About Mount Hope Church

We Are Family. Mount Hope Church is a community of people who love God and others—and that includes YOU! As a church family, it’s exciting to grow alongside others of all ages and backgrounds, coming together to experience the hope that is found only in Jesus. It is our desire that as you encounter God’s love and amazing grace at Mount Hope Church, you will truly feel a part of the family as we say, “Welcome Home!”

Blessed, Not Bothered!

But blessed are those who trust in the Lord and have made the Lord their hope and confidence. They are like trees planted along a riverbank, with roots that reach deep into the water. Such trees are not bothered by the heat or worried by long months of drought. Their leaves stay green, and they never stop producing fruit.
– Jeremiah 17:7-8

There is something extremely bothersome about a finger pointing at you followed by the words, “I’m not touching you, I’m not touching you!” It’s the phrase siblings use to terrorize each other. Often, it can be our own family—those closest to us—that know how to push our buttons and bother us.

The enemy knows how to push my buttons… and he knows how to push yours, too! He knows the kind of things that really get to you—the kind of things, that if allowed, would give you a meltdown and cause you to bawl your eyes out. He knows the kind of things that will make you feel like a failure and make you want to throw in the towel. Some days it may be the dirty laundry left on the floor… other days it may be hurtful words that were said in anger.

Maybe the enemy has been pushing your buttons lately. But, there is a secret in scripture to living a life that is blessed and not bothered by what happens around you… blessed so deeply on the inside that it eventually will have to affect your outside!

Here it is: Trust in the Lord! It’s simple and powerful. Blessed are those who trust in the Lord and have made Him their hope and confidence! They are like trees planted along a riverbank… not bothered by the heat or worried by long months of drought. Wow! Blessed, not bothered, and worry-free!

So, trust the Lord, relying completely on your GREAT heavenly Father. The more you know Him, the more completely you will trust Him. May you be blessed so deeply on the inside that it will eventually have to affect your outside… and spill over to everyone in your family!

-Pastor Kevin Berry

Prayer: “Father, I will trust you, lean on you, obey you! Please help me cooperate with your Holy Spirit working in me. When the enemy tries to push my buttons, I declare, “NO MORE!” With your help, I will operate in faith and love. Thank you, God, for being the hope and confidence for me and my family. Amen!”

The Ministry Of Home

“If you want to change the world, go home and love your family.”
—Mother Teresa

Not long ago a good friend contacted me, asking for prayer because of a big transition her and her husband were about to make. You see, they’re both in full-time ministry, and they decided that it would be best for their family if she became a stay-at-home mom.  She wanted me to pray for a number of reasons. The first thing she said was, she was nervous their pastor would think she was giving up on her calling to full-time ministry. Immediately, I felt led to encourage her that directions in her calling can change. They will look different in different seasons, but to be confident in this: a stay-at-home mom is in FULL-TIME MINISTRY!

Right away, I had a Holy Spirit lightbulb moment. Being a spouse and a parent in reality is a full-time ministry! While encouraging my sweet friend, I suddenly felt empowered by the role the Father had me in right now, in this season as a stay-at-home mom. Cleaning the kitchen, taking care of my children, doing laundry, planning meals, managing the budget, buying groceries and much, much more began to look different to me.

I used to ask myself if what I was doing at home was important, or if I was doing enough at church, serving in enough places, or just DOING enough, in general. But in that Holy Spirit moment, I was set free from those high-pressure thoughts brought on by the enemy himself. It made me feel like my role was vital, necessary, and beautiful. It radically changed my perspective and allowed me to shake off any unnecessary pressure when I realized that what I do every day for my family is not only important but it’s more than enough. In fact, it’s ministering to them similarly to the way I would in church or in the community.

To top it off, my husband and I are growing disciples right in our own home as we raise our children. Don’t get me wrong, serving in church and caring for people in the community are important, but our priority is first to our family. When I said a firm “goodbye” to the pressure to do more than what I am called to do right now, in this season, it freed me up and empowered me to take care of my family in peace and in love.

