Newsletters
2026 Newsletters
July
July is a month when we often think about freedom. We celebrate Independence Day, gather with family and friends, watch fireworks light up the night sky, and give thanks for the many blessings we enjoy. Freedom is a gift, and it is worth celebrating.
As Christians, however, Scripture reminds us that freedom is about more than simply being free from something. It is also about being free for something. The Apostle Paul tells us that we have been called to freedom, but not a freedom that centers only on ourselves. Instead, Christian freedom leads us outward in love and service.
June
As summer begins and the days grow longer, June often brings a change of pace. School schedules shift. Vacations are planned. Cookouts, graduations, and family gatherings begin to fill the calendar. There is a certain energy to this season, but there is also a temptation during busy seasons to drift spiritually without even realizing it.
May
There’s something about May that feels like a deep exhale.After months of gray skies, the world begins to soften. Trees turn green, flowers push through the soil, and life quietly begins again. It doesn’t happen all at once, but slowly, steadily—almost without us noticing.
April
If I had to choose, I would say that Spring is my favorite time of year. After the long winters we experience here in Chicagoland, I just love hearing the birds singing again and watching the greenery and flowers come back to life.
But I imagine that I wouldn’t appreciate the spring this much if it wasn’t for the grueling winter that preceded it. If I was just always used to the nice spring weather and climate, I imagine I would take it for granted.
March
Most of life moves quickly. We rush from one responsibility to the next, measuring progress by productivity. But Lent invites us to slow down. It is not a sprint. It is a journey. For forty days, we intentionally walk toward the cross, following Jesus Christ through the wilderness and toward Jerusalem. The season echoes his forty days of prayer and testing - not as punishment, but as preparation. Lent prepares our hearts.
February
Winter has a way of making itself known. The air sharpens, the days shorten and the cold settles not just on our streets and sidewalks, but sometimes deep in our bones. We bundle up, turn up the heat and look for ways to stay warm. Cold reminds us of our vulnerability - and of our need for shelter. The same can be true in our spiritual lives.
January
A new year always arrives with a mixture of hope and honesty. We step into January carrying dreams for what might be, but also memories of what has been. Some of us come grateful, others weary, and many with both feelings at once. The good news as we begin this year is simple and steady: God meets us exactly where we are.