In an age of self help books and self-discovery, there is peace to be found in knowing not just who we are, but whose we are.

Is prayer a habit, a chore, an emergency parachute when all else fails, or is prayer the source of joy and connection that it’s intended to be?

Jesus reads from the book of Isaiah, but he makes a few minor edits that help reveal who he is, why he has come, and his expectations of all who would follow him.

We all have our own idea of who Jesus is, but we are likely underestimating Jesus. The invitation in today’s story is to drop our expectations and simply come, see, and follow.

It is possible to remain steady in an unsteady world if we remember two specific truths: Jesus is Lord, and he already told us what to do.

Due to the brevity of the biblical accounts, we often flesh out the story of the first Christmas – adding drama, emotion, and tension. But when we look at the story God chose to tell in the Bible, we might come away with a different picture.

We all struggle in areas of life, and sometimes we need to receive and rest in the Bible’s message of hope.

We all struggle in areas of life, and sometimes we need to receive and rest in the Bible’s message of hope.

While the coming of Jesus on the first Christmas should be celebrated, we cannot overlook the smallness of it all as well.

Do we actually want to be in relationship with the God of the Bible?

Is God’s love and mercy truly available to anyone who asks for it?

Why did Jesus come as a human? The answer, surprisingly, has something to do with sea dragons…