Dear friends, don’t allow the enemy or the comparisons to what other people are accomplishing diminish the value of loving and serving your family. When those things are in proper order, everything else flows from that place so beautifully. It’s world-changing stuff! I pray that right now, in this moment, your eyes would be opened to this revelation: what you do for your family is incredibly powerful, important, and eternal in nature. I would even go so far as to say that there is no higher calling than the ministry of home.

– Kristin Johnson

Harmony In The Home

How wonderful and pleasant it is
when brothers live together in harmony! For harmony is as precious as the anointing oil
that was poured over Aaron’s head… and there the Lord has pronounced his blessing.
– Psalms 133:1-3

The Lord commands a blessing, and when He does, it’s as good as done! No word from God is without the power to make that word happen. But it’s important to take notice of the place where the Lord pronounces a blessing. There is a certain position and disposition in which the blessing is given: it’s in a place of harmony, unity, and love.

Let’s focus on harmony in our home, among family. It is both precious and powerful! Harmony is something to be pursued and guarded. What is the harmony level in your home today? And here’s the bigger question: what are you going to do about it? You can’t make people get along with you, but you can take the initiative in pursuing harmony!

There is a fragrance to harmony that is strong, wonderful, and easy to detect – like the anointing oil that was poured on Aaron’s head and ran down his beard. It was visible to the eye and it was easy to discern because the strong fragrance could not be missed.   Just as love, unity, and harmony are easily discerned, so are the opposites: bitterness, anger, victim mentality, and offense. Bitterness also has an odor, and it stinks! I encourage you to pursue harmony in your family today, and may it bring a pleasing aroma that  shifts the atmosphere in your home!

– Pastor Kevin Berry

Prayer:  “Father, I will do my part to pursue harmony in my family relationships. I want to be in the position and disposition where you command a blessing on my life, my home, my family, and my future! Grant me wisdom and grace to love others the way you love me… to always pursue reconciliation and to guard harmony! Thank you, Amen!”

25 Keys to a Joyful and Lasting Marriage

(in no particular order)

One of the keys to our marriage has always been to realize that we’re not experts and that our way may not be best for others. In fact, over the years, we’ve been asked to do “Marriage Retreats” and other types of events, and I’ve replied (with a smirk), “one of the secrets to our marriage is not speaking at marriage retreats!”  So, this list is not comprehensive or authoritative, rather, just a quick, random, spontaneous list from Netta and me as we sat together in Florida celebrating 25 years of marriage… Enjoy!

  1. Smile every day—often!
  2. Talk (and listen) to God before you talk to each other.
  3. Buy good toilet paper, and roll it over-the-top.
  4. Fight for your ‘sabbath day’—and make it count.
  5. The last one out of bed makes the bed.
  6. Say ‘I love you’ as often as you can! Also, compliment each other. Use lots of eye-contact.
  7. Don’t discuss important things when you’re overly emotional (angry, sad, depressed, etc).
  8. Laugh … A LOT!
  9. Don’t compare or compete with each other—revel in your uniqueness!
  10. Honor one another. Never tease or embarrass the other beyond what’s kind.
  11. Live translucent not transparent. Yes, allow others to see inside but not every detail.
  12. Live amenable (even better than accountable).
  13. Follow God’s dreams rather than expecting Him to follow yours.
  14. Make love not war. (And everyone just went, “Oooooo!”)
  15. Discipline in unity—be on the same team.
  16. Be present (alert and responsive) not just around.
  17. Take time away from ‘everything’ together, and at times alone.
  18. Make sure God remains head of the home and marriage.
  19. Don’t make your spouse your only friend—do different things with different people.
  20. Live above reproach (opposite sex, computers, free time, interests, etc).
  21. In disagreements or decisions, avoid words like ‘always’ and ‘never.’
  22. Communicate LOVE the way your spouse needs it, not the way you want it.
  23. Raise your children as individuals—no two are the same. Enjoy their uniqueness!
  24. Seek wisdom from those who have lived it—not just from peers, blogs, and books.
  25. Don’t think you’re an expert … EVER. Avoid writing lists for the first 25 years!

