Amanda Charlebois

Proverbs 21:23 Watch your words and hold your tongue; you’ll save yourself a lot of grief. We have all been misunderstood. We get frustrated by wrong judgments and decisions based on wrong information. Yet often, these moments are some of our most defining, not because of what was said but because of our response. I was told a few days ago I drive like a “moron” because I stuck to the speed limit. I was tempted to waste my time with a response, but I refrained. Jesus never wasted words on worthless ar[...]

Effective faith is based on a principle of submission to authority. "Now when Jesus had entered Capernaum, a centurion came to Him, pleading with Him, saying, 'Lord, my servant is lying at home paralyzed, dreadfully tormented.' And Jesus said to him, 'I will come and heal him.'  The centurion answered and said, 'Lord, I am not worthy that You should come under my roof. But only speak a word, and my servant will be healed. For I also am a man under authority…' Jesus responded, "Assuredly, I say to you, I h[...]

If we decide to love as Christ loves us, it will look a lot like this: We would Submit to one another, Forgive one another, Encourage one another, Restore one another, Accept one another, Care for one another, Bear with one another, and Carry one another's burdens, as Christ did. This is the shortlist of all God, through Christ, has done for each one of us. Jesus’ new single command, designed to serve as the overarching ethic for His church, is: “Love one another, just as I have loved you” (John 15:12)[...]

I remember when my wife and I decided to get some occasional help with house cleaning. We cleaned the whole day before the house cleaner showed up. I was thinking to myself, why am I doing this….? About a month ago, I had to go to the dentist. I had a strange desire to receive the dentist's approval. So, before I went, I brushed, rinsed, and flossed my teeth, hoping I would get a good report. But last Friday I took my car to the shop. It had a strange squeak. I didn't pop the hood or wash the car, and the[...]

“If God can transfigure the greatest evil into the greatest gift, then He intends to turn whatever you are experiencing right now into a gift” Ann Voskamp. We have come to the end of yet another unprecedented month, year, and week... filled with many obstacles. I don’t know about you, but it’s been a long couple of years for me. But… thankfully, I have hope to hold onto an incredible hope, and I want to share it with you! Romans 8:28 tells us this: “And we know that God causes all things to wor[...]

“Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.” James 4:8 (ESV). Come close to God, and God will come close to you. I remember life before constant digital noise: no inbox pings, Twitter tweets or Instagram notifications. Because of the Covid-19 virus, our culture is pulled toward distractions like binging Netflix shows, scrolling through endless news feeds, and checking every two minutes to see if we have a new notification.[...]

It's almost like we are allergic to repentance and forgiveness. Think about it? When was the last time someone came to you and simply said, "I was wrong; please forgive me?" Recently I received an apology from someone in our church; the email began with, "I might have been a little harsh... I had a bad week…." In a later communication, the person referenced their apology. I was left with a question, "When did they apologize?" When they said "I might have…" followed by an excuse? I'm sorry, but that is no[...]

"You have made each of my days as long as a hand is wide. My whole life is nothing in Your eyes. Every man at his best is only a breath." Psalms 39:5, NIV. We all have had near-death or death experiences, either our own or someone we love, and it leads to a few essential questions: What is life all about? Why am I alive? What am I living for? All of us need some motivating passion, which gives our lives purpose. Unfortunately, some people don't know for what purpose they're living. Many people are only kil[...]

"Now that I've put you there on a hilltop, on a light stand—shine! Keep open house; be generous with your lives. By opening up to others, you'll prompt people to open up with God, this generous Father in heaven." Matthew 5:16 Our world is in a confusing time right now, with days feeling like weeks and no clear end in sight. Many people are wondering what to do in a time like this. I was praying and asking God the same question, and His answer was not what I expected. I was hoping for new and fresh informa[...]

Have you ever experienced seasons when the moments, days and weeks seemed to slip away without noticing? If we are honest, most of us will say yes. Maybe we were consumed by the busyness of everyday routines or a difficult season when merely staying alive seemed like a challenge. Regardless, we often look back on these seasons with a great sense of regret and the feeling that moments were wasted. Time was wasted. The book of Psalms (a great place to start when you realize the shortfalls of our humanity and w[...]