Month: May 2026

Motivational Monday

On May 18, 2026

In Motivational Monday, News and Announcements

Yesterday at church we honored graduates, and I couldn’t help but think about how exciting — and honestly a little scary — new beginnings can be.

Graduation is more than a ceremony. It’s a reminder that life moves in seasons. One chapter closes, another begins, and suddenly you find yourself standing in unfamiliar territory wondering what comes next. But isn’t that how so much of life works? We all face moments where God gently nudges us forward — into new opportunities, new responsibilities, new relationships, or even a completely new outlook on life.

The truth is, every single one of us is standing at the edge of some kind of “next chapter.” Maybe yours isn’t marked by a cap and gown. Maybe it’s a fresh start after a hard season. Maybe it’s healing. Maybe it’s stepping into a new job, rebuilding your confidence, or simply learning to trust God again one day at a time. New beginnings don’t always come with applause and celebration. Sometimes they arrive quietly, disguised as small steps of faith.

And if we’re being honest, new beginnings can feel overwhelming. We like certainty. We like plans. We want GPS directions for our entire future. But God often works differently. He rarely shows us the whole staircase — He simply asks us to trust Him with the next step.

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.” — Proverbs 3:5-6

Sometimes we spend so much time looking backward that we miss the new thing God is trying to do right in front of us.

“Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?” — Isaiah 43:18-19

God specializes in fresh starts. He opens doors we never expected, strengthens us when we feel unqualified, and reminds us that growth almost always begins outside of our comfort zone. The graduates we honored today may not know exactly where life will take them, but they do not walk alone — and neither do we.

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” — Jeremiah 29:11

So whether you’re walking across a graduation stage, starting over, stepping out in faith, or simply trying again after a difficult season, remember this: God is already in your tomorrow. Walk boldly into your next chapter. The same God who brought you this far will continue leading the way.

Love you all and see you Sunday,

Jennifer

Motivational Monday

By Jennifer Robbins

On May 11, 2026

In Motivational Monday, News and Announcements

Lately, I’ve realized something important. Sometimes it’s not the big moments that carry us through life…it’s the little ones.

It’s the first sip of coffee before anybody starts asking you for anything.
It’s getting into bed with freshly washed sheets.
It’s finding money in your purse you forgot you had.
It’s your favorite song randomly playing at the perfect time.
It’s laughing so hard you forget what you were stressed about for five whole minutes.

And honestly? Sometimes it’s just surviving the day and treating yourself to fries afterward because you earned them. (I’m partial to McDonald’s fries myself…)

Life can feel heavy sometimes. Responsibilities pile up. Stress sneaks in. The news is exhausting. The grocery bill feels personal. And some days we’re all just one minor inconvenience away from needing a group prayer and a nap. Am I right?

But even in the middle of all that, God is still so good at slipping little blessings into ordinary moments.

A cool breeze on a hot day.
A text from someone you love.
A quiet morning.
A beautiful sunset.
A really good piece of cake.
Your dog or cat acting absolutely ridiculous for no reason at all.

Those little things matter more than we realize.

This past weekend, I had the absolute pleasure of seeing my sweet momma on Saturday because of Mother’s Day. I love that my mom respects that I, also, am a mother and this day applies to me. She is adamant that I rest on Mother’s Day and not see her. So, I always see her the day before. Which all of that is a blessing in itself.

When I got home, I noticed my bird feeder was empty. I had seen A LOT of activity on the feeder the last couple of days. So, I went into the garage and grabbed the food and filled it up. Then, I noticed the squirrel feeder was empty. (Listen, I know! I know! Squirrels are rodents. But I love them! And I learned that if you feed them too, they leave the bird feeders alone.) I grabbed the squirrel food and filled their feeder. Y’all, that made me so happy. I got such a sense of joy feeding the critters on my property.

I think sometimes we expect God to show up in giant, dramatic ways. We wait for the breakthrough, the answered prayer, the big miracle. Meanwhile, God is over here saying, “Did you notice that moment of peace I gave you today? Did you notice you laughed again? Did you notice you made it through something you thought would break you?”

James 1:17 says: “Every good and perfect gift is from above…”

Not just the huge blessings. Every good gift. Sometimes we overlook the goodness of God because it doesn’t arrive with fireworks and a marching band. And not everything has to be miracle level. Sometimes it shows up quietly in everyday life.

Psalm 118:24 says: “This is the day the Lord has made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.”

Not because every day is perfect.
Not because life is easy.
But because there is still joy to be found here.

And I think we need that reminder.

