By Lea Lockhart
Let’s face it, saying goodbye to a loved is very difficult. The pain is real and I’m learning that it’s ok to be sad. I’m learning that grief is normal and tears are not a sign of weakness. Jesus was anything but weak, and he wept when Lazarus died even knowing that he would be raised from the dead. He wept tears of compassion with Lazarus’ loved ones.
Continue reading Is This Evangelism?
First, I want to say that – I am not a good reader! People assume that since I read a lot that I must be a good reader. The reality is that I am perhaps the worst reader I know. I am a slow reader (even though I took a speed reading class once) and worse than that my comprehension level is atrocious. Seriously, I have prayed about this, whined about this, asked God why do I retain so little, etc… It’s bad – really bad! My kids laugh at me because when they were young and I would read to them The Lord of the Rings or The Chronicles of Narnia or… they retained everything and dad… “He forgets everything!”
Continue reading 30 Book Challenge… Where Do You Find The Time To Read?
Ok so if you did not read 30 Book Challenge, you might want to go back and read that before proceeding.
Some of you have asked for “the 2019 reading list.” Below are some of the books I plan to read for 2019. You should make your own list – these are books that interest me. I promise you, you will not meet the 30 book challenge unless you are picking books that interest YOU! So, don’t try to read my list. Now that said, you might find some of the books below to be interesting to you. If so, great! Let’s get to reading in 2019. Continue reading 30 Book Challenge – My 2019 List
Love reading? Hate to read? Either way, I want you to consider joining me in 2019 for a “30 Book Challenge.” In our digital, social media, high-octane entertainment age – I realize that a challenge to pick up a black and white print book is so…. 1990’s. But yes, let me challenge you back to the stone age and invite you to read this year. You might not be ready for a “30 Book Challenge” and that is fine! Just pick a good book and get started reading.
Below is a list of 10 books I enjoyed in 2018 and 10 books that I plan to enjoy in 2019. I included some of the books I call, “fun reads” and other books that require more effort, coffee, and undistracted time.
The Gospel Of Consumerism
Warning: Consumerism is everywhere and growing. There is no getting away from it which is potentially harmful. Consumerism is like an invisible, powerful entity of its own, but it quietly infiltrates every aspect of our lives. Just look around. Sadly, as consumers, we have become desensitized to the effects of consumerism and its’ ploy of promoting our interests. We want more and more, yet we have so much.
This Sunday Trinity Community Church begins its series preaching through Galatians and James.
Galatians: Faith Alone
James: Faith That Is Not Alone
Below is a Galatians Primer of various quotes and thoughts to prepare our hearts for our study. Each paragraph and the various quotes can stand alone. Read them, consider them, and then read the letter to the Galatians in one sitting. This post is intended to stir your minds to begin thinking, Galatians. If you are not a part of Trinity and would like to follow along in our series you can do so here.
Let’s jump right in and consider some “isms” of our day in this first post of many on the gospel of “isms.”
The Gospel Of Meism
Though the gospel of Meism is subtle and deceptive, it is nonetheless very much alive in our hearts. I doubt any of us would come right out and proclaim it but Me sits on the throne of Meism. Meism’s savior is, well…Me, its god is Me, its hope for change is Me. Me is also the one who is to be submitted to, honored, adored, and obeyed.
Into His Arms! by Lea Lockhart
Have you ever watched those videos of soldiers coming home and surprising
their families? I love and hate those at the same time. The kids will open a very large wrapped box and out pops Dad. Or, Dad comes around the corner into his child’s classroom to surprise his little girl. She looks up in absolute shock and disbelief. Her hands cover her eyes to catch the tears as it sinks in. Then, without hesitation, like a bolt of lightning, she takes off 
running right into the arms of her father, who was waiting for her with outstretched arms. She buries her head in his neck pouring out a bucket of tears; tears of joy and love. It gets me over and over again. I’m always a bit envious of those children, having never had that with my earthly father.
Last month Trinity Community Church celebrated twenty-two years! Twenty-two years ago 35-40 people gathered in a hotel conference room to start a new church. We had no equipment (Well, we did have a coffee maker, and… I seem to remember a couple microphones.) Oh, we also had an abundance of idealism and ignorance.
Meat and Potatoes By Lea Lockhart
“You can have all the popsicles and ice cream you want”, they said, just before taking me down to the operating room for a tonsillectomy. I could picture myself with a tray of various flavors of ice cream and popsicles, and a bell for me to ring to order more. That sounded like heaven as a 5-year-old.
Last week I had the extreme privilege of traveling with my friend Aron Osborne to Alphen aan den Rijn, Netherlands. Here is a brief report from my time away.
Over the past few weeks, I have been quietly and out loud saying; “The joy of the Lord is my strength.” Now, I know this can be a cliché’; something that is said religiously without any thought about what is being spoken. However, this is not the way I have rehearsed these eight words. Rather, I have meditated on them, considering the glory and the freedoms these brief words contain. Perhaps the best way I can describe it is, I feel as if I have chewed on these words the way one savors and enjoys a perfectly grilled juicy steak.
![Esther's Gospel: The God Who Is There by [Merwin, Tim]](https://i0.wp.com/images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51u-m7bM4DL.jpg?resize=229%2C344&ssl=1)
Esther’s Gospel is available on Amazon Kindle for .99 cents – sale ends today.
The last day of school had finally arrived. I had just finished my fourth-grade year. My friend and I were so excited to begin our summer vacation. We got busy making our plans. We went back and forth saying things like “this summer I want to dig out that fort”. Over and over again we said, “this summer I want to…” You fill in the blank. We had big plans. In our minds summer was going to last forever. However, before I knew it, I was sitting at my desk on the first day of 5th grade being assigned my textbooks for the new school year. Where did the summer go? We had plans!
