To find our true core why we have to do the hard thing: We have to ask hard questions of ourselves AND answer honestly.
ANdrew McGowan

Zach Troutman is a Superstar who Leads Others To Better
When we hear the term “superstar,” most of us think about someone who is high profile or an extremely successful performer for the entertainment of others. Almost 20 years ago, I used to think along […]
Housing for those who have been homeless isn’t simply shelter and protection, it is survival from a past life which was often headed for destruction.
Jan Weiss
Upcoming Events
- Wednesdays, 3:15 p.m., Springfield, Missouri
Guitars for Veterans Therapy Group
Guitars for Veterans with PTSD or moral injury is an initiative of SAMI (Springfield Area Music Industry); Moral Injury Institute; Center for Music Therapy and Wellness; Wellness for Warriors; and the Springfield VA VetCenter to put guitars in the hands of Veterans with PTSD & Moral Injury, providing group support and beginning level guitar lessons. Military veterans do not need to own a guitar. - Jan. 12, 10 a.m., Springfield, Missouri
Volunteer Orientation for Springfield Botanical Gardens
Become a garden ambassador and learn more about garden projects, upcoming events and the park partners who grow and maintain the Springfield Botanical Gardens. RSVP is required. Contact kkeith@springfieldmo.gov or 417.891.1515, ext. 3. Masking is recommended by the event host. - Jan. 27, 8 a.m., Savoy Ballroom, Springfield, Missouri
Prayer & Coffee with Victory Mission
Victory Mission invites you for a time of coffee and prayer. Continental breakfast will be included. Victory Mission will recount 2021’s blessings and pray for God’s provision in 2022. Tickets may be purchased at https://www.victorymission.com/prayerandcoffee/.

As we wait
While working toward my master’s degree at Missouri State University, I had the great privilege of being a graduate assistant/writer in the Publications office. It was a dream job with dream co-workers who were extremely […]
I wanted my marshmallow of deliverance immediately. But God said wait.
Taylor Corcoran

Waiting for the Unrealistic
“Your idea is unrealistic and will never work,” commented a classmate after I shared my paper with my grad school class in 2005. I wanted to build a holistic center that would address all aspects […]
We were never meant to face trials and tribulations alone.
Morgan Copeland

Foster/Adopt: Dare To Hope
I love a good story. A good storyteller introduces tension and resolves it. All the loose ends tied up in a bow. The listener usually experiences complete closure. words + photographs Dr. SARAH THORNTON I […]
The Holly and the Ivy
Julia Smith, of Nachtigal, treats us to “The Holly and the Ivy.”

A Very Grinchy Christmas at the Discovery Center in Springfield, Missouri
Discovery Center is hosting A Very Grinchy Christmas every Friday, Saturday and Sunday, Dec. 3-19, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Special appearance by the Mean One himself. Activities include exploring Whoville and writing a letter to Santa, stuffing the tree right up the chimney with the family, exploring more than 60,000 square feet of hands-on STEM activities. For more information, visit A Very Grinchy Christmas.
I miss Ethiopia very much, and I believe one day I will return.
Tammy Salmon

Waiting for Promises
Waiting is the easiest action we may plan to do, but it simply is the hardest action to consistently and genuinely carry out. People often preach to us to wait on the Lord’s timing, wait […]

Waiting to Hear God’s Voice
The Israelites waited in the desert 40 years to see the fulfillment of God’s promise to them. The prophetess, Anna, waited 84 years, practically a lifetime, to see her long-awaited Messiah come, not as a […]

Ethiopia: The Giving Community
From a young age, I felt drawn to Africa. I loved learning about Africa through any means I could. From 2018 to 2020, I spent two amazing years living in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. I learned […]
Sometimes, though, the best antidote to anxiety is a dose of hope.
Dr. Sarah Thornton