Pastor Brad Bergman

We don’t have to carry everything. We don’t have to fix everything. We don’t have to make it all work. God invites us to place His responsibilities in His hands and trust that He is willing and able to carry them.
Karl Martin is the author of the leadership book The Cave, The Road, The Table, and The Fire, in which he introduces a helpful metaphor: that everyone has four bags in life.

What if every encouraging thought actually made it out of your mouth? Too often we hold back, assuming people already know they’re appreciated or fearing it might feel awkward. But when we remove that filter, encouragement has the power to strengthen relationships, transform workplaces, energize churches, and give people the courage to live out their calling. Even the simplest words can breathe life into someone’s day and ripple through entire communities with lasting impact.

So, Does God Really Love Me? Yes. Absolutely. Eternally. Passionately. Personally.
God’s love for you is not a vague idea. It’s not based on how you feel. It’s not earned. And it’s not going anywhere.
It’s proven through adoption. He chose you. He forgave you. He gave you a new name, a new identity, and a permanent place in His family. And now He calls you to live like a loved child, not like a spiritual orphan.
So, when doubt creeps in and you hear that old whisper, “Does God really love me?” come back to this truth:
You are chosen. You are forgiven. You are renamed. You are secure. You are eternally loved.
See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God. Because that is what we are.

Jesus finished His conversation with the disciples with these words: “In this world, you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33) The trouble is real, but so is the promise. Jesus is reassuring us that, despite the struggles and challenges we face, He has defeated sin, pain, death, and every kind of evil. His victory triumphs over the worldly troubles that we face.

Advent points us to the incredible truth that joy is not a fleeting emotion, but a steadfast assurance found in Christ. His joy anchors us in life’s storms, sustains us in our waiting, and invites us to celebrate God’s goodness. This Advent season, may we continually open our hearts to the joy of our Saviour.

Imagine this. You’re at the Vancouver International Airport during the busy travel season. All around you are people rushing this way and that as they head to their gates and connecting flights. Everyone seems to be moving throughout the terminal with ease… but you can’t seem to keep up because you’re loaded down and struggling with

Vancouver is one of the world’s most beautiful cities, but it suffers from so much loneliness and isolation. The answer to the problem is the church. That’s why we spend so much time emphasizing the need to join one of our small groups. You need to surround yourself with spiritually healthy people to be healthy yourself. Paul knew that besides his companions, he had people regularly praying for him. This gave him the strength to keep going and it can do the same for you. It would be such a tragedy if you regularly came to church and no one ever prayed for you!

Encouragement is powerful. More than that, as Christians, we are instructed to encourage each other until Jesus returns (Hebrews 10:25), and we want our community to foster and perpetuate a culture of encouragement. It’s so much better than the alternative! I want to be in an environment where people are building each other up, not tearing them down.

Being generous is a desirable character trait and beneficial to your physical and mental health. A quick Google search will reveal that generous people have better relationships, more contentment, less stress, and lower blood pressure. Some studies even show that generous people live longer. It should not surprise us Christians that doing things God’s way is best and, in fact, the way we were intended to live.

Today, you are likely still waiting for something in your life. You may feel stuck. You may want to fast forward this part of your life to get to the next chapter. But your time doesn’t have to be and shouldn’t be wasted in the waiting. God gives us the opportunity to grow and to prepare for all that He has for us during these times.