Dayspring Fellowship Podcasts

"Back in the old days..."  These days, I'm becoming one of those who grew up in the old days! In the 'old days' we rode around town in the bed of grandpa's truck, rode our bikes, scooters, and skateboards with no helmets, elbow or knee pads; we drank right out of the garden hose, and went on family road trips without even thinking about wearing a seat belt. Those things and so many more would be c...

According to  dictionary.com , the definition of 'significance' is the quality of being worthy of attention. Every person is imbued with a God-given thirst for significance. We long to know that not only are we worthy of attention, but that we have purpose, we make a difference, that we matter. Our culture tells us that popularity and influence are the measuring sticks by which our worthiness is a...

"I can't get no satisfaction. Gonna try and I try and I try..." Those lyrics were written by Mick Jagger and Keith Richards back in 1965. And from what little I know about their lives, I'm not sure they ever found it. There is a hunger in the soul of every person that demands to be satisfied. And there are a myriad of options that humanity has used to attempt to fill the void. It might be food, sh...

I love a good jigsaw puzzle. It's a different kind of challenge for my brain -- which I find both fun and relaxing. But have you ever heard of a Shmuzzle? It's a jigsaw puzzle of a whole 'nother kind. It's one of those puzzles where every piece is the same basic shape. So there are endless ways the pieces can fit together, but just because you can make a piece fit, doesn't mean it belongs there! A...

We're in the middle of a sermon series we've titled, Identity Crisis: Becoming Who We Are, Together In Christ. We're exploring the God-given longings we all experience and how those longings can truly be satisfied -- in intimate relationship with Jesus, and within the context of healthy community. We've already talked about the longing for attention and affection; this week, we'll look at the need...

This is week two of our new sermon series, Identity Crisis: Becoming Who We Are, Together In Christ. We're exploring the God-given longings we all experience and how, in intimate relationship with Jesus, and in the context of healthy community,  those longings can be most deeply and fully met. This week we'll look at the longing for affection. We often think of affection as physical attention... h...

There are longings deep within every soul. They have been placed there intentionally; designed by our Creator for our flourishing. Each longing is intended to be fulfilled in our relationship with God. But something has gone awry.  For each holy longing, the enemy of our souls has crafted a cultural counterfeit, a lie that warps our longings and drives us to seek satisfaction in something less tha...

The first time I ever received an Amber Alert on my cellphone, I was just about to see a play at the Keller Auditorium in Portland. It took me a minute to figure out what it was, and then a few more to turn it off! Amber Alerts are still used across the United States and internationally. As of December 2024, the system has helped aid in the successful recovery 0f 1,268 children. Now, you know how...

In the Old Testament, a watchman's job was to stand guard in a tower or on a city wall to detect any impending threat, like an approaching army or storm, and then alert the city inhabitants to take shelter or prepare to defend their city. The Old Testament prophets served as spiritual watchmen, warning people of sin and calling them to repentance. Whether providing physical or spiritual exhortatio...

"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness." - United States Declaration of Independence It sounds so simple, so good, doesn't it? I mean, this is it... the foundational idea behind the establishment of the United States. That we all...

Did you ever succumb to the late-night spiels of infomercial pitchmen like Billy Mays? Billy was the enthusiastic promoter of products like Oxi-Clean, Orange Glo, and Kaboom, among others. Or maybe you gave in to the Ginsu knife, Snuggie or Shamwow sales pitch. But wait… there’s MORE! Or maybe, there’s not. Sometimes things do deliver and you get exactly what you bargained for. But there are also...

I've always been a planner. I like routines and knowing what to expect. My dad however,  liked to change things up. I remember as a kid, driving home after being in town. From my perspective, there was a 'right' way to get home. But dad took a different route. "Where are we going?" I asked. "Home" he replied. "But this isn't the way home, " I said. He responded gently, "We're taking the scenic rou...

"The math ain't mathin'." It's the trendy way to say that things aren't making sense... they're not adding up - kind of like the way 'new math' makes no sense to those of us with old brains.  In Isaiah 55:8 we read, "My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts," says the Lord. And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine." It's understandable that Jesus' disciples would struggle with the F...

