we laughed a lot as we pretended to get blown away. We were able to get back to the house after a couple hours and before the wind and dust really picked up. Looking back, it may have been a little ambitious to try and fit in a hike anyway. I had four worship services to prepare for, and there was also a funeral at church, where we said goodbye to a beloved member. It actually worked out to spend my time present with the people around me. There was no need to go out and get sandblasted by the storm.

I love to be outside... but last weekend was a little much!

Our sermon series at Community Lutheran is taking a deeper look at the gifts that Jesus brings. God is always providing us with blessings, but there are times we choose to be upset with what we have. I could have been mad where my adventure fell through. My wife could have chosen to be upset as well. (The wind was pretty bad on her retreat too, and she did not get as much outdoor time as she had hoped.) Instead, we all chose to make the best of things. Kira came back refreshed. I had a great weekend. God's blessings surround us.

Today I hope you can all look for God's gifts in your lives. Take time to watch for God when your plans change. Look for new blessings when you find yourself on an unexpected road. Jesus is there. He is leading you to abundance and new life. Let's open our hearts and experience God's Love.

Peace,

Pastor Brian

Finding our way

Earlier this week, I went for a hike in Red Rock. I typically don't go hiking by myself, but I had a free morning, and I made the last minute decision to go exploring. Since I did not have my kids with me, I tried a route that took a little more effort. I started at the First Creek trail and went boulder hopping up the canyon. 

A few years ago, I would not have considered this a super tricky hike. You can't really get lost, and I had seen in the area before. However, I quickly realized I couldn't take anything for granted. There is no trail, and hikers have to decide which rocks to climb over and how to get around different obstacles. When I was not being careful, I found myself at steep drop offs or climbing dangerously over wet and slimy rock. I constantly had to be on the lookout for little signs that would help me to decide which way to go. There was a route through the canyon, but I needed to pay attention. If I lost my focus, there could be serious consequences. 

In our sermon series at church, we are looking at the gifts that Jesus brings. This week we are going focus on the fact that Jesus brings us direction. There are times in life that we choose to go the wrong way. We wind up with our backs to the wall, and it can feel like we have made such a mess that there is no way out. Jesus comes to tell us that we are never too far gone. We can always find our way back. We simply have to let go of our plans and trust that God is doing something bigger. We also have to look for the signs. God is making a way.

After a couple hours of hiking, I looked back at my progress. A few years ago, I would not have wanted to turn around without reaching a peak. However, on this day I realized that I didn't have to get to the top. I had fun enjoying the day, and it was important for me to get back to see my family. I also learned that I missed sharing these moments with my kids. They bring a lot of frustration, anger, and tears, but it is nice to be able to share the moment together. All in all, it was a good day, but I let go of my plans. I enjoyed the time, and I returned to the things that mattered most. 

Today I hope you spend a little time listening for God. I hope you look to God for direction and open your heart to the path God may be showing you!

The guys who matter most! :)

Blessings!

Brian Ward

The Transformative Power of Faith

This past week I spent a lot of time with my older son as he worked to memorize his multiplication tables. I remember doing the same thing when I was in third grade. I used to sit with my mom at our dining room table and practice flash cards over and over. I did ok at figuring out the right answer, but I was never the fastest kid when in came to memorizing these facts. I found it hard to focus and rather frustrating. 

Now that I am helping my own third grader, I realize that it was probably much more frustrating for my mom than it was for me. At least that's the way I feel right now with my own son. I know he is capable of doing the work, but he would much rather be outside playing in the rain or wrestling his little brother. He doesn't see the importance of math, and he gets super frustrated when he can't complete the problems in time. Part of my role is simply to help him understand that he can do this. He doesn't have to give up, or feel bad. 

It also makes me think of so many of the stories of Jesus. Jesus was always able to see the truth and meaning of a situation. He understood that God was present, and he worked to convey this to his followers. However, so many of his disciples would become frustrated with the world or with Jesus himself. They didn't believe in themselves, and they didn't trust in God's Word. Over and over, Jesus had find new ways to bring God's love into their lives.

