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Old St Paul's Lutheran Church, 2035 Old Conover Startown Road, Newton, NC (2026)

09/07/2026

A Prayer for Deeper Roots
Chelsey DeMatteis

“..so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love..”Ephesians 3:17

September brings with it an invitation to pause. As the sun sets earlier, the evenings begin to cool off, and fall makes its entrance, it’s as if all of creation lets out a deep breath.

We made it through the summer. We fully embraced the longer days and, for some, the fuller schedules. We soaked up the sun, the rain showers, the warmer temperatures, and all that comes with a season when we see the fruit of a dormant winter and the blooms of spring. It brings a different kind of reflection, one that reminds us that the light comes after the dark. The warmth of the sun will grace our skin once again after the harsh winter months. God will be faithful, as He always has been.

This time of year reminds me of the many places in scripture that remind us we are rooted and grounded in the goodness and love of God. Not only are we rooted in them, but we were created for the changing seasons. He made seasons with us in mind. He knew what we needed to remain in Him and depend on Him. Jeremiah 17:8 reminds us all the more of what we, in Christ, were made for. He is like a tree planted by water, that sends out its roots by the stream, and does not fear when heat comes, for its leaves remain green, and is not anxious in the year of drought, for it does not cease to bear fruit.”

We find stability in the promise that when our roots are planted deep within the heart of God, we need not fear what lies ahead. We can trust in what God has planned for us and in what He will do with what we have walked through. The same God who has walked us on the journey thus far will continue to do so and give us more reason to look to Him as the trustworthy Father He is.

Just look at the life of Jesus and the way He walked through different seasons. Some were beautiful and others, unimaginable. Yet He always maintained a posture of surrender and peace, trusting that God would accomplish what He wanted. The same goes for you and me. Whatever God has planned as we enter the second half of the year, let us do so with hearts fully surrendered to Him, trusting He will provide the peace.

Most of all, let us walk into this season with the courage not to live up to the standards of the world, but to live with the desire to please only the Lord. Because He will be the One who sustains us in all situations, obstacles, and outcomes. Let us trust God’s goodness and rest in the deep roots we have planted in HIs rich soil.

Let's Pray
Father, thank you for the gift of your rich soil. It is by your grace that you have allowed me to plant my roots in your solid ground. From your soil comes stability and depth, a richness and wholeness I cannot have apart from you. You have given me the ability to live in peace regardless of my circumstances. Please help me look to you for strength and direction when things feel out of control, or when I feel the pressure from the world to do more than you have asked of me. Remind me that you have equipped me for every good work, and sometimes that work is to rest where you have me. Keep me humble and patient as I look only to you and your word for guidance. I pray for clarity and boldness in this season. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

09/06/2026

Sept 5 2026

09/05/2026

I Just Want Some Answers
Lysa TerKeurst

“Jesus declared, ‘I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty’” (John 6:35, NIV).

At times, I’ve looked at prayer requests like Amazon Prime deliveries.

I want to know I’ll get what I ask for. I want what’s delivered to look like what I expected and to arrive in record time. And then I will feel so close to God because He did what I wanted!

I’m not proud of this. I’m challenged by it. Because there’s something too human and predictable about that being the way prayer actually works. Then my prayers become orders I place, the answers as cheap as products, and the sender nothing more than a far-removed entity I give little thought to until I need something else.

I want to change this. I want to come to God with my needs, desires, and hunger and recognize that whatever He places before me is His daily bread. When Jesus taught us what to pray each day, His first request was for daily bread. But isn’t it true that bread took on many different forms in the Bible?

Sometimes it looks like a loaf from the oven (Leviticus 2:4), other times like manna from heaven (Deuteronomy 8:3), or best of all, like Jesus, who declared Himself the Bread of Life (John 6:35). All three are God’s perfect provision. But with our human eyes, we would probably only recognize the loaf of bread as good and most fitting, and what a tragedy that would be.

The loaf of bread may be what I want from God, but isn’t the loaf the least miraculous of all the forms of bread? It’s the kind of provision we have to work to receive from the ground, harvesting the wheat, processing it, and then baking it — all with our own hands. But maybe that’s what I like so much about the loaf of bread. Since I’m working for it, I have a sense of control over it.

