Tag: loneliness Page 2 of 3

Motivational Monday

On February 9, 2026

In Motivational Monday, News and Announcements

Hey friends! I am so glad you are here today. Do you know what happens this week?? It’s Valentine’s Day on Saturday. I feel like it would be a missed opportunity to not discuss love this week. So, let’s talk about it.

Normally, I tell a story here but I think a history lesson is more in order. Do you know the history of Valentine’s Day? It’s ok, I didn’t really know either. Well back in 496, St. Valentine was martyred for marrying persecuted Christians. BUT, there’s another story that says he prayed for the daughter of his jailor and she was healed. But, there’s another story that says right before he was executed, he wrote a letter to the girl that was healed and it, “My Valentine”.

Awesome history lesson Jennifer. It sounds like you don’t know the history either. Right. I get that comment but we see with all of these stories are parallels from what St. Valentine did, to what God did for us.

What is love? Well…it’s a sacrifice. St. Valentine sacrificed his freedom to marry persecuted Christians. St. Valentine sacrificed his integrity and reputation by having the faith to pray for the daughter of his jailor. St. Valentine sacrificed his life and was obedient to God.

What does all of this St. Valentine stuff have to do with God?

John 3:16, “For God so loved the world,that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” Most of you know this verse backwards and forwards. And it seems well played ALOT. But you see, this IS how much HE LOVES YOU!! God didn’t go to all the trouble of sending His Son to merely point an accusing finger, telling the world how bad it was. He came to help! He came to make the world right again.

God sacrificed His only Son. Right there, front and center..”God loved the world so much, he gave his only son…” Do you know any mom and dads who would just willingly give up their only son so someone else can live? What is something you feel like you can’t live without? This can be pretty insignificant to people. Now, imagine giving it away to someone you don’t know because they need it. I know you need it but they need it too. So, you sacrifice and give it to them.

God gave us free will. God created everything. Let’s look at the ocean. A huge body of water. All the fish. All the mammals. All the coral. Every single grain of sand. He created it all. So, if He wanted to, He could have accomplished everything He did in and through Jesus from heaven. Jesus didn’t have to come here and die. St. Valentine didn’t have to marry the persecuted Christians. He didn’t have to pray for the jailor’s daughter. He didn’t have to send Jesus to this Earth to wait 30 years to go through 3 years of persecution. People hating Him. Spitting on Him. And to die a painful, horrific death. He could have just controlled us like a robot. But He sacrificed his only son.

God sacrificed time. Let’s go way back to Genesis. God spent time creating the heavens and Earth and everything in it. Remember? Then, He creates the Garden of Eden for Adam and Eve and then BAM! They messed it up. And that started a snowball effect. It was messed up until Jesus came. Of course, He could have whipped out His pencil and casually erased the serpent and that would have fixed everything. But you see, by removing the serpent, it wouldn’t show you how much He loved you. He worked and worked and worked and got mad and then got REAL mad and then worked some more. Jesus waited 30 years to start His ministry so He could take time with people He was ministering. He didn’t want to minister once and be done. He sacrificed His life. His Control. And His time.

At the end of the day, that’s what you want from your people in your life, right? Sure. A card, some flowers and candy is nice. But what is more special is the thought, right? They took time to think about what flowers or candy you prefer. They thought about what to write in the card.

So this week as Valentine’s Day approaches, I ask that you reflect on these questions. How does giving up control go hand in hand with love? Meaning, how does giving up control of something show you love it (or them)? How does spending time with someone or something reflect your love?

I hope you know by now, that I really do love you all. And one of the reasons is because you choose to spend time with me week after week to read these messages. Messages showing God’s love and mercy.

See you next week,

Jennifer

Motivational Monday

By Jennifer Robbins

On December 29, 2025

In Motivational Monday, News and Announcements

Hey friends! I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas. I hope you spent time with family and/or friends.