I hope you’ve enjoyed this little random list. I’m confident that we left out some essential things that may have made you think, “what about this?” — we’re just happy that it’s got you thinking, laughing, and reading. We’re SO THANKFUL for our marriage!

Life, marriage, and family are all wonderful ADVENTURES, not just tedious chores or mindless routines! Your path is planned by God and is filled with unexpected blessings and opportunities. IF you avoid the ordinary, you’ll live the extraordinary! This is our prayer for our lives and YOURS!

God is NEVER done with us. We need to always be improving, changing and LOVING! His grace, wisdom, and amazing kindness have allowed us to be surrounded by our five wonderful children (Mariah Lyn-24, Courtney Ann-21, Zoe Love-16, Maximus Aslan-12, and Chase Truth-10). What a joy! What an ADVENTURE!

More IN Love than EVER,

Chilly and Netta

© 2017 Chilly Chilton Ministries

 

Help is Coming!

My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and the earth.
– Psalm 121:2

Think about this today: “My help comes…” Stop right there and hear this, HELP IS COMING! Your help is coming. Help is on the way. Take a sigh of relief you are not on your own—your help comes. Your help will not be standing off, just hoping you make it. Your help is in motion. Help is moving toward you right now! When you feel like it’s just too much, when you can’t figure out how this is going to work, when you get tired and feel weary… listen to the voice of the Holy Spirit today saying, “Help is coming!”

Now let’s go on.

It’s not just that help is coming; it’s the kind of help that’s a big deal. My help comes from the Lord! Oh, it is the Lord who is coming. It is the Lord who is watching over you. It is the Lord who is protecting you through this season. The Lord is near you. He is always near to the humble, to those that cry out for help. He is your ever-present help in times of trouble. Take heart, my friend, He sees you and He’s coming toward you!

Okay, now buckle your seatbelt and hold onto this: It is the Lord, who made heaven and the earth, that comes to help you today! He is the one who creates something out of nothing. With His words, He created the heavens and the earth. His words will always create. His words will always go out on a mission and they will accomplish their mission. Know this, my friend, the Lord is speaking over you today. He is speaking over the current circumstances of your life. He is speaking over your family and your business and ministry.

King David goes on to say in Psalm 121 that the Lord who watches over you:

  • does not slumber or sleep
  • stands beside you as your protector
  • will keep you from all harm
  • lovingly watches over you as you come and go… ALWAYS!

I pray for you today that peace will well up in your heart as you are assured that the Prince of Peace is coming to help you! This is Jesus, who died for you, was buried, and rose from the dead as the sacrifice for your sins. The one whom death could not keep in the grave is coming to help you!

Love and Prayers,
Kevin

Almost Undetected

Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes.
– Ephesians 4:23

I was outside with the family, roasting marshmallows by the fire, and making those very yummy s’mores. That’s when I saw it – a tick crawling up my arm! I flicked it in the fire and didn’t think much of it. But then Tanner found one on him. And Maraya found one on her. Yuck! Our fun by the fire ended early because of a small, almost undetected pest.

Over the years I’ve noticed something: marriages that started out fun, then somehow the fun and the fire ended early. Why? Often because of something small and almost undetected, at first anyway – the people’s thoughts and attitudes. When two people get married, they both bring a certain amount of unseen baggage. They both bring thought patterns and attitudes that have been shaped throughout their lives. All that is fine and wonderful until somebody’s buttons get pushed and then what was there all along comes out—a way of thinking or an attitude—and it’s not always a pleasant one.

If you want to get off the crazy train in your marriage, here’s a great place to start: take responsibility for your buttons! The fact is that you can’t control what happens to you, but you are in control of how you respond. Think about it, if you are in an argument and the phone rings, you stop the yelling for a moment and you answer the phone with a pleasant voice. How can you do that? Because you are in control of how you respond! You don’t get to choose what other people do, but you do get to choose what you do.

What is it that seems to push your buttons? Ask the Holy Spirit to help you see what the real issues are behind the issues that frustrate you the most. Ask the Holy Spirit to renew your thoughts and attitudes to reflect Him! I’ve found that the buttons people have come from two main sources.

