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Imago Dei

/ Joshua Thomas / Leave a comment

“So God created man in His own image; He created him in the image of God; He created them male and female.”

-Genesis 1:27 CSB

“God saw all that He had made and it was very good indeed.”

-Genesis 1:30a CSB

I love this moment that we read in Scripture, the creation of humans. I love this moment because humans have the distinction that we are all made in the image of God and therefore are image bearers of the creator of the universe. The story goes that God’s original plan was for us to live in a beautifully created world and take in all of its gifts.

Then, sin enters the picture, distorting the original plan and creating a separation of us and God.

But God made a way.

His beautiful creation made in His own likeness, He made a way for each of us to be made whole again through the death and resurrection of His own son, Jesus, paying the price.

This is the love story that is written for us, and it is also the start of our calling. To make disciples, helping others be made whole again. Why? Because every person bears the image of God and deserves to be made whole again.

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A Different Kind of King

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This past week we celebrated Easter. Easter is a powerful time, because we remember the whole point and purpose for Jesus coming to Earth to save each and every one of us. The thing I love about Jesus, is that He is a different kind of king. He flips upside down the beliefs that the religious had about Him, and He reorients us through His actions how each of us are called to live.

I have seen a lot of current culture both in and outside of Christian spaces, attempt to tell everyone the kind of king Jesus is. Some tell us that Jesus is a harsh and unwavering king. Some tell us that Jesus is a kind that is just good with the whatever we feel mentality. Some view Jesus as a political leader that is hard and fast on certain sides of the aisle.

So, what kind of king is Jesus?

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No Rain, No Flowers

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“Now may the God of peace, who brought up from the dead our Lord Jesus—the great Shepherd of the sheep—through the blood of the everlasting covenant, equip you with everything good to do his will, working in us what is pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.”

Hebrews 13:20-21

In 2019 I wrote a post called, “No Rain, No Flowers,” it was a result of me coming out of a very hard season where I didn’t feel like there had been a lot of direction and then found myself in a place of passion for helping others. As I look at the stats of this blog, I am able to see that this post gets frequent traction and views, almost 6 years later. That makes me feel old, but more importantly, it shows that the heart of that writing still rings true to people today.

When I wrote it, I had come from a place where I didn’t feel valued and needed to remind myself that God determines my worth, not people.

We are created and made by God, loved more than anything, and anyone that tells you the opposite is a liar.

Life will throw many things our way, but much like the flowers of a field, without the rain from storms, no life will grow.

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Love One Another

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“I give you a new command: Love one another. Just as I have loved you, you are also to love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”

John 13:34-35

I get really disheartened when I see experts in church metrics showing that young people are leaving the church, and what is the most discouraging part about it, is the conclusion to the “why” behind this trend is wrong. The reason isn’t because of not enough engaging services, easier on-ramps, or jumping on the latest trends; ultimately the reason is that the next generation is seeing people who say that they follow Jesus but don’t love like Jesus.

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Navigating Technology with Wisdom

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I had a chance last spring to speak to high school and middle school students about how to how media literacy, essentially how to navigate in a world that is constantly connected and influencing us every day. I could not have imagined how continually wild the following year would bring. The increase in AI reliance on everything as well as the increasing difficulty to tell if it is or not is a serious issue (also the environmental impact it makes). Mix that in with election cycles with a lot of anger and hate, social media becoming a flood of advertising, and a deeper divide on what is true and not biased in news media.

Feel freaked out a little? Don’t be; you have been created by an amazing creator who gives us what we need to navigate technology with wisdom. Wisdom is how we navigate everything we come in contact with and it is freely given to each of us.

“Now if any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God—who gives to all generously and ungrudgingly—and it will be given to him.”  -James 1:5 CSB

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joy in the seasons

/ Joshua Thomas / Leave a comment

I’m writing this after an incredibly busy year. I haven’t been able to do much of this, partly due to the new responsibilities of being a dad, but also due to my mental bandwidth not having much fuel in the tank. This happens a lot when I’m stressed or been running on empty in a spiritual sense, and often leads me to veg out or nap along with sweet Violet.

The year has been filled with so much, the blessings of our little family growing and the pains of outside forces I couldn’t control. I like control, as much as I want to say “I give it all to God!” The truth is that I like having a hold of all the pieces in front of me, and when I don’t, dread creeps in. This feeling is scary and causes me to freeze, even when I know I should stand and face it head on. I just can’t. But God is good and hasn’t failed me yet.

He reminds me to have joy, so much joy despite what I feel or what comes my way.

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hey friends, it’s been a while

/ Joshua Thomas / Leave a comment

I last posted on this blog in January, talking about having a firm foundation in Christ. January was an exciting time for me, I began a brand-new job in the ministry at Hope Church as the student and young adult director; I was and still am so ecstatic about this new role and being able to step into full-time ministry once again. In January, I was also embarking on my final semester of my Master of Divinity, and with full intention of keeping this blog weekly, I decided to take a pause. I love writing and telling stories, but when you have to write multiple papers a week, the tank tends to get dry. So, as I was stepping into my new role and taking time to finish my Masters, I chose to fully focus.

Now, in the month of August, I have graduated and am fully stepping into this role. Life remains busy, but it always is, the thing that I have learned is that God is with me in every moment.

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Firm Foundation

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“Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock.” Matthew 7:24-25, nirv

Well, we’re a little more than a week into the new year! How are those goals holding up? I know for me, goals are often just set during this time in order to center myself on what needs to be changed for the better, but for many people, this is the moment where they start anew. I don’t want to diminish this, because it is important to work on oneself, but one thing that I need to remind myself during this time of introspection, is setting a firm foundation.

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Journey Update: New Year, New Goals

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I always love January. A fresh new year and a whole world in front of us. The past couple of years have been wild, I’m sure you’ve heard of this pandemic that’s been happening, of course I know that all of us have been dealing with the complications. In the midst of all the insanity and unknowns, God is still good. One of my biggest takeaways from this past year, is that God is still good and will continue to make a way in the wilderness. Perspective is incredibly important in all that we do, and I know life has not been forgiving in these past years, but we must rely on Christ and know that He is making a way in our wilderness wandering.

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Thank You for Seasons

/ Joshua Thomas / Leave a comment

Can you believe that we are only a few more days until we enter December!? This last half of the year, for me, is always filled with so much excitement. From holidays to birthdays and anniversaries, there is so much fun, but time flies by. In recent years, I have learned the importance of the different seasons of life that we all go through. I look through the lens of the four seasons in nature and see how I continually grow and change in these different seasons. Some are harder than others, but in those hardships, I am reminded of the growth that is taking place and how it will propel me forward. Some seasons are time filled with joy and celebration of where God has me in that moment. In every season, I have learned to thank God for what each reveal about who God has made me to be and how He loves me in all things.

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