Depending on who you ask, health professionals suggest adults get between seven to nine hours of sleep each night. When we sleep well, we live better. Rest is one of the things we often take for granted, but it is part of what makes us human and what God uses to refuel us and reorient our minds to reality. As you read through your Bible, take note of all it says about sleep, rest, and relaxation. God’s comments on this…

Early in my career, I was a public practice auditor. Just in case you don’t know what that involves, an auditor reports on the fairness of an entity’s financial statements. Auditors’ reports are used by investors, regulators, creditors, lenders and other stakeholders. Professional standards specify ways to test, review, confirm, etc., financial records in forming a basis for the report. Occasionally, the audit process is quite complicated. I experienced a few audit complications in my career, none more troubling than…

1. God Is Present As you worship this Sunday, remember that the Lord is present. Though God’s presence is constant (Ps 139:7–11), there is special significance when we come before Him in worship (Ps 95:6). Jesus said the Father seeks worshippers who worship in spirit and in truth (John 4:23–24). God observes our singing, the Lord’s Supper, our attentiveness during sermons—everything (Prov 15:3). His presence should not cause nervousness but reverent awe (Ps 89:7). As you scan the room this…

Our first six months as the Cumberland Trace church of Christ are in the rearview mirror. Truly, a lot has happened to and for us as a church during that span. Not just the apocalyptic weather events and baptistery malfunctions, but so many wonderful events! There have been souls saved, our highly successful Equipped workshop, our Friends and Family Day, and a slew of visitors and new faces. As we look ahead to the second half of the year, we…