Author: hoekzema.allyson

“Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, ‘Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.’ And he who was seated on the throne said, ‘Behold, I am making all things new.’” (Rev. 21: 1-5a, ESV)

“Behold I am making all things new.” These words have been on my mind a lot lately.

Not just because it’s January 2026. Where did the last quarter of a century go??!!

Not just because I’m sitting here with a Diet Coke and Hint of Lime Tostitos and wondering when I will sustain the new thing of NOT eating/drinking them that much. But because the Christian Scriptures are full of God doing new things. The new thing of Love coming to dwell with us through the birth and life of Christ that we celebrate at Christmas and all year long. The new heavens and new earth mentioned in Revelation that we often long for. The Book of Isaiah is full of messages from God about making all things new even when at the time things were in chaos. Perhaps they’ve been on my mind because of all the things that aren’t right in the world around us. I have a desire for so many things to be healed, restored and made new. I hope for things to be better in this world.

It is true that there is uncertainty, unexpected change, and knowledge that ‘things aren’t right’ within us and around us.

But it is TRUTH that God dwells with us. Hope is real. God desires to work with us to bring about growth, healing and restoration in our own hearts (thought/behaviors), in our work, and in the world around us. Not only does God desire this, but it is a promise. Scripture tells us our God is at work restoring and healing. Not just in the past, not just in the future, but NOW. In you. In me. In Baruch. In our world.

Stay open to God changing us in ways that heal and create us to be the best versions of ourselves, the people we were born into this world to be. Happy New Year!

Chaplain Karen

In Psalm 62 David says, “My soul, rest quietly in God alone, for my hope comes from him. He alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress. I will not be disturbed. My salvation and my honor depend on God, my strong rock. My refuge is in God. Trust in him at all times, you people. Pour out your hearts before him. God is a refuge for us.” David talks to his soul in this — “Hey soul, rest quietly in God alone, for my hope comes from God alone.” That word quietly jumps off the page to me. When worries, doubts, and fears are crashing in, they almost seem to consume all the ability I have to think…but then I am reminded of what David says – “Rest quietly in God alone.”

David calls God our refuge and fortress. If an enemy is attacking, where do you want to be? Behind the safety of thick walls, right? You want a fortress and refuge—one that is safe, secure, dependable, reliable. When God describes Himself as our fortress, it means that there will be things that are going to come against us—but when those things do come, He promises to deal with it, to work good from it, to love us during it and through it.

David also says God is called our salvation. God being our salvation implies that we need to be saved from something. And this is not being saved from trouble or hardship even though that’s our desire. This is being saved from our own personal sins, those things that can actually separate us from God. He demands perfection and we have been far from it. Is He still going to forgive us, to be our salvation, if we continue to heap sin upon sin? Well, that’s why the description that David uses next for God is so important.

He says God is our rock, even our strong rock. God is stable and solid, like a gigantic rock that cannot be moved no matter how hard we might push on it. So, you will not get up one day and find that God has decided to be done with you. God continues to stably and perfectly love you and desires to move you toward Him even when we wander away from Him so often.

Because of God’s protection, forgiveness, and stability for us, why wouldn’t we bring every problem to Him? From the small pain to the gigantic personal problem, he wants us to bring all of it to him, and in faith to trust that he will work these things for our eternal good. He is, after all, a refuge for us. So, rest quietly in God, not because he’s going to make life perfectly serene this side of eternity. He won’t. But rest quietly in God because no matter how loud the problems of this life or the guilt of our sin shout—He is greater than all of them. Amen.

Pastor Dave

Ethyl’s children were grown. They married and moved to other towns to find employment. Her husband passed away a few years ago. She liked living in her home in her small rural village. Her home held memories of her marriage and raising her family.

It didn’t happen all at once. Her neighbors and friends noticed she couldn’t do things the way she used to. The children came home a little more often. Ethyl was a determined person. She told her children and friends, “I’m just fine.”

One cool autumn day, Ethyl was wandering along the road dressed in her nightgown. That was when family and friends realized maybe Ethyl wasn’t “just fine”. One of her daughters moved home to help mom while the family tried to figure things out.

The family soon learned they were not the only ones who have ever had to deal with the challenges of aging. Sharing was a way of lifting the burden from their shoulders. Like the Bible says in Galatians 6:2 “Carry each other’s burdens and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.”

The family talked about their situation. They gathered resources and discussed short term and long-term plans. They talked about Ethyl’s living situation, her finances, personal care, health care options, and any special needs. They discussed ways to keep Ethyl involved with her friends and church. The family was surprised at the resources that were available.

At first Ethyl didn’t want to discuss assisted living. The children explained the staff would make life a little easier for her and the family. They could lift some of the burdens of caregiving. This would let her enjoy being mom and grandma with the family. It would also relieve her children of the burden of being full time caregivers. Ethyl liked the idea of making life a little easier for everyone.

Moving into the assisted living facility gave Ethyl and her family comfort knowing that a burden shared is a burden halved. They learned that they didn’t need to go through the aging process alone. There are others who have gone through the aging process. There are skilled individuals who can come alongside to help with the burdens that come in this world.

The Bible gives practical advice when it says: “Carry each other’s burdens and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.”

