By Ryan Dawson

With the Thanksgiving holiday just around the corner, many of us are becoming a little more mindful of the things we have to be grateful for. Around the Thanksgiving table, it is common for us to pause and thank God for our food, our family, our friends, our health, our homes, and the many other blessings that fill our lives. There is something beautiful about that simple practice of stopping long enough to recognize the goodness of God and to say, “Thank you.”

But I am also reminded that thanksgiving was never meant to be a once-a-year tradition. We don’t simply bring out thankfulness like our favourite Christmas decoration, enjoy it for a few weeks, and then put it away when the turkey is gone. Thanksgiving is meant to become a way of life. God desires to cultivate within us a heart that continually recognizes His goodness and responds with gratitude, not simply when life is going well, but even when life is difficult.

The Bible says: “Always be joyful. Never stop praying. Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.” 1 Thessalonians 5:16–18 (NLT)

Notice those words: “Be thankful in all circumstances.”  Paul doesn’t say, “Give thanks when everything works out,” or “Give thanks when you get what you want,” or even “Give thanks because everything that happens is good.” He says, “Give thanks no matter what happens.”

But there is an important nuance to this.  We are not necessarily called to be thankful for everything that happens, but we are called to give thanks in everything that happens.  If I lose my wallet with $50 in it, I don’t have to pretend that losing my wallet is a blessing. But I can give thanks that I have a job and the ability to earn another $50. If I get into a car accident, I don’t have to be thankful for the accident, but I can be thankful that I wasn’t seriously injured and that God was with me through it.

But what about the really difficult things in life? What about the broken relationship, the financial pressure, the lost dream, the miscarriage, the diagnosis, the disappointment, or the death of someone we love? Am I really supposed to be thankful for those things?  Honestly, I don’t think God asks us to call something good when it is painful or tragic. Scripture never asks us to deny our grief, suppress our sorrow, or pretend that everything is okay when it isn’t. Jesus Himself wept at the grave of Lazarus. The Psalms are filled with honest cries of pain and confusion. Faith doesn’t mean pretending that suffering doesn’t hurt.

But even in the midst of our pain, we can choose to give thanks. We can give thanks because God is still with us and He promises to never leave or forsake us. We can give thanks because God sees us and He understands the depth of our sorrow. We can give thanks because God’s character has not changed and He is able to bring beauty from our ashes.

This kind of thanksgiving is different. It is deeper than simply being grateful when life is good. It is the kind of gratitude that is rooted not in our circumstances but in the character of God.  I love the phrase from Ann Voskamp’s One Thousand Gifts: “Thanksgiving comes before the miracle.” There is something powerful about choosing gratitude before we know how the story is going to end. Sometimes giving thanks is an act of faith. We are saying, “God, I don’t understand this. I don’t know what You are doing. I wish this were different. But I still believe You are good, and I choose to trust You.”

Maybe this Thanksgiving finds you in a difficult season. Maybe you have lost a job, lost a loved one, lost a dream, experienced a disappointment, or are carrying a burden that few people know about. Maybe while others are gathering around tables filled with laughter and celebration, your heart feels a little heavier than usual. If that is you, I want to remind you that you don’t have to manufacture happiness to give thanks. You simply need to remember who God is.

Your Father in heaven sees you. He knows you and He loves you. He is close to the broken-hearted and His grace is sufficient for you.  Your difficult season may last longer than you hoped, but it will not last forever. The God who has carried you this far will continue to carry you. And even when you cannot yet see the morning, you can trust that the darkness will not have the final word.  As the Psalmist reminds us: “Weeping may last through the night, but joy comes with the morning.” Psalm 30:5 (NLT)

So, this Thanksgiving, by all means, thank God for the food on your table, the people around you, the blessings you can see, and the many good gifts He has given you. But perhaps also take a moment to thank Him for something deeper: that He is God, that He is good, that He is with you, and that His love will never let you go.  

I am thankful for you and grateful that we get to walk this journey of faith together.
Happy Thanksgiving!

Grace & Peace, Ryan

By Ryan Dawson

We are in the middle of our Practicing Prayer & Scripture series, and last Sunday we talked about the value of using written prayers to help us grow deeper in our relationship with God. The Lord’s Prayer is one of the greatest examples of this, giving us words and a pattern when we sometimes struggle to know what to pray.

I have found that written prayers can be a wonderful companion in my own prayer life. I like to use different resources that help me slow down, focus my heart and express to God what is sometimes difficult to put into words. One of those resources has been The Valley of Vision, a collection of prayers written by Puritans who understood both the greatness of God and their deep need for His grace.

This particular prayer, “A Prayer for Spiritual Renewal,” has been meaningful to me. It expresses a deep longing for the Holy Spirit to fill, renew, teach, strengthen and transform us. As I read it, I find myself praying not simply for God to change the circumstances around me, but for Him to do His deeper work within me.

This is an important prayer for me personally. I want to experience greater intimacy with my Heavenly Father. I want to hear His voice more clearly through His Word. I want the Holy Spirit to expose the places in my heart that have grown cold or distracted and to renew my love for Jesus. And I know that if I am asking God to bring renewal to our church, it must begin with His renewing work in me.

The beautiful thing is that God is loving and good, and He welcomes us when we come to Him with open and humble hearts. He hears our prayers and responds according to His perfect will. We don't need to have the right words or somehow make ourselves worthy to approach Him. We simply come as we are and ask Him to do what only He can do.

So, as we continue this journey of Practicing Prayer & Scripture, I encourage you to take a few quiet moments and pray this prayer slowly. You may want to pause at certain phrases and make them your own. If a particular line resonates with something God is stirring in you, linger there and talk with Him about it.

My prayer is that as we seek the Lord, we will find Him, and that He will continue His deep work of renewal in each of us and among us as a church family.
May the Lord bless you as you seek Him.

For Christ and His Kingdom,
Ryan
 
A Prayer for Spiritual Renewal
O Holy Spirit.
As the sun is full of light, the ocean full of water,
Heaven full of glory, so may my heart be full of you.
Vain are all divine purposes of love and redemption fashioned by Jesus except your work within,
Regenerating by your power, giving me eyes to see Jesus, showing me the realities of the unseen world.
Give me yourself without measure, as an unimpaired fountain, as inexhaustible riches.
I grieve my coldness, poverty, emptiness, imperfect vision, apathetic service, prayerless prayers, praiseless praises.
Help me not to grieve or resist you.
Come as power, to expel every rebel desire, to reign supreme and keep me yours;
Come as teacher, leading me into all truth, filling me with all understanding;
Come as love, that I may adore the Father, and love him as my all;
Come as joy, to dwell in me, move me, revive me;
Come as light, illuminating the Scripture, molding me into its laws;
Come as sanctifier, body, soul, and spirit wholly yours;
Come as helper, with strength to bless and keep, directing my every step.
Come as beautifier, bringing order out of confusion, loveliness out of chaos.
Magnify to me your glory by being magnified in me, and make me scented with your fragrance.

(Updated from “Spiritus Sanctus” — The Valley of Vision)

By Ryan Dawson

Any great work of God has prayer as its seed. When men and women pray, and really pray, God mysteriously moves in ways we could never accomplish through our own strength, wisdom or effort. Prayer is not simply something we add to the work of God; prayer is where the work begins.

We see this so clearly in the story of Nehemiah. When Nehemiah heard that the walls of Jerusalem had been broken down and the gates destroyed by fire, his first response was not to develop a plan, gather resources or rally a team. He fell on his knees and prayed. He carried the burden for his people and the City of David into the presence of God, and he continued to pray through the long winter months.

For four long months, God must have seemed slow and silent to Nehemiah, but God was not absent. He was at work in ways Nehemiah could not yet see. Then, at just the right time, a door opened. Nehemiah was given great favour with the Persian king, and he received permission, protection and the resources he needed to begin the rebuilding of Jerusalem.
The renewal of the city began with prayer.

I believe this is an important word for us as a church. We have a great work of God before us, but we must remember that whatever fruit comes from our efforts will ultimately come not because we are strong enough, strategic enough or deserving enough, but because God is a God of grace, and He delights to pour out His Spirit on His people.

As we come to our Heavenly Father in personal and corporate prayer, we can come with confidence that He hears us. We may not always understand His timing, and we may not always see immediate answers, but we can trust His character and continue to seek Him faithfully.

“Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit, says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.” — Zechariah 4:6 (NLT)

This is true for Sequoia, and it is true for the Church throughout our city. The work God wants to do among us will ultimately be accomplished by His Spirit.  That is why I want to invite you to join us this Sunday, September 27, from 7–9pm for our All Church Prayer Summit. These evenings are always an encouraging opportunity to gather as brothers and sisters and simply seek our Heavenly Father in prayer and worship. There is something powerful about putting aside our schedules, our agendas and our distractions and coming together to say, “God, we need You. We want You. We are asking You to move.”

One of the great promises that calls us to this kind of prayer is found in 2 Chronicles:  “Then if my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and restore their land.” — 2 Chronicles 7:14   This is a powerful promise, and it is contingent on us humbling ourselves in the presence of God.  So, let’s respond to God’s invitation to seek Him in prayer!  

Here are some things we can be praying about as individuals and corporately in the days ahead:  
• Praise God for His ongoing grace and love.
• Thank God for the cross and the forgiveness we have in Jesus Christ.
• Ask God for a hunger for His Word and the faith to stand on His promises.  
• Pray for God to bring working through our new Fall sermon series Practicing Prayer & Scripture, starting Sept. 27.  
• Ask God to break your heart with the things that break His.
• Confess your indifference and independence and ask God to “renew a right Spirit in you.”  Psalm 51
• Pray for a spirit of joy, freedom, renewal and revival at Sequoia and all the churches in our City.  
• Pray for God to open doors and reveal His plans for our land and building vision.
• Ask for opportunities to share the love of Christ this week with people in your life.
• Ask God to bless our city and draw people to Himself in great numbers.  
• Pray for students, teachers, seniors and those who support them.  
• Pray for first responders and our health care workers.  
• Pray for our City leaders that God would grant them great wisdom.  