Manna represents what God simply gives. The manna that fell from heaven for the children of Israel was God’s perfect sustenance, even though it looked more like little seeds or flakes rather than loaves of bread. And yet it came directly from God, day by day, and kept more than 2 million Israelites alive in the desert for the 40 years they needed it. It was miraculous.

But even with manna, people still had a role to play. They had to go outside their tents to pick it up. They didn’t grow it, but they could count on it.

Control and consistency make me feel like I’m trusting God when, in reality, I’m just counting on Him to the level that He comes through for me.

The best kind of bread, though, is the Bread of Life: Jesus Himself. This isn’t provision we work for or simply pick up; this is provision in Christ deposited inside of us that nourishes and sustains us all the way down to our souls.

In John 6:35, “Jesus declared, ‘I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.’” Jesus is the most miraculous provision, and the One already given to us today — but maybe the One least recognized as being everything we need.

And I know you might be saying, “Look, Lysa, what’s in front of me is awful, so this doesn’t make me want to trust God more. It makes me trust Him less!” I understand that. I feel the same way about some of what’s in front of me right now too.

If we have Jesus today, we are living in answered prayer and provision. The One who brings about good, even from the awful things we are seeing with our physical eyes, is actively working on our behalf right now.

He is talking to the Father about you right now in ways that, if you could hear Him, would make you never fear what’s in front of you. Never question His love for you or His goodness to you.

We see only what the human mind can imagine, but God is building something we cannot even fathom. We may see it in time, or not until eternity. But until we do, we can know with certainty that whatever He gives us truly is His good provision, whether that good is for today or part of a much bigger plan.

So today, we can pray what we need to pray. Pray all the words, let the tears flow into sobs and frustrations mixed with hope. And then, we can look at what’s right in front of us through what we know to be true about God. And trust Jesus to eventually make something beautiful from it.

Let's Pray
Jesus, thank You for being the perfect sustenance that I need today. I look to You as the Bread of Life. Help me when I’m struggling as I wait for my prayers to be answered in Your perfect timing. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

09/04/2026

Patience for Slow Answers
Rachel Britton

“I wait for the Lord, my whole being waits, and in his word I put my hope” (Psalm 130:5).

Perhaps you are waiting for clarity about a decision, direction for your future, or an answer to prayer that is a long time coming. During the day, you may be able to keep yourself busy. Yet when evening arrives, and everything falls quiet, the unknown future grows louder.

Most of us would rather have a quick answer than wait. Waiting can leave us feeling suspended between where we are and where we want to be.

The writer of Psalm 130 knew what it was like to wait. He began this psalm by crying to God “out of the depths.” His waiting did not take place at a time of ease or calm. He was deeply troubled. Yet he made a deliberate decision: “I wait for the Lord.”

Notice that he did not say he waited only with his thoughts. He said, “My whole being waits.” Waiting affects every part of us. Our minds spiral or shoot in one direction, then another as we search for solutions. Our shoulders sag or tense up. Our stomachs hurt. Our emotions rise and fall between hope and disappointment. The psalmist brought all of himself into the waiting room of God.

But, in that waiting room, the Psalmist also put his hope in God.

Scripture may not tell us exactly when our circumstances will change or which direction God will lead us. But it reminds us of who God is. He is faithful. He is compassionate. He hears our cries. Waiting for Him does not mean He has forgotten us.

You do not have to work everything out before you sleep. You do not have to force clarity or prepare for every possible outcome. You can place the answer you need into God’s hands and let His promises settle your restless thoughts. The answer you want may still be slow in coming, but the One you are waiting for has you and your situation securely in His hands.

Let's Pray
Lord God, You know the answer I am waiting for and how deeply the uncertainty affects me. You see the questions that fill my mind and the tension I carry in my body. I bring my whole being before You. Help me not to mistake Your silence for Your absence. When I cannot see what You are doing, remind me of who You are. You are faithful, compassionate, and attentive to my prayers. Anchor my hope in You and Your Word rather than in my preferred outcome or timing. Quiet my thoughts and help me trust You with what remains unresolved. Give me patience for the waiting, wisdom for each next step. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

09/03/2026

Grace for the Pace of Change
Peyton Garland

“There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God; for anyone who enters God’s rest also rests from their works, just as God did from his. Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will perish by following their example of disobedience.” Hebrews 4:9-11 (NIV)

If you’re like me, you only know one speed: go, go, go! Your calendar is full, your brain needs at least five daily alarms, and you have no clue how to rest. Sure, rest sounds nice, but it produces a fidgety sense that there’s more to be done, that recharging the spirit and connecting with others must wait.

