“God is bewildering at times,” lamented a dear friend last week, responding to a young mother dying, leaving a devoted husband and 7-month old. This despite thousands praying. My first thought was to write back an encouragement about trusting God, fighting the good fight, staying the course and keeping the faith. And that would have…
“Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His godly ones.” Psalm 116:15 Miracles During Her Passing: The message below is from Kelly Mestakides. She and her family are a beloved part of Little Church. Some of you on the crisis prayer team have read this extraordinary account but most of you haven’t.…
And she called her friends and neighbors and said, “Rejoice with me for I have found the coin which was lost!” Luke 15:9 Alexey and Dasha Ryazanov, both from the Ukraine, have lived with Nikki and me for many months. A world class ballroom dancer, Alexey teaches at a studio in Laguna Hills and gives…
“I’m all in,” exclaimed my younger son Micah, trying to keep a straight face, straining to look as cool as he possibly could. We were playing Texas hold-em, a widely popular poker game these days and the stakes were high, well, not really, just nickels and dimes. But the game was tense as most in…
And now my last message of 2016 which I believe it is the most important. Our greatest treasure is knowing God, surrendering our lives to the One who gave His life for us. Our next greatest treasure is knowing each other – friendship, growing into a deeper connection and genuinely caring for one another. As…
Laguna was bathed in one of those breathtaking sunsets last week, the kind that almost brings tears to your eyes it is so beautiful. As the sun slowly descended below the horizon, a golden ball of churning fire and incredible intensity, the early evening sky blazed with arching streaks of crimson, orange and yellow. The…
I sometimes struggle with negative thoughts. Not too often, but once in awhile. I wonder if you do? I suspect so, as it is such a common trait within the human condition. We’ve all had these recurring mental battles. To be honest, I’ve been dealing with them on and off for the past month, maybe…
So Very Grateful: I sometimes feel like the luckiest person in the world. Or perhaps I should say one of the most fortunate or blessed of God. What is it that makes me feel so good, so grateful? Well, it’s you. Your friendship, care for me, the prayers uttered on behalf of me and my family, love shared, your encouragement, countless texts,…
Cuba: Flying on a red-eye Tuesday evening and meeting up in Florida with a team of 24 people from all over the country, and then heading to this fascinating Caribbean island. Sandy Davis, who attends morning prayer will be on the trip, along with her husband Morgan and two daughters. Our focus will be the poorer…
“Prayer is not designed to inform God, but… to humble man’s heart, to excite his desire, to inflame his faith, to animate his hope, and to raise his soul from earth to heaven.” – Adam Clarke (British theologian and Bible scholar, 1760-1832) Remembering: There’s no tougher news than this: “The biopsy has come back and…