I want to encourage you to join us Sunday at our Prayer Summit.  Please also spend some time in your Impact Community or Ministry Groups lifting these requests, and anything else the Lord puts on your heart.  God responds to His people when we pray so let’s believe that God will move in powerful ways as we seek Him.  
Praying for you and with you,  

Grace & Peace, Ryan

By Ryan Dawson

I was struck by some lyrics I heard this week from a song called “Kingdom of Fear.” The song describes someone who is hurting deeply but has learned to hide it.  They are building walls, biting their tongue, and pretending everything is fine, because they are afraid to let someone get close enough to see what is really happening underneath the surface. Maybe you have heard the song, and you have found yourself humming along, because it’s a catchy tune.  One line especially caught my attention: “Just another day in the kingdom of fear.”

I wonder if that phrase describes more of our world than we would like to admit. Fear seems to be everywhere these days. We fear what is happening in the world, we fear for our families, and we fear what the future might hold.   Sometimes fear becomes so deeply rooted in us that we don't even recognize how much it is shaping the way we live. It can cause us to build walls, hide our pain, pretend we're okay and carry burdens that were never meant to be carried alone.  It’s sad but true that even in the Church, we can feel the need to pretend we are doing well when we are overwhelmed with life.  

But as I thought about those lyrics, I was reminded that Jesus came announcing a radically different kingdom.  Jesus didn't come simply to teach us how to manage our fears. He came to bring us into the Kingdom of God—a kingdom where we are deeply loved, fully known, completely forgiven and never alone.

The Apostle John tells us, “God is light, and there is no darkness in him at all” (1 John 1:5), and Jesus says, “I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won’t have to walk in darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life” (John 8:12 NLT).

What a beautiful invitation: Jesus is inviting us to come out of the darkness and into the light of His presence.  And Jesus doesn't ask us to pretend everything is okay before we come to Him. He already knows what is going on in our hearts and in our lives.  Jesus sees our fears, our hurts, our disappointments, our shame and the questions we sometimes struggle to put into words, and He still says, “Come.” We don't have to hide behind carefully constructed walls because God’s grace is greater than our weakness, and we don't have to carry everything alone because Jesus promises to be with us.  God also blesses us with His Body, the Church, so we can be encouraged and equipped for the journey ahead.

This doesn't mean followers of Jesus never feel afraid. We can all feel afraid at times.  I know I do. But faith doesn't mean the absence of fear; it means that fear no longer gets the final word. Fear doesn’t define our lives, because Jesus does.  So, when fear tells us we're alone, Jesus reminds us that He is with us. When fear tells us to hide, Jesus tells us we are fully known and fully loved. When fear tells us there is no hope, Jesus reminds us that He brings things back to life.  

The world can sometimes feel like a kingdom of fear, but that is not the kingdom Jesus invites us to live in. Jesus welcomes us into His Kingdom of light and love and we enter by faith.

Maybe you need to hear this invitation from Jesus again… “Come into the Light.”  It’s an invitation to stop pretending and hiding.   You don't have to carry life all by yourself, because God is with you and He has given you brothers and sisters in the Church who love you.  Jesus is inviting you to bring your whole self into His presence and to surrender to His loving leadership, as you live in community.  This means you can surrender your fear, your wounds, and your secrets to your loving and gracious God, and to trusted followers of Christ.  Because Jesus already knows all this about you. And He loves you with an everlasting love!  

There are many kingdoms competing for our hearts today, but Jesus is inviting us home into His Kingdom of Light and Love…and there is no place like home!

Grace & Peace, Ryan

By Ryan Dawson

There is something profound about being able to trust God when life takes a turn you didn’t expect.   It is easy to say, “I trust God,” when life is going well—when the bills are paid, the diagnosis is good, the family is healthy, the future looks promising and our plans seem to be unfolding just as we hoped.

But what happens when life doesn’t go according to plan?  What happens when the thing we prayed would change doesn’t change? When the door we hoped would open remains closed? When serving God becomes costly? When we find ourselves confused, discouraged, disappointed or simply exhausted?

That is where faith becomes real.  Real faith says, “God, I trust you even when I don’t understand what you are doing.”

I have been reflecting on Paul’s words from our message last Sunday about the cost of serving Jesus:

2 Corinthians 4:7-10 (NLT)  We now have this light shining in our hearts, but we ourselves are like fragile clay jars containing this great treasure. This makes it clear that our great power is from God, not from ourselves. 8 We are pressed on every side by troubles, but we are not crushed. We are perplexed, but not driven to despair. 9 We are hunted down, but never abandoned by God. We get knocked down, but we are not destroyed. 10 Through suffering, our bodies continue to share in the death of Jesus so that the life of Jesus may also be seen in our bodies.

Paul was able to remain faithful and resilient in the midst of such harrowing circumstances because he knew that his circumstances did not determine God’s presence. He could be pressed, perplexed, hunted and knocked down, but he was never abandoned. Paul knew that the power sustaining him was not his own strength but the presence and power of God at work within him.

And that is an important reminder for us. God has never promised that following Jesus will mean an easy life, or that we will get answers to all our questions.  He has promised is something even more significant: He will be with us. He will never leave us or forsake us. Even when we cannot understand what He is doing, we can trust that He is faithful and that He knows the way ahead.

I think Dietrich Bonhoeffer understood this in a deeply personal way.  Bonhoeffer was a German pastor and theologian who courageously opposed the Nazi regime. He was arrested in 1943 and imprisoned without knowing what the future would hold. During his imprisonment, he wrote prayers and reflections that reveal a remarkable honesty about his own weakness, fear and uncertainty, while at the same time expressing a deep confidence in the presence of God.

I read one of his prayers this week and it really resonated with me:

O God, early in the morning I cry to you.
Help me to pray; and to concentrate my thoughts on you;
I cannot do this alone.
In me there is darkness, but with you there is light;
I am lonely, but you do not leave me;
I am feeble in heart, but with you there is help;
I am restless, but with you there is peace.
In me there is bitterness, but with you there is patience;
I do not understand your ways, but you know the way for me. . . .
Restore me to liberty, and enable me to live now that I may answer before you and before men.
Lord, whatever this day may bring, your name be praised.
Amen.  — Prayer from Dietrich Bonhoeffer (Germany, 1906–1945)

Those words “I do not understand your ways, but you know the way for me” are especially powerful because Bonhoeffer was praying them while his own future was deeply uncertain. He did not know how his story would end. He did not know whether he would be released from prison, or even what the next day would bring.  But he did know God.

Bonhoeffer was eventually executed by the Nazis in April 1945, just weeks before the end of the Second World War. He went to his death with confidence in a God whose ways he could not always understand but whose presence he could always trust.

And perhaps that is the word you need to hear today.  I know I do.   You may not understand what God is doing in your life right now. You may not understand why the door has remained closed, why the prayer has not yet been answered, why the season has become so difficult, or why the path ahead looks so different from what you had imagined.

But you do not need to understand the way if you know the One who does. God knows the way for you. He sees what you cannot see. He knows what you do not know. He is present in places you have not yet arrived, and He is faithful even when your circumstances make His faithfulness difficult to see.

My prayer today is a simple one, and I invite you to pray it with me…

“Lord, I do not understand your ways, but you know the way for me. Help me to trust you. Help me to keep walking and to remain faithful. And whatever this day may bring, may your name be praised.”

Whatever you are facing today, trust God. Not because you understand everything or because you know how everything will turn out, but because God knows the way for you.
Grace & Peace, Ryan

By Heather PenningtonIs

Our time in Tijuana, Mexico was filled with lessons—some joyful, some challenging, and some that we are still processing. As our team served, learned, prayed, and stepped outside of our normal routines, one question continued to rise to the surface:  Are we asking, “Is it worth it?” when perhaps the better question is, “Is He worthy?” Because those are two very different questions. “Is it worth it?” causes us to measure the cost. “Is He worthy?” causes us to look at Christ. And when we truly look at who He is, the answer changes everything.

The importance of missions was deeply rooted in our team, along with the truth that, God has an agenda, and He has a plan for each of us within it. Jesus' great commissioning words in Matthew 28 were, in many ways, His final charge to His followers: Go. Make disciples. We are called to be Christ's ambassadors—His representatives in the world.

An ambassador represents the one who has sent them and acts as a bridge between those they are sent to and the one who has sent them. We are heralds of the King. The Greek word kerux refers to a herald or messenger—someone sent with an important proclamation. As followers of Jesus, we carry the greatest message the world has ever known. Jesus came to seek and save the lost and then He called His Church to continue His mission.

But being sent doesn't necessarily mean that everyone will move across the world. We are all a sent people. For some, that calling may lead to another country. For others, the mission field may be their home, workplace, school, neighbourhood, or community. The question is not always, “Where will God send me?” Sometimes the question is simply: “Where has God already placed me, and am I willing to be faithful there?”

Not every lesson we learned in Mexico was easy. The day before our team was scheduled to leave, one of our team members became seriously ill and was unable to join us—after faithfully preparing, sacrificing, and looking forward to the trip for months… It was a tremendous disappointment. And yet, even in that disappointment, we were reminded that our trust is not in our plans but in the Lord. Sometimes following God means watching our carefully prepared plans change. Sometimes obedience doesn't look like the outcome we expected. But God is still at work. We may not always understand what He is doing, but we can trust that He continues to work in and through both our obedience and our disappointment.

We also learned in a deeper way that living in a culture of abundance requires an intentional, daily decision not to allow comfort to become an idol. Comfort itself isn't evil. Rest is good. Blessings are gifts from God. But comfort can quietly become dangerous when our greatest goal becomes avoiding inconvenience, sacrifice, risk, or discomfort. Comfort culture drifts &  ease erodes conviction. It is easy to settle for a life that is comfortable when God may be calling us into something far greater. Don't settle for so little in comfort when God has something so much better for you. There is a world that desperately needs the hope of Jesus. And perhaps one of the greatest questions we must ask ourselves is: What am I willing to give up in order to be obedient? Because following Jesus has always cost something.

During our time in Mexico, one statement deeply challenged me: “Are we going to die in our religion, or are we going to die in our devotion?” Religion can become comfortable. We can attend church. Learn the language. Sing the songs. Know the Scriptures. And yet never truly allow our devotion to Jesus to move us into obedience. Devotion changes us. Devotion says: “Jesus, my life is Yours.” Scripture reminds us that we are not our own, but we are called to honour God with our lives.

