I’ve felt a little uneasy lately. There isn’t a singular cause, per se... just a lot of little things. Take the weather. With the unseasonably warm temps lasting the past many months, I can find myself thinking, “We really are all going to die from global warming. The glaciers are going to melt and kill us all." Or add the high winds that leave us frazzled for days on end. My fears of a blazing wildfire wiping out all of Windsor start to spiral! Or take the war in Iran...perhaps we will get nuked! On top of chasing those troubling thoughts from my mind, we have personal circumstances that cause unrest. We are in the process of moving. Something about packing up all our worldly possessions (i.e., way too much stuff), relocating to an unfamiliar home, and the hassle of it all can leave me way too focused on things that are temporary.

Charles Spurgeon once advised, "Hold everything earthly with a loose hand, but grasp eternal things with a death-like grip". What a perspective-changing reminder! In our women’s Revelation study, we have been considering the eternality of God. How very comforting to remember “Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord God Almighty! Who was, who is, and who is to come!” (Revelation 4:8). Our sovereign God may allow tragedy. But our hope is in what lies beyond here and now! We will worship Him FOREVER...the struggles of this world will fade away when we behold Him in all His Glory!. So I can calm my uneasiness and my “what-ifs” with truth. When all is said and done, those of us who have trusted Christ for our salvation will be redeemed from this earthly body, lifted from this earthly world to worship the Almighty endlessly! Hallelujah! Let the wind blow!

The other morning, I got up and was hungry. I don’t eat much for breakfast usually, but this morning, for some reason, I was craving something. I searched the refrigerator and found only two-day-old pizza. I opened the pantry and found a box of Cheerios, but not enough for a meal. And we had no milk. My search continued, and the only feasible option for a morning meal was a packet of instant oatmeal. I was disappointed to say the least, but I heated some water and made a boring bowl of instant oatmeal.

As I sat and consumed my instant mush, I began to think more about what I did have and less about what I didn’t. I have a home that is warm. An amazing wife who loves me, and great kids who love and serve Jesus. I have an incredible church family that makes Jesus non-ignorable together in Northern Colorado at the doorstep of some of the most amazing countryside imaginable. The sun was coming up on another day that God has graciously given me to not only enjoy all that He has provided, but He has also given me this day to experience the joy in knowing Him. My pity turned to a heart of thankfulness.

I heard a quote the other day that goes like this. “If you don’t have anything to give, give thanks.” It is easy for us to get caught up in the things we don’t have, and that has a way of blinding us to the things we do have, which is abundantly more than we really need. It is good sometimes to sit over a bowl of instant oatmeal and just thank God for who He is and what He has given to us. Oh, the power of a bowl of instant oatmeal. What can you be thankful for today?

Not every day is an easy day.

I have loved this pre-launch season for Calvary 85. Plugging in to the community, putting together an overview of the Bible class for Life Group, but my favorite part has been participating in meetings with other pastors and church leaders. From Thursday morning Loaf/Elders meetings to the monthly hub meetings with other church planters in our association, it has been a blessing to come alongside many brothers who just love me well.
However, yesterday was different. As many of you know, Gracie and I have 2 under 2, and that means the kiddos get to come to a lot of meetings with me. This has never been an issue; in fact, I have loved the encouragement from others in bringing them with me on this journey of church planting, but yesterday was hard. I went down to Englewood for the monthly CFC pastor gathering, and just like the past few months, I had the kids with me - and I came prepared! Books, snacks, extra milk, blankets, extra diapers, everything that I could think of, I packed so that this meeting could be as smooth as possible. And 15 minutes into the meeting, JT starts to get frustrated.

This continued for the next hour. I put him down, he starts crying, I pick him up, he starts crying, I give him his drink, his snack, his toys, everything I tried to do just led to more frustration for both of us. I ended up spending the entire meeting in the back room, bouncing back in every 10 minutes to adjust Lila-Rae’s bottle, trying not to interrupt or distract the meeting. And then the meeting ends, we normally have lunch together, and JT is screaming. I hit my breaking point, I was embarrassed, frustrated, and holding back tears. I shake a couple of hands, apologize, and get out of there as quickly as possible.

