Grace is nothing if not relational. So why don't we see it more? The chasm between grace believed and grace lived may result from a faulty definition of the word. In Becoming a Face of Grace, Ed Khouri explains that grace means so much more than forgiveness of sins or "unmerited favor." It actually serves as the basis of how we attach to God and others. 

Joy … we think we know what it is, but do we? Is it just a nice, happy feeling?

From the moment we’re born we search for it – the welcoming smiles of people's faces lighting up communicating “I’m so glad to be with you”. When shared, this produces strong, secure bonds and loving relationships. Where there is joy, unforced transformation happens.

One of three modules in the Life Model course series, Restarting is a solution-based approach for building joy, receiving inner healing, and developing life-giving relationships. Restarting offers hope for those who have tried other approaches and still feel hurt, empty, alone, or ashamed of their struggle.

Have you longed to replace cravings, sadness, fear, and anger with the shalom of God?

Belonging is a 12-week course designed to let us practice connecting with God and each other to find shalom. Immanuel journaling is only complete when we share appreciation and what we hear from God with each other.

This is an opportunity to practice all you have learned in your Leadership Development Immanuel Prayer Training! You will be able to further your training by leading and receiving Immanuel Prayer with others as Betsy Stalcup leads these sessions.

Whether we think of ourselves as creatives or not, Creator God has made us in his image - we are each one creative in some shape or form. Maybe we just need a little nudge to unlock that side of ourselves. Enter Amy Pierson and Makers in a Thinkers' World. Recommended by Chris Coursey, Ed Khouri, and Dr. Jim Wilder, this 2023 book will help us integrate creativity into our walk with God. Amy leads us through common blockages to a fresh perspective that will engage and inspire. Through readings, exercises, and time with Immanuel, we will learn what brain science teaches on the spiritually transforming power of creativity. 

Join our Joy Starts Here class by learning how to recover from feeling disconnected, empty, and even depressed.

In this book, authors E. James Wilder, Ed M. Khouri, Chris M. Coursey, and Shelia D. Sutton explore what real joy is. By considering brain science, contemplating scripture, and sharing their relatable stories of discovery, we, too, can experience joy that is attainable and learn how to cultivate it. 

Every session includes a variety of activities such as quieting, short readings, group discussions, small group sharing, joy-building activities, and spiritual practices such as Immanuel. 

“Suffering is a defining reality of life. Yet so many of us are so focused on avoiding discomfort that we’ve never learned how to actually suffer. But what if we could move from anxiety to durable hope?”

In The Deepest Place, Thompson invites us to explore how the Apostle Paul’s experience of love, secure attachment, and the deeply felt sense of God’s abiding presence carried him through the challenges he faced—and how it can help us not just survive, but flourish in the presence of suffering.” (from the back cover)

We will read together Curt Thompson’s book The Deepest Place: Suffering and the Formation of Hope.

The morning class is full and no longer accepting registrations. There is still space available in the evening class.

“Suffering is a defining reality of life. Yet so many of us are so focused on avoiding discomfort that we’ve never learned how to actually suffer. But what if we could move from anxiety to durable hope?”

In The Deepest Place, Thompson invites us to explore how the Apostle Paul’s experience of love, secure attachment, and the deeply felt sense of God’s abiding presence carried him through the challenges he faced—and how it can help us not just survive, but flourish in the presence of suffering.” (from the back cover)

We will read together Curt Thompson’s book The Deepest Place: Suffering and the Formation of Hope.

If you are looking for Relational Skills in the Bible, please know the class was changed to Strong Like Water. We apologize for the inconvenience. We think you will also really enjoy this class. It is being taught by the same facilitators as were originally scheduled. The morning class is now full. There are still openings in the evening class.

In Strong Like Water, author & therapist, Aundi Kolber offers a framework for true flourishing:

• Learn how your nervous system can help you move through pain instead of being stuck in it.

• Explore practices, rhythms, and resources to support you in a challenging circumstance with compassion & hope.

• Discover how to internalize connection, love and safety--empowering you with greater resilience.

Join our experiential class where we spend time applying the discoveries of neuroscience and spiritual formation. Come experience hope with us as we encounter beauty and gratitude, hear ideas together, journal, and meet Immanuel, God-with-us, in our stories.

Learn to recognize and break eight bad habits that contribute to frustration, misunderstanding and conflict in communication. Attune to others through empathy and respect. Build deeper understanding in every relationship through biblical insights and practical, humorous exercises.

“If you have found your faith squeezed into various boxes of shame, anxiety, and disillusionment, Attached to God is a shaft of light.”

“The practices offered in these chapters are an invitation to stop running and striving and to let all that has been shut down and silenced be soothed by kindness (from the foreword).”

We will read together Krispin Mayfield’s book, Attached to God.

