Perhaps this Easter Sunday you found yourself somewhere celebrating the Resurrection of Jesus and the fact that the tomb is empty, that Jesus is alive and is risen so that we might have life. (However you celebrated this past week, I hope it was rich in meaning for you.) Easter brings with it a time …
a healing community
What fears are gripping your heart today? Have you ever found yourself ‘running to the hills’ (so to speak), or even pulling away into isolation out of a fear of hurt or rejection from people? Think for a moment about the fears that were gripping the heart of Jesus prior to His suffering on the …
the latest on ‘baby Shelton’
Things are progressing well as we approach the end of the first trimester. Baby Shelton is currently about the size of a large jumbo shrimp (not exactly a good description for a baby), and is “fearfully and wonderfully” being weaved together by God’s Hand. By this stage (according to our baby books) the baby has …
the latest on ‘baby Shelton’
Last week’s prenatal visit went great. We had the opportunity to not only ‘hear’ the baby’s heartbeat, but to ‘see’ the baby’s heart beat. What an amazing experience watching God knit this child together! Thank you for your prayers as we approach week 12 and the beginning of the 2nd trimester. Please pray for Molly’s …
the central issue
"Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life." Proverbs 4:23 Over the last few weeks, we’ve been engaged in a discussion with our Tuesday night gathering centered around the life (true, abundant, ‘better life than you’ve ever dreamed of’ life) that Jesus comes to offer us, and how that life …
the latest on ‘baby Shelton’
the lastest As of today, our pregnancy is 11 weeks along, with a due date sometime around October 2nd. We will be attending our first Prenatal Exam on Wednesday (March 14th) to hear the baby’s heartbeat. Please pray for this visit tomorrow.
Big News from the Shelton’s…
We’re proud to inform you of a new addition to the Awaken family, arriving later this year. In other words, we (the Shelton’s) are going to have a baby! We’re both so excited to share this news with each of you and have already experienced a tremendous amount of joy telling our family and our …
home
“I am convinced that all of us are searching for a place called home, a place where we can close our eyes and sleep, a place where there is warmth and we are somehow unafraid, a place where we gather around the fire and the room is filled with laughter and love…Home is ultimately not …
craving intimacy
Have you ever had an unexplainable loneliness even while standing in the middle of a crowd? I heard a friend say several times recently that he doesn’t need anymore acquaintances in his life, that there is no more room for such relationships. He desires friendships that go much deeper than that, friendships that are authentic, …
Beauty in Ashes
Today in Boone, it is raining outside, the overcast makes visibility low, and the air is warm so that your clothes stick to you. Very few people are out on the streets, but for those few that are, the majority keep their faces to the ground to keep from getting any inch of their skin …
seeds
He (Jesus) also said, “This is what the kingdom of God is like. A man scatters seed on the ground. Night and day, whether he sleeps or gets up, the seed sprouts and grows, though he does not know how.” -Mark 4:26-27 (NIV) Recently, Molly and I had the privilege of joining our church family …
teacher
While in Boone recently, we were having a conversation about teachers who make a difference in our lives...individuals who spoke truth and love in our lives to teach us something about ourselves, our worth, and our potential. A friend of ours told us a rather humerous story about an incident when she was growing up …
the sign
Our new office sign was installed last week! Check it out!
identity
Simon Peter answered, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” Jesus replied…”And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it.”-Matthew 16:16-18 (NIV)Isn’t it interesting how Jesus looks back at Peter after he confesses that Jesus …
advance
“Go in the strength you have…am I not sending you?” -Judges 6:12,14Over the last few weeks, we have witnessed the ministry of Awaken advance in ways we had only dreamed of a few months ago when we arrived here. Last Tuesday evening, 10 of us (not including little Amelia Shuping, who is only 6-weeks old) …
new
If you’re like a lot of other people, the beginning of the year signifies NEW things and NEW opportunities in life; perhaps a new routine, new goals, or simply a chance for a fresh start. Regardless of whether or not you chose a Resolution for 2007, the New Year gives us hope for better things …
thanks
Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus. -1 Thessalonians. 5:16-18 (NIV)As 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 reminds us, we are called to live joyfully always, and the season of Thanksgiving serves as a great reminder of how we live this out. Our source for …
seasons
The last two days have truly been breath-taking – magnificent sunshine, warmer temperatures and beautiful colors. Here in Greensboro, autumn seems to be in full swing with leaves still changing and blowing off the trees. It’s beautiful to behold (along with serving as a reminder that my first job after getting moved into our new …
the friend and the loner
"Wisdom sees all life through relationships - our relationship to God, to others, to nature, and more. It is recognizing that the best of ourselves can only be discovered when we consider others above ourselves." -Erwin McManus from Stand Against the WindThis morning I was checking out the words of one of the wisest men …
movement
I love what a friend of mine shared with me a few weeks ago as we discussed what exactly it was that Jesus meant when He spoke of His kingdom. Check out the words of French Emporer Napoleon Bonaparte concerning the uniqueness of this kingdom:"I know men; and I tell you that Jesus Christ is …
A Contemplative Life 