Walking into a room, mostly filled with complete strangers is intimidating. Some are better than others at coping, putting themselves out there, and becoming acquainted. When I walked into the Botanical Gardens where the Alpha Course has been meeting for the past eight weeks, I felt like I was entering a family reunion.
Read MoreIn 2008, I was diagnosed with Bipolar 1 Mixed Disorder. 30-60% of people with this disorder attempt suicide at least once. I thought about suicide every day for 14 years.
Read More“My oldest son was born with suspicion of a tethered spinal cord, my husband and I walked through miscarriage, and again, neurological concerns arose after the birth of our second son. These trials rocked me to my core …”
Read MoreOver the course of two weeks, we trained 35 pastors in the book of Revelation. Other missionaries on our trip taught courses on Preaching and the book of Romans. During our visit, we had the opportunity to hear some amazing testimonies.
Read MoreMost of us have grown accustomed to a certain type of Christmas story - one with frilly bows, pretty boxes, cookies and milk, and loved ones coming together to leave you feeling warm and cozy on the inside. Curt McCrummin’s story is different.
Read More“It started as a small spot in her mouth, and looked like a cold sore but she noticed it wasn’t getting any better. She had just returned back to SFA for the fall semester. Her cancer on paper seemed highly curative and would respond well to treatment, but neither was farther from the truth of her cancer.”
Read MoreShe joined several “English as a Second Language” classes around the metroplex to learn English as fast as she could. Most of the ESL classes she found were hosted in local churches. Until this point, Americans Katarina had come in contact with she found to be insensitive or even rude. Then she started to meet these Christians who treated her with respect, dignity, and with kindness.
Read MoreGod gave us the “ministry of reconciliation” so that He could reconcile the world to himself in Jesus Christ (2 Cor. 5:18). He gives us this sweet opportunity to work alongside Him and other believers to strengthen, encourage, and grow the church. This summer some of our church members were able to take this opportunity in one of our first family-friendly mission trips to El Paso, Texas.
Read MoreJason had been anticipating his baptism day; however, this wasn’t his first time being baptized. As an infant, his parents made a commitment to the Lord to bring him up with an understanding of the gospel as revealed through the Bible and made this promise through the sign of baptism. When he was old enough, he participated in a two-year confirmation process that culminated with a public profession of faith and acceptance of the gospel. From the outsider's perspective, he was on the right religious path; however, his heart had not yet fully grasped the grace offered to him by Jesus.
Read More“In the spring of my senior year in high school, my dad was diagnosed with stage four stomach cancer that spread to his esophagus, liver, and lung which brought heartache to me and my family. I started to see my dad cling to God. Not that he talked about it, but I saw him sit in stillness with God constantly.”
Read MoreDel and Kelly Wilson started trying to have children in 2013. After a diagnosis for Kelly of PCOS and endometriosis, and after many failed fertility treatments, they were heartbroken and discouraged.
Read More“I put pressure on myself that I had to do this or say that for people to like me. I was always trying to please people and make sure they like me whether it was me or who I was pretending to be.”
Read MoreAs the hard months turned into years, Heather remembers lying in bed admitting she was tired of feeling fragile. Her next thought was very clear; that like labor pains, she needed to lean into her pain because something new would be birthed. She was reminded that even as her heart and flesh fail, God’s purposes were bigger.
Read More“When I hear in the Bible about Jesus eating with sinners and calling us to love the least of these, I see in my mind the women that I get to spend every day with. They struggle with basic life tasks and are heavily burdened by years of extreme trauma and sins done by them or against them. Seeing them encounter God and be transformed during their time living in our safe house is a tangible reminder of the power of the Gospel.”
Read MoreHowever, she could no longer live under the pressure of being perfect. “It just sort of washed over me that I couldn’t save myself. Jesus was sinless and perfect, and he willingly died for me so that I could be saved.”
Read MoreAs he continued his pursuit of knowledge, he began reading the Bible to learn more about its foundational influence on Western Culture. Two years later, a significant relationship ended. He found himself profoundly aware of that missing element in his life. He dropped out of grad school and was in a state of poor mental health. Brenton described it as feeling “no sense of purpose or direction in my life.”
Read More“I remember feeling this was an impossible task. But God said it wasn’t. If we will give God our hands, he will give us what we need to do his work.”
I recently had the privilege to meet Faye. Faye has been a member of Church at the Cross for 44 years and has led a Life Group for 23 years, from age 50-73 called the Grace Class
Read MoreIn order to gain approval from his new college friends, Josh threw himself into moral ambiguity, following their path to pleasure. In a difficult moment, Josh found himself at the mercy of God. He fell to his knees in prayer for the first time in several years.
Read MoreMike and Laurie Heath already had two children when their son, Kevin was born. Their son, Jason, was about six, and their daughter, Bethany, was about four. They thought they knew what to expect. However, a short time after Kevin’s birth, they got unexpected news.
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