Just a reminder, we will be having our 7 days of prayer and fasting. Prayer time starts Thursday, January 1st in the Sanctuary and continues each morning through the following Wednesday, January 7th. The fasting part is left up to each individual. Fasting is going without food mainly, and/or going without some other activity that would be considered a sacrifice. It can be a total fast of food, or partial, like going without sweets, or meats, or snacks. The prayer time is usually no more than 45 minutes. Get there when you can and leave when you need to.

Thursday, January 1st—9:00am
Friday—7:00am
Saturday and Sunday —9:00am
Monday thru Wednesday—7:00am

That reminder is a great segway into today’s topic. The new year is a sign of a new beginning. I know a lot of you set resolutions. Personally, I don’t. I set goals. I know what you’re thinking…what’s the difference? The difference is how my brain works! 🙂 Goals are something I want to achieve and resolutions are disappointments if I don’t achieve them. Again, Jennifer’s brain. If you are like me, you set goals in different parts of your life (spiritually, financially, etc.). This year my goal is God first. So, let’s talk about it.

When it comes to my church family, I have a difficult time saying no. I tend to overthink everything. I think, “I say no to this, then someone else will have to pick up the slack. I’ll just do it.” Or, I feel like if I say no then in my crazy brain that equals, “I am not serving the Lord”. But in reality, I am pushing myself away from Him. Instead of enjoying my time serving, I am sometimes irritated and/or stressed instead of happy. When I become overwhelmed or overextended, I tend to shut down. I don’t have the right attitude and I miss church on Sunday mornings. Which makes me feel EVEN MORE guilty.

Let’s talk about some ways you can put God first this year.

First, read your Bible. I am 45 years old and had never read the Bible all the way though until 2 years ago. I read the Bible but not from cover to cover. Why? Well, frankly, it’s long. And have you ever read Numbers? There are parts that are boring and there are A LOT of parts I don’t understand. But just understand that the boring parts are usually references for other parts of the Bible. As for the parts you don’t understand…listen. If you don’t read it, you 100% won’t understand it. If we all understood it the first time we read it, then we wouldn’t study it, would we?

Second, spend time in prayer. When I wake up in the middle of the night (which is frequently these days), I don’t reach for my phone. I lay there and pray. And I’ll go ahead and tell God, “Hey God. I am going to pray myself asleep so I may not say Amen. But just know I meant it.” I feel like that covers me! But dedicate time for prayer. It’s amazing how blessed you will be through prayer.

Third, be careful what you take in. I have a love/hate relationship with social media. I despise all the negativity it can spread. But on the flip side, look at all the positivity it spreads. At the end of the day, you determine what you read, hear and see. Sure. There are times we see things that we didn’t sign up to see. But that’s where prayer comes into play, right? Your focus needs to stay on God. And if something isn’t pointing to Him, STOP! Stop watching. Stop reading. Stop listening. Just stop.

And lastly, set boundaries. This is where my story comes into play. By setting boundaries, it gives us time to worship and pray. Have you ever been in the middle in prayer and immediately thought of something you need to do? Maybe that’s just me. But you HAVE TO set aside time. It’s ok to tell others about your boundaries. When you tell them, explain why. THis is a perfect opportunity to witness to them.

I told you all of these things like I abide by them. Clearly, I don’t but I want to. I think I used this as a pep talk to myself. 🙂. So, for the month of January, I will be taking a break from Motivational Monday. Not because I don’t love you all, I just want to be properly guided by Him. If there is something I feel passionate to write, then I will. But if I don’t, I want you all to know why. I am trying to realign with Him. And I know you all understand.

Happy New Year and love you all,

Jennifer

Motivational Monday- Thanks and Giving Series

By Jennifer Robbins

On November 24, 2025

In Motivational Monday, News and Announcements

Hey friends! Guess what??!! It’s almost TURKEY DAY!!! WOOHOO!!! Listen y’all. I love food. I do. And I especially love my momma’s food. <Insert happy dance now> I love spending time with family, talking and eating. Literally, fat and happy. Anyway, enough about food. Let’s finish our Thanks and Giving series. Have you ever wondered why the holiday is called Thanksgiving? Who came up with that? And how does this pertain to our journey as a christian? Let’s talk about it.

