A New Path

06/02/2026

06/01/2026

Songs in the Dark

Even in life’s hardest and most depressing seasons, God is with us and is listening to us.

One purpose of a song of lament, or lament psalm, is to be honest with God. It’s about expressing vulnerability by telling God exactly how we feel. We should never be afraid of God or how we speak to Him, because He is able to handle our deepest emotions and complaints. And lament psalms are our model in Scripture on how we can be honest with Him.

Psalm 42 is a lament psalm. It is a song about the hopelessness of the writer’s current condition. It speaks to deep sorrow and grief that is experienced in life. The writer of Psalm 42 does not know why he is depressed. He’s not sure why certain things are happening to him. And so he goes to God in prayer and song, expressing the deepest parts of his soul.

Another purpose of lament is to connect the hopelessness of life with the hope that God gives. Laments act as a bridge between our present situation and the promises we’re waiting on.

The writer of this Psalm speaks to his own soul and encourages himself to continue to hope in God. He knows that no season lasts forever, and there will come a time when joy returns to him.

We will all go through seasons of sadness and grief. And we will have Psalms as a guide. The first step is to come before God and honestly express yourself to Him. Tell Him exactly how you feel.

Next, remember the promises that He has given you in His Word. Recount how much He loves you and cares for you.

And lastly, encourage yourself to put your hope in God. Move towards songs of praise in spite of your current circumstances.

05/31/2026

Join us tomorrow morning, May 31 at 9am.
Everyone is welcome.
6 miles west of Medford on Highway 64, watch for the sign on the south side of the road.

05/26/2026

You Don'tNeed Much

Scripture: “One of his disciples, Andrew… said, ‘There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish…’” — John 6:8–9

Thought: Andrew never had much to work with. And this situation is no different. 5000+ hungry people and no food. Andrew finds a kid with a lunchable... Five loaves. Two fish.

Andrew knew it wasn’t enough, “…but what are they for so many?” Yet here’s what separates Andrew from most men: He brought the boy anyway.
Most of us disqualify ourselves before God ever does:

I don’t have enough time.

I don’t have enough knowledge.

I don’t have enough resources.

I don’t have enough experience.

Andrew teaches us something simple: Jesus doesn’t require sufficiency. He requires availability. The miracle didn’t start with abundance. It started with a man willing to bring what little he had.
You don’t need more stuff [schooling, time, money, etc...]. You just need more obedience.

Reflection: Where are you holding back because it “isn’t enough”?

Call to Action: Take one small step today with what you have… your time, your influence, your voice. Offer it to Christ and see what He can do.

Prayer: “God, I bring You what I have, not what I wish I had. Use it. Multiply it. And build something bigger than me through it. In Jesus name Amen.”

05/25/2026

Finding Rest in God

Can you remember the last time you drank cold water after being outside in the hot sun? Or maybe diving into a lake in the middle of summer? It feels good to be refreshed physically, and all of us have different ideas about how to get refreshed.

God’s Word tells us that God is like a Shepherd who takes care of us. He protects us from harm and He makes sure we’re nourished.

One of the jobs of a shepherd is to provide the sheep with refreshment. This is why the writer of Psalm 23 says the Lord leads him into quiet places and lush spaces. Those things were refreshing to his soul.

Have you checked on your own soul lately?

Sometimes when we haven’t been refreshed by God, we end up living in a hurry. We keep our souls and minds busy going from one thing to the next. We become anxious. After long enough, we begin to think there might be something wrong with us.

In John 10:11, Jesus says that He is the Good Shepherd, and we are His sheep. This means that Jesus provides the right path that we should walk, spiritual protection and guidance through prayer, and also spiritual refreshment for our soul. When we spend time with Jesus, part of His job is to refresh us.

But in order to do that, we have to follow Him into those quiet spaces. We have to leave the noise and notifications of the world behind us and learn the slow pace of Jesus. We don’t have to hurry in our time with Him.

When we learn to quiet our souls by removing distractions, we can begin to enjoy simply being with Jesus. When we learn to enjoy Jesus, then He will do His job of refreshing our souls that are parched and weary without Him.

So take some time today without distractions and spend time with Jesus. If you find that difficult, that is an indicator that your soul isn’t used to resting. Your life will be so much healthier and satisfying if you make it a daily habit to be refreshed by God.