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How do I start spiritual practices? Wednesday, September 28, 2022
by Alyssa Robinson When I start something new, I go a little too hard. If I’m going to start a new exercise routine, I buy all the gear and create an unsustainable workout plan. Whe...
What does the Bible say about prayer? Wednesday, September 21, 2022
by Alyssa Robinson Prayer is a mystery to me. Sometimes it comes so naturally that I feel like I’m in a constant state of prayer, and other times it just feels rote. One thing I wi...
How do I breathe in God? Wednesday, September 14, 2022
by Alyssa Robinson Have you ever had the wind knocked out of you? It can be a terrifying experience. The first time it happened to me I was 8 years old. As I was swinging across the monkey...
What habits do I need to stop? Wednesday, September 7, 2022
by Alyssa Robinson In this week’s YouVersion Reading Plan , Day 1 introduces us to the idea of spiritual practices as a form of training. Just like an athlete or musician trains to be...
Why can't I rest? Wednesday, August 31, 2022
by Alyssa Robinson There is a room in my house that has no modern technology in it except for a record player. I sit and look out the window in my leather chair, with my feet propped u...
How am I broken? Wednesday, August 24, 2022
by Alyssa Robinson In Rev. Doug Meyer’s message on Sunday, he said that the first step to healing the brokenness in others is to recognize how we are broken. I’ve been meditating ...
How can I be more like Jesus? Wednesday, August 17, 2022
by Alyssa Robinson In this week’s Life + God Podcast episode, Rev. Gracie Millard and I talked about the different understandings of grace identified by John Wesley: prevenient, justif...
Do I need community? Wednesday, August 10, 2022
by Alyssa Robinson I am an introvert. If you’ve met me, that might be a surprise to you because I’ve been told I exude confidence and come off as an outgoing, outspoken person. It ...
Does God care about money? Wednesday, August 3, 2022
by Alyssa Robinson I have trust issues. My default setting is to assume that someone is trying to take advantage of me or manipulate me in some way. My guard is always up. Don’t worry...
Can I disagree with the Bible? Wednesday, July 27, 2022
by Alyssa Robinson How do we approach Bible stories that leave us discontented? To try to wrap my head around some of the weirdest Scriptures, I’ve explored historical and cultural ...
Whose side is God on? Wednesday, July 20, 2022
by Alyssa Robinson At the root of humanity, we are tribal. We establish both figurative and literal borders to separate ourselves and create safety. We label individuals or groups who don&rsquo...
When Bears Attack Wednesday, July 13, 2022
by Alyssa Robinson And now for a Bible story that needs no introduction, 2 Kings 2:19:25: Now the people of the city said to Elisha, “The location of this city is good, as my lord sees...
Do the ends justify the means? Wednesday, July 6, 2022
by Alyssa Robinson This question is full of ethical dilemmas. We ask, “Do the ends justify the means,” when we see someone with good intentions, trying to get to a righteous place, ...
Do you wrestle with God? Wednesday, June 29, 2022
by Alyssa Robinson We’re having a little bit of fun this summer with our worship series Weird . In this series we’re taking a look at some of the weirdest stories from the Ol...
Where is the Holy Spirit? Thursday, June 23, 2022
by Pam Taylor I’ve always tried to be in tune with the Holy Spirit. As a child, my mother prayed to the Holy Spirit, asked the Holy Spirit for help, and referenced the Holy Spirit quite of...

Wednesday, September 28, 2022

How do I start spiritual practices?

by Alyssa Robinson When I start something new, I go a little too hard. If I’m going to start a new exercise routine, I buy all the gear and create an unsustainable workout plan. When I try to eat healthier, I over plan my meals and leave no room for cheats. Trying a new hobby? I’ll spend hours on it every day until I feel like I’ve mastered it. Baby steps just aren’t part of my lifestyle. And that usually means any new habit that I try to instill... Read More

Posted by Alyssa Robinson at Wednesday, September 28, 2022

Wednesday, September 21, 2022

What does the Bible say about prayer?

by Alyssa Robinson Prayer is a mystery to me. Sometimes it comes so naturally that I feel like I’m in a constant state of prayer, and other times it just feels rote. One thing I wish I was taught about prayer growing up that I’m just now beginning to understand is prayer is a journey. I was under the illusion that everyone else was getting something that I wasn’t. People would tell me about the power of prayer and how they felt God’s presence, but I just... Read More

Posted by Alyssa Robinson at Wednesday, September 21, 2022

Wednesday, September 14, 2022

How do I breathe in God?

by Alyssa Robinson Have you ever had the wind knocked out of you? It can be a terrifying experience. The first time it happened to me I was 8 years old. As I was swinging across the monkey bars during recess, I tried to test my abilities by skipping bars and broadening my swing. My hand slipped on a bar, and I fell flat on my back. I remember staring up at the clear blue sky when the realization set in that I couldn’t take a breath. I panicked. Looking back, it felt like... Read More

