Church Blog (Page 3)

Church Blog (Page 3)

church near me, church in west des moines, waukee church, clive church

The Power of a Friendly Face

Recently I was in a conversation with a family who has been around Ashworth for about four years. I asked the wife/mom a question, “Your family came to Ashworth for the first time on an Easter Sunday. Why did you come back?” There was a pause and look of deep thought, and I said I would get back with her later. A few days later, she came to me and told me she had an answer. She said she came…

936 Weeks

All parents feel like their kids are growing up too fast, but how fast is too fast? It’s 936 weeks to be exact.  That’s how long you have between birth and high school graduation.  The question each parent must answer is, how are you using your weeks? I know you sometimes feel pressure to fill your summers with more than seems to actually fit: multiple camps, baseball games, vacations,  strawberry picking (my family favorite), and all sorts of other adventures.…

Top 3 Bible Reading Apps

Technology: For Good or Evil Technology is a double-edged sword.  It devours hours of our teenagers time, and yet it put important information at your finger tips whenever and wherever you need it.  Some people lament how the prevalence of tiny screens everywhere has damaged community while others couldn’t imagine a world without the conveniences technology offers us. The same tension exists when considering how technology affects Christians.  How ironic it is that the same tiny screen can offer a…

Threads: The Values Woven Through Ashworth Road

What is important to you? What shapes your life? Have you ever given much thought to that question? All of us are shaped by an internal set of values that guide us and help prioritize our lives. Values that shape who we are personally and, if you are married,  values that shape your marriage and family. We are all different. We all, to some extent, value different things. Some place a high value on exercise. And so you plan your…

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 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…

Staying Thankful During Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving has become anything but thankful. It’s the holiday about food and not fighting with family and watching football and then shopping, shopping, shopping….getting ready for the bigger holiday where we eat more, attempt to keep the peace in our families for yet another holiday, and open the gifts that we’ve spent hours stressfully shopping for. Don’t let that be your Thanksgiving this year. I’m attempting a few small changes in my daily routine this November to keep gratitude and…

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,…