In John 21, Jesus simply says: “Follow me.” There is something powerful about those two words. Follow Me. I want to show you where I want you to go. God doesn't always give us the entire map. Often, He simply asks us to take the next faithful step, and Scripture reminds us: “God is working in you, to will and to act according to his good purpose.” Phil 2:13

We have all been given something to offer. Our abilities. Our passions. Our talents. Our resources. Our time. But ultimately, all we truly have to offer is ourselves. So we must develop ourselves through spiritual rhythms, time in God's Word, prayer, worship, and by intentionally surrounding ourselves with the right influences. And when we step beyond fear and comfort and follow His will, we realize we get to share in our Master’s joy.  We saw that sending is being part of missions.

Missionary William Carey famously said: “I will go down into the pit, if you will hold the rope.” We need people willing to go down into the pit, and we need people willing to faithfully hold the rope. Both are essential. Both matter. And both are part of the Kingdom work.
During our team's time in Mexico, we sacrificed a little time, a little sleep, some finances, and some comfort. But what we gained by being in His will far outweighed any of it and will remain with us for a lifetime.

So perhaps the question is not: “Is it worth it?” Perhaps the better question is: “Is He worthy of my sacrifice?” Because when everything we do is for the Kingdom and for His glory, the distractions, hardships, and discouragement begin to fall into their proper place. We can press on toward the task God has set before us.

So wherever God has called you—to go, to give, to serve, to stay, to send, or simply to faithfully love the people He has already placed in front of you—don't ask only: “Is it worth it?” Lift your eyes to Jesus and ask: Is He Worthy? And when we truly see the King for who He is, the answer will always be: Yes. He is worthy.

With joy,
Heather

By Ryan Dawson

Have you ever walked through a house while it was being built?
I remember when we had our house built in Kemptville.  It was so exciting to see our house take shape from a set of architectural drawings. At first, there wasn’t much to look at, just a foundation, some framed walls, piles of materials and a lot of work happening on the job site. But slowly, the vision on the plans became a reality. I think that’s a helpful picture of what God is doing in our lives.

Our lives are like a spiritual house that God is building. God the Father is the Master Architect. The Holy Spirit is the General Contractor. And we are on the job site as tradespeople, participating in the work God is doing in us.  The goal of the project is that our lives increasingly resemble Jesus, and that is what holiness is all about.  

When we hear the word holy, we can sometimes picture something distant, intimidating or unattainable. I remember being about eleven years old and visiting a church with my parents. I remember the big stone building, the stained-glass windows and the minister wearing robes and a white collar. I had a sense that this was a “holy place”, but it also felt like holiness was something far removed from everyday life.

But biblical holiness isn’t primarily about being religious or looking spiritual. To be holy means to be set apart for God—to be wholly devoted to God.  In that sense to be holy is to be wholly God’s.

God says, “You must be holy because I am holy.” (Leviticus 11:45) And yet, amazingly, God doesn’t simply tell us to become holy and leave us to figure it out on our own.  He says, “I am the LORD who makes you holy.” (Leviticus 20:8).

God is our Sanctifier.  He is Yahweh-M’Kaddesh—the God who makes us holy.

This is such an important truth.  We don’t become holy by trying harder to impress God. We become holy by surrendering ourselves more fully to God and allowing His Spirit to do His transforming work in and through us.

The Apostle Peter writes to Christians who were living in a difficult culture. Their faith in Jesus put them at odds with the values around them so following Jesus wasn’t easy. We can often feel the same way in the season in which we live.  

Peter tells them to “prepare your minds for action and exercise self-control” (1 Peter 1:13) and then calls them to live as God’s obedient children and to “be holy in everything they do.” (1 Peter 1:15).  In other words, roll up your sleeves, put your hard hat on because it’s time to get to work.  That doesn’t mean we earn our salvation because we never could.  As Dallas Willard famously put it, “Grace is not against effort—it’s against earning.”  There is effort involved in following Jesus and if we want to grow to become more like Jesus, we need to employ the spiritual tools God provides:  Scripture, prayer, worship, community, serving, generosity and obedience.

If we want to see our spiritual house built, we will need to participate in God's work.  But we need to remember we’re not the architect, and we’re not the contractor, because God is.  We are simply joining God in the work He is already doing.  Peter gives us some practical direction for what it looks like to be wholly God’s.

1. Prepare your mind for action.
Holiness begins with what we allow to shape our minds. What are you filling your mind with? What voices are forming your values? What ideas are you allowing to become the blueprint for your life?  God has given us His Word as our blueprint and His Spirit to help us understand and live in the way of Jesus.  And there is just no substitute for daily time in God’s Word, where we allow the Spirit to shape us.  

I want to encourage you to make some intentional space for God’s Word.  Open the Bible and read slowly. Ask, “Jesus, what are You saying to me? What do You want me to do?”  Seek to not just hear the Word, but to put it into practice.

2. Exercise Spirit-control.
Peter tells us to exercise self-control.  The question isn’t simply, “Can I control myself?”  The deeper question is, “Who is controlling me?”  When the Holy Spirit is the General Contractor, He gets to direct the project of my life.  That means bringing our desires, our habits, relationships, the way we handle money, our sexuality, our work, time and priorities under the loving leadership of Jesus.

Are there rooms in your spiritual house where you’ve put up a “Do Not Enter” sign?  Is there an area of your life where you’re saying, “Jesus, you can have everything except this”?  Today is the day to open the door of your heart and to give Jesus your “whole house”.  

3. Put your hope in God’s grace.
This one is especially important because spiritual growth can be painfully slow.  Sometimes you look at your life and wonder, Am I actually changing?  You may find yourself struggling with the same temptation or falling into the same life sucking patterns.  It’s easy to feel that in many ways we should be farther along in looking like Jesus.  I understand that because I feel that as well.   But remember: God has not finished building you, and He has not finished building me.  The work may feel slow, but the Master Architect knows exactly what He is doing.

Peter reminds us to put our hope in the gracious salvation that is coming when Jesus is revealed. One day, the construction will be complete. Sin and death will be gone and we will be fully conformed to the image of Jesus.  So don’t give up.  Keep showing up and trusting God and the Spirit to finish His good work.  

And here’s the really good news: Jesus has already done what we could never do for ourselves.  Peter reminds us that we were rescued from an empty way of life—not with silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ, the spotless Lamb of God. (1 Peter 1:18-19).
Jesus lived the perfectly holy life we could never live, and He died the death our sin deserved.  And through faith in Him, we are forgiven, cleansed and made holy.  Hebrews puts it beautifully: Christ has “made perfect those who are being made holy.” (Hebrews 10:14).

Think about that.  In Christ, we have already been made holy, and we are still being made holy.  Our identity is secure, even while our character is still under construction.  That means I don’t pursue holiness so God will love me.  I pursue holiness because God already loves me.  Jesus gave Himself wholly and completely for us. So, the only reasonable response is to give ourselves wholly and completely to Him.

What step do you need to take today to be wholly God’s?
Maybe it’s spending more intentional time in God’s Word or taking time to pray throughout the day.  Maybe it’s surrendering a habit that is controlling you or choosing obedience where you have been resisting God.  Maybe it’s forgiving someone who has hurt you or serving someone without recognition.  Whatever it is step out in faith and surrender this to God, letting the Master Architect have His way. Let the Holy Spirit lead the work and then pick up your tools and join Him on the job site.  Because this is the beautiful promise of sanctification:  God is building something in you that looks like Jesus.  And when we surrender ourselves to God, when we become wholly His, God forms us into a holy reflection of Christ.

So today, let’s give God the whole house.  Be wholly His, and by His grace, He will make you holy.

Grace & Peace, Ryan

By Ryan Dawson

Names really matter.  When I was 17, I spent a year in Nigeria on a Rotary Youth Exchange, and one of the things I learned was how deeply significant names can be in Nigerian tribal culture. A name was more than a label; it could speak prophetically into a child’s life.  When our daughter Rebekah was born, my Nigerian host mother, my Auntie Fola, gave her a beautiful Yoruba name: Ayodele, meaning “Joy has come to this house.”  The day that Rebekah was born was truly a joyful day, and I have always loved the way that this African name captures something of what Rebekah’s arrival meant to us.  Names matter so much because they are connected to identity.

That is especially true when it comes to the names God reveals for Himself. Throughout Scripture, God uses different names to reveal His character and help us understand who He is.  One of those names appears in the very first verse of the Bible:  “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.”  Genesis 1:1 NLT

The Hebrew word for “God” here is Elohim, which means our Mighty Creator.  And I love that the Bible begins here.  Before we think about what God can do for us, we are reminded of who He is. He is the God who speaks and light appears, who brings order out of chaos, and who brings beauty and life out of nothing.

When I look at creation, I am continually amazed by its beauty and goodness. There is something about a star-filled sky, a beautiful sunset, a forest, a lake, the sound of rain, or even the laughter of a child that makes us stop and recognize that the world is more than a collection of random accidents.

Creation has a way of pointing beyond itself.  It whispers to us that there is a Creator who is powerful, creative, generous and good.  And Genesis tells us repeatedly that God looked at what He had made and called it “good”. The goodness we see in creation reflects something of the goodness of its Creator.  

But as beautiful as creation is, life doesn't always feel beautiful. Sometimes our lives feel much more like Genesis 1:2 “formless, empty and dark”.  Psalm 102 is the prayer of someone who knows what that feels like. The Psalmist is overwhelmed, exhausted, discouraged and desperate for God to hear him.  For this writer, life has become chaotic.  

I wonder if you can relate?  Maybe things haven't turned out the way you hoped. Maybe you're facing health concerns, relationship struggles, grief, disappointment, uncertainty or a future you can't quite see.  What I love about the psalm is that the writer doesn't pretend everything is okay. He brings his chaos honestly to God, and he lifts his eyes beyond his circumstances and remembers Elohim: “Long ago you laid the foundation of the earth and made the heavens with your hands… But you are always the same; you will live forever.”  Psalm 102:25, 27 NLT

The psalmist looks at his unstable life, and he remembers where his stability truly rests.  He remembers that although his strength is waning and his life feels fragile, His eternal God is strong and constant.  And that gives us such perspective. If God can establish the foundations of the earth, He can be our foundation when everything around us feels unstable. If He can speak light into darkness, He can also bring light into ours.  That doesn't mean God will always change our circumstances in the way we want, but it means His presence, in our circumstances, will change everything.

