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During the election, how are you praying: with joy or anxiety?
It's Election week. How are you praying? With anxiety? Or joy? Paul writes in Philippians 1:3 that he always prays “with joy.” That convicts me, because on my good days I can say I pray with gratitude, but most days I pray with anxiety and not with joy. With the...
Blog Archive
How Habitat for Humanity is tackling the affordable housing crunch in Harrisonburg and Rockingham
Skyrocketing prices for homes and rent has caused a housing crunch across the country in Harrisonburg, where city leaders are looking for ways to alleviate the need. Habitat for Humanity's central Valley chapter is working on the problem by "putting God's love into...
Where are you?
As many of you know, I’m very Socratic in my thinking and love questions, so when my friend and mentor Jim Singleton mentioned that there are six great “evangelism” questions in scripture, I took notes. One of these questions is in Genesis 3:9, where God asks Adam and...
What baseball taught me about Jesus’ call to ‘go’
We were outmatched. Game after game, we just couldn’t get a win. We’d come close – within a point or two – but the losses had piled up, and we were discouraged. Even though we told the kids that it wasn’t about winning, we coaches knew that a win really would lift...
How you can stay connected to worship when you’re on vacation
It's summer-vacation season, but when it comes to our walk with Jesus, there's no such thing as time off. So, we want to help you stay connected even as you head out of town for a summer trip. Here are some ideas. Tune in to the First Pres livestream We livestream...
In the face of death, Jesus wept, and so should we
Another mass shooting, this time of children, preceded by a racially motivated mass shooting, continued war in Ukraine, and close to home there is cancer and the death of loved ones. I could go on, but I think we all are feeling the crushing weight of grief. This is...
Who put that Bible in your hotel room, and why?
Your first introduction to the Gideons was likely in a hotel room during your travels as you noticed a Bible placed in the room by the international group. We asked Russ Lawrence, a First Pres covenant partner who volunteers with Gideons, to share more about the...
Mission is messy (and could keep you up at night)
Have you had one of those energy drinks? They are high on caffeine and, apparently, other ingredients intended to keep you awake. I don’t recommend them. Especially if it is 7 p.m. and you are planning to go to bed. I recently was able to spend a whole evening with...
College students are a vital part of our life together
On most Sundays these days, you will see a balcony full of college students at the first service. However, you will also find some serving in the nursery at the same time. After worship, college students briefly fill the hallway outside the sanctuary as they begin to...
How weekday religious education introduces children to Jesus
“It’s more important today than it’s ever been.” That’s Ginger Brubaker’s assessment of the need for Weekday Religious Education, which students can attend during the school day with parental permission. “We have kids that are hearing that God loves them for the first...
How you can serve and pray for Muslims during Ramadan
I could see the weariness in her face. She was tired. She was exhausted from working hard to serve her family. But here she was, just like other days, ready to serve us with a smile and a contagious laugh. She didn’t complain. The extra work was just what she had to...