Mid-days With Lauree

Can you believe Thanksgiving is only 2 weeks away?And can you believe 74% Americans are dreading it? Well maybe that's a little strong, but 74% of Americans say if they could they'd pay someone to come and wash the dishes after the Thanksgiving Meal. Maybe you're look for some extra Christmas cash or a side hustle, I think that may be a wide open lane for you to explore!

A message for my fellow "over-50's": If you haven't grown, check your pulse.A friend/mentor of mine said something to me when I turned 50 that really stuck with me. He shared a quote that said "One can't live the afternoon of life according to the program of life's morning. For what was great in the morning will be of little importance in the evening. And what in the morning was true, will in the evening become a lie."

Lauree had the opportunity to sit down with Zach Williams recently. He is the singer of songs that play here at KCBI like "Old Church Choir" and "There Was Jesus". With Christmas time just around the corner and Zach recently releasing his version of "Go Tell It On The Mountain", I decided to ask how he feels about Christmas music and his answer might surprise you as much as it did us!

We got the news over the weekend that our friend and former KCBI colleague, Jeff Taylor, passed away unexpectedly from a heart attack on Saturday.For so many years, you probably woke up to Jeff and Rebecca in the Mornings here at KCBI as you made to work and as you know, Jeff had such a gift of being to touch people through encouragement and transparency through his struggles. When we think about Jeff legacy, we think about that quote that says "See your struggles, but stare at your Savior." That's what Jeff was all about. We find the deepest comfort knowing that Jeff is in the arms of his Savior, fully and finally free. Please join us in praying for his wife, Larisa, his son, Tommy, and his daughter, Kate.

We hear so much about the uncertain times we are in and thank God we have the leadership we do in our local churches who continue to love us and pray with us through this season. But we're not the only ones facing this uncertainty. Our pastors, our sunday school teachers, our lay leaders are facing the same issues we are and they're the ones we turn to when we need encouragement. So the next time you see you church leaders, make sure to ask they "How are you doing? How can I be praying for you?"

The things about you that make you cringe the most make God hug you the hardest. The parts of yourself that you'd love to change are the same things God looks at and says "That's MY child." He doesn't just want to shoot you a side hug, no, he want to wrap you up in a warm embrace and hold you like only a loving father can. So remember that the next time you look in the mirror. Those things that you can't stand about you are things God loves about you.

As a radio station during this election, we could take go to 2 extremes in how we handle the election. We could break down the latest news and tell you what's going on in the swing states, or we could pretend like it's not happening. Just like you, we agree it'd be silly to fall under either of those extremes. So we've decided on the role we'll take when it comes to this season and it's the same role we'll take in any season. 90.9 KCBI is and will continue to be a place that you will find transparency, encouragement, and ultimate hope through the music that we play and the conversations we have. We know there are so many places you can go to get election info and hot takes, so we're going to continue to be here for you and with you as we might shine a light on Jesus together.

Have you ever heard of doomscrolling? Maybe you haven't heard of it but chances are you've done it! It's the endless scrolling on your phone through negative news that leads to negative thoughts and opinions. Sound familiar?It's really easy to do right now are we're trying to stay in the know about election results, but instead of more doomscrolling, maybe give some of these things a try to give you brain a much-needed break!-Get out and go workout. It doesn't have to be intense, it's just as simple as a 10-minute walk around the block or the building that will allow you to get some fresh air.-Go do something kind for someone else. Truly, the fastest way to get out of the blues is to go do something for someone else.-Treat Yourself. Be kind to yourself. Maybe that looks like taking a 30-minute break and calling a friend or family member who always fills up your cup when you talk with them or watching an episode of a show that makes you laugh out loud. The point is we can't do anything about the election resul

Lauree's phone is blowing up in the studio because of a brand new addition to their family!

No matter who wins this election tonight and takes the seat in the oval office as president, our role is to continue to be the body of believers as it says in 1 Peter 2:17 that we would "Honor everyone. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the king." That is our prayer, that is our hope. By God's grace, that KCBI would continue to be a radio ministry that serves this community well through encouraging music and words of hope that points back to the love that we find in Christ Jesus. Thank you for being apart of this ministry.

