It was our favorite place.

Many Monday afternoon’s my two sons and I would go to a little restaurant by the river in our small Midwest town to order lunch. We went to the Riverfront Café so frequently that the waitress became familiar with our particular favorites on the menu.

While waiting for our food we passed the time by playing either Candy Land (my particular favorite—with the old fashioned graphics) or Rummy. During those summer lunches we spent many hours together laughing and talking (how many teenage boys are willing to hang out with their mothers?). This restaurant was our special meeting place for several years until it closed down. We were blessed and strengthened as a family during these times e spent fellowshipping together at “our place.”

To download an easy-to-print version of Our Place, please click on the link below.

Our Place (pdf)

photo credit: bryankennedy via photopin cc

“Do not speak evil of one another, brethren. He who speaks evil of his brother and judges his brother, speaks evil of the law and judges the law. But if you judge the law, you are not a doer of the law but a judge. There is one Lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy. Who are you to judge another?James 4:11-12

I needed a new attitude.

Switching churches has never been an easy task for my family. But God had been showing me that there were some very deep fundamental errors in the doctrine of our current church, therefore it was time to find a new church home. I felt God leading me to small Bible church in our hometown. I tried out the church for a couple of weeks myself and then my husband and sons began to attend as well. It’s never easy to be the “new family” in a small close-knit church. In hopes of making a few new friends a got involved with ministry opportunities that fell within my gifting. One evening, while at church for a children’s group, I was feeling a little left out and lonely. I gave myself a pep talk and decided to make another effort to reach out and introduce myself to other women. As I walked down the long Fellowship Hall hallway I saw a woman, Sue, headed toward me on my left. I waited until she drew closer and greeted her. To my astonishment she completely ignored me and walked on by.

Our attitudes which are driven by our feelings  can influence our actions. Unfortunately our feelings can mislead us. The Bible says our hearts are deceitful above all things. So what do we do when we need a new attitude? Who can we trust to help transform our hearts and minds? To do the in depth Bible study A New Attitude, please click on the link:

A New Attitude

Take 5!

5 verses, 5 Questions, 5 minutes

Whom Shall I Fear?

Please pray for the Holy Spirit to open the eyes of your heart and read Psalm 3:2-6.

In verse 2, please name the two “voices” we can choose to listen to.

We can choose to listen to the voice of God or the voice of man.

Which voice is trustworthy?

Please fill in the blank: “But You, O Lord are a _____________ for me.

What do you think of when you hear the word shield?

You probably said “A flat barrier a person holds in front of them to protect themselves from enemies.” The Hebrew word for shield implies something that completely surrounds a person.

What are we able to do in verse 5 because God is completely surrounding us?

How many people can we stand against because God is on our side?

What is Christian prayer all about? Does God really want to communicate with us? Listen in to find out some basics about prayer. Whether you have been praying for years or are just starting, there’s sure to be something you can take away from this podcast.

Jane VanOsdol

One way we can grow in prayer is by learning to slow down and reflect on scripture. An ancient practice called Lectio Divina (Latin term for divine reading) helps us to do exactly that.

This practice teaches us how to focus on a passage of scripture.

• First of all, choose a passage of scripture and read it slowly several times. Write down any words or concepts that stand out to you.
• Next, meditate on the passage. Take time to let God’s Word work in your heart, concentrating on those words or concepts that stood out to you in the first step.
• Open your heart to God and talk to Him about this passage. Why did these words stand out to you? What may God be saying to you through this passage?
• Finally, contemplate how God wants you to apply this portion of scripture to your life. Are there habits you need to change? A commitment you need to make? Thank God and rest in His presence.

As we dig deeper into the scriptures, this practice will only enhance our prayer lives. Have you ever tried this practice? Let us know what you think about it by leaving a comment below. Thanks and pray on!

Thanks to Grace Community Church in Noblesville, Indiana (www.gracecc.org) for the information on Lectio Divina.