Merry Christmas! Throughout this month, the joyous Christmas story will be celebrated in plays, explained in sermons, and discussed at family gatherings. The main list of characters will be talked about: Mary giving birth to the baby Jesus, the arrival of the wise men, the announcement of the angels, and an inquisitive visit from the shepherds. Joseph always seems to be in the background. Besides witnessing everything mentioned above, it started with hearing that his fiancé,

Growing up, our Thanksgiving tradition was simple, before anyone could touch the turkey or stuffing, we had to go around the table and say one thing we were thankful for. As a kid, this felt like torture. I could practically see the steam rising off the mashed potatoes, yet there we were… listing reasons to be grateful while the food got cold. To make it worse, I was usually the fifth or sixth person to go. My parents and older sisters took all the “good ones”. God, family, t

We just completed Halloween. I was sitting with a group of adults recently and they were reminiscing about their days of glory when they were trick or treat warriors in their youthful days. The joy of remembering was very evident. Their memories were sharp. Telling the stories brought pure delight. Everyone knew who gave the best candy in their neighborhood. There was a strategy to fill your bag with the best offerings. One person mentioned they stayed away from the dentist w

Fall in Minnesota is spectacular! I love this time of year. The trees are getting ready to rest for the winter months, and so their beautiful green leaves of spring and summer are becoming vibrant shades of yellow, orange, red, and purple. It certainly appears that God loves colors! So, before you read any further, take a moment to stop and look out the window or better yet, step outside and look around. Whether you are in the country or city, whether it is day or night, God’

Every year when I was a student, our youth group would participate in something called Trick or Treat for the Food Shelf in my hometown. It was a simple idea, middle and high school students went door-to-door collecting food staples to help our local food shelf support families heading into the holiday season. When I was in 6th grade, the concept was totally new to me. I remember feeling a little uneasy about ringing doorbells and asking for donations, even as the most intens

Kevin Sharpe is the only lead pastor Westbrook Community Church has ever known. Thank you, Kevin, for fourteen years of faithful service....

In January, I announced that I was going to retire at the end of this calendar year.  It was a difficult decision but a decision I was...

God talks to us in so many ways. The beauty of His creation is evident everywhere. It is not even possible to rate or rank the different...

I don’t know about you, but when I was growing up, I was told by so many teachers, leaders, and adults who I assumed possessed the...

Camp is incredible. The lives of so many students, including mine, have been changed. We have just gotten back from our week-long trip to...

WOW! What a summer it’s been! From lock-ins and a mission trip to Wyoming to an incredible week of VBS, the time has finally come for the...

Even if you are not a tennis enthusiast, you probably know the most prestigious tennis tournament in the world, Wimbledon, is played...

Wow, what a week it’s been! We just got back this afternoon from our 9-day trip to Wyoming for our Mission trip. It was filled with lots...

As we have rolled into the start of summer, the youth have been gearing up for a busy summer. We have a mission trip to teach VBS in...

The gospels contain multiple stories demonstrating the incredible love and compassion Jesus showed toward people. How Jesus dealt with...

I wanted to share some thoughts on prayer, falling asleep, and some random, and related, thoughts.  I try to make it a point to pray when...

We all have them.  We all need them.  And we all forget them.  No, I’m not talking about hugs.  I’m talking about anniversaries. ...

As we move into the end of the school year, and I listen to graduation speeches and watch kids that were once in my preschool classroom...

This month we celebrate Mother’s Day. For many people, Mother’s Day is a joyous occasion. It is a time where children and mothers spend...

In Minnesota, it can be hard to truly pin down the end of one season and the beginning of the next. We all know that the second you put a...