Love at the Heart of the Holiday Season

We have entered into a special time of year often called the "Holiday Season." Homes are decorated, calendars fill up with gatherings, the wonderful smell of food and there's a sense of anticipation in the air. But in the midst of all the activity, let's pause and ask ourselves an important question: What does this season mean to me? Is this time just about me and my comfort, or does it involve reaching out to others with the love of Christ?

The Gift of Family

In our Christian walk, we understand how deeply love binds us together as families. God created families to be a source of encouragement, comfort, and strength. Family is where we first experience God's love, and it's within this safe place that we can grow and thrive.

During the holiday season especially, we should learn to cultivate this love, ensuring it remains strong and unconditional—just as God's love is for us. The Bible calls us to express love not just in kind actions but also through words and support. Together, we can create families filled with love, resonating with God's grace.

What Love Looks Like

Paul reminds us in 1 Corinthians 13:4-7: "Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres."

These aren't just beautiful words—they're a practical guide for how we can love our families well during this busy season. What would it look like to be more patient with a frustrated child? To speak kind words to an exhausted spouse? To let go of past hurts and choose hope instead?

Making It Practical

Here are some simple ways to express love to your family this holiday season:

• Slow down together - Choose one evening to turn off devices, light some candles, and simply talk and listen to each other

• Serve as a family - Find a way to bless another family or individual in need together

• Speak life - Make it a daily practice to tell each family member something specific you appreciate about them

• Create space for others - Invite someone who might be alone during the holidays to join your family celebration

Beyond Our Four Walls

I want to encourage you to allow God to use you during this "Holiday Season" to enjoy and bless your immediate family as well as the families surrounding you. Let's take this time to love those around us as Jesus does. After all, we are the hands and feet and the mouth of Jesus in the earth!

This might mean inviting a lonely neighbor for dinner, checking in on an elderly church member, or simply offering a listening ear to someone who's struggling. When we extend love beyond our immediate circle, we reflect the heart of Christ who came to bring hope and peace to all.

This holiday season, let's make it about more than traditions and celebrations. Let's make it about love—the kind of love that changes hearts, strengthens families, and draws others to Jesus.

You are valuable, precious, special and important!!

Blessings, Pastor Danny

Dear Church Family,

As so much of our nation mourns the passing of a great modern-day martyr, Charlie Kirk, our prayer is for his precious family. We also pray that many more will rise up against the wokeness in the world around us. In Scripture we see when martyrs were killed, the word of God and the ministry increased exponentially!

We live in a nation where we've not really known true persecution for standing up for what is right. We've seen it in many other nations and countries, and this is now upon us in our nation.

In the midst of what we're seeing, there is one thing that never changes. We must always keep our eyes on Jesus. We must always be light and salt in and to the world around us. Jesus is definitely coming soon, and there's a harvest of souls that must first come in.

I want to encourage you today to stay in close communication with your heavenly Father, receive His strength, His wisdom, and His love so that we not grow hard and calloused, but be a beacon of light, hope, and strength to the world around us.

I want to encourage you today to keep your eyes on the Master, spend time daily with Him, and be ready to encourage and love the world around you!

You are valuable, precious, special and important!!

Blessings, Pastor Danny

Dear Church Family,

As so much of our nation mourns the passing of a great modern-day martyr, Charlie Kirk, our prayer is for his precious family. We also pray that many more will rise up against the wokeness in the world around us. In Scripture we see when martyrs were killed, the word of God and the ministry increased exponentially!

We live in a nation where we've not really known true persecution for standing up for what is right. We've seen it in many other nations and countries, and this is now upon us in our nation.

In the midst of what we're seeing, there is one thing that never changes. We must always keep our eyes on Jesus. We must always be light and salt in and to the world around us. Jesus is definitely coming soon, and there's a harvest of souls that must first come in.

I want to encourage you today to stay in close communication with your heavenly Father, receive His strength, His wisdom, and His love so that we not grow hard and calloused, but be a beacon of light, hope, and strength to the world around us.

I want to encourage you today to keep your eyes on the Master, spend time daily with Him, and be ready to encourage and love the world around you!