You’re allowed to enjoy your life.
You’re allowed to laugh.
You’re allowed to notice beautiful things without feeling guilty for it.
Joy is not something we have to apologize for.

Some of us have spent so much time surviving that we forgot how to simply appreciate the moment we’re standing in. And listen, I have been in survival mode A LOT.

So this week, pay attention to the small things.

The morning coffee.
The sunset on the drive home.
Watching/hearing the birds.

Watching squirrels on your fence hang on for dear life because they are too fat to balance there.

The peace that showed up out of nowhere.
The strength God gave you to make it another day.

Because sometimes the small things are doing the big work.

And maybe those little moments? Maybe they’ve been God reminding you all along:
“I’m still here. And I’m still taking care of you. It’s going to be ok.”

Love you all,

Jennifer

Motivational Monday

By Jennifer Robbins

On May 4, 2026

In Motivational Monday, News and Announcements

Hey friends!

Homecoming was fantastic this year. If you didn’t get a chance to come or you haven’t heard the sermon online, go listen to it. Chuck Hood did a great job. Now, onto this week’s motivation.

Ever feel like you’re behind in life? Like you thought you’d be further along by now. More healed, more secure, more there? Well, let’s talk about it.

If you have read these over the years, I share intimate struggles about my life. One of those struggles I have talked about is declaring bankruptcy after our son was born. I know I should be embarrassed we went through that but honestly, I’m not. We declared a Chapter 13 so our debts weren’t “wiped away”. All the bankruptcy did was stop foreclosure, stop car repossession and stop interest and fees from accruing further. We had to repay ALL of our debt while maintaining our current mortgage, car payments, etc. For about 4 years, we worked, ate alot of hotdogs and did free things. That was it. But, man, did we learn ALOT.

But you see, the bankruptcy was just the end to a brewing financial situation. We were steadily going downhill financially for a couple of years. Then, after the 3 years it took to pay everything off, it took several more years to climb out the hole that was dug. Compared to all of our friends, we were really behind. Everyone we knew had already moved from their starter home to a nicer home. They were driving nice new cars. They went out to eat! We still lived in our townhouse (loved that house! We just wanted more space for our son). We drove good enough cars. And going out to eat isn’t that great.

But we felt like a complete failure. We felt like we failed our son. We made really dumb financial decisions and we never wanted it to impact him. Instead of being happy we had a roof over head, cars that worked and food to eat, we felt pressured to be better and better. And WE WERE getting better and better but not at the speed I wanted.

It’s a quiet pressure we carry.

We look around and see other people moving forward—checking boxes, hitting milestones, stepping into things we thought we’d already have by now. And if we’re honest, it can make us question everything.

“Did I miss something?”

“Did I take a wrong turn?”

“Why does this feel harder for me than it seems for everyone else?”

But what if you’re not behind? What if you’re being prepared?

Ecclesiastes 3:11 says, “He has made everything beautiful in its time.” Not our timeline. Not our expectations. His time. And that’s the part that stretches us.

Because preparation rarely looks the way we expect it to. Sometimes it looks like waiting longer than you wanted to.

Sometimes it looks like doors closing that you were sure were right. Sometimes it looks like doing deep, quiet work in your heart that no one else can see.

It can feel slow. It can feel hidden. It can even feel like nothing is happening at all. It can feel like you are spinning your wheels working harder than ever and nothing….

But that doesn’t mean God isn’t working. Romans 8:28 reminds us, “In all things God works for the good of those who love Him…” All things. Not just the obvious blessings. Not just the moments that make sense. Even working 2 jobs. Even missing dinners with friends. Even the delays. Even the disappointments. Even the seasons that feel like a detour.

Especially those.

Because sometimes the very thing you’re frustrated by is the thing God is using to shape you, strengthen you, and prepare you for something you can’t quite see yet.

So if today you feel behind…

if you feel like life isn’t unfolding the way you hoped it would…

Take a breath.

You are not behind.
You are not forgotten.
You are not off track.

God is not rushing you. He’s refining you. He’s building something in you that timing alone could never produce.

And where you are right now, even if it feels small, even if it feels slow…

It matters.

It’s part of the process. It’s part of the story. Your story.

Those bankruptcy years were the hardest in my life. But I promise I would never trade it for better. It was humbling. We learned to rely on each other. We appreciated help from our friends and family. I became a better cook! I learned to trust the Lord. That financial bankruptcy was just financial. It was spiritual.

So if you are going through something. Understand that one day, you may look back and realize this wasn’t the season you were falling behind, it was the season you were being prepared for everything that was coming next.

Love you all and see you Sunday,

Jennifer