Pastor Jessica Chen

When we read the story of the Prodigal Son, and look throughout scripture, we discover that how we view God and how we think He views us can be very different from who God actually is and what He actually thinks of us. What we need to remember, no matter what, is this: God wants for me to be close to Him, God wants for me to experience His blessings, and God wants for me to fulfill my purpose by the power of His Spirit at work inside me.

Jesus is our King, who came to bring peace for our mind, our body, our spirit and our relationships. He would do this by giving up His life for us through His death on the cross, forever dealing with the sin in our lives that brings all types of discord. Jesus would bring us peace by coming back to life for us, defeating the power of sin and making a way for us to experience new life by the power of the Holy Spirit. Why would Jesus do all this? Because of His love for us, God’s beloved creation (John 3:16).

Throughout the Bible we see God calling unlikely people to do big things for Him. A significant reason for this is because if they could do it on their own, then there would be no need for God to help them, and instead of bringing glory to God, the credit would stay with the person who was called. God wants His people to walk by faith and not by sight (2 Corinthians 5:7); they were created to bring Him glory (1 Corinthians 10:31)!

The truth is, being busy is often rewarded in our world, because it somehow translates to being productive, successful, and better. And while this may be true at times, it’s not always the case. Busyness can lead to making mistakes, being unsafe, or missing good opportunities. In Pastor Dave and Pastor Cheryl’s message this past weekend titled, “How God Wraps a Present”, they mentioned how we can be wrapped up in our busyness, to the extent that we become “insensitive to what God is doing”. If busyness has been your daily reality and you’re wanting to break this pattern in your life, it’s time to reprioritize, slow down, and develop new patterns.

Giving thanks is not only being conscious of and acknowledging the good things that we have received, but also being genuinely appreciative of them. How can we be continually appreciative of the blessings in our lives? I propose we first get to know the Giver of blessings, that we practice gratitude daily, and that we express gratitude through our actions.

What unites a family beyond genetics, could be faith, culture, hardship, hobbies, or a physical home. But one thing that is always true without fail, is how different every family member is. As every one gets older, the things that united the family, may not seem as significant anymore and differences may become much more apparent.

Having a friend who struggles with their mental health can feel daunting at times, because though we may care, we just don’t know how to help. Here are 4 key things we can do to be a supportive friend when someone in our lives is struggling with their mental health.

A few years back my family and I went white water rafting together as part of our family vacation. We figured it would be a great opportunity for team building and family bonding – and it certainly was! Thankfully we had a guide to navigate and direct us on the boat. When the waters seemed calm, some of us took turns sitting at the front tip of the boat at the guide’s instruction. To be honest, I didn’t want to go, but after much encouragement, I decided to go for it. As I sat and held onto a rope between my legs, I thought to myself, I’m definitely secure for whatever happens next. 

Love is a very common word we use in the English language today. It’s the topic of many songs and it’s the highest aim that the world longs for. We love chocolate, we love fries, we love hiking, we love our dogs, we love our family, we love the colour blue, we love… but what does love really mean and how does God want us to understand this important word in our lives?