I did a quick internet search about Thanksgiving. Of course, we know about pilgrims, native americans and the Mayflower. But why were the words thanks and giving put together to form a holiday? The words represent a single concept of a time to both express gratitude and to generously share with others. This compound term is rooted in both religious and secular traditions of giving thanks for blessings and then acting on that gratitude by giving back to the community. The practice originated from religious “thanksgiving” days, and has evolved to include the secular aspect of generosity and sharing. Together, “Thanks and Giving” creates a dual concept where gratitude for one’s own good fortune inspires one to be generous toward others. It reflects the cycle of gratitude prompting generosity, which in turn inspires more gratitude.

But you see, gratitude doesn’t just come when we receive something. Generosity also inspires thankfulness in the one who gives. That gratitude gets translated into more generosity. It’s cyclical and addictive. This is how I feel with gift giving! I LOVE giving gifts more than I like receiving them. Don’t get me wrong, I love to receive a gift because I understand the thoughtfulness behind it. But giving is something I really enjoy.

If we look at what we have as something we’ve earned, we hold on to it tightly. If we recognize God gave us the ability to make money, it’s natural to see ourselves as stewards of what he has entrusted us. One of the keys to thankfulness and generosity is seeing that everything belongs to God. Mark 10:17-22, Mark describes a wealthy young man who asks Jesus how to gain eternal life. Jesus responds that he must follow the commandments, but when the man claims to have done so, Jesus tells him to sell everything he owns, give to the poor, and follow him. Because this man held on tightly to his possessions, he walked away. He couldn’t obey.

We’re told by our consumer culture that we’ll be happier the more stuff we have (probably because they want to sell more stuff!). Jesus calls us out of that culture and to generously give what we have. What we don’t see is that when we trust him in this, he blesses us. We’re not called to suffer through giving to others; it’s just that we won’t see the blessing in it until we learn to be obedient. I can name many times where Jon and I were not sure how things were going to work out. All we could do was pray. We never went hungry. We were never homeless. All our needs were met.

Some of the most generous people I have met in my lifetime are usually not the wealthiest. And what I mean by that is you don’t have to have money or use money to be generous. When we are abundant in our generosity, thankfulness is the natural response. We can’t fully understand this truth though until we regularly practice generosity. Look at God. You can see this in creation and in how he blesses people who follow him and those who don’t. God doesn’t bless us because we deserve what he gives. God gives us abundantly because it’s his nature to be generous. Anytime we realize how good God has been to us, it becomes obvious that we should act generously with others because we’re thankful for what God did with us.

This week as you are sitting at your Thanksgiving table, remember thanks and giving. This isn’t just a holiday where we eat. This is a time to reflect. And we reflect right before we celebrate Jesus’s birth. Pretty sure that was no accident (God is always intentional).

As I have said in the past, I am so thankful for all of you. You inspire me and hold me accountable to be a better person everyday. I hope you all have a wonderful holiday and don’t eat too many deviled eggs!

Love you all,

Jennifer

Motivational Monday- Thanks and Giving Series

By Jennifer Robbins

On November 17, 2025

In Motivational Monday, News and Announcements

Hey friends! Today, I want to continue our Thanks and Giving series as we are quickly approaching the holiday. Do you have expectations? Of course you do! We all do. What happens when your expectations don’t go as planned? I would expect you to feel defeated and frustrated with a possible side of disillusionment. When this happens, what sort of weapons do you use against your discouragement? Did you know God gives us weapons? Let’s talk about it.

Many years ago when Jon and I got married, we bought a townhome. We were only supposed to live in this townhome for 5ish years and then we wanted a “freestanding” home. Well, we were in debt. Then, I got pregnant. We went bankrupt. Then, the market crashed. Our 5ish years turned into 11. We were very thankful to have a roof over our heads but we felt like we weren’t doing Logan justice by not having a yard and we just felt like a disappointment. At the 11 year mark, we decided to go for it and sell the townhome and buy another home.