Working with my son is exhausting, but there are also wonderful moments when he "gets it." He understands that this is something he can do. He even brought home a test yesterday proud of how fast he completed the work. 

As you take time to look at your life today, I wonder what is frustrating you. Where are you lacking faith? Do you believe that you are a beloved child of God? Perhaps you need to take a moment to listen for Christ's voice. Maybe you need a moment to consider how deeply God believes in you. I hope you are all able to open your hearts to God's Word today. I hope you are all able to feel God's love.

Blessings,

Pastor Brian

Choosing to Change

 What does spiritual change look like in your life?

Over the past few weeks in worship, we have been in a sermon series entitled: Change my Heart O God. There are times when change is inevitable. We can fight against it all we want, but life is going to move forward. At other times, the choice is left up to us. We have to be the ones who open our hearts and respond. Either way, change can come with a lot of difficulties. 

I know as a parent I feel like I spend a ton of time just getting my kids to accept change. Last Monday, I had the day off with my two boys. The school district had an inservice day, and I was off too. That part worked out great. I love all the moments I have with my kids, but sometimes it takes so much energy just to get them moving. They didn't even want to get out of their pajamas. By the time they we found their shoes, got dressed, and brushed their teeth, I felt burnt out. They wanted to fight me every step of the way. To make matters worse, it was also raining that day. I started to wonder if I should have just let them stay in their pajamas and watch TV. Perhaps that would have been easier, but I knew they needed something a little more. We wound up finding our rain jackets and jumping on our bikes to take a ride on the trail. It turned out to be a beautiful experience. My kids laughed as they splashed though the puddles. They opened their mouths to catch raindrops, and we went and explored the Pitman wash. We had a ton of fun. I wouldn't want to trade those moments, but sometimes I wish it didn't have to be such a battle.        

That may be a silly example, but there are plenty of times we refuse to do the work of change. We don't feel a need to search our hearts to grow. We would rather find excuses instead of reasons to change. However, we learn in the Bible that Christ is always asking us to grow. We are called into this incredible love He offers, and we are asked to be transformed by the Spirit.

Today I hope you can all search your hearts and listen for the Spirit. You may feel like change is impossible. You may feel like God doesn't care about you, or that you may not be worth it. However, God's Love promises to conquer all of this. God always wants us to grow and find new life. My prayer is for the Holy Spirit to lead you on that journey.

Blessings,

Brian Ward

Experiencing Change

We live in a world full of change. No one knows what adventures or difficulties await us this year. There are going to be joys and there are going to be great sorrows. The only thing we can really be assured of is change. Sometimes we welcome the changes that come our way, but there are also times that we will try to resist life's curveballs.

As I write this, we are less that two weeks into 2024, and I have already been surprised by the new year. I have watched new leaders step up in youth group. I found some extra time to spend with my family, and I got to go on a hike with some friends. On the other hand, I have also been to the Emergency Room after my five year old slammed his face into the sidewalk, and other family members are facing long and sudden hospital visits.

Throughout the month of January, Community Lutheran is diving into a sermon series all about change. God promises to love us, but when our lives get flipped upside down, we can forget this fact. Last week, we spoke about a person in the Bible named Naomi. This woman lost all the men in her life who were supposed to provide for her. She found herself in a different country surrounded by pain and sorrow. The only person to stand by her was a young woman named Ruth. Ruth was not from Israel, and she did not grow up worshiping the the same God. However, these two women found hope together. They had a faith that was bigger then what their eyes could see.

God is still working in our world today, but sometimes I let the small stuff get to me. Life is going to have difficulties, and there will be setbacks. Sometimes I will just lose it, because my kids won't go to bed on-time. However, none of this has to be a big deal compared to all the blessings before me. 

Today I hope you can all take a little bit of time to reflect on how God is working in you. I hope you can realize that your life is bigger than the twists and turns we may face. God has a plan for you, and you are constantly being transformed by the power of the Holy Sprit.

Peace,

Brian Ward