One summer in Walla Walla, I had the opportunity to tour University Church with Kraig Scott, Walla Walla University music professor. He taught us about the inner workings of the church organ and demonstrated all the different notes the magnificent instrument can play.A moment I will never forget is when Scott surprised us all by [...]
Editorial Note: Meet Cortnee Blayton, a social media marketer for an e-commerce company in Seattle, and join her in a #NWAdventists blogging journey about everyday faith. Her favorite Christian saying is "God doesn't call the qualified, but qualifies the called." "A merry heart does good, like medicine, but a broken spirit dries the bones" (Prov. [...]
My ancestors have lived on the Salish Sea for centuries. My Coast Salish people have maintained a strong, resilient, beautiful culture centered around the incomparable Salish Sea. I was excited when our local Adventist school, Skagit Adventist Academy, developed a partnership with The Salish Sea School — based in Anacortes, Washington — Students Training as [...]
How do we get a church to grow? Not just sprout then wither, but really grow. The longer I have been an Adventist and a pastor the more I am convinced we often start at the wrong spot when trying to enact growth within our churches. We are good at forming committees, writing books and [...]
"Take My yoke upon you. Let Me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls" (Matt. 11:29). When a pastor graduates from school, they receive a Master of Divinity degree. Recently I was reflecting on how arrogant that sounds. Sure, you may have a master’s [...]
One of the most common nightmare scenarios as a public speaker is the idea of ending up in front of a group of people when you aren’t fully clothed. Being exposed, ridiculed and unprepared is enough to cause most people a fair amount of anxiety. We would never walk out of our house naked in the [...]
My husband and I like creating goals, having checklists and planning. We’d like our kids to be able to set and keep goals as well. It’s important for personal spiritual growth. Getting the kids involved in their own goal-setting is important. Helping them create goals that are doable, measurable and achievable now will help them [...]
Parenthood can be overwhelming. For instance, today I'm in a small hotel trying to keep it organized and help my sixth-grader keep up with school work. I am feeling overwhelmed. I have stopped three times in 45 minutes to pray for patience, kindness, gentleness and love. But, I am slowly losing it, friends. So, I [...]
“Our success will be in proportion to their belief in our belief in, and appreciation of, them.”1 If our primary objective is to make other Adventist believers, we will spend all of our energy making people conform to our theological opinions. However, if we believe that every human we encounter is worthy of receiving the [...]
With the recent popularity of books about habits, I wanted to share reasons and ways to create healthy habits in the home. God created marriage and family; it was part of His perfect plan. When we strive to create a healthy home life for our family, I believe we are doing God’s will. A healthy [...]