But even before I got to my car, I had brothers checking in on me, sending me texts of encouragement. My dear friend, Pastor Josh, called and reminded me that not all days are easy. These are not the days that we cling to for motivation for tomorrow, but they are days that remind us just how much we need to lean on the Lord, and how blessed we are to live in a community of grace!

So this is my encouragement: not every day is easy, but on those hard days, lean into the body of believers God has placed around you. We are called to bear one another's burdens, and I am so glad that I have people who help me carry mine.

In his book, Instruments in the Redeemer’s Hands, Paul David Tripp recalls a boy’s reaction to another student in his class who was celebrating her birthday. Her mom had gone all out. Each child’s desk held a ribbon-tied bag of party favors, and on each chair was tied a beautiful balloon within a balloon. The whole room had been transformed into a birthday kingdom! And the birthday girl’s space had a mountain of gifts. But the boy, who stared at her pile with jealousy, started to become the center of attention as his pouting lip protruded and his humphing grew louder and louder. Soon, another mom came over to him, turned him to face her, and kindly reminded him that it’s not his party.

“So it is with the grand story of the Bible… at the center of the story is the Lord. It is his story. Sin causes us to steal the story and rewrite it with ourselves as the lead, and with our lives at center stage. Sin has made us glory robbers. We do not suffer well, because suffering interferes with our glory. We do not find relationships easy, because others compete with us for glory. We do not serve well, because in our quest for glory, we want to be served. But the story of Scripture is the story of the Lord's glory. It calls me to an agenda that is bigger than myself. The Redeemer has come so that glory thieves would joyfully live for the glory of Another. There is no deeper personal joy and satisfaction than to live committed to his glory.”

Romans 11: 36 “For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen.”  May that be our resounding Amen as we wake each morning and walk throughout the day that God has ordained for us. May we all remember: it’s His story that we are living out, for His glory, and not for ours.

My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.  Psalms 73:26

Do you ever feel worn out? Maybe it is just the mundane 9-to-5 that makes you weary. Maybe you are losing the fight against the ever-growing laundry basket. Or maybe the dishes never stop piling up. There is always something around the house that needs fixing. There always seems to be more month than paycheck. Or maybe you are feeling weary over a strained relationship. Maybe you are battling the frustration caused by injustice in this broken world. Maybe you are battling the temptation of sin, and it just seems so hard. The truth is, we all grow weary for some reason or another, and it can seem overwhelming at times. But there is hope for a weary soul.

Psalm 73 is a Psalm of Asaph, and he is weary. He is frustrated at how it seems the wicked prosper, yet the righteous suffer. But about halfway through the psalm, the tone changes. He says when he was brutish and ignorant The Lord took his hand and reminded him that he was loved by God. It says that God holds his right hand, guides him in counsel, and will receive him in glory. He had a change of perspective.
 
Sometimes we need a change of perspective as well. The truth is, we do get weary and times do get hard, but we have one who takes our right hand and is with us and reminds us that we too are blessed, not because of what we can accomplish, but because of what Jesus has done for us. It is a reminder that weariness is temporary and the things that cause it are not greater than Christ’s power.

I love the last verse of the psalm. But for me, it is good to be near God; I have made the Lord GOD my refuge, that I may tell of all your works.  Psalms 73:28. When weariness comes, we should draw near to God because He delights in being our refuge, and He is an all-sufficient refuge. And we get a tip on fighting weariness in the final words of the psalm. We are to tell of God’s works. When we tell not only others, but also ourselves, of how God works, it seems to make those things that cause weariness a lot more insignificant. 

It’s over a week into February, and for many of us, our New Year's resolutions feel like a thing from the past. The zeal and vigor for who we want to be in 2026 has fizzled out as we come face to face with the stronghold of old habits and our own inabilities. We could sure use re-ignition right about now! But before we look within ourselves and attempt to muster up another dose of motivation, maybe we should take a moment to ask ourselves where true transformation comes from.

“The posture of humility positions us to be used by God.” This was a quote from Pastor Josh’s sermon last week, and it really hit me hard. Ultimately, what defines a successful year, or a “better me,” should come back to the ways I have been used by God recently. If I check off all the things from my personal bucket list and have failed to place myself as an instrument in the Lord’s hands, then what was it all for anyway? Maybe instead of counting on personal dreams and drive to produce change in my life, I need to admit my own inability and come with a heart humbled and surrendered to the Lord, asking that He accomplish His will in my life. The thing about re-ignition is that it requires an external force to spark a flame. Join me in asking God to set a fire in us for His kingdom and His glory.  

Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Philippians 2:3-4 

How often do we find ourselves being examples of Christ’s humility? This question has lingered in my mind since Josh’s sermon on Sunday. This idea of selflessness can be hard for our sinful nature to grasp - let alone live out. Yet, God calls us to live out HIS example of humility rather than the world’s version of it. By submitting to Jesus and His will for our lives, we begin to experience freedom from the burden of self-exaltation.

As many of you know, I have been covering for Tina during her sabbatical, which has given me newfound respect for her. I never understood how much she contributes to our church until I stepped into her shoes. Those of you who have had the privilege of knowing Tina understand that she embodies grace in all her ways, and everything she does is clearly and sincerely for the glory of God. She is so great at what she does and does it so joyfully that many of us may not even see the load she carries.

I never saw myself stepping into this role, but I believe God has placed me here for my good and His glory. This role has brought me an immense amount of joy, but it has also come with challenges. As I listened to Josh’s sermon, I gained a new perspective on how I should obey where God has placed me in this season. Scripture tells us that God desires willing hearts, not just forced actions, and the goal is to reflect His character and love. We must reframe our work, whether it is in ministry or not, as kingdom participation. What we see as mundane, God sees as a labor of joy for the betterment of others. How can we start to see it that way, too?

I pray as you go about your week that you would remember that God created us for the purpose of building His Kingdom through all things - even the mundane. (Ephesians 2:10) Church, thank you for allowing me to love on your kids and for trusting me to take on this role until Tina’s return. 

Therefore, welcome one another as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God. Romans 15:7

This past Sunday was awesome! I love our baptism Sundays. It is always encouraging when believers share what Jesus has done for them and how they came to faith in Him. One part stood out to me as Lindsey shared her story. She shared how Pastor Andy had responded to her Facebook post about a church in the area and invited her to join us, and how Gracie was kind enough not let her be alone on her first Sunday. As we shared a meal together, I was more encouraged to see families sitting with other families and getting to know them. This is what the body of Christ should be about.

The truth is, we all walk in the doors with some degree of brokenness and struggles. Our sin weighs us down. The world has often just beaten us up over the past week. But we should be able to gather as believers, broken as we are, and worship the One who has Paid It All! What a glorious thing.
 
None of us deserves forgiveness, yet Jesus welcomes us into His goodness and grace, and we should do the same to others. If you are reading this, I want to challenge you in a few ways to follow Jesus’ example and obey God’s Word. Take the initiative to welcome others. Don’t wait to be welcomed. If someone comes to worship alone, they should not be alone for long. If a new person comes, they should be a priority. You know how nervous it can be experiencing church service for the first time, so let’s make it easier for new people. If there is someone you don’t know at our worship service, be proactive and go meet them. And finally, find a way to encourage at least two people every Sunday. We all could use some encouragement. There is a reason we don’t have a welcoming team, and that is because it is everyone’s responsibility.
 
Notice what Paul says in Romans 15:7. When we welcome others, it brings glory to God! Let’s be a church known for welcoming people, no matter how different or broken. After all, we too were different and broken, and Jesus welcomes us with arms wide open.

Tuesday’s are my favorite night of the week.

What is your favorite night of the week? Some say Friday, as we get ready for our packed weekend schedule. Others may say Wednesday because it symbolizes that you are already halfway through your busy week. In fact, I could come up with an argument for almost any day of the week, but mine has to be Tuesday nights.
 
This is not because my favorite TV show airs on Tuesdays, or because by Tuesday night my mind is finally ready to move on to the upcoming week, but because Tuesday night is Life Group Night at the Rodriguez Household! There is something special about gathering with other followers of Christ, and we meet in each other’s homes!

Here at Calvary Severance, Life Groups are pivotal in our health as a church body. We ask tough questions, pray for one another, encourage one another, and share meals, birthdays, and anniversaries with one another. There is even a life group in our church that has been meeting regularly since before Calvary Severance was fully established.
 
If you have been attending Calvary Severance for years, or just a few weeks, and have not attended a Life Group, you need to. It is one of the easiest ways to connect authentically (which happens to be one of our core values).

