Good morning friend,

I did the dad thing this week for our son as he finished his spring semester of college. We crammed and jammed every inch of my car full of his stuff. I had to drive with my front seat pushed all the way to the front. My chest was almost touching the steering wheel, and the leg room pushed my knees up in the air like I was riding a tricycle. It was hard to breathe.

I was hemmed in. I got a pain in my neck and was so stiff I needed to be pried out of the car after sitting in that position for 90 minutes. It got me thinking about how many people I know who feel that way for different reasons.

There is so much going on in their life, and they are so crammed full and jammed up that they can hardly breathe. Life’s troubles have them hemmed in with no end in sight.

I see it in their faces at Kroger, at the gas pumps, and on Sunday mornings, too. That's why I remind myself that people need much more on Sunday morning than some interesting information about the Bible or to be entertained. People are looking for real solutions for the problems that bind them. That's why I keep your faces in mind when I prepare a message.

I believe with every ounce of my being that the Gospel is good news for tired people. It’s light and life and fresh air. Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.” 

Every Sunday I hope our worship service gives you a safe place to breathe, to meet and hear from God. This is what has drawn me to the book of James for my next sermon series. There is real, practical advice from James that meets us where we are on the ground, doing life. Pray for me as I prepare for the message this week, and I will pray for you.


See you Sunday,

David