Podcast Alive Ministries

I thought all my problems would be solved when I became a Christian. But in many ways they have increased. Maybe they didn't tell me, maybe I didn't read the fine print, maybe I didn't want to know. Cost? Pain? Sacrifice? Surrender? These elements don't fit into the American way of life of avoiding discomfort […] Related posts: Heaven 2: The Journey Home The Gospel Journey part 1 The Gospel Journey part 2

Everyone needs to belong to someone, somewhere that gives each day a reason. Without belonging or connecting to others in deep meaning relationships, we become lonely, isolated and depressed. This depressions destroys our health, saps our energy and makes a mockery of our hopes and dreams.  When God created Heaven and Earth, He looked at […] Related posts: Building a Better Church: Connections Why We Belong to a BIG Church Day 17 – A Place to Belong

It was a cold Sunday morning when we gather for worship last Sunday. We gathered to thank God for the blessings of a warm homes, the ability to gather freely and desire to be part of something bigger than ourselves. Our focus last Sunday was on Putting First Things First in our lives. One of […] Related posts: Children’s Time Children Matter! Part 1 Taming the Beast of Mediocrity

Psychologists tell us that there are 3 major "wants" in life. The first "want" is to want comfort - to want food when we are hungry, to want something to drink when we are thirsty, to want a cool place when we are too hot, to want shelter from the storm. We want to be […] Related posts: Day 3 – What Drives Your Life? The Secret to Happiness Tomorrow’s Seeds

Guest Pastor, Rev. Meredith Grudger-Raines shared a message of hope everyone should hear. Enjoy. Sermon Audio:Meredith Grudger Raines 1.5.14E Meredith Grudger Raines 1.5.14L Related posts: 3 Most Important Spiritual Questions Just how far? Is Evangelism Important?

    Each year it's the same. We say good bye to the previous year by celebrating the fact that we survived another one, and we look apprehensively to the coming year with unknown troubles, unexpected joys and opportunities to become more than we currently are. Life moves faster and faster and we feel we're falling […] Related posts: How to move into the future with Confidence! Will You Be Ready? Parable of the 10 Bridesmaids The People of One Book

We all have our favorite Christmas movies, the ones we watch year after year – movies that bring friends and families together, that inspire us, and that make us laugh. And sometimes, they remind us of what Christmas is all about – the timeless story of hope and joy and love – the birth of […] Related posts: The WHY of Christmas Keepers of the Miracle Christmas Eve: The Great Story of Christmas

    None of us get through life without a few detours. They come at times we don't expect, they challenge us to say the course and they force us to realize that control is partly an illusion.     Opportunity comes with so many different faces that we often don't recognize it. That's probably […] Related posts: When Life Gets Interrupted – Advent Study Messy Spirituality 2: Dealing with Doubts Joy is Genuine

God interrupts the monotony that is our day to day life and offer a new challenging way of life.  Appointments to be kept. Tight schedules to maintain. Routines established. That’s how most of us try to live our lives. But what happens when life is interrupted with something totally unexpected? What happens when God steps […] Related posts: An Interrupted Life – Advent Study (part 2) When Life Gets Interrupted – Advent Study Dealing with Life’s Detours

To say that Mary's life was interrupted when the Angel came and spoke with her, revealed God's plan and her purpose in it is a understatement. Mary's plans of marriage, family and domestic home life was put on hold and God revealed to Mary that she was more than even she knew. She had found […] Related posts: When Life Gets Interrupted – Advent Study Joy is Genuine Does God Ask Too Much?

Appointments to be kept. Tight schedules to maintain. Routines established. Projects to be completed... The list goes on and one. That’s how most of us try to live our lives in a seemingly endless cycle of doing stuff so we can buy more stuff, so people can envy our stuff. But what happens when life […] Related posts: An Interrupted Life – Advent Study (part 2) Dealing with Life’s Detours Overcoming a Monotonous Life

If we want to be happy, and who doesn't, then we must focus our energy on what is rather than dwell on what isn't. “To be grateful is to recognize the Love of God in everything He has given us - and He has given us everything. Every breath we draw is a gift of […] Related posts: Gratitude Grows into Happiness It All Begins with God The Secret to Happiness

I know, I know... I've heard it a million time, "there is no perfect church and if there was one, we would ruin it by joining it." I am here to say I disagree. There is a perfect church, and I've found it. If that doesn't get your attention and make you want to read […] Related posts: Going to the Promised Land? What is the Church? Who Needs Church? part 1

What does it mean to be blessed? How do you define it? Do you recognize present, past or future Blessings? Do you feel Blessed and are you energized by them? Are you motivated by your blessings to try new things, meet new people, and grow in new exciting ways? Do you ever expect to be […] Related posts: Four Laws of a Blessed Life Prayer of Jabez ~ Blessed Disciples Fish!

Imagine going through life never depending on anything or anyone. There are times when that certainly sounds attractive, but it doesn't last long. We need people, we need some predictability, and we need some sense of direction. Without these three elements, we live lives that are lonely, chaotic and pointless.  We build our lives on […] Related posts: Good News for Ladder People – Easter 2011 Membership Covenant Becoming Gospel People

Hope is much more than wishful thinking or having a "Polly Anna" attitude about everything. Hope is certainly realistic about the problems and pitfalls of life, but it isn't overwhelmed by them. Hope has a healing quality about it that suffers pain like everyone else, but has a confidence that the day always follows the […] Related posts: Relationships Create Life When Hope Comes Unexpectedly Dealing with Life’s Detours

Life is present in every community; and the challenge life presents to us is to find it, grab hold of it and run with it because life is moving on. We have a choice, of course. Life or Death. God says, “I am offering you life or death, blessing or curse.  Choose life, then, so […] Related posts: Building Your Life Story Create a Life Story A Leading Cause of Life is Hope

“Indeed the safest road to Hell is the gradual one--the gentle slope, soft underfoot, without sudden turnings, without milestones, without signposts.” [C.S. Lewis, The Screwtape Letters] The easiest way in life is to follow the crowd, do what others are doing, and go where others go. But if you remember you're mother's advice ("would you jump […] Related posts: Priorities: Is you life in balance? How to develop Life Altering Faith Where Are You?

Celebrating Their place in the Church, the Family and Community! Most parents, at least the healthy ones, want their children to grow up to be mature, healthy, and happy functioning adults able to appreciate life and enjoy healthy relationships. But its a daunting task to keep our children safe and secure while providing a healthy […] Related posts: Where Are You? A Laughing Matter Children’s Ministry

The Swiss psychologist Carl Jung once said that "the primary neurosis of people is emptiness." There is within all of us an insatiable desire for something worthy of our lives, something to fill the void we feel but somehow cannot quite describe or discuss in polite company. It is a hallow feeling, a yearning to […] Related posts: 3 Simple Rules: Do Good 3 Simple Rules: Do No Harm 3 Simple Rules: Stay in love with God