Springwell Sundays

Anytime you’re trying to do something really good, something for others, it seems that there is always opposition.  Even in the Bible, it seems that everyone who ever attempted anything for God faced opposition.  Adam and Eve had the serpent.  Moses had Pharaoh.  David had Goliath. Sometimes the greatest opposition we face is inside our own heads. That’s why we need to keep our...

There is probably something that bothers you when you see it…maybe some injustice. Nehemiah's heart broke for the plight of his people. What burdens you? What hurts your heart when you see it? That thing that tends to upset you will often be the thing that drives you to do something on behalf of someone else.

Have you ever thrown up your hands and said, “I just can’t do this anymore!”  What is your struggle? What are you looking at that breaks your heart? Whatever your struggle might be, our prayer is that through this series, as we look at the Nehemiah, you’ll find the strength and energy to keep on keeping on.

There has never been nor will there ever be, a greater show on earth than this one. For this great show…this spectacle…this public display of the awesome power and love of God, Mary Magdalene had a front-row seat. If you have wondered what all the fuss about Easter is, well, this is it!  The resurrection of Jesus!

Faith is a decision and a hope, more than something we can always see. Faith is a pre-decision. Let's learn to say, "So what?" when life throws us tough times.

What started as a blessing now seems more like a curse. What you prayed for now seems like something you should've never even wished for. Sometimes blessings come with their own set of problems. How do we move past the problems and trust God's promises?

It doesn't make sense! How many times do we find ourselves saying this about situations and circumstances we find ourselves in? Even when what's happening doesn't make sense, God still has a plan. We have to learn to trust it.

Fears, concerns, cautions, whatever you call them, can cause us to run for our lives. Other fears can paralyze us and stop us dead in our tracks…we can’t move…we’re afraid to step out and take a chance. So, we sit in the window and watch. This is what Paul was talking about when he wrote to a young pastor named Timothy.

Life is uncertain. Whether in the business world or personal…life can be uncertain. But when life gets hard, or you feel discouraged, don’t shrink back. Don’t just play it safe. God has something for you and needs you to keep walking by faith.

Logic tells us that it’s not safe to get close to or truly connect with people. We’re more likely to get hurt or be taken advantage of if we engage. David danced in the street and became…vulnerable. Being vulnerable feels like you’re putting yourself in a position of weakness. But, where there is great risk, there can also be great reward.

The best way to build family relationships is by making memories. Memories don't have to be based on distance traveled, money spent, or perfect photographs. Memories are created when we take advantage of the moments that our family shares together.

We live in a world of quick text messages and attention-grabbing headlines. It's easy for us to make assumptions about events and people when we're only getting part of the story or our communication is bad. Making assumptions and failing to communicate affects relationships, friends, and most importantly, families.

Divorce, death, remarriage - they can all be a part of life. Moving forward after the loss of a spouse can seem unbearable, but there is hope. Life doesn’t have to end after great loss. A new start is possible. How do we navigate remarriage and becoming a blended family, God’s way? How do we navigate becoming a partner again? How do we navigate raising children in a blended family?

Hearing God speak is one of a Christian's greatest gifts. The problem is that many of us are confused and unsure of how to even hear Him when He speaks. How do we open up our ears to hear His voice on a daily basis? It's really simple when you're willing to wait on Him to speak.

God cares about life here on earth. And a better life here will always boil down to relationships… always. Our differences don't have to divide us. God has welcomed the people around us with open arms and embraced all of us as members of his family because Jesus has given his life for each of us on the cross.

God dealt with our sin problem and provided a way for us to be righteous in His sight, and actually set us free from the power of sin.  Now, He wants us to live the few short years we have here on planet earth for Him rather than for our own selfish interests.

What is Christianity? The Gospel or the “Good News” may not have made much sense to you in the past. So, let's talk about what it really means and what we can truly believe in.

Things are rarely as they appear. There's usually a deeper issue behind what's bothering us and more behind what holds us back. With God, we have hope when we face what we don't understand. We need eyes to look behind what we see and see what it actually is.

This time of year, it's easy to only focus on Jesus being an infant in a manger. However, He is so much more: He is I AM. Ultimately, our lives change when we understand that I AM > i am.

So an angel appears to Mary and tells her that she will miraculously, as a virgin, conceive and give birth to the Son of God.  Now that is an interruption! And how would she explain this pregnancy to Joseph?  If we are not careful, our response to an interruption can send us down the wrong path.  Joseph nearly went down the wrong path.

We often look to the Christmas season to be a time of perfect peace, harmony, and joy.  But the first Christmas was not that way.  It was one interruption and after another. Let's look at the Innkeeper and the interruption in his very busy day. Don't miss the miraculous in the midst of the ordinary.

What do they really think of me? If I'm not like that, will they still love me? Our fear of others and what they think can cripple our lives and rob us of the freedom we have in Christ. Let's learn to live in the freedom we were meant for!

By nature, we want more, we want better, we want faster, we want newer…and we want it now.  However, experts say that gratitude unlocks generosity, and makes you encouraged and thankful.  Gratitude really can change your perspective on life! Let's talk about how.

We’ve all been hurt by someone, no doubt…that’s life.  But what about when you’re the offender?  What about when you’re the one who lied, disappointed or betrayed someone?  We are talking about what to do when we are the person who has hurt or wronged someone else.

So, we have all had some hurt and some pain in our past or in our present. We need to learn how to forgive.  Why in the world should I forgive someone who hurt me or hurt someone I love? Let's talk about it.