And we know God is present because the Creator came into His creation. Jesus, the Creator, became the creature. The One who spoke light into existence stepped into our darkness. He entered the chaos of human sin and suffering and, on the cross, cried out:  “My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?” Mark 15:34 NLT  Jesus entered the deepest darkness so that you and I could be brought into the light of God's love. He took our sin and shame upon Himself and died in our place.  And because God is the Creator, I can trust Him with my chaos.

So, whatever you are carrying today, trust your Creator God.  Trust Him to bring order from chaos and light from darkness. When you feel weak, remember that the everlasting Creator “gives power to the weak and strength to the powerless” (Isaiah 40:29 NLT).

Speak life into your circumstances through the promises of God. It is so easy to let fear and negative self-talk become the loudest voices in our lives. Instead, remind yourself who you are in Christ and hold onto the promises of God, which are all “Yes and Amen” in Christ.

And finally, remember that the Creator made you in His image and gave you a purpose. He has made you to be creative and He has placed you in this world to bring life, hope, beauty and love into places of brokenness.  There is so much chaos in our world, but God sends us as His people into this chaos so we can be the hands and feet of Jesus.

So, take a moment today to notice the beauty of creation, the sky, the trees, the water, and the ordinary goodness that surrounds you.  And let it remind you of our Creator.  He is the One who called creation “good” and He is still at work bringing His goodness into our broken world.

And Elohim, our Mighty Creator, is worthy of our trust.  So, whatever chaos you are carrying today, bring it to God. Lean on Him and trust Him with everything.  And remember that the Creator is still creating, still restoring, still bringing life, and still making all things new.

Grace and Peace, Ryan

By Ryan Dawson

There are some seasons in life when it feels like we’re losing.

Maybe you know that feeling. You’ve prayed, you’ve worked, you’ve tried to do the right thing—and yet things still aren’t going the way you hoped. Victory seems elusive. The future feels uncertain. You wonder if you’re actually making any progress at all.

I know that feeling.

As a church leader, there are times when I can feel like I’m losing ground. I see the cracks in our church and the ways we still fall short of our redemptive potential. I see the battle for the hearts and minds of our families and children. I feel the weight of relationships that don’t always unfold the way I hoped or desired. I can become overwhelmed by the size of the vision God has placed before us and aware of my own inadequacy to accomplish it.

And then there are the more personal battles. Waiting for hip surgery and being taken out of much of my normal active life has been a reminder that I don’t always get to choose the pace or direction of my life. There are days when I feel frustrated, limited, and, if I’m honest, like I’m losing ground.

Maybe you have your own version of that story.

Perhaps it’s your health. A relationship. Your marriage. Your finances. Your career. Your children. A temptation you can’t seem to overcome. A loss you’re still grieving. Maybe you’re wrestling with fear or doubt, wondering whether God is really with you.

Life can be hard. Things don’t always go the way we want them to.

So where do we turn when we feel like we’re losing? 

Exodus 17 gives us a beautiful answer.
Israel had just experienced incredible victories. God had delivered them from slavery in Egypt, parted the Red Sea, provided food and water in the wilderness—and now, while they were camped at Rephidim, the Amalekites attacked.

Joshua led the army into battle while Moses climbed a nearby hill with the staff of God in his hands. As long as Moses held up the staff, Israel had the advantage. But eventually Moses grew tired. His arms became too heavy to hold up.

So, Aaron and Hur came alongside him. They found a stone for Moses to sit on and held up his hands until sunset.

Israel won the battle.

There is something profoundly encouraging about this story.

First, we were never meant to fight our battles alone. 

Moses needed Aaron and Hur. Joshua needed the army. Israel needed one another. We need one another too.

There are seasons when we are strong enough to hold our arms up, and there are seasons when someone else needs to hold them for us. That’s one of the gifts of Christian community.
When I’ve struggled with temptation, discouragement, or the weight of leadership, I’ve been incredibly grateful for brothers and sisters who love me enough to listen, pray, encourage me, and sometimes speak honestly into my life.

We don’t win battles in isolation.

Sometimes victory looks like having the humility to say, “I need help.”

But there is an even deeper truth in this story.

The raised staff was a visible reminder that Israel’s victory was not ultimately going to come from their own strength. 

Their hope was in God. 

That’s why Moses eventually built an altar and named it Yahweh-Nissi—the LORD is my banner.

In the ancient world, a banner or standard identified a people and gave them something to rally around. It was lifted high so that soldiers could see it in the middle of the battle.
God was reminding Israel: You have a banner. You have a rallying point. Your hope is not ultimately in your strength, your strategy, your performance, or your ability to control the outcome. Your hope is in Me.

That is still true for us.  Sometimes I can feel like I’m losing because I’m looking at my circumstances instead of looking at my Banner. I look at what isn’t working. I look at what I cannot control. I look at my limitations. I look at my failures. I look at the things I wish were different. And God gently reminds me: Look at Me.

The future of the church does not ultimately depend on my performance. My future does not depend on my ability to control every outcome and my worth does not depend on how productive I am.  And it’s true for you as well - your future does not depend on having everything figured out.

The LORD is our Banner, and our victory comes from Him.

This doesn’t mean life will always be easy. Israel still had to fight. We still face spiritual battles. There are real enemies of our faith—lies, temptation, fear, discouragement, pride, and the distortions that pull our hearts away from God.

But we don't fight from a place of abandonment. We fight from a place of belonging. We don't fight to convince God to love us because we know we are already loved because God gave us Jesus, the purest expression of His love.  

In Numbers 21, when Israel was suffering because of their rebellion, God told Moses to lift up a bronze snake on a pole. Those who looked at it in faith were healed. Centuries later, Jesus connected that story directly to Himself:

“And as Moses lifted up the bronze snake on a pole in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, so that everyone who believes in him will have eternal life.” — John 3:14-15, NLT

Jesus was lifted up on the cross for us.  Jesus takes our sin upon Himself and pays the penalty we deserve.  He covers our shame, and makes forgiveness, reconciliation, and restoration with God possible.  

The cross is God's ultimate banner.

And what does that banner say?

You are loved.

The cross declares that God has not abandoned you. It declares that your failures do not define you.  It declares that sin and death do not have the final word. It declares that your circumstances do not dictate the outcome. Jesus does. And the banner He holds over us is love.

So when you feel like you’re losing, lift your eyes. When the future feels uncertain, lift your eyes. When relationships disappoint you, when your health limits you, when you’re discouraged by your failures, lift your eyes to Jesus.

You don't have to carry everything in your own strength, and you don't have to manufacture your own victory. You don't have to pretend you're stronger than you are because The LORD is your Banner.

And His banner over you is love.

So don't live under the banner of fear, performance, and self-sufficiency. Live under the banner of the cross. Fix your eyes on Jesus and remember: you are loved, you are forgiven, and you are not alone.

The battle may not be over and the outcome may not yet be clear. But God is still faithful. He is still good. And He is still fighting for you.

As Moses said, “The LORD himself will fight for you. Just stay calm.” — Exodus 14:14, NLT

So, take courage and trust God.  Keep walking in faith, and keep your eyes on Jesus.  
Yahweh-Nissi—the LORD is our Banner.

Grace & Peace, Ryan

By Ryan Dawson

Fear has a way of finding each of us.
Sometimes it arrives suddenly through unexpected circumstances. Other times it quietly grows through unanswered questions and uncertain futures.

What if I lose my job?  
What if my health doesn't improve?
What if I lose someone I love?
What if things never change?

This kind of fear doesn't protect us—it paralyzes us. It steals our peace, fuels our anxiety, and tempts us to believe that our circumstances are bigger than our God.  To be honest, too often I allow fear to crowd out my faith.  

But the good news is that God meets us in our fear.
In Genesis 17, God appears to Abram and reveals Himself with a new name:

"I am El-Shaddai—God Almighty."

El-Shaddai reminds us that God is all-powerful, all-sufficient, and completely faithful. He is the God for whom nothing is impossible, and the God who lovingly binds Himself to His people through covenant.

When God spoke these words, Abraham was ninety-nine years old. He and Sarah had been waiting twenty-four years for the promised son God had said would come. Imagine the questions they must have wrestled with. Can God really be trusted? Has He forgotten us? Will His promises ever come true?

Waiting has a way of exposing both our fears and our faith.

Yet even when Abraham and Sarah struggled with doubt and tried to take matters into their own hands, God remained faithful. His promises did not depend on the strength of their faith but on the greatness of His character.

Hebrews 11:1 tells us that faith is "the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen." Faith doesn't ignore reality; it sees a deeper reality. It chooses to trust God's promises even when our circumstances seem to say otherwise.

Ultimately, Abraham's story points us to Jesus—the true Son of the Promise. Where we have been fearful and faithless, Jesus was perfectly faithful. He trusted His Father completely, even as He faced the cross, so that we could become God's beloved children and live free from the power of fear.

God’s perfect love drives out fear.

That doesn't guarantee our circumstances will change.  It means we know the One who is greater than every circumstance.

Fear tells us we are alone.
Faith reminds us that God is with us.
Fear focuses on what we can see.
Faith rests in who God is.

Whatever you are facing today, remember this: because God is El-Shaddai, you can trade your fear for faith. Bring your worries honestly before Him. Stand on His promises. Trust His timing. The God who fulfilled His promise to Abraham is the same God who remains faithful today. Nothing is impossible for Him, and nothing can separate you from His love.

And today I pray that you will know the peace that comes from resting in El-Shaddai, God Almighty, who is faithful, present, and more than enough for every fear you face.

Grace & Peace, Ryan

By Ryan Dawson

There are moments in every life when the road feels steeper than we imagined.
Sometimes it's a difficult diagnosis. A broken relationship. A season of uncertainty. A burden from our past that seems impossible to leave behind. A dream that has been crushed. Sometimes we simply feel alone, wondering if anyone truly understands what we're carrying.