I may be the only one, but I've always wondered in my spiritual journey what the point is of all these spiritual disciplines we have to practice. Someone told me a story that gave me a lot of clarity. It's about a student and a teacher.One day, the student asks "Teacher, how can I grow spiritually? What are the things I can do to make that happen?"The teacher responds, "You have about as much control of that as you do in making the sun rise in the morning."The student looks at the teacher confused and asked, "Well if that's the case, then what's the point?"The teacher wisely replied, "The reason you do those disciplines is to make sure you're not asleep when the sun begins to rise." That's the moment it all clicked.Disciplines aren't about me earning points with God and getting some good grade, it's so I have more of an awareness of who he is. If we spend time with those who we love, we grow in our fondness and awareness of them. The same thing goes for God. The more time we spend with Him in prayer and devot

As an older guy, I reminisce about the things I used to enjoy when I was younger that just aren't around anymore. One of those things has made a bit of a resurgence in popularity, and its record players. Something about a record player, though, is it has its limitations. It's not a multitasking device. It only does one thing at a time and something about that reminded me of our faith. Just like a record, we can only choose one side at a time. So what will we choose? Worry or Worship? One displaces the other everytime. So what will we choose today?

"I've held many things in my hands, and I have lost them all. But whatever I have placed in God's hands, that, I still possess." - Martin LutherWhatever you value, whatever you possess, whatever it is that you're currently white-knuckling, give it up. Give it all to God.

Friends, Church, Countrymen: What will be the words we have to offer on November 4th?As we know, November 3th is the more notable date with this little thing called the Presidential Election happening that day, but I believe November 4th may actually hold just as much significance. With the amount of emotion heading into this election, it feels like there will be a tone of "Winners" and "Losers". But instead of buying into whatever the result, how will we use our words and our actions to best reflect the image of God? Remember something come November 4th. There's only one thing greater than being right: It's love.

These days, especially, our identity can get tied up in the judgement of others because of what we see on social media. Social media get a bad rep but the truth is it's apart of everyday lives. I came across this article from 1517.org that really stuck out to me. The author's name is Luke and he says this:"It's 7 am, I'm still in bed and I've already passed judgment on at least fifty people. I've looked at them, I've examined them, and I've found them wanting. Some are friends. Some are family. Some are people I've never met. Yet I've judged them, one and all. Through the power of the almighty swipe, I've pounded down the gavel and dismissed them from my courtroom. But it's OK. I've got a full docket today. And as new photos and stories fill my feed I continually render judgment, deciding who is and who is not worthy of my time, and upon whom I will deign to reach down and bestow the power of the holy grail: The elusive LIKE. Many are called but the chosen are few, and if you want validation from me then you

I consider myself a visual learner. Maybe you're like me, so when I see a picture in my head, things connect in a deeper way. Last night, Tauren Wells led a conversation online and he said something that drew me closer to God. He said, "God whispers because he is close."If you think about someone whispering to you, they have to lean in close to do so. Maybe today, you feel like God is distant from you and that you can't feel his presence. But take heart because the God of all creation is the same God that draws near to you so he can whisper to you his love for you.

I love this quote from CS Lewis, it reminds me of that freshman year of college or the first Sunday at a new church where you sat next to someone and in a single moment you think, “Whaaaa?! We are going to be best friends!”But I think there is something more here to think on, Jesus is our friend too. Jesus came to earth, became a man and walked this same earth as you and me.It says in Hebrews 4:15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin.You can turn to Him, he knows you, He can empathize with you! Jesus is your friend.

What is something that you enjoy to create?During 2020, I think it's become so valuable to have something you can do as a creative outlet. For me, it's photography. For my daughter, it's art. For Lauree, it cooking. What do you love to create?

When we can stand back and gain perspective, oftentimes we realize how far we've come!Logan Ray certainly had a long way to go, he was born 1.5 pounds at only 23 weeks, he was smaller than a 12 inch Superman doll. That may seem kind of random but that is the doll that Logan's mom placed next to him to give some scale to how small and fragile her new son was. And it's been that same Superman doll that she has continued to include in photos of Logan Ray. That little boy is another example of Superman, he is 4 years old, running around, tall, stronger, and that superman reminds her of how far he has come.

Loneliness is difficult. Two out of three Americans are saying that they are lonely and feeling isolated. Astronaut Scott Kelly spent 360 days at the International Space Station - by