Light In The Valley

From my family to yours, and from all of us at Rocky Valley Baptist Church, we want to wish you a very Merry Christmas. In the middle of the lights, the gatherings, the meals, and the memories, Christmas invites us to pause and remember why  this season exists at all. Christmas is not just a celebration of tradition—it is the celebration of a Person. It is the reminder that God stepped into our broken world with love, humility, and hope. “For unto us a Child is born, unto us

This week our nation was shaken by the tragic deaths of filmmaker Rob Reiner and his wife, Michele Singer Reiner — a loss that has reverberated far beyond Hollywood and sparked deeply divided responses  online and in the media. Some mourned respectfully. Others turned immediately to political point-making, even in the face of a double homicide that involved their own son.   In a moment when grief should lead us to compassion , we instead too often see division  — reactions th

There are some moments that just make a pastor’s heart swell with gratitude—and Sunday was one of them. Watching our Rocky Valley kids and adults side-by-side, working hard to bring the parade float to life, reminded me once again what it looks like when the church moves. From painting and building, to decorating, organizing, and then walking the route with bright smiles and joyful hearts—every piece of it was a holy labor. And what a response from our community! The smiles,

There’s a noticeable shift every year. The moment Thanksgiving leftovers are packed away, the noise begins to rise. Ads grow louder. Shopping carts grow fuller. Black Friday turns into Cyber Monday, which turns into weeks of scrolling, clicking, comparing, and buying. Our culture tells us that this season is all about anticipation —but most of what we are told to anticipate can be boxed, wrapped, and returned. Yet the very heart of this season was never about the anticipation

There was a time—not that long ago—when coaches, programs, and even entire leagues intentionally avoided scheduling practices and games on Wednesday nights. It wasn’t because they were “church leagues.” It was because there was a shared understanding in our culture that mid-week worship mattered, and that families needed that sacred space. But somewhere along the way, the shift happened. Now many parents are made to feel that Wednesday practices are “mandatory,” that missing

Today we pause to give thanks for the men and women who have worn the uniform of our nation — those who have stood watch so that others could sleep in peace. Their courage, discipline, and willingness to place others before themselves reflect a principle that runs deep through Scripture: sacrificial love. Jesus said, “Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.” – John 15:13 Every veteran, every active-duty service member, and every fami

It seems our culture today thrives on disagreement. Scroll through social media or turn on the news and you’ll find passionate people on every side, each convinced that they  are right and anyone who disagrees must be wrong. Somewhere along the way, our desire to stand for truth has been replaced by a desire to win arguments . But truth doesn’t need our temper to defend it — it needs our obedience to live it. In the church, we have to be careful not to let the world’s spirit

Many in our community are experiencing a hard blow right now — the potential interruption or loss of SNAP/EBT benefits amid government shutdowns, budget standoffs, or uncertainty about funding. For those who rely on that assistance to put food on the table for children or aging parents, this is more than a policy issue — it’s a challenge that affects dignity, security, and hope. I want to encourage us, from a place of faith, to stand both firm in the hope we have in Jesus Chr

We live in a world where the highlight reel has become the whole movie. Likes have replaced love. Filters have replaced authenticity. And followers have replaced true fellowship. It’s easy to start believing that our worth is found in how well we perform online — in the picture that gets the most comments, the caption that sounds the deepest, or the post that proves we’re “doing fine.” But behind the perfectly crafted posts, many hearts are quietly asking: “Do I really know w

As the seasons change around us — the leaves turning, the air cooling, the days shortening — we’re reminded that change is woven into the rhythm of life. Yet for many of us, change isn’t always comfortable. Just as the chill of autumn replaces the warmth of summer, we sometimes walk through spiritual or cultural seasons that leave us wondering what God is doing and why things look so different than they used to. But even when everything around us shifts, God never changes. Hi

As we’ve watched headlines about the government shut down, many people have been filled with worry. Yet, for most of us, life has gone on much the same. The lights are still on. The sun still rose this morning. Kids still went to school. Work still called. And while leaders argue and agencies pause, there’s a deeper truth that brings peace to the heart of every believer — God has never once shut down. He doesn’t take a furlough. He doesn’t close His doors. He doesn’t suspend

As the news cycles fill with talk of a government shutdown, many feel uncertainty and even fear. Questions about paychecks, programs, and policies weigh heavy. But as believers, we are reminded of a greater truth: governments may rise and fall, economies may boom and collapse, but the Kingdom of God is unshakable. The prophet Isaiah wrote, “The nations are like a drop in a bucket; they are regarded as dust on the scales”  (Isaiah 40:15). That doesn’t mean our government and i

Everywhere we turn, it seems the world is spinning faster and faster out of control. Tragedy and turmoil dominate the headlines, and fear and confusion creep into our hearts if we’re not careful. Yet Jesus told us long ago what our place in this world should be: “You are the salt of the earth… You are the light of the world.”  (Matthew 5:13–14) Salt preserves what would otherwise decay. Light shines where shadows threaten to overtake. As believers, we are not called to blend

The events of last week shook us all. The violence, the grief, the sense of tragedy—it’s natural to feel outrage. But as followers of Christ, we can’t allow our response to end there. Outrage without action becomes a flash in the pan. What the world needs most in times like these is not just louder voices of anger, but brighter lights of truth, grace, and mercy. I will confess that as I have looked around, I have been both extremely encouraged by the response of the church an