One of the most comforting truths in Scripture is that God never loses sight of His children.
In Genesis 16 we meet Hagar, a woman who had every reason to believe she had been forgotten. She had been used, mistreated, and abandoned. Pregnant and alone in the wilderness, her future appeared uncertain and hopeless.

But it was there—in the lonely wilderness—that God met her.

The Angel of the Lord found Hagar beside a spring and spoke to her with compassion. He saw her pain. He heard her cries. He gave her direction and reminded her that her story was far from over.

In response, Hagar gave God a remarkable name:

Genesis 16:13-14 (NLT) “Thereafter, Hagar used another name to refer to the Lord, who had spoken to her. She said, “You are the God who sees me.[El Roi].'  She also said, 'Have I truly seen the One who sees me?' 14 So that well was named Beer-lahai-roi (which means 'well of the Living One who sees me'). It can still be found between Kadesh and Bered.”

El Roi — "The God Who Sees Me." 

What an incredible declaration.  Not simply, "God sees everything," but "God sees me."

That truth changes everything.  The same God who saw Hagar sees you today.
He sees the burdens you carry that no one else knows about. He sees the disappointments you've never spoken aloud. He sees your questions about the future, your fears, your hopes, your prayers, and even the tears that fall when no one else is around.

Nothing escapes His loving attention.

The psalmist reminds us, "The Lord looks down from heaven and sees the whole human race... He understands everything they do... The Lord watches over those who fear him, those who rely on his unfailing love." (Psalm 33)

Our Father is never distracted. He is never absent. He never overlooks one of His children.
Even more amazing, God doesn't simply observe us from a distance. He enters our story.

The gospel reminds us that Jesus willingly stepped into the mess of our broken world. He carried our sin, our shame, and our sorrow to the cross so that we could know forgiveness, hope, and life. Because of Jesus, we never have to clean ourselves up before coming to God. He meets us right where we are—with grace, mercy, and unfailing love.

Like Hagar, we often wish God would simply remove every difficult circumstance. Yet many times He does something even better. He walks with us through them.

God told Hagar to return and trust Him with the next step. It wasn't the easier road, but it was the path where she would experience His presence and faithfulness.

Many of us find ourselves in similar places today. We don't always understand God's timing. We can't always see the destination. But we can trust the One who already sees the whole journey.

Jeremiah 29:11 reminds us that God's plans are for our good—to give us hope and a future. Proverbs 3 encourages us to trust Him with all our hearts because He will direct our paths.
Our confidence isn't found in having all the answers. Our confidence is found in the character of God.  Because God is faithful.  He is good.  He is trustworthy.  And because He sees us and meets us in our mess, we can trust Him with our future.

This week, I want to encourage you to slow down and become aware of God's presence. Spend time reading His Word. Listen for His voice in prayer. Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal any burden you've been carrying alone and then surrender it to your loving Father.

And as you remember that you are fully seen by God, look for opportunities to truly see others. In a world where many people feel invisible, one encouraging conversation, one listening ear, or one act of kindness can become a powerful reminder of God's love.

You are not invisible.

You are not forgotten.

You are not alone.

El Roi—the God who sees you—is walking with you today.

Trust Him with your next step and trust Him with your future. His heart toward you has always been faithful, and it always will be.

Grace & Peace, Ryan

By Ryan Dawson

Last summer, something beautiful happened.  More than 12 churches from across South Ottawa gathered on one field to worship Jesus together. Different denominations, different traditions, different congregations—but one Saviour, one mission, and one heart. It was a powerful reminder that while we meet in different places each Sunday, we are one Church in Christ.

Because of the overwhelming encouragement from last year's gathering, One Church – One Heart is returning!  This year we have 15 different congregations involved from the Southend of Ottawa.  

Join us on Sunday, July 26, 2026, at 11:00 a.m. on the Ottawa Christian School soccer field (255 Tartan Ave.) for a celebration of worship, prayer, and unity.

Why This Matters
On the night before His crucifixion, Jesus prayed:  "I am in them and you are in me. May they experience such perfect unity that the world will know that you sent me and that you love them as much as you love me." (John 17:23, NLT)

Unity isn't simply a good idea—it's the heart of Jesus for His Church.
In a world marked by division, the Church has a unique opportunity to demonstrate something different. When believers come together around the Gospel, we bear witness to the transforming love of Christ. Our unity becomes part of our testimony.

What to Expect
You'll experience the same welcoming format that made last year's gathering such a blessing:
• Outdoor worship led by musicians from churches across our city.
• Pastors from multiple congregations, leading Scripture, prayer, and a message centered on our unity in Christ.
• A time of united prayer for Ottawa and the work God is doing throughout our community.
• The opportunity to bless those serving people in our region struggling with food insecurity, by bringing some non-perishable food donations.
• A community picnic following the service with food trucks, activities for children, and plenty of time to build new friendships across church families.

You're Invited
Whether you attend Sequoia or another local church—or you're simply curious about Jesus—you are warmly invited.  Bring your family, invite a friend, pack a lawn chair, bring some non-perishable food items for the local food cupboards, and join us as we celebrate what God is doing across South Ottawa.

Let's continue building on what God began last summer.
One Church. One Heart. One Lord.
Sunday, July 26, 2026 @ 11am
Ottawa Christian School Soccer Field (255 Tartan Ave.)
Rain or Shine

More information is available through the One Church – One Heart website and social media, or on the Sequoia App under Events.

I look forward to worshipping with you as we seek to make the unity of Christ's Church visible throughout our city.
For Christ and His Kingdom,
Ryan

By Ryan Dawson

One of the healthiest signs of a growing church isn't simply what happens inside its walls—it's the difference it makes outside them.

Author and church leader Eric Swanson, in The Externally Focused Church, writes:
"The church exists for the sake of those who are not yet part of it."

That simple statement is both inspiring and challenging. Jesus never intended His Church to become inward-focused, preoccupied with our own comfort, preferences, or programs. Instead, He calls us to be a people who move toward others with compassion, serving our communities in tangible ways that point people to Him.

Throughout the Gospels, Jesus consistently noticed those others overlooked. He touched the untouchable, welcomed the outsider, fed the hungry, healed the broken, and met practical needs while proclaiming the good news of God's Kingdom. He didn't ask people to come to Him first—He often went to them.

As followers of Jesus, we are called to do the same.

One of our 8 Core Practices at Sequoia is Serving Like Jesus. We believe that every act of service, no matter how ordinary it seems, can become an extraordinary expression of God's love. When we serve with humility and compassion, we become a visible demonstration of the Gospel.

That opportunity is right in front of us. Serving Our Ottawa Neighbours
In the aftermath of the record-breaking rainfall that struck Ottawa on July 1, more than 6,000 homes were flooded. While we're deeply grateful that no lives were lost, many families are still facing the overwhelming task of cleaning out damaged basements and beginning the long process of rebuilding.

The City of Ottawa has identified approximately 200 highly vulnerable households—primarily seniors, individuals with mobility challenges, and families without the physical or financial ability to complete the cleanup themselves.

At the City's invitation, Samaritan's Purse Canada has deployed its Disaster Relief Unit along with trained disaster relief staff. Working alongside local churches and Respond Ottawa, volunteers are providing:
• Mud-out and flood cleanup
• Debris removal
• Sanitization of damaged homes
• Emotional and spiritual care through crisis-trained chaplains

This is the Church being the Church.

As Tammy Suitor, Manager of Canadian Disaster Relief, shared:
"For many families, the floodwaters may have receded, but the difficult work of recovery is only beginning... Through the compassion of our volunteers and supporters, we have the opportunity to serve people in practical ways while sharing the hope found in Jesus Christ."
What a beautiful picture of the Gospel in action.

How You Can Help
If you are physically able, I want to encourage you to consider volunteering for a day or more in the coming weeks.
No special construction skills are required. Volunteers will receive training and serve under experienced team leaders. The work is practical, meaningful, and makes an immediate difference for homeowners who simply cannot do this work on their own.

If you would like to serve:
• Register as a volunteer through Samaritan's Purse Canada's Disaster Relief program.  
• You can also connect through Respond Ottawa, which is coordinating local church involvement and volunteer opportunities.  info@respondottawa.ca 
• You can also help by providing food for the volunteers.  Please connect with Donna Rose at Sequoia Church donnarosecampbell@yahoo.ca 

This is one of the ways God is inviting us to be His hands and feet in our city.
Jesus said, "Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples." (John 13:35)  Love is more than words. Sometimes love looks like carrying soaked drywall, hauling debris to the curb, disinfecting a basement, listening to someone's story, or praying with a homeowner who's exhausted and discouraged.

The Gospel is always proclaimed with our lips, but it is often made believable through our lives.

Let's continue to be an externally focused church—one that doesn't wait for needs to come through our doors but willingly walks into our community with towels in our hands and the love of Christ in our hearts.

Please join me in praying for every family affected by these floods, for the volunteers serving them, and that many would experience not only restored homes, but the hope, peace, and love found in Jesus Christ.

Grace and peace,
Ryan

By Ryan Dawson

It’s easy to quit.  Quitting something difficult doesn't require much energy. We simply stop trying. We walk away. We give up.

Persevering is different.
Persevering means staying in the fight when you're weary. It means continuing to trust when you can't yet see the outcome. It means pressing on through disappointment, setbacks, and unanswered questions. Perseverance requires grit. It requires resilience. It requires faith.

So let me ask you a question:  What are you tempted to give up on?

Maybe it's a dream that seems impossible. A marriage that's been hard for a long time. Your pursuit of hearing God's voice more clearly. A health journey that feels like one step forward and two steps back. A son or daughter you've been praying will return to Jesus. A ministry. A calling. Or perhaps you're simply tempted to give up on hope.

I can relate.  There are moments when quitting seems far easier than continuing.

Over the last year, the Lord has repeatedly brought this passage to my heart:
"So do not throw away this confident trust in the Lord. Remember the great reward it brings you! Patient endurance is what you need now, so that you will continue to do God's will. Then you will receive all that he has promised." Hebrews 10:35–36 (NLT)

Notice those words: "Patient endurance is what you need now."
Not tomorrow.
Not when life gets easier.
Now.

But here's the wonderful news: Biblical perseverance isn't about gritting our teeth and trying harder. It's not simply about having more willpower.

It's about drawing strength from Someone greater than ourselves.