Join our experiential class where we spend time applying the discoveries of neuroscience and attachment theory to spiritual formation. Come experience hope with us as we encounter beauty and gratitude, hear ideas together, journal, and meet Immanuel, God-with-us, in our stories.

“If you have found your faith squeezed into various boxes of shame, anxiety, and disillusionment, Attached to God is a shaft of light.”

“The practices offered in these chapters are an invitation to stop running and striving and to let all that has been shut down and silenced be soothed by kindness (from the foreword).”

We will read together Krispin Mayfield’s book, Attached to God.

Join our experiential class where we spend time applying the discoveries of neuroscience and attachment theory to spiritual formation. Come experience hope with us as we encounter beauty and gratitude, hear ideas together, journal, and meet Immanuel, God-with-us, in our stories.

Please obtain a copy of Attached to God by Krispin Mayfield, on kindle or in paperback.

An intense conversation, a spat with a partner, or even an obnoxious tweet―these situations aren’t life-or-death, yet why do we often react as if they are?

Join our experiential class where we spend time applying the discoveries of neuroscience to spiritual formation. Experience hope with us as we learn to befriend our nervous system, hear ideas together, journal, and meet Immanuel, God-with-us, in our stories.

An intense conversation, a spat with a partner, or even an obnoxious tweet―these situations aren’t life-or-death, yet why do we often react as if they are?

Join our experiential class where we spend time applying the discoveries of neuroscience to spiritual formation. Experience hope with us as we learn to befriend our nervous system, hear ideas together, journal, and meet Immanuel, God-with-us, in our stories.

Join our experiential class where we spend time applying the discoveries of neuroscience to spiritual formation. Come experience hope with us as we encounter beauty and gratitude, hear ideas together, journal, and meet Immanuel, God-with-us, in our stories.

We will be using Curt Thompson’s, The Soul of Desire. Curt suggests that underneath all our longings is the desire to be known. We will explore together how this desire is expressed by our need to make things of beauty. Come see how desire and beauty go hand in hand.

Join our experiential class where we spend time applying the discoveries of neuroscience to spiritual formation. Come experience hope with us as we encounter beauty and gratitude, hear ideas together, journal, and meet Immanuel, God-with-us, in our stories.

We will be using Curt Thompson’s, The Soul of Desire. Curt suggests that underneath all our longings is the desire to be known. We will explore together how this desire is expressed by our need to make things of beauty. Come see how desire and beauty go hand in hand.

Learn to engage with God and live from your true heart through quieting, listening and journaling, instead of continually striving to go, go, go and do, do, do. Engage your experiences and emotions in healthy ways to reveal truths about who God made you to be. This curriculum was created by David Takle of Kingdom Formation Ministries, and is an introduction to the Life Model course series.

Hearing God by Dallas Willard will be the basis of this 10 week book discussion. The key to hearing God, says best-selling author Dallas Willard, is to focus not so much on individual actions and decisions as on building our personal relationship with our Creator.

The pain of your past has prepared you for great joy in your future. Discover how your wounds are the unlikely guides to living out your deepest calling. Each week we'll study the book Redeeming Heartache together, and add gratitude & body practices, as well as Immanuel Journaling.

Reverberation

Prepare your heart this Christmas season through a weekly
advent experience in two parts. In our first hour we will engage in
spiritual practices such as Lectio Divina and Immanuel Prayer,
music, and readings. In our second hour we will create an artistic
response to our engagement with God in the first hour. This
response might be a drawing, coloring, poem, collage, or another
artistic expression – it’s up to you. No artistic ability required.
Come for just the first hour or stay and enjoy being in community
as you create. Join us every week or drop in when you can. We
realize the Christmas season is a busy time of year and full of
commitments. Give yourself permission to participate in grace.

Explore the pathways to biblical joy and strengthen resilience for dealing with life’s challenges. Impact communities and culture with transformative insights and practical exercises to building joy through relationship.

Instead of white-knuckling our way through life, which tends to leave us feeling overworked and numb, Aundi Kolber shows us through latest psychology, practical exercises, and her own story, how God specifically designed our bodies and minds to work together to process our lives and overcome obstacles.

Engage in a solution-based approach for building joy, receiving inner healing and developing life-giving relationships. Also learn about neuroscience of the brain, trauma, addiction and your style of attachment to God and others.

Learn to engage with God and live from your true heart through quieting, listening and journaling, instead of continually striving to go, go, go and do, do, do. Engage your experiences and emotions in healthy ways to reveal truths about who God made you to be. This curriculum was created by David Takle of Kingdom Formation Ministries, and is an introduction to the Life Model course series.

Join us each week to open our eyes, ears, hearts and minds by exploring a work of art. Jan Haugen, a docent at the National Gallery of Art for over a decade, will join us for a 15 minute presentation to unpack a work from the collection. What is Jesus saying to each of us as we experience his creation? We will practice gratitude exercises, a variety of responses to goodness and beauty, and conclude with Immanuel Journaling.