If you’re even more like me, you use the excuse, “Yeah, but I can’t truly rest until _(Fill in the blank)________ is done.”

I can’t truly rest until the house is cleaned,

The texts are answered,

The playdates are confirmed,

The grocery list is made,

The errands are knocked out,

or any other excuse I try.

We could blame today’s culture and modern technology, which have made us feel that we must live at such a fast pace.

After all, it’s a tragic gift to be only a phone call away at all times, to everyone around the world.

It’s a tragic gift to have automated alarms, whether through text or email, that remind you of all of tomorrow’s to-dos.

It’s a tragic gift that we see ten-second clips of the world’s answers for all of life’s problems, whether it’s a better nighttime routine for your newborn, healthier snacks for your toddler, more fulfilling date nights with your spouse, less expensive vacations for your family, simpler cleaning hacks, fancier crafts for your next girls’ night out, or a “perfect” Bible-reading strategy (that you know deep down you won’t master).

Is it any wonder that an all-knowing God would see fit to command that His people, for all of time, remember the Sabbath and ensure that it remains holy (Exodus 20:8-11)?

He sees the stress that we take on before our feet hit the floor. He knows the comparison that steals our souls with the click of an app. This is why His command for the Sabbath is so simple. Better yet, this is why His command for the Sabbath is that it mirrors His holiness.

We are commanded, “... be holy, because I am holy” (Leviticus 11:44, NIV). Of course, we will never master holiness in a fallen world, but our efforts to become more like our Maker ensure that we, like Him, rest. That we recognize when we’ve put in the beautiful work, when we’ve cultivated the gifts we’ve been given, when we’ve sown the seeds and reaped the harvest, when we’ve accepted in God-honoring humility that we can never do it all and be it all, and we simply sit in and savor the comfort of the good, sovereign God who sustains us.

This is so hard for many of us, certainly for me! There’s always one more house project, one more writing deadline, one more dream that I’m convinced I need to work just a little harder for. But each time those dishes are washed, that article is submitted, and that dream becomes a reality, I just find another laundry list piled high with false ideas of fulfillment.

My only rest, not just in my body but in my soul, comes from Almighty God. It comes from reading His Word, talking with Him, coloring with my toddler, cooing with my newborn, swinging on the front porch, listening to beautiful music, holding hands with my husband, and really, truly living as we were invited to in the Garden.

It’s in this rest, where I’m relying completely on the blessings of God for my purpose and joy, that I find holiness.

Holiness can easily seem intimidating, but God never invites us to be intimidated or fearful. Rather, He invites us to be bold as we strive to become more like Him. In this selfless pursuit, we find His holiness. We find rest. We find grace for the slower change in pace. We find glimpses of what our eternal home will be like. And best of all, we find the Lover of our souls.

Let's Pray
Father, grant us your quiet, your rhythm for how we should live. Help us understand what it means to keep the Sabbath holy, to defy the world’s demands for a fast-paced everything, and to rest in who you are and the gifts you provide. It’s all too easy to let the constant bombardment of information, reminders, and checklists make us feel like slaves to everyone and everything but you. Protect us from this rat race of lies. Give us the strength to push back against the go-go-go pull that makes us feel like we have to do everything at all times. Give us pockets of time to rest in your grace, to thank you and praise you for your mercy, and to better understand who you are through your Word, the people you have blessed us with, and your miracles that surround us. Thank you for the gift of time. May we steward it as you intended, Lord. In Jesus name, Amen.

09/02/2026

Faithfully Navigating a Challenging Situation

As many of you may have heard, an accident occurred in the church cemetery early on the morning of Friday, August 28th. According to police reports, an impaired driver left the road at about 2am that morning, clipped the guardrail, crossed the road ditch and crashed into a significant number of gravestones and grave markers. Police suspect the driver was traveling well above the posted speed limit when they entered the adjacent intersection and the cemetery. The driver, who fortunately was not hurt, was arrested and taken to jail.

