“You crown the year with your bounty” - Psalm 65:11 This is a great verse to begin a new year with, especially for a year following 2020. Psalm 65 is filled with God’s goodness, abundance and blessing - it’s a great one to hold on to for this...
But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ – by grace you have been saved. – Ephesians 2:4-5 Have you ever been in a situation of feeling completely helpless or...
What can a first-century Roman centurion teach us about adapting to life during the pandemic? Lots. Image by Ginosphotos via MegapixlAmong the many feelings and frustrations during the Coronavirus and the preventive measures is the feeling of being stuck and powerless, especially if we want...
A reflection on the Beatitudes (Matthew 5:1-10) and response in prayer for our city, and other cities in turmoil. Now when Jesus saw the crowds, he went up on a mountain and sat down. His disciples came to him, and he began to teach them. He said: Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs...
The answer to that is obvious. And if you’re familiar with the Seder supper, you may recognize the question. The Seder is a meal that commemorates the Passover and is celebrated in the middle of Holy Week. It centres around a key question: “Why is this Night different from all...
I remember the middle schooler’s anguish as she said, “You can’t do this! I need this!” We were living in Hanoi and attending a small international fellowship that was entirely run by volunteers. I was co-leading the youth ministry and between the other leader and I, we...
Since we’re on a Charles Dickens theme at Island ECC, I couldn’t help but think of one of his most memorable lines and scenes. In the story “Oliver Twist,” Oliver and the other children at an orphanage are only fed three bowls of thin gruel (like a very watery oatmeal...
It was a surreal moment for me to see the images of July 1st on the news. We flew out of Hong Kong on Monday morning. It was sunny and clear – a beautiful summer’s day. Then, we landed 12 hours later in another country and saw what had happened. It was such a stark contrast with dark...
Power is intoxicating. It goes to your head pretty fast. The allure of power is immediate results at your whim. Healings and miracles fall in this category too. Whether we are the healer or the healed, it’s the same draw: the ability to change your reality when you want to. By this point...
He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to Him the throne of His Father David, and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end. Luke 1:32-33 The conversation between the angel Gabriel and Mary in...