Servant of The Shepherd Church

Servant of The Shepherd Church Jesus replied, “‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment.

Servant of the Shepherd Church is a congregation of recovering addicts and alcoholics (and their families and friends) striving to serve God by loving His people. A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’
‭‭Matthew‬ ‭22:37-39‬ ‭NLT‬‬

If you’d like to support us in our mission, please consider donating here: https://secure.myvanco.com/L-Z5KX/campaign/C-12J1P

You can also subscribe to our YouTube channel! https://m.youtube.com/channel/UCca-t0Xt67evdhP6tc-ZOgw

06/11/2026

Waiting Well

Waiting can be hard.

Most of us would prefer quick, efficient, and—when possible—instant results and answers.

But waiting is a part of life.

We must wait for seeds to grow into food, for one season to fade into the next, for babies to mature into adults, and for trees to stand tall enough to finally offer shade.

Like it or not, waiting takes patience.

We can wait days, months, years, or even decades for a prayer to be answered, for an overdue apology, for the timing to be right, or for a dream to finally come to pass.

Waiting requires courage.

King David lived nearly 3,000 years ago, but he knew what it meant to wait for God’s timing, to wait to be king, to wait to be rescued from his enemies. He wrote:

“Wait patiently for the Lord. Be brave and courageous. Yes, wait patiently for the Lord.”
‭‭Psalms‬ ‭27:14‬ ‭NLT‬‬

If David thought waiting on God was important enough to write it twice in one verse, we should probably pay attention. But waiting patiently for the Lord isn’t an excuse to do nothing.

We can proactively wait on God by staying in communication with Him, by looking for His fingerprints in ordinary moments, by reading about His story and His plans in His Word, by worshiping Him no matter what’s happening across the globe, by serving the people both inside and outside of our circles, and by thanking Him for the gifts He’s already given us.

Just because a specific door isn’t opening, or a particular opportunity isn’t available at this moment doesn’t mean that God isn’t moving.

Even when we are waiting—God is working.

Noah spent decades building an ark as he waited for God to do what He’d said. Ruth journeyed with her mother-in-law and worked in the grain fields while trusting in God’s provision after her husband’s death. Joseph stayed faithful in prison for several years before his promotion to second-in-command of Egypt. John trusted God’s ultimate will for his life, and wrote several books of the New Testament while sentenced to exile on the island of Patmos.

So, no matter what you’re facing today, you can ask God for patience and trust that He is in control of your future. No matter what uncertainty lies before you, when you rely on the Lord, you can be someone who waits well.

06/10/2026

God, when I feel weak, remind me that You are strong. And when I feel like giving up, give me the strength to persevere. Show me what it means to pursue righteousness—no matter the cost. I want every aspect of my life to glorify You. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

06/09/2026

God, I want my heart to be a reflection of your character—pure! Please reveal the areas of my life and heart that are not in line with Your Word. Help me to let go of the bitterness, disappointment, and hurt I'm currently holding onto. I surrender my whole heart to You—please transform me from the inside out. I want to see You up close! In Jesus’ name, Amen.

06/08/2026

Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube.

06/02/2026

God, there are real hardships in my life that I'm trying to surrender to You. Please help me. I want to remember that You are always good, sovereign, and in control. Once again, I’m trusting in Your provision, protection, and plans. Because I know You care about every need and desire I have, I can rest. Give me peace as I recall that You are worthy of my trust. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

06/01/2026

Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube.

05/31/2026

God, You know everything about me. You know the areas of my life that have potential, but are being held back by broken patterns, sinful habits, and unhealthy relationships. Please bring healing to my life by cutting away anything that's cluttering or destroying my heart and mind. Transform me so that I continue to bear healthy fruit. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

05/30/2026

What It Takes to Thrive

In both gardening and spiritual terms, planting and harvesting are exciting seasons. Planting is the start of an adventure; harvesting is the product of hard work. It’s easy to celebrate new beginnings and hard-earned completions—but one thing that’s not as much fun?

The pruning process.

Who wants to acknowledge what’s dead and unproductive in their lives? Who wants to trim back what’s already blooming—leaving you smaller, awkward, and feeling extra weak?

But pruning is exactly what we need to keep producing fruit.

“He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful.”
John 15:2 NIV

Jesus mentions two separate actions in this process—cutting off what’s dead and pruning fruit.

Cutting out what’s dead makes sense. It’s extra weight, it’s unproductive, it’s blocking sunlight, and it’s stealing good energy from branches that could thrive. But without proper context, pruning fruit feels backwards.

However, the purpose of pruning isn’t to disable something, but to revitalize it.

If a branch is weak or diseased, it could not only damage itself, but the surrounding trees as well. Without pruning, both the tree and the life surrounding it can never reach full potential.

Pruning creates room for more growth.
Pruning stimulates production.
Pruning keeps the plant or person strong.

God is a good Gardener. He wouldn’t be a good Gardener if He left you to yourself—overgrown, ineffective, and full of dysfunction. But He cares for those He loves. He cuts off what’s dead for your benefit. He lovingly trims back ineffective things in your life to make way for more fruit.

You can trust God with your life because He cares about who you are and who you can become.

So what “dead branches” are you dragging around? Is it possible that God is pruning you for future growth? Take a few moments and talk to God about any areas in your life that you recognize need to change.

05/29/2026

God, when I think about who You are and all that You’ve done, it overwhelms me. I am filled with awe and wonder at how powerful yet merciful You are. Deepen my knowledge of Your love and faithfulness. Fill me with wisdom that only comes from knowing You. Be the foundation of my life—so that my life is a reflection of Your heart. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

05/28/2026

Jesus, I want to be more like You. You've shown me what true humility should look like. You've modeled kindness, grace, and genuine love. Please help me to have the same attitude toward others as You have toward me. Teach me to love people unconditionally and sacrificially—for Your glory, and their good. Amen.

Address

103 N 4th Street
River Falls, WI
54022

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