Posted by Alyssa Robinson at Wednesday, September 14, 2022

Wednesday, September 7, 2022

What habits do I need to stop?

by Alyssa Robinson In this week’s YouVersion Reading Plan , Day 1 introduces us to the idea of spiritual practices as a form of training. Just like an athlete or musician trains to become more adept at their craft, spiritual practices train us to be more like Jesus. Click here to make Trietsch your home church and receive weekly reading plans. The Day 1 reading ended with three reflection questions: What am I currently practicing that does not make me more like... Read More

Posted by Alyssa Robinson at Wednesday, September 7, 2022

Wednesday, August 31, 2022

Why can't I rest?

by Alyssa Robinson There is a room in my house that has no modern technology in it except for a record player. I sit and look out the window in my leather chair, with my feet propped up on a canvas ottoman. A bluejay swoops into my backyard for an afternoon snack as it picks through seeds and dirt embedded in my lawn. A stack of books and poetry sits on the small table beside me, softly lit by a pink lamp. My dogs quietly snore at my feet in the safety of this sacred space.... Read More

Posted by Alyssa Robinson at Wednesday, August 31, 2022

How am I broken?

by Alyssa Robinson In Rev. Doug Meyer’s message on Sunday, he said that the first step to healing the brokenness in others is to recognize how we are broken. I’ve been meditating on this idea. You can watch the full worship service here or listen to the message here . So I asked myself the question: how am I broken? What is it that I need to recognize within myself? I started making a list. Ways I’m Broken: I don’t... Read More

Wednesday, August 17, 2022

How can I be more like Jesus?

by Alyssa Robinson In this week’s Life + God Podcast episode, Rev. Gracie Millard and I talked about the different understandings of grace identified by John Wesley: prevenient, justifying, and sanctifying grace. I was most intrigued by sanctifying grace because it is a continuous transformation. Pastor Gracie defined it, “Sanctifying grace is actually becoming good. It’s the lifelong process of becoming more like God.” Listen to the full episode to learn... Read More

Posted by Alyssa Robinson at Wednesday, August 17, 2022

Wednesday, August 10, 2022

Do I need community?

by Alyssa Robinson I am an introvert. If you’ve met me, that might be a surprise to you because I’ve been told I exude confidence and come off as an outgoing, outspoken person. It took me a while to figure out I’m an introvert. Stereotypical descriptions paint introverts as shy, quiet wallflowers who would rather fade into the background than socialize, and that’s not me at all Here are some of the things that helped me realize I’m an introvert: ... Read More

Posted by Alyssa Robinson at Wednesday, August 10, 2022

Wednesday, August 3, 2022

Does God care about money?

by Alyssa Robinson I have trust issues. My default setting is to assume that someone is trying to take advantage of me or manipulate me in some way. My guard is always up. Don’t worry - I know it’s not a healthy trait, and I’m working on it. But this means preaching to me is really hard, especially when it comes to money. Talking about money makes us uncomfortable, and it’s understandable! Dealing with money is stressful. According to a recent CNBC... Read More

Posted by Alyssa Robinson at Wednesday, August 3, 2022

Wednesday, July 27, 2022

Can I disagree with the Bible?

by Alyssa Robinson How do we approach Bible stories that leave us discontented? To try to wrap my head around some of the weirdest Scriptures, I’ve explored historical and cultural contexts, possible translation errors, and Levitical laws to which the people were adhering. Usually when I take these interpretation possibilities into consideration, I’m better able to understand the story or apply it to modern times. But the book of Leviticus, as a whole, stumps me.... Read More

Posted by Alyssa Robinson at Wednesday, July 27, 2022

Wednesday, July 20, 2022

Whose side is God on?

by Alyssa Robinson At the root of humanity, we are tribal. We establish both figurative and literal borders to separate ourselves and create safety. We label individuals or groups who don’t look or live like us as dangerous. Then, we identify a common enemy to rally our community for a specific cause or action. This pattern endlessly repeats in history, on the evening news, and even in our daily conversations. It’s the classic “us vs. them” mentality. But... Read More

Posted by Alyssa Robinson at Wednesday, July 20, 2022

Wednesday, July 13, 2022

When Bears Attack

by Alyssa Robinson And now for a Bible story that needs no introduction, 2 Kings 2:19:25: Now the people of the city said to Elisha, “The location of this city is good, as my lord sees, but the water is bad, and the land is unfruitful.” He said, “Bring me a new bowl, and put salt in it.” So they brought it to him. Then he went to the spring of water and threw the salt into it and said, “Thus says the Lord: I have made this water wholesome; from now on... Read More

Posted by Alyssa Robinson at Wednesday, July 13, 2022