Do you ever feel spiritually exhausted? Like you’re living in a desert wasteland?
It could be due to devastating news, unexpected conflict, unrelenting sorrow or just the weightiness of life’s circumstances. It’s from that place of weariness that Psalm 63 was written. The heartbeat of this song isn’t a change of circumstances but a declaration of confidence in God’s extravagant, self-giving love. A love that satisfies and sustains, so much so the psalmist says it’s better than life itself. He wants you to say it too.

Pastor Daryn shares an exciting update on the Pastoral Residency.

In this life, trouble is unavoidable. Challenges come that wear us down and situations arise that can frustrate us endlessly. If we aren’t careful, these struggles can steal our joy and leave us bitter. That’s why we must intentionally choose to delight in God. Psalm 16 is both a prayer and a declaration of confidence, reminding us that God faithfully preserves us in both life and death.

What do you do when your whole world is caving in, when circumstances are spiraling out of control and some of your worst fears are beginning to come true? Where do you go when you feel alone, scared and unsure about the way forward? That is where Psalm 46 meets us. It’s a song of peace in the chaos, reminding us what is true about God and inviting us to take hold of it – especially when life is falling apart.

Have you ever felt spiritually dry - prayer feels hollow, worship becomes noise, and God seems distant? Psalm 42 and 43 give voice to that feeling. These two chapters form one song that expresses a heart divided, a voice singing of sorrow and hope. This song teaches us what to do when our heart aches for God and we can’t seem to find Him.

Are you feeling alone, forgotten, judged or misunderstood? Maybe someone who once stood by your side isn’t around anymore and you feel abandoned? 2 Timothy 4:9-22 is a refreshingly honest picture of the apostle Paul, at the end of his life, going through all of that and more. It’s in the chaos of circumstances he can’t control that he celebrates his deepest confidence - the presence and power of Jesus. He’s been pointing us to it the entire letter but now he holds it up one last time as if to say, “Jesus is why you can stand firm.”

One expression of disciple making is to walk with someone “ONE to ONE” through part of the Bible. But where do you begin? What if you don’t know all the answers to their questions? These are just a few of the questions we discussed as we walked through a passage of scripture in real time, breaking down what it might look like to do the same with someone else.

What motivates you to keep doing what God has called you to do? What compels you, especially when the journey is hard? 2 Timothy 4:1-8 is the apostle Paul’s final charge to his young apprentice Timothy essentially saying, “Are you ready? Are you prepared? It’s your turn now. Take the baton in your hand and keep running! Keep announcing the message about Jesus.” Paul knows he’s going to die so he shares what feels like the combination of a last will and testament and an epic battle scene speech. The result is a motivational force like no other meant to inspire and empower every follower of Jesus.