Category Archives: Branches Blog

6/17/24 MondayMatters: Leaving A Legacy Behind

6/17/24 MondayMatters: Leaving A Legacy Behind

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https://youtu.be/5R7h2TPUjec?feature=shared

We all desire to leave a legacy, to make a mark on family and friends that will impact them for good long after we are gone. Sometimes, the pain of the legacy we inherited is so great we cannot imagine changing our legacy for the better. But we can. We can leave the legacy of our past behind and start a new one. Here are 7 steps.
1. Start today.

2. Accept personal responsibility.

3. Choose to forgive.

4. Accept the present.

5. Reframe your story,

6. Believe that life can change.

7. Make some concrete plans today to change.

Paul says, “Forgetting those things which are behind, I press on.” Press on!

5/13/24 MondayMatters: Great Expectations (or not so great)

5/13/24 MondayMatters: Great Expectations (or not so great)

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We all have a little Clark Griswald in us. We create these over-the-top, larger than life expectations of an event, a season, or a relationship. And more often than not things just don’t happen the way we imagine. Here are some fantastic ideas about how to manage expectations, well, at least some pretty good ones.… Continue Reading

5/6/24 MondayMatters: How To Stay Positive In A Relationship

5/6/24 MondayMatters: How To Stay Positive In A Relationship

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In a fallen world, relationships fall. How we talk about them has much to do with how they survive. Here are 5 Rules of Relationships that help me stay positive about those connections in my life. Click on the link to watch the video. And follow on Facebook or Instagram for a daily reminder about… Continue Reading

4/22/24 MondayMatters: Surprised By Shame

4/22/24 MondayMatters: Surprised By Shame

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Have you ever been surprised, shocked or sandbagged by some negative thought, some moment of discouragement, depression, or fear that just nearly overwhelmed you? Maybe it was anxiety, maybe obsessive thoughts about hurt, maybe shame; those thoughts that the devil will use to defeat us. They come like a thief, to steal, kill, and destroy.… Continue Reading

4/8/24 MondayMatters: The Problem with the Mountaintop

4/8/24 MondayMatters: The Problem with the Mountaintop

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  https://youtu.be/8bhDR60WsuA?feature=shared Mountaintop experiences are great. We need them every once in an awhile to regroup, refresh, and revive. But we are called to live there. God does His best work in us and with us while we are in the valley. Look at 1 Kings 18:16-46 When I focus in the emotional high I… Continue Reading

3/25/24 MondayMatters: Self-Reflection

3/25/24 MondayMatters: Self-Reflection

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https://youtu.be/qcfZFVVHszE?feature=shared Click the link above for the MondayMatters video. During Holy Week we often look at spiritual discipline and consider things we can do to deepen our walk and increase our faith. The idea of self-reflection, self-examination is often uncomfortable and certainly underused. But this week is a wonderful time to look inward, allow the… Continue Reading

3/19/24 Lent Psalm 85 Cherished Terms

3/19/24 Lent Psalm 85 Cherished Terms

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3/19/24 Lent Psalm 85 Cherished Terms  Many years ago, Richard Parrot wrote a fascinating paper on Cherished Terms. He said there are certain terms in every discipline, but particularly in the church, that have a special relationship with that body of people. They are words that have a meaning, apart from the definition, steeped in… Continue Reading