Needless to say, this situation presents many challenging aspects. We can first be thankful that the driver is unhurt from this accident. But, they are certainly also going to have to wrestle with many real consequences from this accident too. While we don't know anything about this driver or even their name, their legal and personal situation will likely be quite difficult both now and in the near future.

For us as a church, we too will have some challenges ahead. The number of tombstones affected is quite high. For the most part these were older tombstones (some going back 75+ years and some well more) and each is an important part of the memory of those who have passed on and for their families. We'll have to work with the driver's insurance and perhaps multiple providers to have the affected tombstones repaired, if possible, or replaced if they cannot be repaired. It is likely that several of the affected ones will not be able to be repaired.

All this said, bringing healing and restoration to the cemetery will take time, but we will work together to see this important work through. But what about how we handle the reality of this accident as a whole?

As people of faith we understand that we are not perfect and that we are prone to sin. We seek and know God's forgiveness through Jesus' sacrifice on the cross. We too are called to forgive as we have been forgiven.

For this driver, we can grieve a lot about this whole situation for them, as well as for us and how our church has been affected. We are also called to grant them forgiveness and to work with them to make this broken situation whole again. We too hope that this accident might open opportunities for them to seek God's guidance in their life and address the personal experiences that may have led to their impaired state and this accident.

Beyond forgiveness, we would do well to pray for this driver and their family. May they experience God's presence in inviting change and renewal in their life. May they seek to bring restoration to areas that need restoring (through repentance and renewal). May we too pray that we may be helpful as we are called to help navigate the recovery with all involved in this accident.

Time will bring about healing for all involved, including our church and our cemetery, and may our actions through this experience help proclaim the power and presence we feel and know through our gracious and forgiving God.

In Christ,
Pastor Andrew

09/02/2026

Oh, no! She's Awake!
Mary Southerland

But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness. Therefore, I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me’ (2 Corinthians 12:9, NIV ).

For many years, I did everything I possibly could to hide or erase any weakness in my life. When that didn’t work, I simply pretended that those weak areas didn’t exist. Why? Because if I was weak, how could Jesus love me? How could anyone love me? How could I love myself?

When our son, Jered, began to walk, I immediately noticed that his feet turned inward. Our pediatrician recommended a specialist who examined Jered thoroughly, then ordered several x-rays. The more he examined Jered, the more concerned we became. When the specialist finally called us in for a consultation, we braced ourselves for bad news … just in case. The doctor’s stoic face revealed nothing, but his diagnosis was a gift. “There is nothing wrong with Jered’s feet,” he said. “They are simply the feet of a natural athlete and were designed to give him great balance.” What we feared as a weakness, an obstacle to overcome, was really a great strength and part of the Master’s plan for Jered who graduated from college with the help of a football and academic scholarship.

The same is true in our lives as children of God. God created us according to His plan, in love and with purpose – weaknesses and all. "God in heaven appoints each person's work” (John 3:27,NLT). We tend to view our weaknesses as liabilities. However, since our worth does not depend upon us in any way, we can and must be honest about our weaknesses, knowing they do not diminish our value in the heart and mind of God. In fact, our weaknesses can become the areas through which God does His greatest work.

Instead, we try to ignore weaknesses, hoping no one will notice. We live in denial, assigning blame to others when we fail. Eventually, we attempt to bury our weaknesses only to find them resurrecting themselves when we least expect it.

A powerful life embraces pain, brokenness and weakness, and understands that perfection is for Heaven, not Earth. The words of Paul are profound, “God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong” (1 Corinthians 1:27, NIV).

When we are honest about our weaknesses, we are conceding the fact that only God can accomplish anything good in or through us. God’s power is instantly recognizable in obvious weakness. God has always allowed man’s weakness to validate the immeasurable need of His redemption and His sufficiency in our lives. He can and will use us if we allow Him to do so – not despite our weaknesses – but through our weaknesses. We are not the message – just the messenger. Our weaknesses are not excuses to escape God’s plan. They are divinely appointed opportunities for that plan to work.

Noah was a drunk.

Abraham was too old.

Isaac was a daydreamer.

Jacob was a liar.

