Ever Learning ... Blog | Michael Okuneye | January 27, 2022 2 Timothy 3:7 This was an emphasis by one of the Apostles in the New Testament as a warning, and possibly a concern for the believers who are exposed to opportunities to become better. Every teacher desires to see that their students understand the content being taught. A mentor/ mentee relationship is to see the mentee fully guided to become a master in every life endeavor ..read more

Dressed for Success Blog | Sheryl Giesbrecht | January 25, 2022 I’ve always been a tomboy. It’s no wonder I chose the college major of ‘Recreation Administration with a Camp Emphasis,’ hoping to one day work as a camp director. Needless to say, I am more comfortable in sweats and slippers, jeans and tennis shoes or shorts and flip flops ..read more

God hand-picked a father to care for child Jesus Blog | Paul Swamidass | January 21, 2022 We recently celebrated or remembered the birth of Jesus Christ during Christmas. After Jesus’ birth, the role of Joseph, his earthly farther, became very significant as recorded in Matthew’s Gospel. Joseph called to be the earthly father of child Jesus ..read more

I'm Still Standing Blog | Gilbert Camacho | January 18, 2022 We begin a “New Year,” but it sure feels like a continuation of last year. The worldwide response to the “coronavirus” has varied from country to country since it first appeared in Wuhan, China in December 2019. In the United States, a fierce struggle has emerged between those insisting their rights are being infringed upon by restrictions and vaccines mandates; while others justify these actions in the name of “public health.”  Companies that were counting on their workers coming back into the office have instead had to exten ..read more

Finding Purpose Amidst the Pandemic Blog | Boris Joaquin | January 13, 2022 Where there is no vision, the people perish... (Proverbs 29:18a) How have you been since the pandemic? Globally, this pandemic has turned our world upside down – disrupting our lives physically, socially, mentally, and financially. These have been trying times for everyone – maybe more troubling for some than others – but nonetheless, everyone. Hope has become a challenge, especially when you feel helpless, as if there is nothing you can do ..read more

Self-Care Is Not Being Selfish Blog | Christine Vogelsang | January 11, 2022 “I don’t care how loud she cries. Do not let her in! Here’s the key in case there’s a true emergency.” Those were my directions to my mother-in-law who had kindly agreed to come help the first week home with our second child. The luxury of naps and self-care was not possible with a toddler demanding my time, especially now that there was competition in the house. I just wanted a shower by myself without that little person pulling aside the curtain to check on Mommy. I knew she was perfectly safe outside that bathroo ..read more

Begin Your Year with Emotional Intelligence in Christ Blog | Lauren Miller | January 06, 2022 Anytime we are in a position to influence another human being, we are leading. As we ground our sense of identity in who God says we are, we gain authority over the devil’s trickery. Emotionally intelligent behavior from a worldly stand point rises and falls depending upon how the world judges it at that moment in time. Emotional Intelligence in Christ is the activation of the Holy Spirit within us to discern and manage our emotions and behavior in a way that honors God by loving others well as Jesu ..read more

Making Room for God’s Plans in the New Year Blog | Kristin Beyer | December 30, 2021 In 2016, my New Year’s goal was to clear out 2,016 things from my home. It seemed like a huge number, but I’d read about this idea to set specific decluttering goals from Kathy Lipp’s book Clutter Free, and I felt equipped and motivated. My strategy for accountability was to keep a running tally on a piece of paper on the side of my refrigerator, and my unwanted items either went into the trash, were donated, or were put on Facebook to offer up to friends and family. I met my goal by that summer, and I was s ..read more

Christmas Is Upon Us! Blog | Christine Vogelsang | December 20, 2021 There were warnings all morning. A major blizzard was forecast to hit our city, Fort Wayne, Indiana. My boss was sending everyone home early to stay ahead of the storm. It was January 1978, years before the blessing of cell phones. I finally reached my husband at the seminary after several panicky calls ..read more

How to Lead at Christmas (and every other day) Blog | Gilbert Camacho | December 20, 2021 In a popular Christmas song, Andy Williams (1963) told us, “It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year."  Holiday music fills the air, children are excited, the tree shimmers, and the kitchen bustles with the sounds and smells of the feast season. Traditional Christmas movies like: It’s a Wonderful Life, the Miracle of 34th Street, Scrooge, White Christmas, and Imitation of Life will compete with the slate of more than forty-five college football bowl games scheduled. At times, it makes you ask, have ..read more