By Miranda Braden: Nehemiah was afraid to appear sad in the presence of the king because cup-bearers were supposed to hide their emotions for the king's sake. To violate this was punishable by death.  Read More

By Elliotte Pearson (Elder): Recently I was out playing disc golf, an activity where I can enjoy some time with the Lord to talk through many things, when I felt like the Holy Spirit whispered a statement to me. He said, “Your position does not outweigh your function.”  Read More

OYC Devotional | Trust is a weird thing. From the moment we are born, we are actually forced to trust. A baby has no choice but to trust. Their entire existence is dependent on others taking care of them. They must be fed, held, put to sleep, and changed, because they do not have the ability to do it themselves.  Read More

OYC Devotional | Have you ever thought about trees? Probably not. That’s weird, right? (No offense intended to anyone who loves trees and thinks about them often.) Trees fascinate me. I love being in nature. Gazing up at towering trees truly takes my breath away. In California, there are trees so large you can literally drive a car through it.   Read More

OYC Devotional | When I was a kid, I remember thinking that all I wanted to do was grow up. I was the youngest of four siblings, and I would constantly look at them and see all the cool things they were able to do just because they were older.   Read More

By Theresa Golden: When we look around at the world today, we see evidence of war, not just the physical war that rages on foreign land but a spiritual war right here on our doorstep. This war wages against our culture, our families, our marriages, and our church. It threatens our children, our finances, even our minds. We have a responsibility not only to fight back but to wage war against the oppressor ourselves.  Read More