Well…we listed our townhome and it went under contract quickly! So quickly, we have to hurry to find another house to move to! GREAT!! We found a home we loved that was in our price range and we were good to go. We paid for inspections (septic tank, house AND for snakes-a story for later), put a deposit down to have a fence installed the day after closing, and booked movers. Financially, we were tapped out but hey! We are moving and making a small profit on the townhome so we should be ok.

36 hours before closing and while we were doing our final walkthrough, we learned the buyers of our home no longer had financing. Y’all. I.was.devastated. Everything was packed. We were going out to eat at this point because the kitchen was packed. We had thrown every dollar we had to move and then BAM! All was gone. I cried. I knew we didn’t have enough money in reserve to do this again so we were stuck in the townhome until we could save enough again. All I could do was pray.

The house we were buying was a flip. The man that currently owed the home was a contractor. He just wanted to sell this house. When we backed out (36 hours before closing) he asked what the issue was. Everything was explained to him. He offered to buy the townhome for what we owed on it. This was great…and stressful. The money that we thought we would recover would be gone. But I felt like this was God’s way of giving us an opportunity to move. Who has this type of opportunity given to them?? Well, we took him up on the offer. We got the house. He resold the townhome 13 days later making more profit than we would have made. But what a roller coaster of emotions, right?

In Ephesians 5, God points to a reality that we don’t like to admit but we know to be true and that’s “the days are evil” (Ephesians 5:16). Because of the brokenness, we have to make the best use of our time. Paul tells us this for two reasons. First, the days are evil because we are tricked into thinking we have more time and opportunities than we really have. Second, the days we live in introduce evils in our lives. So what are we supposed to do?

Don’t get drunk on wine and be filled by the spirit. I know what you are thinking? Jennifer, I am not a drinker so check for me! Let me explain this one. Alcohol is a numbing agent. It helps us to not feel. But many things can be a numbing agent. Just because you don’t consume that doesn’t mean you are free. Don’t ignore the difficulties in your life by burying yourself in sinful behavior. You might think this will help you avoid pain, but speaking from experience, you are just postponing it. Instead, be filled with the spirit, and you will be equipped to deal with it instead of avoiding it.

Address one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs. Jennifer, I’m not a singer. Guess what? Neither am I!! But the key takeaway of this verse is “addressing one another”. Paul wasn’t just telling us something that was for our own good. Paul is addressing the church and wants them to accept their responsibility for one another. He tells them to remind each other of God’s goodness through: Psalms- scriptures of praise, Hymns- songs of praise written by the church, and Spiritual songs- impromptu responses of praise. God knows you can’t sing! It’s ok!

Piggy backing off the last point, He wants us to sing and make melody to the Lord. Not only does he want us to encourage each other with praise but to make worship a regular part of our lives. Music inspires us and changes us. It’s hard for the devil to get a hold of us when we are making it a habit to worship Him.

Give thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Paul tells the church of Ephesus to give thanks always and for everything. When we respond with gratitude, we see things differently.

Lastly, submit to one another out of reverence for Christ. The bible says mutual submission helps us walk wisely. When we attend worship regularly, we develop friendships with like minded people. They are there to help you in your walk with the Lord. So, you should respectfully and willingly submit to their help and recommendations when you need it! They want to succeed!

Look, disappointments will happen. I don’t care if you are 7 or 77. As long as you are alive on this Earth, you will have disappointments. But God, right? Thankfully, He has our back and He wants to seek him. In my situation, it all worked out like I wanted. But what if it didn’t? What if we had to stay in the townhome longer and we had to let this house go? I would have always wondered what was He was saving us from…

Love you all and see you next week,

Jennifer

November Newsletter

By Jennifer Robbins

On October 28, 2025

In News and Announcements, Newsletters

We have a lot going on in the month of November! Clink on the link below to see what’s happening!

NL 11-2025

Motivational Monday

By Jennifer Robbins

On October 20, 2025

In Motivational Monday, News and Announcements

Hey friends! Guess what?? It’s almost Fall Festival TIME!!!! WOOOHOOOO!! If you have never been to our Fall Festival, you need to come. It’s a lot of fun and the kids have a blast. Make sure you spread the word and let everyone know. Remember, it’s next Sunday from 5pm-6:30pm.

