Walking The Walk

"A joyful heart makes a cheerful face, but by sorrow of heart the spirit is crushed." ~Proverbs 15:13  It's easy sometimes to forget an important truth.  What happens in our hearts doesn't stay there. We have a profound impact on the world around us.  Like the outward rings from a stone dropped in a pond, we create waves that touch everyone and everything around us. This simple verse reminds us we have been designed with the remarkable ability to influence our surroundings through something as seemingly small as our attitude. Have you ever noticed how quickly a room changes when someone walks in beaming with joy? Or, on the other hand, how the atmosphere shifts when someone enters with a cloud of negativity hovering over them? This isn't coincidence – it's the principle from Proverbs 15:13 in action.  Our personality is visible and contagious. A cheerful face isn't just about putting on a smile-- it's the natural overflow of a heart filled with joy. ...

Pastor Todd's quiet spot . . .  "I had heard of you by the hearing of the ear, but now my eye sees you."  ~Job 42:5   I feel blessed that I have a couple very nice parks within a few minutes of my house, and I make good use of them.  I've written about it before, but I try each week to spend a morning in one of these quiet places, without a phone or a limit on how much time I spend there.  It gives me a chance to think without distraction.  It gives me a chance to read my Bible and pray without distraction.  Sometimes I'm there an hour or less, and sometimes I'm there all morning and into the afternoon.  Nature is a great way to get connected to God. We see examples of that in the Bible.   For instance, in the story of Job.  Job's powerful declaration reminds us that there's a profound difference between knowing about God and truly experiencing Him. Job 42:5 captures a pivotal moment of spiritual transformation - the moment whe...

Because of this oath, Jesus has become the guarantor of a better covenant. ~Hebrews 7:22 Have you ever found yourself wondering if God is really there? If His promises truly apply to you? We all face moments when our faith feels shaky, when we wonder if our prayers are being heard, when God's presence feels distant. These spiritual doubts are not signs of failure but part of our human journey. I want to share a powerful truth from Hebrews that can anchor us when doubts arise.  If you take a close look at Hebrews 7:22, the word "guarantor" means someone who personally ensures a promise will be kept. In ancient times, a guarantor would stake their reputation, resources, even their life on fulfilling an obligation if the primary party couldn't.    The author of Hebrews is telling us something remarkable: Jesus himself stands as the personal guarantee of God's covenant with us. This isn't just a contract or a legal arrangement. This is Jesus saying, "I person...

 “your kingdom come, your will be done” ~Matthew 6:10 Have you ever noticed how the smallest decisions often have the biggest impact? Like that time you decided to take a different route home and met someone who changed your life? Or when you hit snooze one too many times and missed something important? Our lives are shaped not by the occasional mountain-moving choices, but by the seemingly insignificant decisions we make every single day. This is especially true when it comes to one of the most familiar prayers ever spoken: 'Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.' Matthew 6:10 sits right in the middle of the Lord's Prayer, a prayer so familiar that sometimes we recite it without truly considering what we're saying. "Your will be done"-- these four words represent one of the most powerful concepts in our faith journey. When Jesus taught His disciples to pray this way, He wasn't suggesting a mere religious formality. He was...