'hope' Tagged Posts

'hope' Tagged Posts

Advent Hope for the Valley (Christmas Devotional)

We find ourselves now in the season of Advent. It’s fitting, really, that we end our Through the Valley series during this season, for I believe it’s in the promise of Advent that we find hope as we walk through whatever valleys life may bring our way. Some, I suppose, may deem the topics we’ve covered over the last several weeks to be “depressing” or too heavy to dwell on for too long. We’ve waded into some deep waters: racism…

Spiritual Formation in the Midst of Chronic Illness (Mary and Peter Frey – The Frey Life)

“Mary, how has having cystic fibrosis affected your relationship with Jesus?” This question from a summer camp nurse sparked Mary Frey’s curiosity years ago. Since then, part of her journey with a chronic illness has been learning how to ask how following Jesus fits into a broken situation. “The illness that I have does not define me, in the sense that it is not the entirety of who I am, what I am, and my purpose in life,” Mary says.…

Encountering God in Loneliness (Jason Gaboury Book)

Jason Gaboury says he’s wrestled with loneliness his whole life. He felt this sense of disconnection in a particularly powerful way when he was in his mid-thirties, with two young kids at home, doing campus ministry. His home was in a “constant state of relational connection,” but he still felt lonely. “My assumption was that if I was lonely, there was something wrong with me,” he says. “A lot of people assume that. They assume that if I’m lonely, I’m…

Walking with Others Through the Valley (Kim Findlay Story)

Content Warning: This post contains a story of loss and tragedy that may bother some. Fifteen years ago, I sat on a waiting room couch, frozen in fear as the doctor delivered devastating news. “The little girl’s daddy, he’ll be okay. The recovery will be long, but he’ll survive.” Time held its breath as my reality began to shift. “But the little girl? She’s not going to survive.” A few hours earlier, firefighters battled a blaze that engulfed our home,…

One of Our Own (Sam Kim & Racial Trauma)

Every time Sam Kim sees something horrible happen to his African-American brothers and sisters, it immediately brings back the racial trauma he’s experienced. He’s transported to the first time he remembers being called by racial slurs, to being chased through the streets of Chicago, to hearing his parents laughed at and taunted. This trauma has continued, even after living and working in the United States for decades, even after serving as a U.S. soldier in a war. He can tell…

New Year’s Resolution – Connecting My Goals to God’s Mission

I’ve always been a fan of New Year’s. I’m not necessarily talking about the big events like they do in Times Square (although I do like to watch the ball drop on TV!). No, for me it’s all about the ‘new’ – the possibilities that it brings. A new year is a chance to make changes, to do something different, to be different. So, as you might imagine, I have made a few resolutions over the years. As I’ve started…

Give Thanks in a Time of Trouble

Ok, I admit it. I’ve had a hard time getting excited about Thanksgiving this year. It’s not just the holiday itself, which will be different than any other in my lifetime. No, my challenge goes deeper than that. I don’t know how to get in the spirit of the day, to be genuinely thankful in a year that has brought so much difficulty, pain, and loss. I recently shared my struggle with a small group of friends over Zoom. I also…

Grief & Hope: Christian Books and Music for when a Loved One Dies

With the recent passing of my dad, I’ve been processing by reading books on death and listening to music that helps me grieve and worship. But even as I experience loss, those around me are losing their loved ones as well. This is why I am sharing some of the books and songs I’ve come across as a way to help (music playlist below). The books focus more on grieving the loss of brothers and sisters in Christ than those…

Esther Discussion Guide/Questions

Thanks for checking out our college group’s discussion guide of the book of Esther. I hope this helps you study and reflect on the book as we prepare to discuss it together. Here are some helpful resources for studying the book of Esther (PDF download at bottom of page): The Bible Project: Esther Video & Discussion Guide For Such a Time as This article by Bethany Jenkins Esther and the Silent Sovereignty of God article by Bethany Jenkins  How to…

May 3rd, 2020 – Order of Worship

9:00am Christian Education Join us for our Christian Education hour from 9:00-10:00am using Zoom. Please contact terry@cornerstonewestford.com for the Zoom number. 10:15am Facebook Live Service Our Sunday service begins at 10:15am using our website page or Facebook Page: Cornerstone Congregational Church – Westford, MA (no account needed). Whether you regularly attend Cornerstone or this is your first time we hope you can join us.  Order of Worship  Welcome Welcome to our church and new friends tuning in! You can find…
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