Happy Friday evening church family!

We got to celebrate new life in our family as our daughter McKenna and son-in-law Cris introduced our first grandchild – Colton Andrew – to the world Monday morning. I’m sure the grandparents reading this understand when I mention the weird flashbacks to your own child being born, now bringing in their own new life. How precious and wonderful it is! There is so much joy, and at the same time wonder of what’s in store for this little guy – what will this world be like when he’s 50 like I am now. What amazing things will he see and experience? What amazing things will have disappeared from the earth? I do know that I have never had a stronger need to pray – for this new family starting out, for this new baby only days old – I didn’t know my heart could feel this much!

Yet I know that this is a mere shadow of the love God has for us. The entirety of scripture tells the love story of God who creates out of love, establishes life and the earth and sets boundaries out of love, who pens a redemption plan for any who want redemption and fulfills it himself out of love, who promised to return to bring us to live with him for all eternity in a place he has designed and prepared just for us all out of love. What wondrous love is this! My prayer for all reading this is that God would give you a glimpse of the love he has for you so that you will know how valued and treasured you are!  

-- In faith, Pastor Eric

Your love, Lord, reaches to the heavens - your faithfulness to the skies. Your righteousness is like the highest mountains, your justice like the great deep. You, Lord, preserve both people and animals. How priceless is your unfailing love, O God! People take refuge in the shadow of your wings. They feast on the abundance of your house; you give them drink from your river of delights. For with you is the fountain of life; in your light we see light. Psalm 36:5-9 NIV