Chaplain Jeff Meyers

The patriarch Abraham was not afraid to pray boldly before God. In Genesis 18:22-33, we read of Abraham bargaining with God to spare the wicked city of Sodom from destruction based on the number of righteous people.

Earlier, God called Abraham to leave his country with his family, his possessions, and his nephew Lot. On their journey, Abraham asked Lot to choose what part of the land he wanted. Lot chose to place his tent near the wicked city of Sodom. Now Abraham was a man of faith and a friend of God. When Lot chose to pitch his tent near Sodom, Abraham chose to remain standing before God and engage God in proving his righteousness and justice by not destroying the righteous with the wicked in the city of Sodom.

Abraham is taking charge in petitioning God with some initiatives. There is the confrontation in vs. 23-25 followed by some questions and a statement of God’s position as “judge of all the earth” (v.25). In vs. 26-32, Abraham continues bargaining with God in a posture of forgiveness.

In reading vs. 22, we notice that as Abraham prays, he stands before God (v.22), instructing him and challenging him to not be careless and haphazard in his judgment to destroy Sodom.

As Abraham continues to pursue God, he acknowledges his own downfalls while asking God to not be angry with him. In verse 33, we see that the conversation is finished. The end. No more bargaining. The Lord and Abraham each go their own way.

Reflecting on Abraham’s boldness, how have you challenged God to prove to you his righteousness and justice in your life through intercession for others and the world? Has it made you a better man or woman of faith and grown your covenant relationship with him? If you have not prayed boldly to God, I challenge you to do this and see how your relationship with him grows into a beautiful life of faith.

Chaplain Val

For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. (Ephesians 2:10)

My friend shared about his schedule and how he’d barely had a moment of rest. “I’ll have time to sleep when I’m dead” he exclaimed. Many of the others around him have spent years following his example. Another person with health issues recently shared that he wished that he didn’t sleep so much and that his body was better so he could do things like before. Both were expressing in some way the idea that busyness and activity equal normalcy and productivity.

The reality is that our bodies and our souls work together to live out our purpose in work, fun, play and rest. Last week, many speakers at the Global Leadership Summit provided insights about honoring the needs of our bodies and of our souls. You are valued; self- care is important, so I’m passing along a few of these thoughts.

-We experience difficult situations in life. Resilience is our capacity to cope with these hard things. But we are NOT energizer bunnies. This coping does drain us. We are not designed to power through everything. Who and what strengthens you when you are worn out?

-How do we pray? Do we pray more to be blessed, or to be a blessing? What would it be like if we prayed more to be a blessing? Legacy is really about how we bless and give to others.

-We tend to focus on what we have or don’t have. Instead, focus on what we DO with what we have. If you can’t get out and about, how can you change the days of those where you are?

– Getting a full night sleep is essential. Less sleep equals less concentration, less strength and less ability to do stuff (by more than 30%). Sleep is not a luxury. It is mandatory if you want to live out a life of purpose. What one thing could you change to improve your sleep?

-Small habits can have big life impacts. What one small habit could you start that you believe would improve the rest of your day? Do it consistently and see what happens. Mine is walking!

-What one habit doesn’t add a whole lot to the quality of your day or purpose? Try removing it to give more time to focus on what really matters.

The scripture above is set in the context of God’s love for us and plans for removing barriers between God and people, and amongst people. Tucked into all of that is that other nugget of truth….WE ARE GOD’s HANDIWORK, born into this world to make a difference. How we do that will change through the years, but the truth is the same ALL our years. We have purpose every day of our lives. And we are to care for ourselves, our bodies and souls.

What steps can each of us take to better care for ourselves?

Chaplain Karen Henderlong

The other night I was able to sit out under the stars and marvel at the wonder of God’s creation and it reminded me of how throughout the New Testament we find verse after verse listing all the benefits of those who are in Christ Jesus. Verses that seem to sparkle like those stars in the night sky, randomly scattered throughout the Word of truth – for all who will take time to see them. Like what we find in Romans chapter 5 as Paul says we can be given peace with God; no longer separated from Him through sin, but rather redeemed through the precious blood of Jesus Christ. In Christ we are enabled to approach the throne of grace for mercy to find help in time of need, what a great reminder.

But then Paul also reminds us in verse 3, “Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings…” Rejoicing in suffering is not our normal reaction to troubles, is it? At least they are not a twinkling light I want to identify. Yet, he is not suggesting that we simply have to grin and bear the trials and tribulations as best we can. Rather he is reminding us in verses 3-5 to keep looking at the stars of God’s goodness—that these troubles can lead us closer God, as he encourages us not to complain. Rather to remember that suffering for the sake of Christ, is a badge of honor for the saint of God.

We are not called to rejoice because we are suffering. But we are to maintain an attitude of thanksgiving and praise in the midst of our suffering. “…knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope,—something we all need more of today—and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.” Now that’s a star I need to see in the midst of the darkness around.

May our lives be lived as a testimony to God’s goodness and grace. As Php 2:13-16 says, “God is working in you to make you willing and able to obey him. Do everything without grumbling or arguing. Then you will be the pure and innocent children of God…Try to shine as lights among the people of this world, as you hold firmly to the message that gives life.”

Chaplain David