Rise up from the ashes

 When was the last time you had to start over from scratch?

When I was in college, there was a big end of the year project that disappeared off of my computer. This was going to count for a huge percentage of my grade, and I became so stressed out about it that I felt sick. I can't remember if I accidentally deleted the file or if a server went down, but I was a mess! I think I spent more time trying to recover that file than it would have taken to rewrite the whole thing. I needed a long time just to acknowledge that my previous work was gone. Then I began again... It all worked out, but I was not happy about it.

Today, I still hate the idea of having to start over. I will hold to old plans that I should have let go of a long time ago, because it feels scary to start over from scratch. 

Is there something that you need to let go of?

Perhaps you can't imagine starting a new career, moving to a new home, or living life without a loved one that you recently lost. New beginnings are hard... However, the Bible teaches us that we are people of the resurrection. We are people that are being transformed everyday by the Holy Spirit. There are times when life is going to fall apart. In those moments, we are going to need time to grieve, but we also have to have faith. There is New Life rising up from the ashes.

We are beginning a Sermon Series at CLC next week that is diving into the book of Nehemiah in the Bible. Nehemiah was written at a time when Israel needed to believe in a fresh start. The people had lost a terrible battle, and many of them had been dragged into slavery. They were living in a foreign country, and a generation of people had come and gone. It seemed like there was nothing left for the people of God. However, Nehemiah tells a story of faith. The people are told to believe that they can rise up and find a new path forward. 

Today, God is continues to call us into a new story. There are things we all need to let go. It is my prayer that we could all trust that God is in control. When we feel lost and uncertain about the future, believe that God is creating something new. God has not forgotten or forsaken you. Believe that you are loved!

Blessings!

Brian Ward

Renewal and the Holy Spirit

Last week, I returned from a vacation to Minnesota with my family. It was amazing! My kids got to spend plenty of time with their cousins and grandparents. We went fishing on a lake, and we picked black raspberries in the woods. The previous year, all our vacation plans were flipped upside down when we got Covid-19 right before we were supposed to leave. That trip wound up being cut down to a long weekend, and it made this year feel like such a blessing. We were able to cherish every drop, and we returned home feeling like we all had a new experience of love...

God's Love is an amazing gift. Christ sacrificed everything for us, and God wants you live in these blessings. Do you ever think about this kind of love? Personally, I spend way too much time looking at my own failures. I focus on all the things people don't like about me, and sometimes that can leave me feeling like God is good, but I am not...

Philippians 1:6 says:

    He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.

God wants us to be transformed by love. We are called to focus on the blessings that are given to us. As much as I love my calling as a Pastor, I also need time to get away. I need time with my family, and we need time to remind ourselves of the love that is always present. This is my hope for all of you. Even if you can't get out of town this year, I hope you can be intentional about looking for God's Blessings. You are loved. Your failures do not define you or own you. May you live in God's Love.

Blessings,

Pastor Brian