“For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 6:23 NRSV At the heart of the gospel is God’s grace; a loving gift that cannot be earned but is freely given. Through faith and repentance, we step into this new life, one marked by restoration, peace, and hope. Jesus Himself described this invitation in simple yet profound words: “I am the door. Whoever enters through me will be saved and will come in and go out and find pasture.” John 10:9 (NRSV) In this statement, Jesus paints a picture of safety, belonging, and abundance. Just as sheep find rest and nourishment when they pass through the shepherd’s gate, so too do we find true life when we enter through Christ.
“Always remember, the way of suffering love that leads to the cross also leads to resurrection and everlasting life in Christ’s eternal community of oneness and peace. Trust in this promise.” D&C165:6c
Jesus Christ invites people to follow him by becoming disciples who share his life and ministry. Undertake compassionate and just actions to abolish poverty and end needless suffering. Pursue peace on and for the Earth.
As a church, we are called to embody this good news. We are invited to be a people who live out forgiveness, who work for peace, who resist the powers of violence, and who bear witness to the healing love of Christ. And Jesus came and said to them, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age." Matthew 28:18-20 NRSV
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About a month ago I came home from work and found myself in an empty house. It was strange without having any commotion or conversation happening right when I walk in the door. My family was busy doing other tasks so I found myself sitting on my couch taking in the beauty of the silence. I began praying during this moment and lifting my heart and thoughts to God. At one point I prayed, "God this parenting thing can sometimes be really draining.” Almost immediately I got a response. Whether it was my own thoughts or not I felt like it was God replying to me. God said, “You have no idea.” This immediately made me laugh understanding our heavenly parent is out there loving and caring for everyone on this planet and here I am having only three to look over. However this response really got me thinking about God's role as a heavenly parent. This person that is constantly watches over us and guides us down the pathways of life. God as a Heavenly ParentNow there are many people that have had unfortunate situations in life which have caused there idea of a parent to bring on some strong emotions. If that is you I encourage you to see God in a different way that fits your understanding and emotional health. Let's be clear God is not physically shooting hoops with your kid, or helping them with their math homework. So its important to understand the differences between being an actual parent and God. What differences do you think there are? Despite God not physically helping you with things its about the understanding that there is this mystery caring deeply for you despite all the things of the world. This creator that loves you for who you are. Bad things happen which is not the result of God but God is often hurting and suffering with you during the process. This concept can sometimes be hard to grasp as we tend to blame instead of embrace. We say why did God do this to me? Losing my dad earlier in my life made me think about this thought process a lot. I don't believe God is doing something bad to us, only loving us everyday for who we are and through all the emotions, both joy and pain we feel. God holds your emotional pain and sits beside you. God isn't going to make decisions for you but is trying to guide you down the best paths in your life. You have been created with an intelligence to make decisions for yourself. God is a parent that continues to provide love and direction if we seek it. Seeking direction from God is usually where we fall short. I know I often miss opportunities throughout the day to just focus my mind and pray when needed. Lifting our hearts and voices to God is often the way in which the divine can work. We have to listen with our hearts, eyes, and ears as God is speaking to us through the daily interactions of life. May God bless each of you who come to this site and follow along our blog. I pray God's love embraces you and holds you tight.
This week hold those you love close and tell them how you feel about them. Many years ago I was part of a church softball league. We were able to pull people we knew from around the community to form a team for Community of Christ. Every Sunday night we would head to the lights and take our positions out on the softball field. We quickly found out that our skill level compared to other teams was extremely limited causing us most nights to be non-competitive. Even with that we had fun and we continued to play hard. Our second to last game we ended up somehow in the lead by one run in the bottom of the ninth inning. I changed out from pitcher that inning to centerfield. There was two outs with a runner on first. You could feel the emotion of our team as we were one out from clenching our first win of the season. The softball was pitched and the batter swung hitting a high fly ball straight to center field. I was stoked knowing I was in great position and this would cap off the win. Amped up, I began running forward a few steps. As I continued to position myself, the ball began carrying deeper and deeper into the field. Once I realized I had run up to much it was too late and the ball dropped behind me rolling to the fence. I ran after it and threw it in but by then it was too late. The batter and the base runner had scored winning the game for the other team. The swing in emotions was brutal especially for me as I knew I had let my team down. The shame and disappointment immediately set in. I walked in hanging my head knowing so much hinged on my performance on that one play. Some of my teammates were heated not speaking while others patted me on the back. It was hard to look at them knowing I had disappointed them. I apologized and then we all dispersed to our cars to go back home. Most of the night my mind ran back through the game and in particular the last play. I beat myself up with negative comments and found myself restless throughout the night. Eventually I had to put it aside in my mind and tell myself mistakes happen. A mistake does not denote worth of a person. Luckily that next week our team won finally satisfying our desire for a win. But this blatant experience reminds me of what the emotions of shame and disappointment can do to someone. This story just touches the surface of these emotions as there are so many other real and horrible experiences which cause deep emotional scars and lasting effects on our psyche. God Believes You Have WorthThrough this whole experience I was still able to see my worth as a child of God and individual. However those with early childhood experiences and traumatic circumstances sometimes believe they have no worth and are not worthy. Community of Christ believes in the worth of all persons indicating no matter what you have been through or have experienced God loves you for who you are. All are worthy to come to the table to dine with the divine. It is in this concept where wholeness is found and healing takes place as people come to experience God through holistic relationships with others. Its not easy to overcome these deep embedded emotions that sometimes unconsciously rule our lives. Much often goes back to trust in ourselves and others. There is power to our story and our ability to take the difficult steps needed for meaning and purpose. We must remember nothing is impossible when we come to God with an open heart and mind. Wholeness can be found and our lives can be restructured into something meaningful and profound. All in all you have worth! You matter! God Loves You! I hope everyone reading along is able to find and feel the worth they have as a child of God.
Please reach out with love to those you know to let them know their worth in your life. If you are ever needing anyone to talk with please comment below. |
Please Note The views expressed here are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent or reflect the views of Community of Christ. We believe individuals should be allowed to have their own opinions and be at different places in their faith journey.
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November 2025
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Emporia Ministry
c/o Midlands Mission Center 7615 North Platte Purchase Drive Kansas City, Missouri 64118 Phone: (816) 221-4450 |
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