Browsing by Sharron R. Blezard

8 Ideas for Nurturing Healing and Health

“God is a God of whole-life health. Christ expects his church to engage actively in reaching the lost and setting the oppressed free—free from the physical, mental, emotional and spiritual barriers that rob all God’s children of abundant life,” says Pr. Mike Slaughter in this insightful reflection. (Photo: Photo © Warren Goldswain, Fotolia)

How Generous is Your City?

The Barna Group recently released information about the 50 most generous cities in America. Check out whether your hometown made the list! (Photo: Photo © jovannig – Fotolia.com)

How to Form Habits

Whether you want to form better stewardship or leadership habits, here’s a quick read outlining 11 science-backed ways to form habits. After all, habits form almost 50% of our daily behaviors. Might as well make them good ones! (Photo: adriarichards, Creative Commons)

Strangers and Foreigners

Lectionary Reflection for the Twelfth Sunday after Pentecost, Year C, August 7, 2016
Everything in this world is transitory, a part of a larger whole, a dot on the map of eternity, but happy are those who put their faith in God, who are ready to pack their tents and journey on to the final destination God prepares. (Photo: Ben Christenson, Creative Commons)

Eating as Discipleship

“When we eat as members of creation, we learn to see creation not as mere fuel, but as a gift from God,” says author Jeffry Bilbro in a thoughtful review of Lisa Graham McMinn’s book “To the Table: A Spirituality of Food, Farming, and Community.” Bilbro’s essay addresses the importance of how we view and experience food and consumption. (Photo: Faith Goble, Creative Commons)

Vanity, Thy Name is Mortal

Lectionary Reflection for the Eleventh Sunday after Pentecost, Year C, July 31, 2016
Let’s challenge one another to take up a countercultural course of action and drop the vanity that costs us so much and yields so very little. Let us seek our wealth in faith, in relationship, and in service to God and one another. In doing so, we will indeed have enough—and then some. (Photo: daily sunny, Creative Commons)

Bold

Lectionary Reflection for the 10th Sunday after Pentecost, Year C, July 24, 2016
Dear friends, it’s time we get really bold in our conversations with God, time that we prayed like we believed it, time that we expect God to respond. The world needs the church to show up and start with bold prayer followed by faithful action. (Photo: lel4nd, Creative Commons)

Try a Vision-Based Budget Retreat

How about planning and leading a “vision-based budgeting retreat” this year? Here are some thoughts from David Putman and Todd McMichen of Auxano, as well as a link to a more in-depth resource. (Photo: taxcredits.net, creative commons, http://taxcredits.net/)

Bridging the Generation Giving Gap

You can engage both young and senior givers in your congregation. Check out these ideas on how to nurture a both-and climate for generosity in your context. (Photo: © Chariclo – Fotolia.com)

Dwelling in Christ

Ninth Sunday after Pentecost, Year C, July 17, 2016
Like Mary, Martha’s culture-bending sister, we must choose the better part. We must choose to live in the moment, cast our hopes and fears and hurts on Jesus and trust him to guide us home to dwell in the house of God forever. (Photo: lululemon athletica, Creative Commons)