Leah was ugly.

Joseph was abused.

Moses had a stuttering problem.

Gideon was afraid.

Sampson had long hair and was a womanizer.

Rahab was a pr******te.

Jeremiah and Timothy were too young.

David had an affair and was a murderer.

Elijah was suicidal.

Isaiah preached naked.

Jonah ran from God.

Naomi was a widow.

Job went bankrupt.

John the Baptist ate bugs.

Peter denied Christ.

The Disciples fell asleep while praying.

Martha worried about everything.

The Samaritan woman was divorced, more than once.

Zaccheus was too small.

Paul was too religious and Lazarus was dead!

More important than where you have been or even where you are, is where you are headed. Don’t wait until you have it all figured out. That won’t happen this side of Heaven. Don’t wait until you think you are good enough. You never will be. Step up to the plate and be the imperfect you; allowing God’s perfection to shine through each and every weakness. Do not listen to the doubts and lies of Satan. His goal is to render you helpless and defeated, no longer a threat to him or his kingdom.

I recently told a friend, “I want to get to the place in my walk with God, that when my feet hit the floor each morning, the devil says, “Oh, no! She’s awake!” I know I have a long way to go, but join me in the choice to embrace weakness and pain, allowing God’s strength and restoration to shine through each broken place.

Let's Pray
Father, right now, I yield to the truth that I am weak and You are strong. Forgive me for the arrogance and pride that makes me think I can do anything good on my own. Keep me broken, Father, and on my face before You. Please use the broken places in my life to let Your light shine through. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

09/01/2026

Choose Your Thoughts Wisely
Lia Girard

"Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things." - Philippians 4:8

You know the old “count to 10” technique, created to dispel anger that could lead to misbehavior? Have you ever done this? Or made yourself take a series of slow, deep breaths before handling a situation, so you could bring your best self to the solution?

We’re fallible humans, sharing a loud and overstimulating world. So it’s easy to see why our brains might get overloaded with things we didn’t choose to put there. Images we didn’t want to see. Misunderstandings we can’t untangle. Temptations that vie for our attention. Hence, we need a way to redirect those intrusive and often oppressive thoughts.

If God hadn’t made our brain so remarkably capable, there wouldn’t have been a need for Paul’s letter, aka the “epistle of joy,” that he wrote while under arrest in Rome. Paul most assuredly had a lot of feelings he could ruminate on, or thoughts he could catastrophize.

Instead, he admonishes us (in his letter to the Philippian church) to guard our minds by choosing what we focus on. Which is why it’s so helpful that he offered us his poignant version of the “count to 10” method. He walks us through eight different types of thoughts we can turn our attention to—instead of what might be negative, toxic, or non-constructive.

This verse is a beautiful one to recite internally if you ever feel lost in a tunnel of overwhelm, anger, or fear. Here, Paul acknowledges that you can be angry or terrified, and that you might even want revenge (all things Paul could have been thinking about in captivity). But you can also change your own mind. And in the process, welcome the kind of peace that surpasses understanding.

How? Paul asks us to focus on these eight things: What does God say is true? What is the noble way to behave? What is the right thing to do? What is still pure in my heart, life, or the world? What do I find so lovely that it calms and uplifts me? Who or what do I admire, and why? Is there an example of excellence that I can envision and appreciate? And finally, what deserves my praise? Your answer to all of these may be God. Or, it may be any of God’s gifts and creations that show you how lovely it is to recall joy, rather than brood on pain and anger.

This handy verse is a terrific tool for renewing your own faith. It asks you to practice a conscious and challenging act of free will to soul-search, meditate, or pray to experience the kind of peace God desires for you, regardless of the issue or disaster at hand. Which can give you the strength you need to battle your current situation.

Let’s get really real. Paul was expecting to be murdered by his enemies and wrote this anyway. He chose to recall that God secured his future. He wisely decided not to let fear steal his joy. In fact, he begins in the first chapter of Philippians by asserting that “to live is Christ and to die is gain.” So he offered this Philippians 4:8 technique as encouragement to all of us . . . then, now, and always. It’s our choice to think about what’s true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent, or praiseworthy,

Try it. The next time you find your mind locked down by a myriad of unpleasant burdens and thoughts, consider the choice Paul made while in prison. When you direct your thoughts wisely, as Paul concludes in Philippians 4:9, “the God of peace will be with you.”