There are seasons in life and ministry when we feel completely spent. We are tired, worn out, emotionally drained, filled with fear, and struggling to hold onto hope.
Those are often the very moments when God reminds us that His strength begins where ours ends.

Paul discovered this firsthand. After pleading with God to remove his "thorn in the flesh," the Lord replied:  "My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness." (2 Corinthians 12:9, NLT)

God doesn't promise we'll never be weak.
He promises that His grace will be enough.
His power is made perfect in our weakness.

I remember racing at the Spartan World Championships at Lake Tahoe, California in 2019. About 15 kilometres into a gruelling 25-kilometre race with 35 obstacles, we had just climbed to the summit when we faced one of the hardest obstacles of the day—a double sandbag carry.  

Each sandbag weighed 75 pounds.  The bags were frozen and slippery in the sub-zero temperatures.

We had to carry both bags for 500 metres, descending nearly 200 metres before climbing another 300 back up the steep mountain.  

The trail was lined with exhausted racers. Some had collapsed. Others sat with their heads in their hands. Some were crying and overwhelmed.  Many were wondering if they could continue.
Honestly, so was I.
Everything inside me wanted to quit.
My body was screaming, "Stop."

Then the Lord brought to mind my life verse:  "The Lord God is my strength [my source of courage, my invincible army]; He has made my feet steady and sure like hinds' feet and makes me walk forward with spiritual confidence on my high places of challenge and responsibility." (Habakkuk 3:19, AMP)

The mountain hadn't changed.
The weight hadn't become lighter.
But my perspective did.
God wasn't asking me to find strength within myself.
He was inviting me to lean into His strength.

Isn't that true for all of us?

Imagine if William Wilberforce had abandoned his God-given vision to see slavery abolished. Imagine if Mother Teresa had decided Calcutta was simply too overwhelming. Imagine if Terry Fox had never taken another step after the first painful kilometres of his Marathon of Hope.
What if the Apostle Paul had stopped planting churches after being beaten, imprisoned, or shipwrecked?
And where would we be if Jesus had refused to entrust Himself to the Father's will and endure the cross?

History has been shaped by ordinary people who discovered that God's strength was enough for one more step.
The same God who sustained them is with you today.

Friend, whatever you're tempted to quit—don't.
Don't quit praying.
Don't quit pursuing Jesus.
Don't quit believing God can restore what seems broken.
Don't quit on your health.  
Don't quit serving.
Don't quit loving.
Don't quit hoping.
Keep taking the next faithful step.

The victory isn't found in having all the answers or seeing immediate results. The victory is found in remaining faithful. We keep trusting. We keep obeying. We keep surrendering. We keep moving forward—one grace-filled step at a time—leaving the outcomes in God's hands.  We “win” when we refuse to quit.  

The writer of Hebrews finishes this passage with these encouraging words:  "But we are not like those who turn away from God... We are the faithful ones." (Hebrews 10:39, NLT)

May that be true of us.
May we be known as people who don't trust in our own strength, but in the God who never grows weary.

Whatever you're facing today, remember this:
The Lord is your strength.  He will give you what you need for today.
And tomorrow, He will give you what you need again.
So, keep going.
Don't quit.

Grace and peace,
Ryan

By Ryan Dawson

As we celebrate Canada this week, I find myself grateful.
Grateful for the beauty of this land—from the Atlantic to the Pacific, and north to the Arctic. Grateful for the freedoms we enjoy, the diversity of our communities, and the countless people who faithfully serve our country every day. Canada is not a perfect nation, but it is a gift from God, and it is right for us to thank Him for it and to pray for its flourishing.

One of the beautiful details in Canada's history is found in our national motto: A Mari Usque Ad Mare—"From Sea to Sea." Many Canadians don't realize these words come directly from Scripture.

Psalm 72:8 declares: "May he have dominion from sea to sea, and from the River to the ends of the earth."

This royal psalm points beyond any earthly ruler to the perfect reign of the coming King—Jesus Christ. It is echoed again in Zechariah 9:10, where the promised Messiah will "proclaim peace to the nations" and His dominion will extend "from sea to sea."

When Sir Samuel Leonard Tilley, one of the Fathers of Confederation, proposed that Canada be called a "Dominion" during Confederation, he did so after reading this very passage during his morning devotions. He envisioned a nation that would recognize its dependence upon God and live under His gracious rule.

While Canada has changed much since those early days, the hope behind those words has not changed. The ultimate fulfillment of "dominion from sea to sea" will never be found in any nation, government, or political leader. It will be fulfilled when King Jesus returns and establishes His everlasting Kingdom—a Kingdom marked by perfect justice, peace, righteousness, and joy.

The Apostle Paul reminds us where our deepest allegiance lies: "But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ." (Philippians 3:20)

As followers of Jesus, we are grateful citizens of Canada, but first and foremost, we are citizens of Heaven. That heavenly citizenship doesn't make us less invested in our country—it makes us better citizens. Because we belong to Christ, we seek the good of our neighbours. We pursue justice. We extend compassion. We welcome the stranger. We care for the vulnerable. We speak truth with grace. We pray for our leaders. We work for peace.

In doing so, we become a foretaste of the coming Kingdom.  Phil preached an amazing message a couple weeks ago from our Philippians series that speaks to this very thing.   Check it out here.  

People should be able to catch glimpses of King Jesus' reign through the way we live as His people live today. Every act of kindness, every pursuit of reconciliation, every expression of generosity, every faithful witness points toward the day when Christ's Kingdom will fully come.
As we celebrate our country this week, let's celebrate with gratitude. Let's pray with humility. Let's serve with love.

And let's remember that our greatest hope is not found in the future of Canada, but in the return of Jesus Christ—the King whose dominion truly will extend from sea to sea.

Blessings, Ryan

A Prayer for Canada
Heavenly Father,
Thank You for the privilege of calling Canada home. Thank You for the freedoms we enjoy, the beauty that surrounds us, and the many people who faithfully serve our nation.
We pray for our leaders at every level of government. Grant them wisdom, integrity, humility, and a desire to pursue what is good and just.

Bring healing where there is division, hope where there is discouragement, and compassion where there is hurt. Help us to be people who reflect the love of Christ in our homes, workplaces, schools, and neighbourhoods.

As citizens of Heaven, may we faithfully represent King Jesus here on earth. Empower us by Your Spirit to live as ambassadors of Your Kingdom until the day Christ returns and His reign is fully established from sea to sea.

In the strong and hopeful name of Jesus we pray,
Amen.

By Ryan Dawson

Summer is one of my favourite seasons. The weather warms up and the days get longer. Schedules loosen and the pace changes. It’s a time for holidays, trips, cottages, barbecues, and time outside with family, friends, and neighbours.  Summer can be a gift as it gives us a time to create space for rest and renewal, enjoying God’s many good gifts.

But if we're not careful, summer can also become a season of spiritual drift.

Many of us would never intentionally walk away from Jesus. Yet we can slowly slide into rhythms where time with Christ becomes occasional rather than intentional. Church attendance and connecting with our faith community becomes sporadic. Prayer gets pushed aside. Scripture remains unopened. Before long, we find ourselves feeling distant from the very One who gives life, joy, and peace.

In Joshua 3, we see the people of Israel on the edge of the Promised Land. A new season was before them, but before God led them across the Jordan River, Joshua gave a surprising command:  "Purify yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will do great wonders among you." (Joshua 3:5)

Before the miracle came, there was consecration.
Before the breakthrough came, there was preparation.

The people were called to set themselves apart for God because they were about to experience His power and presence in a fresh way.
The same principle applies to us today.

Grace Comes First
It's important to understand that consecration is not about earning God's love.
We don't pursue holiness so that God will accept us. We pursue holiness because, through Jesus, He already has.

The good news of the gospel is that Jesus has done for us what we could never do for ourselves. Through His life, death, and resurrection, our sins are forgiven, our shame is removed, and we are declared righteous before God.

The book of Hebrews tells us that the blood of Christ cleanses our consciences so that we can serve the living God. Through Christ, we are made holy.
That is grace.  And because we have received such grace, we respond by pursuing Jesus wholeheartedly.

Keep Your Eyes on Jesus
In Joshua 3, the people were instructed to keep their eyes on the Ark of the Covenant as it went before them.  The Ark represented God's presence, His truth, His provision, and His power.

Today, Jesus is our focus.
He is God's presence with us.
He is the Truth who guides us.
He is the Bread of Life who satisfies us.
He is the risen King who empowers us.

The challenge of summer is that many other things compete for our attention. Holidays, sports, projects, entertainment, and recreation are all good gifts from God. But good gifts can never replace the Giver.

What if this summer became a season of intentionally pursuing Jesus?
What if you committed to staying connected to God's Word, maintaining a rhythm of prayer, and gathering consistently with God's people?

Not out of guilt. Not out of obligation.
But because you know that life is found in Jesus and His Kingdom.

Make Room for God to Work
Joshua told the people to consecrate themselves because God was about to do wonders among them.

I wonder what God wants to do in your life this summer.
Perhaps He wants to deepen your faith.
Perhaps He wants to heal an old wound.
Perhaps He wants to strengthen your marriage or family.
Perhaps He wants to use you to encourage someone who is struggling.
Perhaps He wants to use you to bring a friend or neighbour a step closer to Jesus.
Perhaps He wants to prepare you for what lies ahead this fall.

Too often we want God's power without God's presence, His blessing without His leadership, or His wonders without surrender.  But consecration is preparation.
When we confess our sins, surrender our agendas, and intentionally seek Christ, we position ourselves to experience more of what God wants to do in and through us.

Three Simple Summer Practices
As we head into the summer months, let me encourage you with three simple practices:
1. Spend time daily with Jesus.
Even 15–20 intentional minutes in Scripture and prayer can reshape your day.  Build off that time throughout the day to enjoy an ongoing conversation with God through prayer.  Don't let your spiritual life take a vacation.

2. Stay connected to your faith community.
Travel and family commitments are part of summer, but don't disconnect from the people who help you follow Jesus. We need one another more than we often realize.

3. Regularly confess and surrender.
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal anything that is hindering your walk with Christ. Receive His forgiveness and keep short accounts with God.