We would love to have you at our life group as we walk through an overview of the Bible this semester on Tuesday nights at 6:30.

Acts 2:42-47
And they devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. And awe[d] came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles. And all who believed were together and had all things in common. And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need. And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.

For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. - Hebrews 4:12

The year 2025 is pretty much in the books, and 2026 is here. I know most of us have some great aspirations for the coming new year. You may already have that gym membership that you will use for the first three days of the year. Or maybe you are meal prepping for the first week of that diet that will be compromised at a point of weakness. Or you have some other promise you are making yourself that, although with really good intentions, you probably will not keep.

I am not a big fan of New Year's Resolutions, probably because I have made similar commitments and felt defeated when I struggled to keep them. However, I want to encourage you in one commitment in the coming year. Read your Bible. This is a commitment or resolution worth striving for and is not completely defeated if you miss a day or two or even a week. Like other resolutions, it can be a struggle to get going and keep it, but it is easier than you think. Let me offer some tips.

• Don’t be overambitious. Commit to a reasonable amount each day. Maybe it is a chapter of a book or 15-20 minutes. I have found that smaller amounts of scripture allow me to really study the passage better. 
• Commit to reading with others. Maybe you find someone to read through with you, and you share what you have discovered. There is great accountability in this. 
• Read with pen and paper. Note-taking is such a great tool when Bible reading. Get a journaling Bible or just a good notebook to keep notes. You can also ask Pastor Andy about his Walk With Jesus class- that is a great help in Bible reading. 
• Take advantage of Bible-reading programs. These are great at helping keep you on track to read through the entire Bible in a year. But don’t give up if you get behind. It’s ok if you don’t finish on time. The point is that you are reading. Here is a link to some great reading plans.
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I pray you are the person who hits the gym regularly this year or sticks to that diet to get those chiseled abs. But more than that, I pray that we are a church that delights in God’s Word regularly, that shapes and forms our lives. Happy New Year. 

One of my favorite Christmas carols is "I Heard the Bells".  Written on Christmas Day 1863 in the midst of the American Civil War, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow speaks candidly of the brokenness and human suffering that result from man's fall into sin:

"It was as if an earthquake rent / The hearth-stones of a continent."
"And with the sound / The carols drowned."
"And in despair I bowed my head / 'There is no peace on earth,' I said;
'For hate is strong, / And mocks the song
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!'"

Though our circumstances vastly differ from Longfellow's, it's not difficult to resonate with his words. The brokenness of sin has left cannonball craters in our lives, too. And, while I don't fully comprehend this, Christmas Day has an almost mystical ability to amplify not only the joys of what we've been given but also the sorrows of what we've lost.

Yet there is overwhelming hope in the midst of this sorrow.
To be clear, there's no hope in ignoring the pain, pretending it's not there. There is no hope in the dopamine hit of self-medicating through buying things or food or drink.

Doubtless reflecting upon the tragic loss of his wife two years earlier and the real danger his son was in on the battlefield, Longfellow clung to that only true hope:

"Then pealed the bells more loud and deep:
'God is not dead, nor doth He sleep;
The Wrong shall fail, / The Right prevail,
With peace on earth, good-will to men.'"

Sin, Satan, and Death lost their war of cosmic treason upon the cross of Jesus Christ, and the brokenness caused by their fury has an expiration date. Right has a name, and He will prevail. There is no pain that a billion years (or even an instant) in the presence of Jesus cannot redeem. As another poet, Thomas Moore, wrote, "Earth has no sorrow that heaven cannot heal.”

So, acknowledge the real brokenness in your life and in the world this week. Then rejoice! Christ has come! Christ has died! Christ is risen! And Christ is coming again to take us into His New Creation!

Therefore, encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.  -1 Thessalonians 5:11

I am not sure if you realize this or not, but Christmas is just over a week away. I am sure there are many of us who struggle with acquiring that perfect gift for others. I love giving meaningful gifts, and I love receiving meaningful gifts. But meaningful gifts are hard sometimes. We all have received gifts that were, well, not so meaningful.

I remember when I was a kid, every year my grandparents would give my brother and me a sweater that we would never wear, a bottle of cologne that was my grandfather’s favorite, and a box of chocolate candy. We always looked forward to the chocolate candy! My brother and I knew the heart behind these gifts, and we did appreciate them, but they just didn’t really know what else to get us.

