God promises to give to those who give …

“Give and it will be given to you.  A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap.  For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.”

Luke 3:38 (NIV)

Article by Dr. Les Hollon, Pastor, Trinity Baptist Church

Small is big when packed with power. We develop sayings around this truth, like: “Dynamite comes in small packages … Though small, he carries a big punch … Yard by yard, life is hard but inch by inch, life is a cinch.“  These and other phrases reveal our awareness that value is sometimes best measured by content rather than volume, meaning that small is the best possible size for that particular creation, and that it is not necessary for “it” to become bigger than what it already is. 

There is another truth application for “when small is big.” And that is when small is an indication of big things to come.  Like the first appearance of a thundercloud.  Like the tipping point for when one seemingly small event, connected to many other events, repositions our life to where we know we will never be the same. Like when Jesus held a mustard seed before his audience, and challenged them to see the seed for what it was meant to become … That the smallest of all seeds in Israel possessed the potential to become the biggest plant in the land.  This seed, if planted and properly nourished, would grow to the actual size of a tree - big enough give birds a perching place.  Remarkable.

Jesus further illustrated the remarkable nature of God released potential when he spoke of leaven’s power to transform bread from the inside out.  The leaven (yeast) works as the growth agent within the dough, enabling more bread to be formed than would be the case without the leaven. Read More »

Article By Kevin L. DeWitt

In today’s world it’s easy to feel overwhelmed, or, to feel down because we’re not doing well with our goals.  From time to time, we all get a little down. 

Feeling a little depressed can interfere with achieving our relationships and goals.  We know we should be doing something, but we just don’t feel like doing anything. The trick is to head it off as soon as possible.  Otherwise, it is liable to last for a long time.

So take action!  Here are some ways to pick yourself up when you’re feeling down:

Make a List.  Really!  Sometimes we are depressed simply because we are overwhelmed with all the things we have to do that we haven’t gotten around to doing. So all the “stuff” that’s in our head can overwhelm us.

Start by picking up a piece of paper and a pen, and making a list of the most pressing things you have to do.  Don’t think a lot, just write.  Sometimes it’s work stuff, sometimes it’s stuff around the house that’s bothering us, sometimes it’s goal tasks, or a combination of these and more.  Simply making a list can be a relief … you’re getting things under control.  You can see, right in front of you, what you need to do, and that alone can pick up your mood. Read More »

“Following your heart and achieving your dreams requires you to feel what is inside yourself.”  

Article By Jennifer Snelling

Do you know what you deserve in life?

Think of the people who have lifted you up, encouraged you, and loved you unconditionally.  What would they want for you?  What would they encourage you to do?

Do you deserve any less than those things? 

The key is to see yourself from a loving point of view.  Don’t talk yourself out of your goals by dismissing them as unrealistic … or by telling yourself that a person like you could never accomplish them.  After all, if they are your ideas, you obviously are the right person for them.  They belong to you and you alone. Read More »

“… despite the things we can’t change, there is still much more that we can.”

Article By Judy Mosley

Life can take all of us by surprise. Sometimes, it feels full of blessings.  And sometimes, it can feel like it has hit us in the gut when we least expected it.  

It could be a loss of any kind: a loved one, a job, a relationship, a house.  Or, maybe a dream of ours has come true, but the reality of it may seem very from what we had imagined.  Experiences like this could leave us winded and unsure about what to do next.

But we don’t have to lose heart.

It takes courage and faith to get out of bed and to face the day. That can be a struggle but it doesn’t have to be impossible.  It just means that we might have to change the way we do things as well as how we think about them… Read More »