Speaking of spreading the word…have you ever thought about what kind of influence you are? Are you a positive or negative influence? Well, let’s talk about it.

Overall, I think I am a glass half full kinda person. Don’t get me wrong, when I get negative, I am pretty negative. But, I like to believe people are generally good. I know that’s not the case of all people. I also know, people are sinners and not perfect. Just because they sin, doesn’t make them a bad person, it means they made a bad decision. Churches are made up of imperfect, sinful people. Sometimes, as we attend our church, we might learn something about a fellow member or church goer that “upsets” you. Something they did in the past so therefore you judge them. Are you holding them to the same standard as a coworker? A friend? A family member? Do you know the whole story?

Just because someone sins and struggles differently than you, doesn’t make them right or wrong. It doesn’t mean they deserve to be judged more or less than your other brothers and sisters in Christ. Our past experiences and sins make us who we are today and God uses those experiences (even sins) for you to use for His glory. So do you use your experience as a light?

In a world filled with darkness, uncertainty, and challenges, the call to “let your light so shine before men” from Matthew 5:16 is a powerful reminder of our responsibility as Christians. It’s an invitation to be a beacon of hope, a source of inspiration, and a reflection of God’s love in our daily lives.

The call to shine in Matthew 5:16 encourages us to let our light shine before others so that they may see our good works and glorify our Father in heaven. This verse tells us that our actions speak louder than words. We are called to be more than “just believers”. We have to put actions behind what we say. So how do we do that?

We are just nice. We hold the door open for the person behind us. We help our neighbor. We tell someone how good they look today. We make someone smile. We buy a homeless man some shoes. But here’s the thing! If you are not financially able to help that homeless man, no big deal! You can pray for him and that’s worth so much. You can talk to him. You are…kind. Small acts of kindness are so small and insignificant to us but it can mean the world to someone who is barely holding it together. These acts of love, kindness and empathy shines a light on the values and principles of our faith.

And while everyday kindness is essential, the most profound way to shine your light shine is sharing the gospel. Telling everyone you know about God’s love and salvation. God’s love is available to everyone even to those who make bad decisions. By sharing His message is the ultimate way to show love and compassion to others. People need hope. They need to forgive and be forgiven. And they will get that from Him but what if YOU were the reason they know Him?

Are there times you feel like you can’t talk to someone about something because you struggle or struggled with the same sin? Or, do you feel like since you are sinful, you can’t do something like write a Motivational Monday? Trust me. I get it. I struggle. But I try to use my life experiences- good, bad and ugly- to, hopefully, be a positive influence. And you, (yes you!) can do the same. And remember that being a positive influence is also recognizing those around you aren’t perfect either. We can’t hold them to a standard that we can’t achieve ourselves. There’s only one who is perfect. Remember, let your light shine brightly this week and make a difference in the world one person at a time.

Love you all,

Jennifer

Motivational Monday

By Jennifer Robbins

On October 13, 2025

In Motivational Monday, News and Announcements

Hey friends! Thanks for being with me for the Wednesday message last week. So let’s get this motivation started! What do you do everyday? And I mean, your routine. Do you basically do the same things day in and day out? Or do you do the same thing on a specific day? Of course you do! We all do. When you do those things, are you looking for God? Let’s talk about it.

Y’all. Listen. I love coffee. Coffee is a form of therapy for me. I drink coffee first thing in the morning. I don’t think it helps me “wake up” like some say. It just starts my day because it’s my routine. Then, I have afternoon coffee when I get home. I use this time to unwind. It’s therapeutic. I’m drinking coffee right now while writing this! Typically, depending on the time of the day, I use the same cups and the same mugs. Again. It’s my routine. Do I feel God’s presence as I am brewing the coffee? Or selecting the same cup? I mean, truthfully no. Am I looking for Him? That’s a no too.

As you are going about your routine day, do you ever stop and say, “Where is God today while I am doing this task?” Again, if you are like me, I don’t normally ask that question. But if I did, I am not sure I would feel His presence or hear His voice. Of course, I feel close to Him when I am praying, worshiping, singing Christian music, etc. If I am going through a hard time, I feel Him. But just everyday life? Right here, right now?

