Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.  Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. (Romans 12: 1,2) Some research has indicated that an exercise consisting of imagining and writing about one’s best possible self increases various aspects of well-being (King, 2001; Boehm, Lyubomirsky, and Sheldon, 2011; Layous, … Read more

From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work. (Ephesian 4:16) Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved. (Acts 2: 46, 47) Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son … Read more

He put another parable before them, saying, “The kingdom of heaven is like a grain of mustard seed that a man took and sowed in his field.  It is the smallest of all seeds, but when it has grown it is larger than all the garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and make nests in its branches.” (Matthew 13:31, 32) When I was 10 and 11 or so, my family went and lived in England while my Dad was writing a book.  It was a really remarkable experience that I’m not sure … Read more

My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. (John 10:27) The Lord is my Shepherd; I shall not want.  (Psalm 23:1) Last week I was having coffee at a friend’s house.  Its one of my favourite places to visit.  My friend is one of these people that just lets you into her house, pours you a coffee, and lets you curl up and chat in one of her big armchairs by the woodstove.  She’ll even give me a blankie if I want it.  She runs a farm and last week there were new baby chicks … Read more

All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of their possessions was their own, but they shared everything they had. (Acts 4:22) On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jewish leaders, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” After he said this, he showed them his hands and side. The disciples were overjoyed when they saw the Lord. (John 20: 19,20) So. Last week, Former President of the United States, Donald Trump, announced … Read more

At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Who, then, is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” He called a little child to him, and placed the child among them.  And he said: “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever takes the lowly position of this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. And whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me. (Matthew 18: 1-5) Again, truly I tell you that if two of you on earth agree … Read more

And the LORD went before them by day in a pillar of cloud to lead the way, and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, so as to go by day and night. (Exodus 13:21) “Metanoia [repent], for the kingdom of heaven has come near.” (Matthew 4:17) “Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out.” (Acts 3:19) “John’s baptism was a baptism of metanoia [repentance]. He told the people to believe in the one coming after him, that is, in Jesus.” (Acts 19:4) This week marks the fourth anniversary of … Read more

16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. 18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son. 19 This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. 20 Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the … Read more

And God spoke all these words: 2 “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery. 3 “You shall have no other gods before me.  (Exodus 20: 1-3)   After he was raised from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this; and they believed the scripture and the word that Jesus had spoken. (John 2: 22)   So. This week a Chat and Chew, one of the participants; whose name I won’t tell you because what happens at Chat n Chew stays at Chat n Chew, came armed … Read more

A rose by any other name would smell as sweet.  (William Shakespeare ‘Romeo and Juliet). No longer will you be called Abram; your name will be Abraham, for I have made you a father of many nations. (Genesis 17:5).  But now, thus says the LORD, who created you, Jacob, and formed you, Israel: Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name: you are mine. When you pass through waters, I will be with you; through rivers, you shall not be swept away. (Isaiah 43: 1-4) Back when I was in my late teens, I … Read more