If you approach your summer with spiritual intentionality you won't drift, you will grow!  You will come out of summer feeling stronger, more rooted, rested, and alive in Christ, ready to tackle all that the fall holds.  

A Prayer for This Summer
My prayer for all of us is that we would not drift, but draw near.
That we would keep our eyes fixed on Jesus.
That we would receive His grace afresh.
That we would pursue holiness not out of fear, but out of love.
And that as we consecrate ourselves to Him, we would discover that God is still doing great wonders among His people.
May this summer be a season of rest, renewal, and deeper intimacy with Christ.

Blessings,
Ryan

By Vanessa Dawson

As we celebrate Father’s Day, we pause with grateful hearts to honour the men who faithfully shape our homes, our church, and our community. In a world that often measures influence by visibility, strength, or achievement, God reminds us of a deeper truth in 1 Samuel 16:7: “People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”

This verse gives us a beautiful lens through which to reflect on the impact of godly men. Their influence is not always loud, public, or easily measured—but it is deeply felt. It is seen in quiet prayers, steady faithfulness, words of wisdom, acts of service, and the example of a life surrendered to the Lord. A godly man carries a heart that seeks after God, and from that heart flows encouragement, leadership, compassion, and strength for others.

We are thankful for the men in our church family who serve, lead, mentor, pray, encourage, and stand as examples of God’s grace in everyday life. Whether as fathers, grandfathers, husbands, brothers, sons, mentors, or faithful friends, their presence matters. Their influence reaches far beyond what can be seen on the surface. Through their character, integrity, and devotion to Christ, they are helping to shape the next generation and strengthening the lives of those around them.

On this Father’s Day, we want to say thank you. Thank you to the men who lead with humility, love with consistency, and live with hearts devoted to God. Your witness matters. Your faithfulness matters. Your influence is immeasurable because the Lord sees the heart—and a heart fully given to Him leaves an eternal impact.

May God continue to strengthen and bless the men among us as they walk in His truth and reflect His heart to a world in need of godly examples.

With love and appreciation for our Sequoia Men,
Vanessa

By Ryan Dawson

Every once in a while, you come across a book that doesn’t just give you new information—it invites you into a deeper relationship with Jesus.
For me, Lead with Prayer by Ryan Skoog, Peter Greer, and Cameron Doolittle has been one of those books.

As a staff team and Board team, we’ve been working through it together, and it has been both deeply practical and profoundly inspiring. Rather than making prayer feel like another item on a spiritual checklist, it reminds us that prayer is the lifeblood of ministry and leadership. As the authors put it, “An intentional prayer life is the nonnegotiable constant of lasting, fruitful Christian life and leadership.”

I wonder how you are doing in growing as a person of prayer?  If you’re looking for a meaningful summer read that will deepen your dependency on Christ and strengthen your daily walk with Him, I would highly recommend picking it up.

One of our 8 Core Practices as a church is Investing in Prayer, and this book aligns beautifully with that vision. It doesn’t simply tell you to pray more—it offers wisdom, examples, and practical habits that help cultivate a life where prayer becomes as natural as breathing.

A few insights that have especially stood out to me:
• Prayer is not wasted time. In a culture that values productivity above almost everything else, the book gently reminds us that time spent with God is never unproductive. It is often where our most important work begins.
• Praying Scripture shapes our hearts. One line that has stayed with me is: “Praying Scripture ensures that we are praying in line with God’s will and helps us to pray prayers that are both strong and specific.”
• Prayer can become a culture, not just a personal discipline. The authors challenge leaders to build environments where seeking God together becomes normal, expected, and life-giving.

I also think this would make an outstanding resource for our Impact Communities. Imagine groups not only studying God’s Word together but growing together as people who genuinely seek His presence and direction in prayer. What a beautiful foundation for discipleship and mission.

You can find Lead with Prayer wherever you buy your books. More than anything, I hope it stirs in you a fresh hunger to spend time with Jesus and to lead your family, workplace, ministry, or sphere of influence from a place of dependence on Him rather than reliance on yourself.

If you decide to pick it up this summer, I’d love to hear from you. Let me know what God is teaching you and how He is speaking to you through its pages. I have a feeling the conversations that come from it will be just as encouraging as the book itself.

Blessings, Ryan

ryand@sequoiachurch.org

By Ryan Dawson

One of the most memorable statements of Jesus is found in Acts 20:35:  “You should remember the words of the Lord Jesus: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’” (NLT)

That runs against much of what our culture teaches. We often assume that happiness comes from getting more—more money, more possessions, more comfort, more opportunities. Yet Jesus points us in a different direction. He tells us that true blessing is found in generosity.
Most of us have experienced this. There is a unique joy that comes from helping someone in need, encouraging a struggling friend, serving behind the scenes, or giving sacrificially to bless another person. We discover that God's economy is different from the world's. When we freely give, we experience the joy of participating in God's heart for people.

This coming weekend, we have a wonderful opportunity to live out these words of Jesus together.  Sequoia Community Church is partnering with churches across our city in The Big Give, a national movement of generosity where churches bless their communities by giving everything away for free.

How You Can Participate
Friday, June 5
We will be receiving donations at Ottawa Christian School from 4:30-7pm.  You can also come and help sort the items so we are ready for Saturday morning.  

Saturday, June 6
We will host a free community garage sale at Ottawa Christian School from 9-11am. Every item is given away at no cost as a practical expression of Christ's love for our neighbours.  There are also opportunities to serve between 7:30am-12pm.  

You can sign up to volunteer here:

Items Needed
• Gently used, washed clothing
• Shoes
• Sports equipment
• Bikes and scooters
• Toys
• Baby clothes and small baby items

Items Not Needed
• Furniture
• Large appliances or oversized items
• Cribs, car seats, or strollers
• Old computers, monitors, or electronic equipment

As followers of Jesus, generosity is more than something we do—it is who we are. We serve a Saviour who gave everything for us. Because Christ has been so generous toward us, we can be generous toward others.

My prayer is that this weekend will not only be a blessing to our community but that each of us will experience the truth of Jesus' words:  "It is more blessed to give than to receive."

Blessings, Ryan

By Ryan Dawson

This past Sunday, during our Prayer Summit, we were given a simple but searching question during a time of personal reflection: What is stealing your joy?

As I sat with that question before the Lord, I sensed Him gently putting His finger on a couple things in my own heart.

First, my pace in life and ministry.
There is always “the next thing” to produce — the next sermon, service, meeting, strategy, idea, or word of wisdom. Ministry can quietly become a treadmill where you are always preparing for the next moment and rarely fully living in the present one. I realized how easy it is for me to move so quickly that I struggle to rest. To simply be with Jesus. To receive His approval instead of constantly trying to earn it through productivity.

Second, disappointments.
Prayers that haven’t been answered the way I hoped. Dreams that haven’t been realized. Questions I can’t answer. Things I simply do not understand.
When I focus too much on my circumstances, I can begin to doubt the goodness of God. And when that happens, joy slowly erodes — because joy is found in His presence.

As I reflected on these things, the Lord brought Nehemiah 8:10 to my heart:
“Don’t be dejected and sad, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.”

I have often read that verse as though it meant: “My joy for Jesus will be my strength.”
But this time, I sensed the Lord whispering something different to my heart:
“Ryan, it’s My joy for you and over you that is your strength.”

What a beautiful thought.
The strength we need for life is not ultimately found in how strong our feelings for God are, but in knowing how deeply He delights in us. 
When we truly see His love — when we rest in His presence and remember His heart toward us — we can walk through disappointments, uncertainty, suffering, and unanswered questions with strength.

Hebrews 12 reminds us to lift our eyes again to Jesus:
“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne.  Think of all the hostility he endured from sinful people; then you won’t become weary and give up. After all, you have not yet given your lives in your struggle against sin.”
— Hebrews 12:1–4 (NLT)

Sequoia family, let’s keep our eyes fixed on Jesus.
Not on our circumstances.
Not on our disappointments.
Not on the endless pressure to keep producing.
Let’s stay close to Jesus and learn again to live from His delight over us.

His joy for you is your strength.

Blessings, Ryan

By Ryan Dawson

Recently, Vanessa and I had the joy of returning to the Netherlands to visit family and spend a few days exploring the beautiful city of Amsterdam. We wandered canals, enjoyed little cafés, and soaked in the history and beauty of the city. One of the highlights for us was visiting the Van Gogh Museum.

Standing in front of the paintings of Vincent van Gogh was deeply moving. Pictures in books or online simply cannot capture the texture, colour, and life of his work. One thing that especially struck me was the way Van Gogh used light. Through his brush strokes, ordinary scenes seemed to glow with warmth and beauty. Fields, skies, trees, and even simple rooms came alive because of how he captured the light.

It reminded me of a simple but profound truth: Light allows us to truly see beauty.
And spiritually, that is exactly what Jesus does for us.

Jesus said:  “I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won’t have to walk in darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life.” — John 8:12

Without Christ, we can spend much of life stumbling in the dark—confused about purpose, identity, hope, and even love itself. But when the light of Jesus shines into our hearts, we begin to see life as it was meant to be. We begin to see God’s grace in ordinary moments. We begin to recognize beauty where we once overlooked it. We begin to understand what truly matters.

C. S. Lewis once wrote:  “I believe in Christianity as I believe that the sun has risen: not only because I see it, but because by it I see everything else.”

That’s exactly it. Christ doesn’t simply give us one more thing to look at—He changes the way we see everything.

As we focus our lives on Jesus, His light begins to fill us. His grace softens us. His love reshapes us. His presence changes the atmosphere around us. And over time, we begin reflecting His beauty to others.

The world desperately needs people who reflect the light of Christ:
• in their homes,
• in their workplaces,
• in their friendships,
• in moments of suffering,
• and in everyday acts of kindness and faithfulness.

Like Van Gogh using light to reveal beauty on a canvas, followers of Jesus are called to reflect the beauty of God into the world around them.

And here’s the encouraging part:  These kinds of lives leave a legacy.
Long after a conversation, a prayer, an act of compassion, or a faithful example, the beauty of Christ continues to touch people. Generation after generation can be shaped by a life that reflected the light well.

My prayer for all of us is simple:
May we keep our eyes fixed on Jesus.
May His light fill our hearts more deeply each day.
And may the beauty of Christ shine through us in such a way that others are drawn to Him.