I think we all struggle with the same thing my grandparents did, so I am here to help. The gift of encouragement is an easy one, and I have not met a person who did not value and appreciate that gift, and it is so easy to give. It is a one-size-fits-all, costs very little, requires little effort, and is one that everyone needs. All it takes is a kind thank you or a recognition of someone's talent, care, or sacrifice. Maybe it is just a text message telling someone how much you appreciate them or a conversation encouraging someone in their walk with Jesus.

I love what Paul says in 1 Thessalonians about encouraging others to build one another up. We all could use a little building up, and it is such an easy way to spread some cheer. So here is my challenge to you. Commit to finding ways to encourage others. Experience how easy it is and see how it will not only brighten someone else’s day, but yours as well. So get the ugly sweater, but pair it with a dose of encouragement.
 
Merry Christmas!

With all the hustle and bustle this time of year, it’s easy to miss Christ with everything else going on. From buying presents last minute to finding a new place to put an elf, or planning every detail of your Christmas vacation, there are so many distractions that stand in our way from remembering why we’re celebrating in the first place - the birth of our King!

As Gracie and I have begun creating our own Christmas traditions for our growing family, I have been told that we’re robbing our kids of the magic of Christmas by not introducing them to Santa or Elf on the Shelf. But my counter to that is: “Isn’t Jesus enough?” Isn’t He the true star of the season?

But then, if I take a step even further back, I wonder, “Shouldn’t I be rejoicing in the incarnate Christ every day? Not just the Advent season?”

As cliché as it may sound, Jesus is the reason for the season, but I challenge you: what if we changed our mindset to Jesus being the reason for every season?

So this holiday season, amidst the craziness of life, let us remember and rejoice in the coming of our Lord Jesus as a humble baby, and let us continue to look forward expectantly as we await His second coming as victorious King!

Whoever conceals his transgressions will not prosper, but he who confesses and forsakes them will obtain mercy.  Proverbs 28:13

Thanksgiving is over, and hopefully you have polished off the last bit of leftover Turkey and green bean casserole. Christmas is obviously on its way. If you are like me, your inbox is flooded with Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals from merchants doing everything they can to convince you that you or someone else needs things like socks made from polar bear fleece or a shower radio, and you could get it for an extra 5% off. What a deal!

We all have received gifts that we really wouldn’t use and honestly wouldn’t know what to do with. But there is a precious gift that we are offered that we should be more eager to take advantage of. That gift is repentance. We don’t always consider repentance as a gift, but I would argue that it is an incredible and amazing gift that we are given from the Lord.
The Bible tells us that we all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23) and that sin separates us from experiencing God’s goodness. The Bible also tells us that what we deserve because of our sin is eternal hell, but God gives us the gift of repentance. This gift is offered through the shed blood of Jesus on our behalf, and it grants us access back to the goodness of God.
 
The gift of repentance should not be like an ugly sweater that we hang in the back of our closet or socks that wear out. It is better than the jelly of the month club because it is the gift that keeps on giving. We just need to take advantage of this precious gift. The Bible tells us that when we confess our sins and turn from them, we receive mercy. But for some reason, we often have a hard time confessing and repenting. When confronted with sin, we sometimes either make light of it or deny it altogether. Or we feel as though we have worn out the gift of repentance. The truth is, the life of a believer is one of constant repentance because that is how we embrace the mercy of God more and more. The gift of repentance is one where we come to Jesus, and we surrender our wrongdoing at His feet, and we ask that He cleanse us, knowing that He is faithful to forgive because of the work of the Cross. It is a gift that God has graciously given and is to be used.

Don’t forget the gift of repentance.

A common message we hear in our Western culture today is the need to Love Yourself. In a world of unrealistic beauty standards and a consumeristic approach to relationships, it is easy to see why women often struggle with their identity, finding their worth in external circumstances or the value bestowed on them by society. “Love yourself” can be a refreshing sentiment for a woman who finds herself defined by others and enslaved to the thoughts and opinions of the people around her, or exhausted by constantly trying to be all things to all people and coming up short.
But as believers, we are called to “not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds” (Rom 12:1-2). We should hold every thought and feeling up to the unwavering Light of Scripture, and ask ourselves not if a message “feels right”, but if it is biblical.

