The Sacrifice of Praise
by: Godfrey Miranda
11/28/2024
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I will bless the Lord at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth. Psalm 34:1, NKJV
Thanksgiving is here! It's a season that opens up time for family, food, and reflection on the Lord's faithfulness. Of course, we don't need to wait for a national holiday for our mouths to be filled with expressions of praise and thanks to God. As the psalmist reminds us, we can "bless the Lord at all times" (Ps. 34:1). But while it may be true that there's never a wrong t
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God's Phone Number
by: Logan Earles
11/21/2024
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Answer me when I call, O God of my righteousness! You have given me relief when I was in distress. Be gracious to me and hear my prayer! Psalm 4:1
I am old enough to remember a time without smartphones. I remember texting used to cost an additional fee if you exceeded the predetermined limit. I remember when commercials would tell of unlimited text and calling minutes as the main selling point for their services. Now I know there are many who remember a time without cellpho
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Polar Opposites
by: Godfrey Miranda
11/14/2024
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...Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another, for "God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble." 1 Peter 5:5, ESV
Gotta love Colorado weather. By this time last week, we were hunkering down and enduring an early stretch of severe snowfall. Now we're watching all that snow melt under this week's steady sunshine. Polar opposite weather patterns can be somewhat entertaining, but there's another polar opposite on my mind today that's really quit
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Follow Me
by: Godfrey Miranda
11/07/2024
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I have set the Lord always before me; Because He is at my right hand I shall not be moved. Psalm 16:8, NKJV
What have you been following lately? "Follow me" or "Follow me for more" has become a common invitation woven throughout our media-saturated lives these days. It's verbiage for subscribing to a news outlet, a YouTube channel, a favorite podcast, or a friend's profile. In today's lingo, we "follow" the things or people we show interest in and want to keep updated a
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Caterpillars to Butterflies
by: Logan Earles
10/31/2024
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And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit. 2 Corithians 3:18
Happy Reformation Day! On October 31st, 1517 Martin Luther nailed his 95 Theses to the door of the Wittenberg Church. Luther set out to bring attention to the issues that the church at the time needed to address. Through this endeavor, he found 95 issues that plagued the church. Fa
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Heads Up
by: Godfrey Miranda
10/24/2024
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"And now I have told you before it comes, that when it does come to pass, you may believe." John 14:29, NKJV
Giving my kids a simple "heads-up" about what to expect next has become a helpful tool in my parenting toolbox over the years. Just last night, as the kids were playing in the backyard, I opened the patio door and signaled that a change in activity was on the horizon: "In a few minutes, it'll be time to come in and help empty the dishwasher." It's a small thing, bu
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Past the Crowd
by: Godfrey Miranda
10/17/2024
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"And he sought to see who Jesus was, but could not because of the crowd..." Luke 19:3, NKJV
It was our first summer as Colorado residents, and we decided to endure a few hours of intense Colorado sun to watch the Broncos practice at Dove Valley. After the team's practice session concluded, several players made their way toward the fans, and with my 2-year-old (at the time) son on my shoulders, I headed toward the 2015 Super Bowl MVP in hopes of getting a signature. But mo
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A New Path
by: Logan Earles
10/10/2024
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What do you want me to do for you? Mark 10:51
In high school, I played a lot of basketball. I wanted to be really good so I put in the time. There was a player on my team who was one year older than me and I looked up to him. Once he told me that he wore two pairs of socks on each foot for games. From then on I wore two pairs of socks on each foot because that’s what he did. One day after basketball practice I challenged him to a 1 on 1 competition. He was 4 inches taller t
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Beholding God
by: Godfrey Miranda
10/03/2024
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"Therefore be imitators of God as dear children." Ephesians 5:1, NKJV
"I'm not Giselle, I'm 'Teacher Giselle!'" Our four-year-old's imaginary play has taken on some dominant themes lately. Most often, I can overhear her "reading" or sounding out the letters of the alphabet to an imaginary classroom of students. Other times, she's pretending that she's on a volleyball court, energetically mimicking practice drills or plays she has watched her big sister perform again and a
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Morning by Morning
by: Godfrey Miranda
09/26/2024
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"...I do nothing on my own but speak just what the Father has taught me." John 8:28, NIV
When it comes to conversations, I'm a relatively slow processor. If you're like me, you know what it's like to engage in several interactions or discussions throughout the day and then after the fact wish you had said this or that. Even if you're quicker on your feet than I am, you probably know what it's like to engage conversations and later wish you hadn't said this or that. Jesus
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Called By Name
by: Godfrey Miranda
09/19/2024
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"But now, thus says the Lord, who created you, O Jacob, And He who formed you, O Israel: 'Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by your name; You are Mine.'" Isaiah 43:1, NKJV
I totally blanked the other day. It was one of those times I ran into someone I had met for the first time a few weeks prior, but my brain "wasn't braining" as my kids would say. I shook the man's hand and took a hesitant guess, "Hi...it's Chris, right?" Swing and a miss. Thankfully,
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The Prophetic Word
by: Godfrey Miranda
09/12/2024
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"And we have the prophetic word more fully confirmed, to which you will do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts." 2 Peter 1:19, ESV
It was one of those first-responder type of nights. One of our kids cried out complaining of an earache, and although I was quick to attend to his needs, I was also cautious. Cautious because 1) I don't always have the best balance when I awaken abruptly, and
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Mission Drift
by: Godfrey Miranda
09/05/2024
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We must pay the most careful attention, therefore, to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away. Hebrews 2:1, NIV
Years ago, I sat through a lengthy leadership conference and walked away with a two-word reality that has stuck with me since: Vision leaks. A leader can cast vision effectively and compellingly, but clarity about that vision fades all too quickly without constant care and attention. Along similar lines, the President and CEO of HOPE International Pete
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Growing Through Trials
by: Godfrey Miranda
08/29/2024
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"My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials..." James 1:2, NKJV
This past Sabbath, we were blessed to hear several of our young people share about recent adventures they had experienced. Of course, it's always an encouragement to hear what God is up to in the lives of our younger generations, but what moved me most were the stories of how they each endured adversity, situations in which their expectations were turned upside down. Our youth didn't just
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Growth Mindset
by: Godfrey Miranda
08/22/2024
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"But the path of the just is like the shining sun, That shines ever brighter unto the perfect day." Proverbs 4:18, NKJV
"Daddy, will you measure me?" It seemed like every morning throughout the summer, one of my kids woke up eager to know if they had grown taller. While I grew weary of the incessant ask, it brought back memories of my younger years and the growth spurts that inspired high hopes of being the first 6-foot Filipino (that I knew of at least). The wall opposi
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