September has always felt a little like a second New Year. Summer has its own rhythm. Vacations interrupt our schedules. The days are longer. We travel more, spend more time outside, attend family gatherings, and often loosen some of the routines that shape the rest of the year. Even if our work schedules don't change much, summer somehow feels different. Then September comes. Schools are back in session. Church ministries begin again. Vacations wind down. Calendars fill. Ala

August has been a month of crossing bridges for me. This month, Harbor Bridge Promises was released into the world. It is the second book in the Harbor Bridge series, and like any book, it began long before anyone could hold it in their hands. There were characters to discover, stories to untangle, pages to write and rewrite, and eventually the strange moment when I had to stop working on it and let it go. This month also marked the end of a much longer journey: I graduated w

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight." — Proverbs 3:5–6 There have been seasons when I read Proverbs 3:5–6 almost as if God were asking me to set my dreams aside. Don't trust yourself. Don't want too much. Don't make plans. Just wait. To be honest, during those seasons it was easier to approach life from that perspective because dreams and desires felt scary. I had

One of the most striking features of Psalm 84 is how it is arranged. If we were writing it, we might begin with the struggles of the journey. We might start with the valleys, the weariness, the obstacles, and the disappointments. But the psalmist does something different. He begins with the destination. "How lovely is your dwelling place, Lord Almighty!" (Psalm 84:1) Before we hear about the road, we are given a vision of home. The psalm opens with longing. The writer's heart

Reflections from Crossing Harbor Bridge Grief has a strange way of reshaping the world around us. Places that once felt familiar can suddenly feel heavy with memory. Ordinary routines can become exhausting. Conversations that used to come easily begin to feel harder. Even the people who love us most may not know quite how to reach the places in us that ache. Sometimes, without fully realizing it, grief convinces us that what we need most is distance. A fresh start. A quieter

Life is full of transitions that can feel overwhelming and uncertain. Whether it’s moving to a new city, starting a new job, or facing a major change in personal circumstances, navigating these moments requires courage, clarity, and guidance. The story in Joshua 3 offers timeless lessons on how to face transitions with confidence and purpose. This post explores key insights from this biblical passage and how they apply to our own journeys through change. Understanding the Con

Whether we realize it or not, we are all being formed. Our habits shape us. Our relationships shape us. Our fears shape us. Our disappointments shape us. Even the stories we quietly tell ourselves about who we are and how the world works leave their mark on our hearts. Formation is not optional. The real question is not whether we are being shaped, but what is shaping us. That question sits at the heart of this space. Because Christian faith was never meant to be merely about

Why does this space exist? Because faith was never meant to be merely informational. This is a place to encounter God through His Word, engage the Holy Spirit, and be shaped by truth that transforms everyday life.

A few months ago I wrote in my blog about 5 Ways to Hear God Speak through the Bible. The good news is that you’re not limited to only 5...

One of the hardest things to do when we’re feeling overwhelmed, stressed, hopeless or depressed is see a way out of it. It’s easy to play...

The very first words in the Word of God are “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth…” (Genesis 1:1, ESV). It seems only...

As I promised last week, here are a few tips to get you started Bible journaling. These tips are more for the notetaker style of...

I recently happened upon a whole community of people doing what I have been doing for years and didn’t know it. It is called “Bible...

Study of Ephesians 6:14-18 In this study we will be looking at the whole book of Ephesians in order to understand what each piece of...

You are the God of miracles and wonders! You still demonstrate your awesome power.” (Psalm 77:14 TLB) The Merriam-Webster Dictionary...

This articles explores what the Bible says about how we live the Christian life to the fullest as we discover God’s Kingdom.

The things that break our hearts cut deep and sometimes we may feel that life will never be the same again. I would never want to...

By Pastor Shawna Carpenter The Bible is not just a book to be read, it’s an invitation into an encounter with God. But how many times...