Psalm 46:1 says, “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.” Present. So, wait? He’s present when I am making my coffee? Yep. He’s right there. He’s a present God. Even on the most very basic day you live. “The Lord of hosts is with us, the God of Jacob is our fortress.” Psalm 46:7. So, who does He host? Angel armies, right? And the God of Jacob means what? It means He’s a personal God. He is there for just me. And just you. And that homeless man in Birmingham. He is here individually for all of us. So even when we don’t know our issues, He is there. He is our refuge, our fortress and shield.

It takes discipline to look for God in your routine days. You have to remember to look for Him. It takes faith.

“For we walk by faith, not by sight.” 2 Corinthians 5:7

Walking is something we don’t really think about (unless you suddenly can’t and you realize how you took it for granted). But 2 Corinthians 5:7 tell us to walk. Not run. Not stop. Walk. By walking in faith, we are living in the present. As we are moving in our mundane way that we don’t think much about, He’s telling us to see His mercy. To see His goodness. His faithfulness.

I brought this up because it seems like from October through December, we are busy. We are busy with the same things year after year. And most of us want to do these things. We look forward to this time of year. But we need to remember to stop and praise Him for the food you had for dinner tonight. Or the friend that sends a quick text to ask, “How are you?” Or the look you get from your child or grandchild when they see you. They light up! Do you look for Him in those moments?

I am writing this knowing I am guilty of living life everyday and not looking for Him in the mundane things. And lately, I have been pretty frustrated with the mundane in my life. But let me tell you something, Matt Fridy spoke in church yesterday about life and stress. And that made me think about my silly frustrations and my silly stresses. I think if we look for Him in our most mundane activities, not only will that strengthen our walk with Him but the byproduct will be less stress overall. Isn’t that how we are supposed to live?

Love you all,

Jennifer

Motivational Monday

By Jennifer Robbins

On September 29, 2025

In Motivational Monday, News and Announcements

Hey friends! Before I start this week’s motivation, I want to remind everyone how you can read the New Testament before the end of the year. Yep! You can! Just download the Bible Recap podcast or go to YouTube and read along Tara Leigh Cobble. She’s awesome. After you read, she will tell you what you just read. So no more guessing (like me!). If you have any questions, you can message us through Facebook Messenger and we will hopefully answer all your questions. On to this week’s motivation…

Have you ever felt too broken, flawed or weak for God to use? Well, let’s talk about it.

For years, I refused to write or teach the Word. In my mind, who am I to tell you what to do when I can’t do it myself? I would look around the church and see all these good, Godly people have this deep walk with God. They would talk about how God speaks to them. Meanwhile, I’m throwing my hands in the air, feeling like a mess just trying to make it to the next day. I make mistakes everyday. I sin everyday. But somehow, every week, I write these motivations in about an hour. Broken and flawed Jennifer was chosen to tell you how to not be so broken and flawed…who would have thought?

For those of you who haven’t talked to me in real life, I don’t know how to be fake. If you are wondering what I am thinking, don’t fret. If I don’t say it, my face will do all the talking. It sounds like I am harsh or mean, but I’m not. I’m just…real. I have a lot things I need to work on but one this is certain, I am honest. So watch what you ask me because you will get an honest answer. I believe that one of the reasons God uses me to write these is because I try to bring that honesty and realness to these motivations. I try to let you know that I KNOW I don’t measure up on a daily basis but I do try. Maybe my mistakes is why God uses me to write these.

Some of you reading this are saying, “I promise she hasn’t done the things I have.” You’re probably right. I have never done anything to land me in jail or prison. To my knowledge, I don’t think I have done anything where I should have gone to jail and wasn’t caught. But if you are someone who HAS, guess what?? YOU are PERFECT to spread His Word!! Really! Let me tell you how I know.

He chose a King who committed adultery (that resulted in a pregnancy) and then killed her husband to cover up the sin- 2 Samuel 11
He chose a big mouthed fisherman- John 21
He chose a prostitute- Joshua 2
He chose a persecutor of believers Acts 9:1-19
He chose a tax collector- Matthew 9:9-13 and Luke 5:27-32

Why did God choose these people?

