Next Monday, the United States will officially observe Memorial Day for the 156th time. There were occasions before May 30, 1868, when citizens in both the North and South paused to honor those who died during the Civil War. By 1890, every Union state offi-cially observed the day. Most Southern states did as well, but on different dates, and their time of remembrance was called Confederate Memorial Day. more

Psalms 50:22 Listen to this, you that ignore me, or I will destroy you, and there will be no one to save you. more

Today I heard about strong storms and tornadoes, and I am grateful lives were spared because people crowded into storm shelters and basements. I am thankful every day for the shelter my home provides me. Shelter is defined as safety from a storm, an enemy, or trouble. Please remember that God is our shelter. Psalm 91:1-2 says, “Those who live in the shelter of the Most High will find rest in the shadow of the Almighty. This I declare about the Lord: He alone is my refuge, my place of safety; He is my God and I trust Him.” When troubles come our way, God is our shelter. God will be with us. God’s presence is our refuge providing strength and giving hope. May God bless your day! Diane Cooke, Pastor, Presbyterian Churches, Willow Springs and Mtn. View. more

In a remarkable achievement, 18 students from His Place Christian Academy have become published authors through a national student publishing program. As part of this exciting journey, second and third-grade students from the classes of Crystal Verrall and Rhonda Norman planned, wrote, and illustrated their own books through a free publishing program offered by Studentreasures Publishing. The culmination of their creative efforts is titled Fabulous Fictional Fun, a collection that showcases their imaginative storytelling and artistic talents. more

When 15-year-old Amanda Jane Cooper saw Wicked on Broadway, she immediately wanted to play the role of Glinda. She enrolled at Carnegie Mellon University to study theatre. Within months of graduating, she won the role of Glinda in the show’s traveling production. Amid phenomenal success, however, she developed an eating disorder, frequently not eating during the day and binge eating alone in the wee hours of the morning. The struggling actress began carelessly sharing her body with strangers, putting herself in extremely dangerous situations. Though applauded by millions, Cooper hated herself. more

When 15-year-old Amanda Jane Cooper saw Wicked on Broadway, she imme-diately wanted to play the role of Glinda. She enrolled at Carnegie Mellon University to study theatre. Within months of graduating, she won the role of Glinda in the show’s traveling production. Amid phenomenal success, however, she developed an eating disorder, frequently not eating during the day and binge eating alone in the wee hours of the morning. The struggling actress began carelessly sharing her body with strangers, putting herself in extremely dangerous situations. Though applauded by millions, Cooper hated herself. more

Luke 23:32 There were also two others, criminals, led with Him to be put to death. more

In our diverse and interconnected world, it is a striking and troubling aspect of human nature to reject, and often mock, beliefs that differ from our own. This tendency is not only pervasive but also harmful, breeding division and misunderstanding. As individuals, we make our choices and have our reasons for believing what we believe. But why isn't that enough for us? Why do we feel compelled to discredit and even ridicule differing ideas? more

As I walked to my car following a very busy Sunday, a man called across our parking lot, “Are you the pastor?” I answered I was one of the church’s pastors and asked what he needed. He began crying as he told me this sad story. He had been hired by a lady in a subdivision near our building to cut down a tree in her front yard. They agreed on a price, but no formal contract was drawn up. However, as he completed the job, she called the police, claiming he had cut down her tree, and she did not know why. According to him, the police refused to get involved, explaining it was a dispute over a relatively small sum of money and there was no contract. The gentleman said the police officers were very kind to him, but he was not paid and was relying on the money from the job for his rent. I bought him something to eat and drove him home. more

Luke 1:41 And it came to pass, that, when Elisabeth heard the salutation of Mary, the babe leaped in her womb; and Elisabeth was filled with the Holy Ghost: more

“The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and he helps me. My heart leaps for joy, and with my song I praise him.” Psalm 28:7 (NIV) Our God wants us to trust him. To trust God is to believe in God’s reliability, truth, and strength, and the Bible shows us the many ways God cares for us. Again and again in the scriptures we are encouraged to “trust in the Lord with all our heart.” (Proverbs 3:5) Jesus said that he longed to gather his people and shelter them like a mother hen shelters her chicks under her wings (Matthew 23:37). Our God gave us life, and God provides for us, shelters us, and, through Christ’s sacrifice, saves us. This is the Good News of God’s love in Jesus Christ. May we trust God in all things and experience the peace he offers, the peace that passes all understanding. May God bless your week! Diane Cooke, Pastor, Presbyterian Churches, Willow Springs and Mtn. View. more

The time has come for a real, honest conversation about faith. Not the tidy Sunday school version, but the gritty, everyday kind that has you wrestling with doubts before your morning coffee. In the world of Christianity, faith is often seen as this gold standard—a measure of how tight you are with the Big Guy upstairs. The more unshakeable your faith, the closer you're perceived to be to the divine. It's like spiritual street cred. For some, faith is as natural as breathing. They hear "God created the Earth and everything on it, and Jesus died for our sins," and they nod along, no questions asked. To them, it's as obvious as the nose on your face. more

The 2023-2024 season came to an end Saturday, April 27, for the Missouri State University-West Plains (MSU-WP) Grizzly Softball team. more

Our church staff has been reading James Clear’s fascinating book, Atomic Habits, Tiny Changes, Remarkable Results. The book began with the history of how the governing body of professional bicycling in Great Britain hired Dave Brailsford as its performance director in 2003. At the time, English cyclists had suffered a nearly 100-year slump. In 95 years, British riders had won only one Olympic gold medal, and in cycling’s biggest race, the Tour de France, no English rider had won in 110 years. more

Romans 1:32 They know God’s justice requires that those who do these things deserve to die, yet they do them anyway. Worse yet, they encourage others to do them, too. more

“Sing to the Lord, bless his name; tell of his salvation from day to day.” (Psalm 96:2) “Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth; break forth into joyous song and sing praises.” (Psalm 98:4) Throughout the Bible, we are encouraged to sing to the Lord! In Exodus 15:21 we read that after the Israelites crossed the Red Sea, “Miriam sang to them: ‘Sing to the Lord for he has triumphed gloriously.’” To sing to the Lord is central to the practice of our faith. We sing to affirm our faith… “On Christ the solid rock I stand” …describe God’s traits… “Great is Thy faithfulness!”… express a prayer… “What a friend we have in Jesus.” Singing deepens our faith, strengthens us as God’s people, and prepares us for that day when all the faithful will sing in God’s kingdom. (Rev. 5) Let us sing to the Lord! May God bless your week! Diane Cooke, Pastor, Presbyterian Churches, Willow Springs and Mtn. View. more

There’s a saying from my childhood that pops into my head every once in awhile: “God don’t like ugly.” more

The Bible isn't just another book on the shelf. It’s special, not just because of its spiritual significance but because of how we, as readers, engage with it. Unlike a novel where the story is generally accepted at face value, when it comes to the Bible, it seems everyone’s got a scoop on what the text “really means.” It’s not just about reading; it’s about interpreting, sometimes over-interpreting. more

I took my grandson to the library for the first time last Friday. J enjoys being read to, so I hoped he would eagerly pick out books. He was more interested in playing with toys in the children's room, so I allowed him to play for 20 minutes before I picked out four books for us to read later. more