Posts by Lisa Jansen

Black and white crown on manger

Why Was Jesus Born?

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With all the ugliness in the world and our lives today, you may be asking yourself, “Why was Jesus born? Wasn’t He supposed to end all of it?” Christmas is the time of the year we celebrate with the birth...


Hands holding Christmas present

How to Give Back During the Holidays

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It’s the season of giving, but this Christmas is different from any other. We’ve all had to adjust to new means of communication and serving others. And. If you’re looking for ways to give back this season, here are some...


Advent candles lit in front of Christmas tree

What is Advent?

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At this time of year, you may hear a word you’re unfamiliar with: Advent. But, what is Advent and how does it relate to this time of year?  What is Advent? The word “advent” is from the Latin word “coming.” The...


plate with silverware on table

Coping with Loss During the Holidays

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We’re all coping with loss this season. We’ve all lost something in 2020, whether it be a person, a job, or just plain normalcy. This holiday season will be bittersweet for most of us simply because of the fight against...


woman praying in trees looking up to sky

How To Pray

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Have you ever wondered how to pray? Maybe you have felt intimidated by the prayers of others, thinking they are eloquent, and you may not be able to do likewise. Have you looked for resources to learn how to pray?...


Learning from My Own Prejudice

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Growing up, my parents taught my brother and I to “never judge a book by its cover.” I thought I was doing a pretty good job of that, not being prejudice, until a few years ago when God showed me...


woman and daughter smiling at camera

Does God Hear Us Cry? 

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One Sunday morning when I was a young mother, I took my one-year-old daughter to the church nursery for the first time. I headed to the nursery after the service ended. Someone stopped me along the way to ask me...


Mother and son smiling

How to Teach a Child to Pray

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As parents, we are our child’s main influence. As Christian parents, teaching a child to pray is similar to teaching them anything else in life. So, how do we teach a child to pray? We must first lead by example....


Members of Shepherd's Gate Church help with clean up in Detroit Michigan

Shepherd’s Gate Serves the Community

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Step Out & Serve 2020 Recap It’s hard to believe it’s almost been a month since our Step Out & Serve 2020 event at Shepherd’s Gate Church. Our local outreach coordinator, Ron Kuczera, spent months leading up to August 22-23...


What’s In A Name?

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What’s in a name? We often choose our children’s names to honor someone we know who has impacted our lives.  We even pick names for cars, boats and vacation homes—even those have meaning. Sometimes the meaning may be apparent, other...