The Pastor's Perspective

     Admiral Yamamoto      In the annals of history, few phrases carry the weight and consequence of a single, fateful day like that of Admiral Yamamoto. The year was 1941, and our nation was largely reluctant to engage in a global conflict. We had just came out of a major war just a few decades prior, and we were recovering from the great depression. The idea of joining in a war that had little to nothing to do with us seemed for many to be largely irresponsible.  However all of that changed in 1941 after the attack on Peal Harbor.  Admiral Yamamoto, the Japanese naval strategist, is famously believed to have said in the wake of the attack, "I fear all we have done is to awaken a sleeping giant and fill him with a terrible resolve." The sleeping giant of America was awakened, not by a call to arms, but by the devastating reality of an enemy at its doorstep. We realized that war for the first time that we were not getting in a war, but rather war ...

          I believe that e very good cook always has a taste of the meal they are preparing. I have been known to dabble in the kitchen and I know that has been my experience for sure. Before the meal is set out on the table, the cook tends to take a little bite of the food that has been prepared. This happens for me every Thanksgiving meal. Just before the turkey is presented, I might take a bite when no one is looking.     When we do this it gets us excited for what is to come. We get just a little taste of the meal we are about to chow down on. It prepares our taste buds and leaves us with an expectant urgency for the meal to come soon.       I think that t his is how it should be when we think about our church services as well. When we think about church services we should think of it as just a little taste of what's to come. The experiences we have as we gather together in church should wet our appetite to what we will one...

     Charlie Kirk 1993-2025   The news of Charlie Kirk's death was a sudden and profound shock to me as I opened up my Facebook app on my phone Wednesday afternoon. I saw as many others did, the immediate aftermath, social media feeds were flooded with posts, videos, and news reports. While many of these were well-intentioned I am sure, it was hard to shake the feeling that a race was on—a race to be the first to report, to get the most views, to be heard. A race that felt rushed. It felt like a rush to capitalize on a tragedy before we had even taken a moment to sit in the stillness of grief.       We seem to have lost the capacity to pause. I noticed this in many other tragic events like this, yet it seems like it is getting worse. In a world that demands instant reactions, there's little room for quiet sorrow anymore. I believe it's a disservice to the memory of a person and, more importantly, to the family left behind. Before we share, before...

Joshua Farrell  Doomsday Prepper who helped a 2017 wildfire.      Joshua Farrell, a resident of Arizona, was a bit of a "prepper." For those who may not know what that is; he was a guy trying to prepare for the worst possible events. Someone who wanted to be ready if he ever found himself in a situation where the government shut down, or we had massive terrorist attack. Joshua wanted to be ready if he found himself where there was no water, or no food, or he had to defend himself and his home. This meant he was always keeping emergency supplies on hand wherever he went.       One day, while he was on a hike, he noticed a small fire starting to spread in the desert. No one was nearby, but thankfully, Joshua was prepared. He had a fire extinguisher and some other equipment with him, and he was able to quickly contain the fire and prevent it from causing more damage.  Joshua's preparation meant he was ready to fight the fire before the fire even...

Casey Diaz, Author of "The Shot Caller"       If you met Casey Diaz today, you would never have guess where he came from. He's a man with a powerful story of transformation and how God can work in someone's life. Growing up, Casey started hanging around the wrong crowd and eventually joined a violent gang. His life was filled with violence and crime, a path that led to his incarceration for murder. His life was out of control and it seemed like there was no one who would be able to help turn it around. Many thought Casey Diaz was a lost cause, beyond hope.       Surprisingly it was in prison that Casey's life would have a turn around. It was there that Casey heard about Jesus and made the decision to accept Him as his Lord and Savior. That decision was not about getting a good report before the parole board, or doing what everyone was wanting him to do. For Casey it was about totally surrendering his life to God and becoming a follower of Jesus Ch...