“When you pass through the waters, I will be with you.” (Isaiah 43:2) The world is in a state of change right now. What does it take to pass through uncharted territory? Returning to a new unpredictable world for one is not the same for another. When we suffer loss or a treasured hope, how… Read more

One of the main tasks of living a Christian life is to offer hope through the good news of Jesus. The disciples went before us and now it’s our turn to proclaim God’s message. In 2008, Oyster Bay Baptist Church offered a training class on how to tell what life was like before trusting Jesus,… Read more

There are many reasons why people dance. It’s a personal preference. Some dance to entertain, to express their emotions, or for the pure enjoyment it brings to move our body. My love of dance turned into a teaching career. For thirty-two years my staff and I held an annual recital to highlight what the students… Read more

Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.1 Thessalonians 5:11 Christian encouragement is a command. But like the command to evangelize, we often find it awkward to employ in everyday life. It doesn’t have to be awkward, though. Like any other skill, we get better at it with practice…. Read more

(Originally posted on www.tmurphywrites.com) I’d already been reading Giants May Fall, by Dutch Sheets when I opened my son’s Christmas gift—Malcom Gladwell’s David and Goliath: Underdogs, Misfits, and the Art of Battling Giants. It didn’t take long to begin seeing connections between them. What Sheets explores from one angle, Gladwell considers from another. Both books… Read more

A Story of Hope for the New Year My cell phone rang at four a.m. “Mom can’t breathe,” my sister cried. “An ambulance is taking her to the emergency room.” Clutching the phone, I sat up. “What?” “It’s bad. You need to come home— now.” During the seven-hour drive to the hospital, I prayed, please,… Read more

FOR ME FOR YOU For those of us who live in North America the word conjures up visions of trees frosted with snow, ice skating, colored lights, chimneys and stockings, sweets and surprises. It’s a time of joy and generosity. But I believe the real purpose of Christmas is much deeper than most of us… Read more

Memories and traditions handed down through generations seem to come to life at Thanksgiving. Whether it’s the fluttering of red, orange, and brown leaves; the chill in the air; Thanksgiving cooking shows; Grandma’s recipes; and pumpkin spice everything! In years past, we’d sit around the Thanksgiving table and share stories and experiences. Seems Thanksgiving has… Read more

Confidence defined in the Merriam-Webster dictionary is a belief that one can rely on someone, something, or oneself. Minimal confidence can prevent people from taking risks. We can learn to improve our confidence throughout life by capturing negative thoughts and replacing them with positive ones. An overdose of confidence can come off as arrogant. Projecting… Read more

“Change is the law of life. And those who look only to the past or present are certain to miss the future.” –John F. Kennedy Growth is a task God sets before us. Change is a fast-forward journey to the future. You might be going through a change right now. It could be a beginning… Read more