  1. Hurts – How have you been hurt? Maybe some of you are like me; I didn’t think I had any hurts… but I did. The Holy Spirit helped me and healed me so I could do what is best to do with hurts from the past – leave them there.
  2. Ungodly beliefs – Beliefs that do not line up with the Word of God. Your belief system writes grooves in your brain and guides your heart and your actions. This is why we need the Holy Spirit to renew our thoughts and attitudes. Do you have any ungodly beliefs? Start the conversation with your spouse and talk about them.

I pray for you, my friend. May you determine today to work more on yourself than you do your marriage. May the Holy Spirit help you today by renewing your thoughts and attitudes. Yes, may this unseen area of your life be made new by the power of the Holy Spirit.

– Pastor Kevin Berry

Raising Kids As A Single Parent

“For there is hope for a tree when it is cut down, that it will sprout again, and its shoots will not fail. Though its roots grow old in the ground and its stump dies in the dry soil, at the scent of water it will flourish and put forth sprigs like a plant.”  

– Job 14:7-9

Maybe you think that life has cut you down like that tree. Possibly you feel like you are dying and withering away as a single parent. I am here to say to you today, “Don’t give up, don’t quit. One moment in the presence of God and one drop of His living water will change your life forever.” When you put your hope in Jesus, you will flourish as a single parent. He will help you live a life of purpose and meaning, focus, order, balance, and harmony.

Single parenting may seem hard. It’s non-stop and often goes unappreciated. It seems like we are stuck in this weird place between having a single life and having a family. I’m a provider, nurturer, and disciplinarian. Carrying out each of these roles—often simultaneously—seems overwhelming at times.

  1. When You’re feeling Overwhelmed the Lord says:
    “    But those who trust in the Lord for help will find their strength renewed. They will rise on wings like eagles; they will run and not get weary; they will walk and not grow weak.”  Isaiah 40:31
  2. When You’re Tired:
    “Come to me, all of you who are tired from carrying heavy loads, and I will give you rest.” Matthew 11:28
  3. When You Feel Alone:
    “The mountains and hills may crumble, but my love for you will never end; I will keep forever my promise of peace.’ So says the Lord who loves you.” Isaiah 54:10
  4. When You’re Worried about Money:
    “And with all his abundant wealth through Christ Jesus, my God will supply all your needs.” Philippians 4:19
  5. When You Need Wisdom:
    “Trust in the Lord with all your heart. Never rely on what you think you know. Remember the Lord in everything you do, and he will show you the right way.” Proverbs 3:5-6

Whether you are divorced or separated and the custodial parent*, or whether you are a widower, the challenges are very similar.

As a single dad, I realized early that my daughter and I were not as close as I thought. With the passing of her mother, I suddenly realized that there are things that I won’t be able to relate to because I am a man. Many men tend to take an “I Must Fix It” mentality in their lives and their relationships. We will listen long enough to identify the problem, and then we are off on to the solution. Our daughters usually don’t want us to fix their issues, they would rather we listen and try understanding them. Don’t go at it alone. Seek out a female mentor that can pour into your daughter’s life. For some dads, a grandmother, aunt, or other family member can take that role. Finding a strong and capable female role model is critical to your daughter’s success in growing up.

Keeping the lines of communication open requires time, patience, and a willingness to make it a priority.

  • Teach them to be problem solvers.
  • Don’t rescue or over-protect them.
  • If you overprotect, your daughter will either rebel or become dependent, and neither of those outcomes is a positive.
  • Take interest in what interests them … like shopping!

Single dads, I know it can be overwhelming to raise children alone, especially a daughter, but it can be done. And if you are sensitive to your daughter and invest the time into your relationship, you’ll find immense satisfaction in raising a great daughter. I thank God for the amazing children he has entrusted me with.
– Pastor Mark Russell

* Definition of Custodial Parent

A Marriage Check Up

Don’t drift along taking everything for granted. Give yourselves regular check ups.
– 2 Corinthians 13:5

Of course the Apostle Paul was talking about the wisdom of giving yourself a spiritual check up. There is also wisdom in giving your marriage a regular check up, too! We maintain so many things – our cars, lawn mowers, homes, and our own health, yet all too often the marriage and family get neglected. It’s not like we think they don’t matter, we are just so busy with other things. Do you know what happens when things don’t get maintained properly? They get messy.