They are relatable. Isn’t it easier to identify with someone who is flawed like yourself? You might even feel a little bit better about yourself after talking to someone who has “seen some things.”
They see the need. Their flaws make them see a need for a Savior.
They have no reason to boast. We HAVE to rely on grace. Look at David and Bathsheba. If he had been a righteous and holy man, he may not have seen his need to lean on God and take credit for himself.
And! They have no special qualifications (like me!). I am just some girl who loves Jesus and likes to write. If He can do that for me, He can equip anyone to do His work! Trust me.

At the end of the day, don’t stress about being capable. Just be available. When God calls you to do something, trust Him to equip you. And when He does equip you and you whip out a motivation in an hour, you think, “There is no way I just did that. That was God.” And truly, I believe that about what I write. I am no Bible scholar. I just make myself open and available to Him. And somehow (that somehow is God) I am provided with a topic and an article.

So what about you? Are you open and available? Do you believe God wants you to do something but you’re scared? Well, that’s ok because He is on your side. Remember, you don’t have to rely on your own talents, skills or abilities because He is equipping you. Knowing that, what are you waiting for?

Love you all,

Jennifer

Motivational Monday

By Jennifer Robbins

On September 22, 2025

In Motivational Monday, News and Announcements

Hey friends! I am so glad you are here. I want to discuss something that hits close to home for me personally and that’s attending church. So let’s just jump in and talk about it!

I have been a member of Spring Creek for a little over 10 years now. Before Spring Creek, I had been to several churches over the years but none I could call home. Once I found Spring Creek, I instantly loved it…and still do. But if I can be 100% transparent for a minute, there are Sunday mornings I don’t want to go. It’s not because I don’t like/love my church or the people in it. It’s not because I’m mad. Honestly, I am just tired 99.9% of the time. Either I am tired mentally, physically or both. And if I do go to church when I am tired, I don’t listen.

But some people are different. Some are not interested in going to church because they don’t see the point. “It’s just a building.” Some people are angry with God for various reasons. Some are just sad and they don’t want to go to church. And some people view it as a burden and not a blessing. And for them, it didn’t start out that way. So why is that?

Well, it could just be a season for you. It’s where you are in life. Meaning, are you single in your twenties or married in your thirties with three kids, divorced and starting over in your forties or retired in your sixties. Life is full of ups and downs and every age has unique challenges. I think Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 sums it up best. Your struggle with church may not be church…it could just be life for you right now. But here’s the kicker! Don’t get discouraged. This will not last forever. (Song of Solomon 2:11)

One reason I hear frequently is the hypocrisy in a church. Well, look. I get it. It is so easy to throw a stone at someone else’s glass house instead of looking in yours. My point is none of us is perfect. We are all sinners. If there is someone in the church whose sins are front and center, maybe that’s why they are front and center in the pew. The question you need to ask yourself is have you elevated your preferences above biblical principles and therefore, it’s robbing you of the joy of Sunday morning worship?

Sometimes it’s not you and it is the church. Churches have growing pains. Some are good and some are not good. Why would it not be good? Because it’s made up of imperfect people. And if your church is going through a time of trial, it would make sense why you are struggling. Here is where you need to make a choice. Do you stay and work through it or do you look for another church? Either way, Sundays will be challenging. No matter which challenge you chose, it is important you seek refuge in Him. (Psalm 34:8)

One reason you may not be enjoying it is because you are living in habitual sin. Again, we are all sinners, right? But this is someone who knows what they are doing is wrong yet they continue with the same behavior. Stealing money, looking at pornagraphy, mistreating your spouse, excessively drinking, etc. I view church like your parents. When you are doing wrong and you go home to visit, your momma and daddy is going to call you out. That’s their job no matter your age. Well, listening to sermons when you are habitually sinning feels like every sermon is about you and it’s uncomfortable! (Psalm 51:12)

Or lastly, it could be that you don’t know Jesus. And I know you are saying, “Well that’s silly! I’m at church!” Umm, that doesn’t mean you know Jesus. That doesn’t mean you are Christian. BUT, I am so glad you are at church! And look, no judgement here. But if you are not sure you are christian and need to talk it out, then let’s talk it out. I want you to experience living through Him (Ezekiel 18:32), know Him (John 17:3), love Him (Zephaniah 3:17), and enjoy Him forever (Matthew 25:23).

