Digital communication, including texts and emails, is a great way to communicate information and facts quickly, efficiently, and effectively. But what texts and emails can’t communicate are emotions, your heart, eye contact, non-verbal cues, forgiveness, love, etc…all the things that are required for a relationship to really flourish. Those things can only be experienced in true relational connection…face-to-face.
Why Does God Allow suffering?
The Healing of Allison Frank
The following was written by Sara Frank, the mother of Allison Frank. It details what God did in Allison's life through the faithful prayer of her parents, family, and friends. "A little over three years ago, our oldest daughter was diagnosed with juvenile dermatomyositis, a rare autoimmune disease that can attack the skin, muscles, and internal organs. At our first appointment with the rheumatologist, he told us we needed to start her on medicine right away.
'Something Unexpected' Changed My Life
What follows is a story from Brian Steere on how an act of kindness changed his life. “I met Matt Paddack, Relevant’s Worship Pastor, in November of 2015. A few months prior, my marriage was irretrievably broken, I had lost my job, I had no money, and I was unable to pay my bills for several months. I thought I was going to lose my possessions like my house and vehicles. Christmas was coming and I couldn’t even provide a gift for my child.”
15 Attributes of a Difference Maker
Prayer & Fasting
There, by the Ahava Canal, I proclaimed a fast, so that we might humble ourselves before our God and ask him for a safe journey for us and our children, with all our possessions. I was ashamed to ask the king for soldiers and horsemen to protect us from enemies on the road, because we had told the king, “The gracious hand of our God is on everyone who looks to him, but his great anger is against all who forsake him.”
What Impact Can Summer Blast make?
This letter was sent to us during our inaugural year for Vacation Bible School (which we now call Summer Blast). Such a powerful story of how God transforms lives during this week for our children. Dear Relevant VBS Volunteers, I just had to write and tell you all thank you. I know this past week at VBS has meant many very late and stressful nights, busy days, time off work, time away from your children, and busy, hot, chaotic days with 100 young children!
Unqualified
God appeared to Moses – an old murderer, liar, and coward who was doing the lowly job of a shepherd – in a burning bush. He told Moses about His big plan: freeing the Hebrew people from slavery and leading them to land He had promised them they would possess long before. AND then…God said something Moses never saw coming…
T.H.I.N.K. Before You Speak
Do your words fill others with joy or kill their joy? The words we speak to others are a really big deal to Jesus and an issue of obedience. Our obedience to what Scripture teaches is make it or break it in our experience of Jesus…Joy Himself. Choosing to be joy-filling people to others probably affects our joy much more than how they treat or speak to us.
Your Marriage Can Thrive
This post is a summary from our Your Marriage Can Thrive sermon series. You can listen to the series on our Sermons page. Regardless of the past or what stage your marriage is currently in…your marriage can THRIVE! But a thriving marriage will require… 1. Two good forgivers, 2. Accepting one another’s faults, and 3. Spiritual oneness.
United in Marriage
Identified With Jesus
Have you ever noticed yourself behaving like those you’re around? We’re all part of a family in some way, shape, or form. From a young age, we see how children resemble their parents. Kids take on the mannerisms, vocabulary, attitudes, and even beliefs of their parents. How often do you hear, “You remind me so much of your mom/dad”? We become and behave like those we identify with.
Saved by Grace Alone
God doesn’t save, accept, help, love, bless those who help themselves, but those who recognize they are HELPLESS. Faith in Jesus is how we declare we are helpless, accept God’s gift of grace, please God, are united in Jesus, and experience the blessings of that. Salvation is offered through grace. Grace is free gift for ALL. Grace says, “Come as you are.”
Why Elkhorn Days is Important
Elkhorn Days has been a tradition in Elkhorn for over 60 years. For 3 days every June, Elkhorn celebrates our growing community with many activities: Annual Art Show, Pancake Feed, Parade Down Main Street, Family Festival in the Park, Spectacular Fireworks Display, a talent show, and Car Show…to name a few.
Faith in Action
During our “Filled” series in 2015 (accessible on our Sermons page), Pastor Andy Williams preached on how walking in the Holy Spirit requires taking action. He shared a little bit about a crossroads in his career, and felt led to follow up on that with this blog post about “faith in action”. Andy wrote this post following his sermon.
Is Jesus Really the ONLY Way?
On Easter Sunday 2015, Pastor Ronnie preached a sermon called “Is Jesus Really the ONLY Way?” You can find this on our Sermons page. The big idea of the message was “Jesus really is the ONLY way IF Jesus really rose from the grave.” Ronnie recaps some of the truths we looked at on that Easter Sunday in this post.
The Fruit of the Spirit
When we are filled with the Holy Spirit, the FRUIT of the Holy Spirit flow out from us. Take time to think about your interactions, your life, your coming and going and consider…how am I doing in living out these fruit? Consider: Which one of these do I wish, hope, and pray that in yielding my life to God and the Holy Spirit this week that others will see MORE of that they aren’t currently seeing today?
How to Hear the Spirit: Time Alone with God
If you’ve put your faith in Jesus by asking Him to be the Forgiver of your sins and Leader of your life, the Holy Spirit has made residence in you and is constantly speaking, teaching, and guiding you. Often times, the problem with hearing the Holy Spirit speak has nothing to do with Him being silent, but that the volume of our lives is so loud we can’t hear Him. To hear the Holy Spirit speak clearly, we must intentionally decrease the volume of life.
The Hultgren Twins
Jameson and Harrison were both born 3 months early at 27 weeks. They weighed just 2lbs 3oz and 2lbs 4oz. They entered this world covered in prayer. Cassie was hospitalized when the boys were 23 weeks and she was able to remain on bedrest and carry the boys to 27 weeks. We spent our days in prayer that we would be able to carry the twins until they were viable.