November always feels a bit like a Thursday to me …  We’ve just had Wednesday (October), and now we are eagerly anticipating Friday (December), but we still have to make it through Thursday (November) … and not just make it through, but many of us find November to be the time when most of the planning for December happens. It can actually be an overwhelming time of year.   Last week, I asked God if he had a word for us as we head into this season, and he replied with two word

Friendship is hard! More people live alone today than ever before. And the older you get, the more difficult it becomes! And yet the reality is that loneliness is all around us: in the shows we watch, in the news, and in our workplace. And the data says that we will all experience it at some point in our lives. The truth is – loneliness is dangerous for our health and well-being. Vivek Murthy, the former United States Surgeon General, tells the story of one of his patients wh

As for us, we have all of these great witnesses who encircle us like clouds. So we must let go of every wound that has pierced us and the sin we so easily fall into. Then we will be able to run life’s marathon race with passion and determination, for the path has been already marked out before us. Hebrews 12:1 (TPT) We all have them: insecurities.  Some are loud and obvious, like the voice that says, “You’re not smart enough” or “You’ll never get this right.” Others si

Here is the slumbering Christ, stirring to be awakened, to become the soul we clothe in earthly form and action. And He is within us all. Thomas Kelly (1893-1941)  A mentor of mine loved to tell this parable from the Desert Fathers (early Christian monks), and it offers a thought-provoking entry point as we reflect on the big word “sanctification” this weekend. There was a monastery that had fallen upon hard times. Once a great order, as a result of waves of anti-monastic pe

How to Fix Your Family (Hint: You Can’t —But Jesus Can) For many of us, the desire to “fix” our families runs deep. Maybe your home feels tense, strained, or disconnected. Maybe there’s a long history of wounds, or more silence than conversation. Maybe you feel like a failure as a parent (most of us feel like failures as parents), a spouse, or a child. It’s natural to want to make things right. But here’s the truth: We can’t fix our families . Not on our own. And the good new

Advent (from a Latin word for “coming”) is a season of waiting and anticipation. This Christmas we will, like we do every December, remember the first coming of God to planet Earth. But as soon as we box up our manger scenes and flip the calendar, our anticipation will shift to the second coming of God to planet Earth—which, considering the unravelling of our globe, seems long overdue! Christians are not strangers to waiting. You know, we don’t usually hope for what we alread

Marriage is a sacred journey—one filled with joy, companionship, and love, but also with challenges, misunderstandings, and seasons of struggle. Every couple, no matter how strong their bond, will experience times of conflict and disappointment. However, the key to building a lasting and fulfilling marriage is grace—the ability to offer unconditional love, forgiveness, and understanding, even when it’s difficult. But how do we create space for grace in marriage? How do we cul

When I found out my baby was due on October 24, 2017, I breathed a sigh of relief. "Phew," I thought. "At least he won't be born on Halloween and there's a whole week between his birthday and Halloween so that he won't have to have costume parties for the rest of his life."  On October 28, in a deeply uncomfortable state, being 40 weeks and 4 days pregnant, I went to the doctor and made a plan to get induced on October 30. This worked for me because at least it was a day re

What is Worship? I love our weekend services at FAC. I love seeing people connect with each other. I love watching people serve in the café, welcoming each other as greeters, or leading kids in DiscoveryLand. Personally, I love working with our musicians, making great music, and listening to all of us sing together. Yes - I love it when we worship together. It’s one of the primary reasons why I’m your Music Pastor. And that’s exactly the language I typically use to describe

Hot take: self-care isn’t biblical. Wait! Before you leave this page and disown me, just hear me out. I’m all for making choices that facilitate spiritual, physical, mental, and emotional health. And yes, I love a relaxing bath, getting a massage, going for walks … all those good things! But I started to feel this nudge in my heart a while ago; I began to wonder how biblical the culture of self-care really is. At least, in the way society paints it. “Self” culture is all ar

We're beginning a new teaching series at FAC called ‘ I Believe ’. We'll learn about the history, theological depth and spiritual relevance of the ancient declaration called the Apostles' Creed. For centuries, Christians of various traditions have recited the Creed, but it's more than a series of cleverly crafted statements. It's a declaration of our faith and addresses some of the questions that life throws at us today. So let's take some time to consider a few of these stat

"I'm gonna get a new tattoo … black and stretching around my arm." In high school, I heard these lyrics in a song, and when someone says they’re getting a new tattoo, those lyrics come to mind. It was also in high school that the idea of getting tattoos started to take root, and then at 17, I got my first one (no, it wasn’t black and stretching around my arm). I remember sitting around a fire one night with a group of friends from youth group. The topic of tattoos came up, a

We all know a story like Chuck Frye’s. Chuck was a gifted and bright young man who excelled in his studies and was accepted into medical school. During his first year, he made a selfless decision. He wanted to make a difference in this world. Instead of pursuing a lucrative practice in the States, he would serve the less fortunate overseas. God’s hand seemed to be upon his life; it looked like he would do big things. But Chuck started to feel tired near the end of his first y

When Tina and I dedicated Seth to the Lord, it was a profound moment … we were holding a miracle in our arms. We were giving back to God what He’d entrusted to us. It was amazing to see and feel the support of family and friends – to know we aren’t doing life alone in our journey to raise Seth in the ways of the Lord. Life is a journey, and we are not alone. There’s something about gathering together in community and dedicating our children to the Lord. Child dedication is a