So, society aside, what does the Bible actually say about loving ourselves? Let’s look at the only two passages that specifically mention self-love.

Ephesians 5:28-30: “In the same way husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ does the church, because we are members of his body.”

Mark 12:30-31:  “And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.”

Nowhere in the Bible is it commanded that we love ourselves. Why? BECAUSE THE BIBLE ASSUMES THAT WE DO. Think about it, what is our first instinct if we touch something hot? What about when a ball is flying through the air at our face? We self-protect.

Scientists, for years, have stated that the greatest human instinct is self-preservation. We are born into this world already self-obsessed. A baby never once thinks: “Hmm, my mom has been up for a long time, maybe I should let her sleep a little bit longer before I cry”. Anyone with children has had to walk through the difficult “learning to share” phase. Why? Because, innately, we put ourselves first. We love ourselves first. Now, as society has shown us, over time, we may not LIKE ourselves very much, but the desire for personal happiness and satisfaction and success motivates many of our decisions as humans.

So when scripture talks about loving others, what example does it give of the kind of love we should have? The one that comes instinctively. Our gut reaction to shield ourselves from danger, to feed ourselves when hungry, to run for shelter when it rains, is the kind of love we should extend to others. Love others AS we love ourselves.

In fact, when the bible describes love, true love, it is almost always self-sacrificial. Why? Because denying yourself for another is counter-instinct. The bible does not seem to be concerned with our lack of self-love; on the contrary, it warns against pride 100 times.

Is knowing your worth in Christ important? Yes. Is acknowledging that you were created with a purpose and in the image of God necessary? Yes. But if the biggest takeaway when you hear “Love your neighbor as yourself” is “I need to love myself more,” then we are missing the point of what Jesus is saying. Let’s make the main point the main point. 
What does the Bible say is the greatest example of love?

“Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.” John 15:13 This is how they will know we are His disciples (John 13:35). THIS is gospel love.

Why do you call me 'Lord, Lord,' and not do what I tell you?  - Luke 6:46

My dad used to tell me, “Son, say what you mean and mean what you say”. What he meant by this statement was that my actions need to align with my words. He also taught me to be sure to know what I believe in because what we commit our lives to better be worth it.
 
I have known some people who have called themselves Christians, but honestly, I wondered about it being true. I am sure there were times in my life that, although I knew Jesus, my life did not reflect it in the moment. Maybe it was because being obedient to Jesus was hard, or not what everyone else was doing, or I just wanted to do what I wanted to do.

In Luke 6, Jesus warns about such a thing. He says that when we hear His words and do them, we are building our lives on a solid foundation that will withstand the test of time and trials of life. However, if we hear His words and do our own thing, it is like building our lives on a weak foundation that quickly crumbles when life happens.
 
Building requires work with good instructions, and the Christian life requires work as well, and the good instructions are God’s Word. If we are believers who have been redeemed by Jesus, we can be confident in the instructions He has given to build our lives on the foundation of His Word.

Building our lives on Jesus looks a lot different than building our lives on what the world says. It means our hope is in His good authority and not ours. It means that we are to love others even when we are not loved in return. It means that we are to be generous and expect nothing in return. It means that we are to be about building His kingdom and not our castle.

James 2:17 says that faith not accompanied by works is a dead faith. Committing our lives to Jesus is sometimes hard but worth it. If we are Christians, may we say what we mean and mean what we say.

Praise the LORD! Oh, give thanks to the LORD, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever!  Psalms 106:1

I am just going to say it. Putting up your Christmas Tree now or any time before Thanksgiving is just wrong. Now I know people love the Christmas season, and I do too, but I really love November and the Thanksgiving season, yet it often gets the short end of the deal.
 
Here is my take on the benefit of waiting to focus on the Christmas season and embracing the Thanksgiving season. We have so much to be thankful for, and yet we often don’t acknowledge it. We live in a great country, state, and community. We have an incredible church family. We have a roof over our head and, for the most part, food to eat. Of course, there are problems within all of these. There are differences in politics and policies in our country and even in local communities. Our church family is certainly not perfect. Our homes may not be what we want, and leftover meatloaf again may not be exactly what we want for supper. However, when we just pause for a bit and try and count our blessings, it makes the struggles a little smaller.