You are valuable, precious, special and important!!

Blessings, Pastor Danny

Dear Church Family,

As we just finished our annual Campmeeting, I am reflecting on all the wonderful moments and encounters we had—so rich! As your pastor, just seeing the special times of each of you getting ministered to blessed me so much. I'm excited to see the fruits from the special moments that touched all ages.

As you committed yourself to be faithful to these meetings, bringing your supply financially, spiritually, and physically, seeing God reward each of you is so very precious. I know in my own life, the time spent in God's presence was so uplifting, enlightening, and empowering! God truly showed up so richly through each one who ministered this year—divine appointments with the Master!

As we have been wonderfully refreshed and empowered, let's "RISE" higher than we have ever been! I'm already looking forward to next year's Campmeeting with great excitement!

Isaiah 60:1 - "Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord rises upon you!"

You are valuable, precious, special and important!!

Blessings, Pastor Danny

O my, 2025, can the New Year be here already!

What happened in 2024 is in our past and we are now looking forward!

That’s what is so cool with God as He knows the future and with Him, it’s always bright!!

I think about what Jeremiah 29 verse 11 in the Message bible says: I’ll show up and take care of you as I promised and bring you back home. I know what I’m doing. I have it all planned out—plans to take care of you, not abandon you, plans to give you the future you hope for.

Wow, what great hope we can have for the future when we know we have such a loving and kind God that has OUR FUTURE in mind!

I don’t know about you but I’m stoked about 2025! Let’s keep God #1 in our lives in everything we do and say and watch our Father work!!!

2025, our best year yet, our year to thrive!

Remember, you are valuable, precious, special and important!!!

Blessings Everyone!

As things are moving quickly through this year of 2024, it’s interesting to see how many people and businesses alike are going straight into the Christmas season and leaving out the very important Thanksgiving season!

I think it is so typical of our times and even humanity itself and we must remind ourselves the importance of being thankful, having a thankful heart and a thankful attitude!

If we aren’t careful, we can focus on things that sidetrack us from some very important issues and values in life like being thankful!

I’m not saying that Christmas isn’t important especially if the real meaning is remembered.  I’m saying that the importance of being thankful really cannot be overlooked if we are going to be a God follower!!!

It really is amazing how many times in scripture we are reminded and even commanded to be thankful, such as in Colossians 3:15 which says, “let the God of peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body, you are called to live in peace, and ALWAYS BE THANKFUL!”

Let’s together truly take the time to give God thanks and have a thankful heart for all the blessings that have come our way!

Remember, you are valuable, precious, special and important!!!

Blessings Everyone!

As we have been going through this series "Gods Who Compete" we have been looking at many different things and many different areas that constantly compete for our attention.  These are things that can readily pull us away from our Heavenly Father who deserves ALL of our attention.  

It is easy for us to get so wrapped up in things of the world around us with all the business of life and all of the activity that we experience each and every day!   

I think about Revelations 2:4-5, NLT, which says "I have this complaint against you.  You don't love me or each other as you did at first! Look how far you've fallen!  Turn back to me and do the works you did at first....."

Let's each make the decision to put our heavenly Father first, and keep Him first, in everything we do, say and think!  He loves us so much and has only good for each one of us in every area of our lives. He is absolutely good!!  We can't lose for winning with Him!

 
Don’t forget: You are valuable, precious, special and important!!!

Hello all!

This month we start a brand-new series called “Gods Who Compete”!

I’m really stoked about this new series as we drill down into the gods in this world that are constantly vying to be first place in our lives. I ask that you prepare your hearts to allow the Holy Spirit to speak to you and put His finger on anything that you need to change or do different!

Always remember, God wants to take us higher. He desires to build character in us and set us up for success!

The tough part about this is that sometimes change will require us to re-evaluate our friends base or those having influence on our lives. It is really important to associate with those who are already there where you want to go and are living as a very Christ centered example!

Let’s make the decision to step it up in our listening and obeying as He leads us into a higher place of victory!

Don’t forget: You are valuable, precious, special and important!!!