For me personally, it’s a season for me. How do I know? When I don’t go to church, people call and check on me. Not because they are nosey or messy, it’s because they love me. How do I know they love me? I feel it. They tell me. They make me feel valued even when I am tired. Whenever I don’t go to church, I feel like I am letting God down because I want to be there. And I am always worried I am letting my church friends and family down by not being there. But guess what? They always lift me up and support me when I need them. That’s why finding and going to church is important.

Love you all,

Jennifer

Motivational Monday

By Jennifer Robbins

On September 8, 2025

In Motivational Monday, News and Announcements

Hey friends! I took the week off last week to celebrate Labor Day. I know, I know. Labor Day is just a day but…listen, it’s my excuse! I hope it wasn’t too big of a disappointment. Which leads us to today’s topic! How do you handle disappointment? Specifically, how do you deal with disappointment in people? Well, let’s talk about it.

Like you, I encounter people daily. In my line of work, I encounter A LOT of people everyday and I try my best to get to know them. I mean, I’m at work more than I am at home so I need to try to get along with the people I work with. As you build relationships with people (whether it’s coworkers, new or old friends, church members, neighbors or family), you believe you know them. But then they do something that just floors you because “you thought you knew them”. Sound familiar? And sometimes, it really bothers you. How could they do something like this?

Well, fun fact, you really don’t know people but I know someone who does…God. There is absolutely NOTHING that happens without his consent. Wait, what? God approves sin? Yep, He sure does. “He holily permits them.” When Satan wanted to tempt Job to sin against God, he could only proceed with God’s permission (Job 1:9–12).“He powerfully binds them.” If God did not restrain evil in the world, our hurts and disappointments would be far worse than they are presently (Job 1:12; 38:8–11).“He wisely overrules them to some good purpose.” It can be hard to believe that God has an ultimate good purpose when he allows bad things to happen, but we do not have full access to the whole story. God does assure us this is the case for all believers (Romans 8:28).

So even when YOU are disappointed, God is in control and is hard at work.

Jesus instructed His disciples to forgive others as their heavenly Father forgives them (Matthew 6:12). Some people believe you only need to forgive them if they ask. Well, listen, that’s not true. Do you remember when Jesus was dying on the cross and He said, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do”? (Luke 23:34) He asked for forgiveness and clearly those didn’t ask for it because they just didn’t understand.

But forgiving people doesn’t mean you have to trust them. It’s ok to hold people accountable for what they have done. Trust is something that has to be rebuilt. If you can rebuild that trust, many times it is stronger. There are times the trust is never rebuilt. I always say, “I keep them at arms length”. Personally, I have relationships in my life who I can no longer trust for various reasons. The reason I keep them at arms length is for my benefit. I don’t want to be hurt again.

At the end of the day though, understand that you are not perfect. If you were disappointed with someone, did you set an unrealistic expectation of that person? Did you think they were perfect? A lot of times, I find myself saying, “They are such a good, christian person. I can’t believe they did that!” Ummm, what? I like to think of myself as a “good, christian person” but I mess up daily! I am sure I fail someone pretty regularly. I don’t mean to nor do I want to. I am sure I have disappointed someone in the last week.

At the end of the day, always seek God when you are disappointed. Talk it out with Him. I do it all the time. In fact, when I am disappointed, you WANT me to talk about it with God and not the person I am disappointed with. 🙂 I need Him to simmer me down and that comes with prayer. Remember, right is right and wrong is wrong. It IS OK to stand up for what is right. That does not make you judgemental (unlike what society tells you). But remember, it is ok to give grace to those who disappoint you (including giving yourself grace!).

God loves you and His plan is always good.

Love you all,

Jennifer