Spokane Linwood Adventist Church

09/05/2026

Yuriy Nestruk

09/05/2026

09/05/2026

Happy Sabbath! A reminder for 09/05/26 Sabbath Color Memo: GREEN

For anyone not able to be at church, no worries! You can post a selfie of yourself wearing the Sabbath Color.

09/04/2026

🎵 The Story Behind the Hymn: How Great Thou Art

"O Lord my God, when I in awesome wonder,
Consider all the worlds Thy hands have made..."

Have you ever stood somewhere so beautiful that you couldn't help but think, “God, You are amazing”?

That's the feeling behind one of Christianity's most beloved hymns.

Carl Boberg, a Swedish pastor, poet, and member of parliament, wrote the original poem in 1885 after experiencing the breathtaking power of nature. One afternoon, he was caught in a sudden thunderstorm. The storm was fierce—but just as quickly as it arrived, it passed. The sky cleared, the birds began singing again, and the peacefulness that followed left Boberg overwhelmed by the greatness of God's creation.

He went home and wrote a nine-verse poem called “O Store Gud” — “O Great God.”

The poem eventually traveled far beyond Sweden. It was translated into several languages, and in the early 1950s, English missionary Stuart K. Hine encountered the hymn while serving in Ukraine. Hine translated and adapted it into English, adding verses that reflected his own experiences and the message of the Gospel.

And that's how the words we know today began to take shape:

“Then sings my soul, my Savior God, to Thee:
How great Thou art! How great Thou art!”

The hymn isn't simply about admiring beautiful mountains, stars, oceans, or sunsets.

It's about looking at creation and allowing it to point us toward the Creator!

And then!!! the song takes us even deeper!!! — from the greatness of God's creation to the greatness of God's sacrifice:

“And when I think that God, His Son not sparing,
Sent Him to die, I scarce can take it in...”

The God who created the universe loved us enough to send His Son for us.

And finally, we look toward the day when Christ returns:

“When Christ shall come, with shout of acclamation,
And take me home, what joy shall fill my heart!”

From a Swedish man's awe during a passing storm came a hymn that has helped millions of people stop, look around, and remember:

Our God is greater than anything we can see, anything we face, and anything we could ever comprehend.

✨ A Rae of Hope Reflection: The next time you see a breathtaking sunset, stand beneath a star-filled sky, or hear the sound of rain after a storm, pause for a moment. Let creation remind you of its Creator.

How great Thou art. ❤️

08/28/2026

🎵 The Story Behind the Hymn: "Because He Lives"

"Because He lives, I can face tomorrow..."

What do you do when the future feels uncertain?

In the late 1960s, Bill and Gloria Gaither were going through a difficult season. They were expecting a baby, and Gloria was experiencing serious health complications. At the same time, there was tremendous unrest and uncertainty in the world around them.

Fear was very real.

But as they reflected on the birth, death, and resurrection of Jesus, they were reminded of something far more powerful than the fear surrounding them:

Jesus is alive!!

The resurrection wasn't simply something that happened in the past. It meant that because Christ conquered death, they could face whatever tomorrow might bring.

Bill and Gloria began writing the hymn, and out of that season came the words:

“Because He lives, I can face tomorrow.
Because He lives, all fear is gone.”

What a powerful declaration!

We don't know what tomorrow holds, but we DO know who holds tomorrow and we DO know that JESUS LIVES!

The song has gone on to encourage millions of people around the world with this powerful message!!

Our hope isn't found in knowing what tomorrow will bring. Our hope is knowing Who is already there!

✨ A Rae of Hope Reflection: Whatever uncertainty you're facing today, remember this: the tomb is empty. Jesus is alive. And because He lives, you can face tomorrow.

08/22/2026

- Phyllis Ecklert

08/21/2026

🎵 The Story Behind the Hymn: Great Is Thy Faithfulness

"Great is Thy faithfulness, O God my Father..."

What if we started looking for God's faithfulness in the ordinary moments of our lives?

A sunrise. Strength for another day. A little provision when we weren't sure how things would work out.

That's the beautiful story behind this beloved hymn.

Thomas O. Chisholm was an ordinary man - Born in a Kentucky log cabin, he worked as a teacher and newspaper editor before becoming a Christian in his late twenties. He later became a Methodist minister, but chronic health problems eventually forced him to leave full-time ministry.

Through his health struggles, Thomas came to recognize something profound: God had been faithful all along.

Inspired by Lamentations 3:22–23—"His compassions fail not. They are new every morning; great is thy faithfulness"—Chisholm wrote Great Is Thy Faithfulness as a poem in 1923.

He sent it to his friend William M. Runyan, who prayed for a melody worthy of the words. The result became the hymn we know and love today.

And Thomas Chisholm didn't stop there. During his lifetime, he wrote more than 1,200 sacred poems and hymn texts. More than 800 were published in Christian periodicals, with many eventually set to music and becoming beloved hymns.

What makes Great Is Thy Faithfulness so special is that it wasn't born from one dramatic tragedy. It was born from a lifetime of noticing God's goodness in the everyday.

Morning by morning, new mercies we see.

You may not know what tomorrow holds, but you can know Who holds tomorrow. And when you wake up tomorrow morning, look for it—God's mercy will already be there.

❤️ What is one ordinary blessing you're thankful for today?

08/20/2026

When you go to the doctor, waiting for your name to be called can seem like forever!

You get impatient. You start wondering, "Did they forget about me?" And sometimes, if you've been waiting long enough, you might even drift off to sleep! 😴 (guilty!)

But you know, waiting for our Great Physician, Jesus, can sometimes feel that way too. We don't know exactly when He's coming, and as the days and years pass, it's easy to become comfortable... distracted... or even spiritually sleepy.

But the last thing we want - is to be caught sleeping when Jesus calls our name!

While we're waiting, we have work to do!

Let's be busy doing God's business. Let's love people, serve others, share the hope of Christ, and help wake up those around us who may have become spiritually sleepy.

We've got a lot to do while we're waiting!

So wake up, Church! Stay ready. Stay faithful. Keep shining!! ✨✨

Because Jesus is coming soon—and when He calls our name, let's be ready! ❤️✝️