Have you ever experienced déjà vu? The French phrase, meaning "already seen" is described as a phenomenon of feeling like one has lived through the present situation in the past... like you've been here before... except you haven't.  That's kinda the sense we get as we come to Mark chapter 8 in our series Upside Down Kingdom: The Gospel According to Mark. Once again, we find stories of famished fo...

We are about mid-way through summer and also at the halfway point in our summer sermon series, Upside Down Kingdom: The Gospel According to Mark. This week we're in Mark chapter 7, where we find Jesus going head-to-head with the Pharisees. And once again, they are more than a bit peeved at Jesus and His disciples. Apparently, Jesus & company are exhibiting blatant disregard for the Jewish laws...

“There's no place like home. There's no place like home. There's no place like home.” Dorothy Gale That classic line from the movie, The Wizard of Oz, has become iconic - representing the familiarity and comfort of home. As Dorothy wakes up in her own bed at the end of the movie, still murmuring those words, it reinforces the meaning of coming back to a place of safety, where you are known, loved...

“Expect the unexpected.” You've heard that said before, haven't you? And yet, we all seem to carry around a boatload of expectations... Expectations that people and things will do and go the way we expect them to do and go! And when they don't? Well, it can create a lot of chaos. But that's not necessarily a bad thing. As we come to our study in the gospel of Mark this week, we find Jesus continui...

Whispers are subtle, gentle, subdued. But they can also be powerful... if you lean in and really listen! As we come to our study in the gospel of Mark this week, we find Jesus interacting with His followers in a new way - a quiet, gentle and unexpected way. A way that was designed to make you lean in and pay attention. But not everyone was ready or willing to listen.  I invite you to join us this...

The Chosen has become an international sensation. It's available in more than 50 different languages, in countries all around the world. And whether you know what it's about or not, doesn't the title alone pique your interest? I mean, don't we all want to be chosen?  Humans are wired for belonging. We're designed for community. We all want to be desired, known, and loved... to be chosen. We are ab...

Do you remember life before cell phones? Or email or the internet? Did you ever use traveler's checks or money orders? How about cameras? Kodak Brownie? Instamatic? Polaroid? 35mm?  Change is inevitable. And often, it's beneficial! Yet many, if not most of us resist change, even when what's new is better than the old. Change is uncomfortable. In fact, if doing something new or trying a new way doe...

Everyone knows... Humpty Dumpty had a problem. He was broken beyond repair. Scrambled beyond saving. Not even the most capable of men could put the pieces back together and restore him to wholeness. As we come to our study in Mark's gospel this week, we find Jesus engaging with the broken in His world. And the good news for them, and for us, is that He is more than capable of bringing healing and...

Summertime is made for adventure. And adventure comes in a myriad of flavors. Perhaps you like your adventures Disney-flavored. Or maybe you prefer outdoorsy adventures... camping, water skiing, or hiking in the mountains. Perhaps beach vibes are more your style. The feel of sand between your toes, playing tag with the ocean, and the salty breeze on your skin. As the school year comes to a close,...

We are wrapping up our series "Don't Call Me a Christian - When the Label Doesn't Match the Life" this Sunday. Over the past month, we've been looking deeply at the differences between cultural Christianity and being a committed Christ-follower. Along the way, we've considered the implications that believing in Jesus has for our lives. Because believing is more than just an intellectual assent to...

"What's on your list today?" Anybody remember that ad slogan from years ago? Do you hear the implication in the question? You have a list - of one kind or another. Perhaps it is a grocery list. Or maybe it's a bucket list, a wish list, a to-do list or a honey-do list. Kids make their Christmas lists, hoping they'll be in the 'Nice' column on Santa's list! There are Top Ten lists, Top 100 lists, Al...

According to the internet, a "comfort zone" is a place - physical or psychological - where a person feels safe, known, in control, with minimal stress or anxiety. We all have those places and a lot of us do all we can to make sure we don't have to go out of them! In our culture, being comfortable is synonymous with life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. And who doesn't want that? But is that...