How to Say Thank You

We've all been taught to say, "Thank you." That is the polite response when someone does something for you, to express gratitude. Sometimes, however, a "thank you" doesn't seem quite enough. Hallmark has made an industry out of helping us say a little extra "thank you" with a note or a card.

But even that seems a little short of what we should do to show our gratitude to God. He has done much for us - how should we respond? In 1 Samuel 1:24-28, Hannah provides a wonderful example of how to respond to God's blessings. Join us this Sunday as we learn how to answer an answered prayer.

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Where Did It Go?

Remember the Super Ball? It was a synthetic rubber ball that was made out of extremely elastic material causing it to bounce incredibly high. At its height, the toy company Wham-O was selling 170,000 units per day.

I bought one of them. It was as advertised - just like in the commercial, I could bounce it off of my driveway all the way over our house. Only one problem with that - with one bounce the ball disappeared over the roof. I never did find it. Whether it landed in the gutter, in the neighbors backyard, or is still traveling into outer space, I'll never know. All I knew was it was gone, along with the $1.50 I spent on it.

Sometimes, we may feel like our prayers do that. We pray, but nothing happens. At least that's what it seems like from our perspective. This Sunday, we will look at 1 Samuel 1:1-18 which describes the prayer of Hannah. For a time, Hannah probably wondered the same thing: "Does God really hear my prayer?" The answer she receives reveals the power of prayer every believer needs to understand.

See you Sunday!

Hear this message at NHBC Media

Celebrate Dad

Join us this week as we celebrate our dads. We'll focus on what God did through a dad named Obed, and how God can use your life to do extraordinary things (Ruth 4:17).

See you Sunday!

Did You Notice?

My wife often asks me, "Did you see that?" Usually, she asks me this particular question when there was something I was supposed to see. Assorted animals visiting our yard, moving signs in a neighbor's yard, or children running through any yard, all make the list of things I should have noticed, but didn't. So now I pay more attention. We had a squirrel on our porch last week. I'm pretty sure he was glad to be noticed. I know my wife was impressed.

This week, we will read the story of Boaz, a man who noticed, and was impressed by, the faith of Ruth. We will see how this simple event changed history (Ruth 2:11-12). In this passage, we can all learn how to be noticed, and perhaps even how to change history. See you Sunday!

Looking back

While revisiting one of my journals, I decided this month I would just share some words that have spoken to me over the last several months. I hope they speak to your heart, too. 

• Satan says "You are worthless." Jesus says, "You were worth Me." - Matt Brown
• Acts 9:3 - "Why are you persecuting ME?" 9:6 - "I am Jesus, THE ONE YOU ARE PERSECUTING." If people reject our attempts to share the gospel, they are not persecuting/rejecting you, but their rejection is toward Christ. When we treat another in an unChristian-like manner, We are persecuting Jesus, their creator.
• Matthew 26:41 - "Keep alert and pray," He asked the disciples then, and He asks us now. 
• Philippians 1:2 - Peace in your hearts and peace in your lives are two separate things.
• We find joy in knowing there's exactly enough time everyday to accomplish God's will. - (In)courage
• (He did) Today is the day the Lord has made. (We should) rejoice and be glad in it. -- Psalm 118:24
• "Whoever FOLLOWS me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life." He goes first, He knows what's ahead, He is to be our guide. 

Strong Family

We've all seen the headlines: "Mother Lifts Car Off of Trapped Child." GM is no match for adrenalin paired with a mother's love. So what makes a strong family? This week, we begin a new series entitled "Family Matters." From the books of Ruth and 1 Samuel, we will learn how to make every family strong.

See you Sunday!