I ask that for the month of November, we look at our blessings through the lens of the Gospel. God does not have to be kind and generous, but He is. He not only provides for our daily needs (Matthew 6:24-34) but also abundantly gives us forgiveness and reconciliation through Christ. I bet if we just wait and focus on being thankful for what we have in Jesus, the Christmas season will be much sweeter. Let us praise the LORD and give thanks for His goodness and steadfast love that endures forever. 

And those who know your name put their trust in you, for you, O LORD, have not forsaken those who seek you.  - Psalm 9:10

There’s something really special about fall - the crunch of leaves under your feet, the use of pumpkin in literally everything (food, drink, decor), the cool mornings, the sweaty afternoons. We exchange flip-flops for flannels and iced coffee for a warm, steamy mug between our hands. Beneath all the coziness, God whispers: change can be beautiful.

Across the street from us stands this towering cottonwood, nearly  50’ tall. Just a month ago, the leaves were vibrant and green. Now, they’ve let go, turning a stunning canary yellow, and begun to fall, trusting that new life will come again in the spring. It’s a colorful reminder that God sometimes asks us to let go of things - habits, worries, even good seasons - so that He can make room for something new.

As you rake those ever-retuning leaves and sip your cider, thank God for the changing seasons, both around you and within you. Worship God for His faithfulness in every transition. Even when life feels like a whirlwind of falling leaves, His love is steady. Like the cottonwood, when we trust God with our seasons, he promises that spring will return. In the meantime, there’s also pie.

Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.
Ephesians 4:29

Back when I was a police officer, I had the privilege of being an instructor in our police academy. When I had a new batch of recruits, I would go over some rules, and one rule I had was that I did not tolerate any foul language. If I heard them using four-letter words, I would give them reason to use such words through extreme physical activity. The reason I did not tolerate it was that when they wore the same uniform that I did and had a potty mouth, people would get the impression that all officers talked like that, including me. Having a potty mouth was a poor representation not only of other officers, but it also diminished the dignity of the office we represented.

As confessing believers, we are ambassadors for Christ, as Paul says in 2 Corinthians 5:20, meaning we represent Christ and all that He is. Our actions and our words should reflect that. Having a potty mouth and confessing to be a Christian is a poor representation of Christ. But when Paul says let no corrupting talk come out of our mouths, it goes beyond not using four-letter words. Paul is saying we need to consider all of our talk. Corrupting talk could be slander, gossip, over-criticism of others, crude joking, and the like. And the truth is, we all are guilty of that at times.

Here are some things to consider so that we represent Christianity well with our speech.

• Encourage twice as much as we criticize. When good criticism is needed, it is received because love and trust were established through encouragement. 
• Before you speak, consider if your words build up or tear down. My dad used to tell me that if I couldn’t say anything good, I shouldn’t say anything at all. Wonder where he got that from. 
• Consider whether the things you say and the conversations you engage in represent Jesus and other believers well. It is ok to walk away from unhealthy conversations. 
• Let the four-letter words die with the old you. I heard a friend say that if you have to use four-letter words to be interesting, you are not that interesting. 

As believers, we have so much good to share with a broken world that needs it, and Jesus has given us a new lifetime to do just that. Let's not waste it on empty or corrupting talk. 

So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. - Philippians 2:1-4

Have you ever had a hard time plugging into a new community? Maybe you changed careers or moved cities or started going to a new church, but got stuck with the thought “it's too different” or “it's too hard”? Or perhaps maybe you were forced to move, and all you want to do is go back to being comfortable? I’d be lying if I said I haven’t been there too. Getting to know new people is hard, and getting involved is difficult, but you know what is simple to do: showing up.

Showing up is a simple task that breaks down a lot of barriers. I remember growing up playing baseball, and my parents weren’t always able to make my games, but if they weren’t there, they would make sure to send someone to be there to support me. I remember many times people from my church just showing up, and it always brought me joy to know I was cared for. You never know how God will use your presence to impact the people around you, but you know he won’t use you if you don’t show up.

