Be Encouraged

As the Christmas season is in full swing, I find myself appreciating what a special place Hanford is at Christmas. It is truly magical. I...

Scripture encourages us to honor our mother and father. While this guidance offers a framework for family relationships, it can feel...

How many of you have heard people say they would never go to church because Christians are judgmental and hypocritical? As someone who...

The holiday season is here, bringing with it numerous invitations to Friendsgiving, family Thanksgiving meals, and Christmas parties...

I have been saved for a total of 3 decades now. Three whole decades! That’s chump change compared to some of the leaders in the faith...

Have you ever heard someone pray and it seemed different? It didn’t seem to come from their head but somewhere deeper. In the Gospel...

Recently, while praying, the Lord prompted me to begin encouraging my husband again. He then said, ‘You were becoming an encourager and...

In the Beatitudes, Jesus preached, “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for the kingdom of heaven is theirs.” (Matt 5:3-10) This...

In today’s world, things are increasingly marked by chaos and uncertainty. The call to stand firm in our faith is as important as ever....

Recently, I had the opportunity to take a trip to Veracruz, Mexico—a place that holds deep significance for me as it is where I was born....

A few days ago, I was taking our School of Ministry class through the book of Exodus. As we went through the book, we began discussing one...

John 4:14 says, “…but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him shall never thirst; the water that I will give him will become...

As a family, we have acquired some favorite places to eat and share a meal together. If you were to ask my children their favorite spot, it...

“The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored...

One of my favorite scriptures on the subject of waiting is found in Isaiah 40:29-31. “He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no...

Staying the course through life’s trials and tribulations is a universal challenge we all face. Whether it’s navigating...

This world has many ups and downs.  We look to the Lord to be our strength. We look to the Lord to give us the things we need to press on....

People Matter is a value at Koinonia Church. People Matter is a value of mine. But more importantly, People Matter is a value of...

We have a pretty large tree in our front yard that, after some inspection, we suspected had some termite damage. After a few seconds of...

Have you ever felt you needed to protect or defend yourself? Have you done things that have brought you shame or guilt? Have others said or...

God cares more about who you are becoming than what you do.  ‘Purpose’ is a big topic in life. We all want to know what we are to do...

I recently read some books…great literature. The words used in them were so amazing that they brought entire worlds to life.  Words have...

Life has a way of taking unexpected turns and throwing us random curveballs.  After overcoming a particularly rough patch in my life, I...

This has been a week of God connecting some dots for me. This time it’s on two things: concern for others and guarding territory. These...

If you were to pause and think about those in your life who have encouraged you, it might be an educator, neighbor, Sunday School teacher,...

There are many things that reveal both the nature of God and the nature of His intentions for us. While we are made in His likeness, we are...

One week, I was facing a number of deadlines and tasks. My schedule is always full, but always manageable. This particular week, for some...

In 2012, I went on my first overseas mission trip to Cambodia with a group from my church. Leading up to the trip, I was excited because I...

They can make someone’s day or break their spirit. The Bible has a lot to say about how we use our words and why it matters....