Posts by Brent Clark (Page 11)

Posts by Brent Clark (Page 11)

Day 4: A Roller Coaster Life

Reading Psalm 30, you feel a little bit like you are on a roller coaster. Praise and pit. Healing and hurt. Weeping and joy. Wailing and dancing. We could almost recommend a good counselor or medication for David’s up and downs. That is until we remember we function much the same.  As David remembers the ups and downs of his life, what ties everything together is God. When life has been great, God was there. When he was in despair,…

Day 3: Fixer-Upers

Early in our marriage, Kerri and I wanted to buy a house. Being the poor newlyweds, the only houses we could afford were “fixer-upers.” They required time, energy, and money to repair and remodel. It wasn’t an easy process, but we always loved the final result. When new flooring was installed. When a new coat of paint went on. When the avocado green appliances were replaced! In Romans 12, Paul talks about a transformation of a different kind. This is…

Do You Believe?

Years ago, a young girl wrote a letter to The New York Sun newspaper with one simple question; Is there a Santa Claus? Virginia O’Hanlon wrote to The Sun these words:  “Dear Editor: I am 8 years old. Some of my little friends say there is no Santa Claus. Papa says ‘If you see it in The Sun, it’s so.’ Please tell me the truth; Is there a Santa Claus” Many of us are familiar with the story. One of…

Thanksgiving Recipe Time

Does Thanksgiving stress you out?  Do you find yourself searching for ideas and new recipes to refresh your Thanksgiving menu from last year?  Relax…I know how you feel.  Thanksgiving is a wonderful time with friends and family but we put a lot of pressure on ourselves to plan the best Thanksgiving menu for that special moment each year.  We want it to be warm, filling, pleasing to the eye, and all together perfect!  After all, it only comes once a…

Thanksgiving Fun Facts

How much do you know about Thanksgiving?  I’ve put together a list of fun facts that you can share around the table to impress your friends and family with on Thanksgiving Day! Turkeys originated in North and Central America, and evidence indicates that they have been around for over 10 million years Until 1863, Thanksgiving Day has not been celebrated annually since the first feast in 1621.  This changed in 1863 when Sarah Josepha Hale encouraged Abraham Lincoln to set…

Fighting Against Hunger

At Ashworth Road, we have been partnering with organizations local, regionally, and around the world to help end hunger. This past October, one of our ministry partners, Manos Herman, had the opportunity to present at the Iowa Hunger Summit presented by the World Food Prize. They shared about an exciting new technology that can pull the nutrients from alfalfa and reduce it to powder. This powder can be put into food to give individuals the vital nutrients they need to…

9 to 5: Integrating Faith and Work

One of the more difficult things Christians should learn to do is how to effectively integrate their faith and their work. Since we spend so much time at our jobs, it would be such a waste to not try to find some way to effectively be a Christian at work. The problem many have in doing this is overcoming the misconceptions we have about what that is even supposed to look like. Should we have the largest Bible known to…

Sometimes We Just Need to Laugh (at Ourselves) – Bad Christian Stock Photos

Every now and then, you run across something on the internet that is just too good not to share. Fortunately for me today, our Team Pastor Ryan Lenerz had this little gem waiting for me when I returned from lunch today. I love to laugh and a good belly laugh is even better. And this site had me rolling, almost in tears. As someone who is a Christian that often looks for stock photos and graphics to use for websites,…

It’s Cool Being a Dad

In a day when dads are made to look stupid and foolish on television and in media, it is refreshing to find an advertisement that shows dads in a positive light. Check out this great video all about #HowToDad. 

It’s Back to School Time!

How many of these first day of school pictures did you see all over Facebook the past few weeks!  I saw tons of them and even though it’s fun to see everyone’s children growing up, it also hits home that it’s the turn of a new school year.  With that comes change in the household.  Some are ready and some are still dragging their feet, holding on to summer.  My household seemed ready this year and are off to a…

New Worship Times Beginning September 7

This fall, we will change our Sunday worship times. Beginning Sunday, September 7, the Contemporary worship service will begin at 9:15 AM. Our on-campus small groups and ARKids will also start at 9:15 AM as well. The Classic worship service will begin at 10:45 AM. We hope this change will create much needed “space” in our worship services as well as provide our small groups and kids additional time for connection and Bible study. As we adjust these worship times, join…

Ethiopia Mission Team Update

The Ethiopia Mission Team with Beza Threads has been on the ground two days in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Check out the latest video update from their trip.