This past week, I went to a concert in Ault to support the students, and the number of smiles I received when they saw my family and me come and watch them perform was so rewarding. It didn’t take any effort on my part, just making the time to care and be present.
And that is what I encourage you to do as well. There are a lot of opportunities at Calvary Severance for you to get plugged in. I encourage you to show up, be yourself, and watch God make an impact on your life. Start by going to one of our Life Groups, or coming out to the worship nights at Sonrise Park on the 26th or Eaton on November 2nd, go encourage and watch some of our students in concerts and games in town, you never know the impact that you can have by showing up.

"You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven. Matthew 5:14-16

In the past several weeks, the darkness of the world has been overly evident. The murder of Charlie Kirk, the passing of warriors of the faith such as Voddie Baucham and John MacArthur, civil unrest not only around the world but in our own country, the government shutdowns, the assault on the minds and hearts of our children about their identity are just a few ways that darkness has reared its ugly head, and it can be disheartening and seem hopeless. In fact, it can be exhausting, physically, mentally, and spiritually.

Many people feel the same way and are desperately looking for a sliver of hope or a glimmer of light. Their hope has been in things of the world and people who were never designed to bear the weight of the brokenness of the world. But there is hope, and that hope has a name, it is Jesus. As believers in Jesus, we are called to be light in the dark world that illuminates the true source of hope.
 
What an incredible opportunity we have, especially now, to be the light that illuminates the way to Jesus for those who are stumbling through the darkness of the world, looking for a way. It is amazing how just a little light can overcome the darkest of rooms. Here is what it looks like. Invite someone to church this Sunday or to Bible study. Pray for and with that coworker. Look for opportunities to have conversations about what gives you hope. We are the light of the world, so let your little light shine for the glory of God and the good of His people.

Unless the LORD builds the house, those who build it labor in vain. Unless the LORD watches over the city, the watchman stays awake in vain.  
Psalm 127:1

The Lord is at work in Severance! As many of you know, we are in the process of raising the funds needed to complete the renovations to our building, so that we can not only use it as our gathering space but also utilize it for the benefit of our community. I wanted to give you all an update. As of last Sunday, we have received $106, 930.00 in donations plus commitments totaling $392,565.00 over the next three years. This is a total of almost $500,000.00. With what we already have saved, we are over halfway to the needed funds of $1.2 million. We are confident that God is building His Church here in Severance, and these donations are what our faithful members have given. We still have a ways to go, but what an encouraging start.

Here is what I ask you to do. Continue to pray that God will meet our needs. Pray how He might use you to help meet these needs. Maybe you are still considering if and how you should contribute. Pray that others outside our body will also consider contributing. Then, SHARE the information and video with your family and friends. Every little bit counts. It may be $10, $100, $100,000 that someone can contribute. Let’s not say no to people simply by not asking them.

Let us not labor in vain but continually labor joyfully for the glory of His name and the good of His people.

Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb a reward. 
- Psalm 127:3

Meet Wesley Hawks. He is the son of Krystin Hawks, who is a member of Calvary Severance. He is an amazing, joyful little boy and the youngest of five. Westley was born with a genetic disease called PFIC2. This disease causes his liver to not function well, and he is in the end stages of liver disease. Westly is the third sibling in his family with this disorder. His two older siblings received liver transplants that transformed their lives into healthy ones. Krystin was informed over the past few weeks that Westley is in desperate need of a liver transplant and will undergo screening and testing to get him placed on the donor list in the coming days.
 
I share this with you for a few reasons. First, this is a joyful little part of our body, and if you know Westley, then you know he always puts a smile on your face. Secondly, I ask that you pray specifically for Westley and his family. Pray that a donor will be found soon and that the transplant procedure is successful, and that Westley can have a healthy, long life, loving Jesus. Third, I am sharing this because you could possibly be a donor for him. If compatible, you could donate a portion of your liver to Westley so that he can resume a healthy life.

This is a common practice, and the donor also resumes a healthy life, and the procedure is minimal and covered by their insurance. The first requirement is that your blood type be O+. If interested, you can use this link to complete the application.
 
We have been teaching on the subject of stewarding our resources for the Glory of God, and I pray we have been challenged to broaden our perception of just what that means. It is more than just our finances; it is all that God has given us, even possibly a portion of our liver. Would you join me in loving on this family, praying for them, and possibly consider being a donor for little Westley? Who knows how God will use this circumstance and Westley for the glory of His name and the good of His people?