Early in our marriage, I bought a used lawn mower that didn’t have an oil cap. Instead of investing in it and maintaining it properly, I just used a milk carton cap as the oil cap. It seemed my little band-aid worked until Renee was mowing the lawn one day. The milk cap came off and oil started shooting everywhere! It got real messy. If you don’t invest in and maintain your marriage, the same thing happens. Things will eventually explode.

What can you do to continue to invest in your marriage all year long?

  1. Ask the Lord for help.
    1. I know this sounds so simple and like such a no-brainer, but not asking the Lord for help has been the downfall of great kings and leaders throughout history.
    2. The Lord of Heaven’s Armies is a wonderful teacher, and He gives the farmer great wisdom (Isaiah 28:29).
    3. Want to know how to communicate better? How to endure hardship, how to be at peace, how to love when you don’t feel loved back? Just ask Him today.
  2. Be a Good-Finder. 
    1. Out of all we communicate in marriage, there is nothing more important than communicating all the good we see in each other. This one tip… this one nugget… has the power to transform any marriage.
    2. Make a list of all the good you see in your spouse and read it every day and night.
    3. When you find the treasure in your spouse, speak to it! That’s what Jesus did. People flocked to be around Jesus. Why? They felt celebrated, not tolerated.
  3. Make a habit of having fun together. Yes, attend church together, worship together. Also find something practical and fun that you can do together.
    1. Scripture declares that a merry heart does you good like a medicine, so laugh together… it will be good for you!
    2. Dr. George Adams found encouragement so vital to a person’s existence that he called it the oxygen to the soul. I think a good belly laugh with your spouse is the same.
– Pastor Kevin Berry

Created For Relationship

Have you ever heard the saying, “A dog is a man’s best friend?” Sure, dogs are great. You can tell them whatever you want and they don’t judge you. They never gripe about their health or how difficult their day was. And they are always there to greet you when you come home… complete with a wagging tail. However, if your dog is your best friend… it’s not good.

Adam enjoyed walking and talking with God in the cool of the garden. It sounds perfect! But even the Lord said it’s not good for man to be alone. What’s not good? How can it not be good when God and man were hanging out together? Well, we were created for relationship with each other and without that we are incomplete. The fact is that we have been wired by God for relationships.

It’s not about just “Jesus and me.” Sometimes we think when it comes to our spiritual growth all we need is Jesus, but that my friend, is just not true. Your spiritual growth has everything to do with the relationships with which you are surrounded – especially your family.

“Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.”  

– John 13:35

What proves that we really are followers of Jesus? The way we love each other! Just let that one soak in for a minute. Our love for the Lord is best seen in the context of our love for others. Our spiritual growth is seen best by the way we treat our families, co-workers, friends, and neighbors.

For God is not unjust. He will not forget how hard you have worked for Him and how you have shown your love to Him by caring for other believers, as you still do. Our great desire is that you will keep on loving others as long as life lasts, in order to make certain that what you hope for will come true. Then you will not become spiritually dull and indifferent. Instead, you will follow the example of those who are going to inherit God’s promises because of their faith and endurance.  

– Hebrews 6:10-12

Wow… God will not forget how we have shown our love for Him in the way we have cared for others! And did you catch that one of the keys to us not becoming spiritually dull has everything to do with us loving others as long as life lasts? Let’s start right at home, loving and caring for our families with a deep love.

Pastor Kevin Berry

Prayer:  “Father, thank you for creating me for relationships. I pray that my deep love for you will be evident in my deep love for others, starting with my family. I want to keep my spiritual edge sharp and not become spiritually dull, so I ask that you would grant me opportunities today to love and serve them. Thank you! Amen.”

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