Blessings, Ryan

By Heather Pennington

As I sit down to consider what to write about this week, my focus continues to be pulled to summer camp planning. They are the most fantastic, fun-filled, anticipated, exhausting, stress-inducing, and faith-stretching weeks of the year, and I love them!

Maybe it’s the long days, the unpredictable weather, the regular supply runs, the excited noise, the fast schedules, the tired leaders, or the responsibility of caring for kids and students well. Summer camp ministry is beautiful, but it also reminds us quickly that we cannot do it in our own strength.

As we have been sitting in this series in Philippians, God’s word has hit me in such a fresh, new way that I find myself yet again baffled by His goodness. Paul’s joy in the midst of all he is facing as he writes his letter in chains is enough to make anyone stop and ask what his secret is. The joy, peace, love, and patience pour out of him because he chose to be a  F.R.O.G. Fully. Relying. On. God. amongst all he faced. The fruit of the Spirit is not dependent on the circumstances around us or what we are doing to deserve them, but simply being connected to the Holy Spirit.

Jesus says in John 15:5: “Apart from Me you can do nothing.”

That verse can sound intimidating at first, but it’s actually freeing. We were never meant to carry the weight alone. God invites us to depend on Him daily — for wisdom, patience, joy, energy, courage, and love, just like Paul did.

Not partially relying. Not relying on our own plans first and asking God to bless them later. Not depending only on our experience, talent, energy, or resources.

Fully. Relying. On. God.

A frog survives by staying connected to water. In the same way, we thrive spiritually when we stay connected to the Lord. The moment we try to operate independently from Him, we dry out spiritually.

But more than simply how he provides for us and works through us, scripture reminds us that transformation belongs to God. We are called to be faithful, but God is the one who changes hearts. And that is the heart of any ministry, not just summer camps.

So what does that look like to fully rely on God? Sometimes, relying on God looks powerful, and sometimes it looks incredibly ordinary.

It looks like:

• Praying before …
• choosing patience when you’re exhausted
• asking God for strength before leading
• trusting Him when things don’t go according to plan
• worshipping even when you feel tired
• believing God is working in a child’s heart, even when you cannot see it

Reliance is built in the small moments.

One of the most beautiful examples of relying on God is found when Jesus fed the five thousand in Matthew 14. The disciples saw lack, but Jesus saw possibility. A small lunch in the hands of a child became more than enough when surrendered to Christ. That’s camp ministry, and could be true for that thing that lies ahead of you this week.

We may feel like what we have is small: limited energy, limited resources, limited time, and limited strength. But God specializes in multiplying surrendered lives. He simply asks us to bring Him what we have.

God is not asking me to carry the camp ministry or for you to carry your big thing this week. He is asking us to walk with Him through each small moment of it, relying on him.

So this summer…
 Be a F.R.O.G.
Fully Relying On God.

(And if you find these little frogs hidden in church each week, take one as a reminder to pause and pray for our upcoming summer camps and the things in your life that he is inviting you to rely on him for.)

With joy,

Heather

By Ryan Dawson 

There are seasons in life when we feel like we are walking through a valley.
Sometimes God seems silent. Prayer feels difficult. We may be grieving a loss, wrestling with uncertainty, battling fear or discouragement, carrying deep pain, or simply wondering what direction to take next. In those moments, honest questions often rise within us:

Where are You, God?
Do You see me?
Why won't you answer my prayers?  
Do You still love me?

One author, Ryan Skoog, writes in Lead with Prayer:  “The gift of struggle, valleys, dark times, pressure, and pain is closeness. Its presence. The closeness of Christ can redeem the worst times and the hardest struggles.”

That same truth is beautifully woven into Psalm 23. At the beginning of the psalm, David speaks about God in the third person:

“The Lord is my shepherd… He makes me lie down in green pastures… He refreshes my soul.”

But something changes when David reaches the valley.
Suddenly, David no longer speaks about God — he speaks to Him.

“Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for You are with me.”

It is often in the valley — in the darkest and most difficult seasons of our lives — that God becomes most personal and most near. The valley has a way of stripping away distractions and drawing us into a deeper dependence on His presence. We discover that God is not distant from our pain. He walks with us through it.

C. S. Lewis once wrote: “I know now, Lord, why you utter no answer. You yourself are the answer. Before your face questions die away. What other answer would suffice?”

What a comforting reminder: sometimes God does not immediately remove the valley, but He faithfully meets us there.  I'm learning this truth in these days, but I think I'm growing to trust God more, even when life is hard.

I love the song Your Presence Is a Promise by Mack Brock. The song reminds us that God never promised that life would be easy, but He has promised that He will never leave us. Jesus told His followers, “In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” John 16:33

Today, wherever you find yourself — whether on a mountaintop or in a valley — remember this: God is with you. His presence is not based on your feelings or circumstances. His presence is His promise to you!  And God keeps His promises!  

Take a few quiet moments this week to sit with the Lord. Listen to this song. Reflect on His faithfulness. And let these words remind your heart of what is true:

Your Presence in a Promise – Mack Brock
You are with me, You are for me
You're not leaving, so I'm not folding
When the shadows hover, You're still right here
You are my cover, I will not fear

Like the stars, You will shine brighter with the night
Even in the darkness, Your presence is a promise
In the valley, I know You won't let me go
Even in the darkness, Your presence is a promise over me.

In my weakness, You're my courage
You will guard me, You're my fortress
Your word is steady, my solid ground
You've never left me, You won't start now

Like the stars, You will shine brighter with the night
Even in the darkness, Your presence is a promise
In the valley, I know You won't let me go
Even in the darkness, Your presence is a promise over me.

May you know the nearness, comfort, and peace of Christ today.
Blessings, Ryan

By Michele Love

Have you ever found yourself in a desolate place? Not just tired or discouraged—but truly emptied. Spiritually defeated. Facing something so large it feels like a giant with no equal opponent in you. No answers. No resources. No way to fix it on your own.

Many of you know that Sequoia has had a long-standing mission partnership in the Dominican Republic. Our role has been to come alongside Iglesia Templo Bíblico and the Compassion Centre they run in the village of Montellano. We have also helped Benjamin, our field missionary in his role with Makarios, a ministry serving families in that region.  Over the years, as their church has grown stronger and the centre more established, our partnership has shifted. Today, we walk with them more like family—offering love, encouragement, and support in times of need.

And right now, they are in one of those times.

On April 11, devastating and unprecedented flooding swept through their community. Entire areas were washed out. Families lost everything. These are families already living with very little—no insurance, no financial safety net, no means to recover on their own.

And this is not the first time.

Just a year and a half ago, similar flooding brought destruction. It wasn’t quite as severe, but it was still devastating. These same families—living in low-lying areas—lost everything then, too. And just as they were beginning to rebuild, to regain some stability, they now find themselves beginning again-again.

It’s hard not to ask: How is this fair?
The truth is—it isn’t.

Scripture never promises that life on this earth will be fair. What it does show us, again and again, is that God meets people in places of loss, despair, and desolation. And more than that—He calls His people to respond.

We see this clearly in passages like 2 Corinthians 8:13–14, where Paul reminds the church that “our desire is not that others might be relieved while you are hard pressed, but that there might be equality. At the present time your plenty will supply what they need.” This is God’s economy: those who have, share with those who do not, so that no one is left alone in their need.

And even in the midst of this devastation, there is evidence of God at work.  Our field missionary, Benjamin, reported something remarkable. Before even describing the hardship, he said: “God was with us the whole time. There were no lives lost. People showed up for one another. The community rallied around the most vulnerable.”

That kind of hope—the kind that rises in the middle of disaster—is not human strength. It is supernatural strength.  It is the work of God, and it is beautiful.
And sometimes, God chooses to work through us.

As part of this global family, we have the opportunity—and the responsibility—to come alongside our brothers and sisters in Montellano. They may not have the resources to face this giant alone, but they are not alone. They have the body of Christ standing with them.
From now until May 30, Sequoia will be collecting donations for disaster relief in the Dominican Republic. You can give by e-transfer to admin@sequoiachurch.org  (please include “DR Relief” in the memo), or through the Sequoia App or Sequoia website, where all International Mission donations during this time will be directed to help the people impacted by this flood, connected to Iglesia Templo Bíblico, Compassion, and Makarios.  

This is more than charity. This is participation in God’s kingdom—where we bear one another’s burdens, where generosity restores dignity, and where hope is made visible through the hands and hearts of His people.  Thank you for giving generously.  

For Christ and His Kingdom, Michele

by Heather Pennington

In the middle of busy schedules, responsibilities, and the constant noise of everyday life, a woman’s retreat becomes more than just a getaway—it becomes a gift. A space to breathe. A space to listen. A space to remember what matters most.

There is a deep beauty in gathering as women—laughing over coffee, sharing stories, praying through tears, and realizing that we are more alike than we thought. Walls come down. Masks fall away. And in their place, something powerful begins to grow: real connection.

But even more than connection with one another, this retreat is about choosing connection with God. When we draw near to him, everything changes. Peace falls on our anxious hearts, joy springs up, faith deepens, love seeps over every aspect of our lives, patience and kindness pour out, and taking control of the impossible in our lives becomes possible. We understand that it is “just Jesus” that we need in our lives, and when we “choose to daily surrender to his leading”, we are led to a life of joy far beyond what we could have ever done on our own.

The daily choice to know him deeply, knowing the names of Jesus personally through experience, and putting on his armour each day —truth, righteousness, faith, salvation, His Word—we begin to stand differently. Stronger. Steadier. More secure.

So many of us quietly carry the weight of feeling like we’re not enough. Not spiritual enough. Not strong enough. Not “put together” enough. But that voice: It doesn’t come from God.

God calls us not to shrink back, but to step forward in faith—not because we are perfect, but because He is present. We are not impostors; we are daughters of the King.

There is a calling over every one of us; not to hide, not to shrink, but to rise.

“Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord rises upon you.” 
Isaiah 60:1

This is more than a verse. It’s an invitation. To step out of fear and into identity and walk in the light of who God says you are.

Because sometimes, all it takes is stepping away for a moment… to be set on fire again.

With joy,

Heather