Let’s Pray
Dear God, my mind gets filled up fast these days. It sometimes feels like a jumble of deadlines, bad news, unsavory media, sounds, and images I didn’t choose, and even fears about my future. Thank you for reminding me in Philippians 4:8 that this mind you gave me can not only absorb, but it can also make active decisions. I can choose what I focus on. I’m so grateful you gave me eight ideas to replace fears, anger, worry, upset, and more. God, I pray that you would empower me to clear my head today. Move me to make time in my schedule to purposely choose what I want to think about. And, please, keep showing me lovely, pure, noble, and praiseworthy things, so I can follow the path of peace you desire for me. In your holy name I pray, Amen.

08/31/2026

I’m Afraid of What Will Happen if I Don’t Step In
Lysa TerKeurst

“For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline” (2 Timothy 1:7, NLT).

Life can just break your heart sometimes, and before you can even catch your breath from one hard situation, there’s another one.

It’s not that any one of these situations is a massive tragedy or a life-altering event. It’s the onslaught of never-ending issues, one after another after another.

It’s the constant responsibilities that need to be handled, but nothing is going the way you wanted. Everything is more complicated, more challenging, more consuming, more expensive, more mind-bending, and more frustrating.

It’s the hurtful things, like a friend you can tell is withdrawing from you. Or a husband who won’t go to counseling. Or a boss who once again overlooks your efforts. It’s the child whom you love with all your heart, who has such potential, but who is now rebelling and seems to stay angry at you.

Make it stop. Please, God, make it stop.

But what do we do when He doesn’t?

It’s no wonder we feel compelled to step in, fix this, redirect them, and intervene just to end the chaos. But the Lord has been helping me acknowledge what’s really driving that desire to control everything: fear.

I want to unpack this a bit — because one kind of fear we can have is God-given, and another kind is not.

Let’s start with God-given fear. We can feel afraid as a natural human emotion that should occur when we encounter something threatening or scary. This serves as a warning to help us take the necessary steps to seek safety and protection. This kind of fear prevents us from walking into traffic, warns us not to get too close to the edge of a cliff, and triggers us to get away from a venomous snake. These fears serve a healthy purpose.

Then there are the fears that drive our desire for control: a spirit of fear that is not God-given. Today's key verse, 2 Timothy 1:7, tells us, “For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline.”

Living from a spirit of fear means we are being controlled and negatively influenced by spiritual forces that pull us away from trusting God. When we are afraid of another person’s choices and start to strategize how we can rescue, fix, or motivate them to make changes they aren’t willing to make, we are stepping toward control and away from trusting God. This kind of fear does not serve a healthy purpose. It can absolutely hinder our well-being and become destructive to relationships.

I've found that if I don’t acknowledge and learn to manage these fears that drive my desire to control, I will slip into the exhausting patterns of trying to fix what I already know is beyond my abilities. Anxiety will be my constant companion. Frustration will exhaust me. And desperation will perpetuate the lie that my effort will save the day.

We can all be incredibly deceived by our own effort — because sometimes it works. Sometimes, when we get just enough success in fixing a part of the situation, we buy the lie that these changed circumstances are evidence that we are fixing things.

But can I please whisper something we have to remember? Anything we accomplish by trying to control situations or other people will only compound our disappointment when it all falls apart again.

This kind of disappointment sometimes leads to disillusionment, which can make us want to trust God less and less. If we ask God to bless our efforts and they fail, then the spirit of fear will be right there tempting us to believe it’s God who has failed us.

Control is so appealing because it gives us a sense of power in situations where we have probably felt quite powerless and helpless for a long time. Friend, I know accepting what we cannot change can feel like we are giving up. But what it actually means is that we will finally live in the only reality where we can move forward. And it’s a crucial step in our journey to stop letting situations steal our peace and rob us of being able to show up as our best selves.

Let's Pray
Jesus, You are who I need. You are the ultimate source of peace, protection, and provision when everything around me feels unstable, uncertain, and uncontrollable. Calm my thoughts, guard my spirit, and carry what feels too heavy for me. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Old St Paul's Lutheran Church

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