Contacts
Info
Rev. Dr. Lonnie Richardson (Pastor Lonnie) Is the founding and senior pastor of Fox River Congregational Church in Pewaukee Wisconsin.
Episodes & Posts
Episodes
Posts
Transcribed
5 OCT 2026 · Prayer can have its own rhythm. Some seasons of prayer feel natural, joyful, and alive; others feel difficult, routine, or nearly absent. We often pray most fervently when life is hard. When a diagnosis comes, a job is threatened, a relationship is struggling, or the future is uncertain, prayer comes easily. But when the storm passes and life settles, our prayers can begin to fade.
Jesus offers a better way: make prayer a regular part of life, not something reserved for emergencies. In Matthew 6, Jesus says, “When you pray,” suggesting that prayer should become a natural rhythm for those who follow him. Set aside time for prayer, find a place to meet with God regularly, and, most importantly, tell God what is really going on. Prayer does not require polished words or formulas. Bring God your gratitude, questions, frustrations, fears, temptations, disappointments, and hopes.
Perhaps the greatest challenge to prayer comes when we are disappointed with God, when we have prayed earnestly, and life has not turned out as we hoped. In Luke 18, Jesus addresses that struggle with a simple encouragement: “Do not lose heart.” Prayer is not a guarantee that God will always give us the answer we want. It invites us to remain in relationship with God even when we do not understand what God is doing.
At its heart, prayer is a continuing conversation with someone who loves us. Like a parent who delights in hearing a child’s voice, God welcomes ours. So when prayer feels powerful, pray. When it feels ordinary, pray. And when it feels difficult, keep the conversation going. Don’t lose heart. Don’t give up on prayer.
Transcribed
2 OCT 2026 · The world around us is constantly changing. Technology, culture, and relationships evolve, and the challenges each generation faces can look very different. Yet, as the old song As Time Goes By reminds us, “the fundamental things apply.”
Every life needs a trustworthy reference point. Clocks need an accurate standard. Sailors need a fixed point for navigation. Musicians need a common note to tune their instruments. In much the same way, we need something reliable to orient our lives. For Christians, that reference point is Jesus Christ.
It is easy to begin “setting our watches” by the world around us—comparing our lives to others, measuring ourselves by success, possessions, careers, social media, or others’ expectations. Before long, we can lose sight of who we are and what truly matters.
The good news of the gospel is that our worth is not defined by what we accomplish, how much we possess, or even by our failures. Our identity is grounded in God's grace and love. Through Christ, we are invited to approach God not with fear or the need to prove ourselves, but with freedom and confidence.
When life becomes confusing, when our priorities fall out of sync, or when we simply lose our way, we can return to our reference point—Jesus Christ. As time goes by, the fundamental things still apply.
Transcribed
25 SEP 2026 · Few things test our faith more than waiting on God. We pray for healing, direction, reconciliation, relief, or an answer, yet God sometimes seems silent. Scripture reminds us that we are not alone in this experience. Abraham waited decades for God’s promise; Israel waited generations for freedom; Moses waited in the wilderness; and God’s people waited centuries for the Messiah. Again and again, the Bible calls us to “wait on the Lord.”
Waiting is not wasted time. What God does in us while we wait can be as important as what we are waiting for. Biblical waiting is not passive resignation; it is active, expectant trust that clings to God even when life does not unfold as we hoped. In the waiting, God develops perseverance, deepens our character, strengthens our faith, and teaches us hope.
When God makes us wait, we may not understand His timing, but we can choose to trust His faithfulness. And we hold onto the promise of Isaiah: “Those who wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength.” Sometimes the answer we seek takes longer than we want—but God can use the waiting itself to shape us into the people He is calling us to become.
Transcribed
15 SEP 2026 · As we dedicate Fox River’s new baptismal font, pulpit, and Communion table, we celebrate much more than beautiful new furnishings. Each represents something essential about who we are as followers of Christ.
The font reminds us that we belong to God and to a community of grace. The pulpit calls us to listen for God’s Word and allow it to shape our lives. The table extends Christ’s invitation to come, receive grace, and remember him.
Together they proclaim a simple message: Belong. Listen. Come. Go. We receive God’s grace, hear God’s Word, gather at Christ’s table, and then are sent into the world to love and serve.
As we dedicate these new furnishings, we also rededicate ourselves to what they represent, and pray that future generations will encounter the love and grace of Christ through the ministry of Fox River.
Transcribed
3 SEP 2026 · What prayer have you been praying that you fear God isn’t answering? Maybe you’ve prayed for healing, a relationship, a job, guidance, or for someone you love to change. You’ve prayed faithfully, yet nothing seems to be happening. Few things challenge our faith more than the mystery of unanswered prayer.
In this message, Pastor Lonnie explores a simple way to understand God’s answers. Ultimately, prayer is not simply about getting what we want; it is about learning to trust God for the answer. The greatest test of faith may come when we don’t get what we hoped for, yet can still say, “Thank You, Lord,” trusting that God may be protecting us from what we thought we wanted and blessing us with what we didn’t know we needed.
Transcribed
17 AUG 2026 · This sermon by Pastor Lonnie speaks to the disappointment and uncertainty we feel when life takes an unexpected turn. Jeremiah’s familiar promise, “For I know the plans I have for you,” was originally spoken to people living in exile, far from the life they expected. God did not promise them an immediate escape from their circumstances. Instead, God promised that He had not forgotten them and that their story was not over.
This sermon explores the gap between the life we imagined and the life we actually have, whether that involves career changes, relationships, family struggles, grief, aging, health concerns, retirement, or simply wondering, “Wasn’t I supposed to be somewhere else by now?” Jeremiah reminds us that a change in our plans does not mean the absence of God’s presence.
Rather than putting life on hold while waiting for circumstances to improve, we are invited to live faithfully in the present, trusting that God can work even in seasons we would never have chosen. Christian hope is not the promise that everything will turn out exactly as we want. It is the confidence that God will meet us wherever we are.
Transcribed
13 AUG 2026 · Every marriage begins with hope, joy, and dreams for the future, but every marriage also faces storms. Financial pressures, health concerns, busy schedules, raising children, caring for aging parents, disappointments, and unexpected hardships can strain even the strongest relationships. The question is not whether storms will come, but whether our marriages are built on a foundation strong enough to withstand them.
In this message from 1 Corinthians 13:4–8, 13, Pastor Lonnie explores one of the Bible’s most beloved passages, revealing that Paul’s words are about far more than weddings. They are God’s blueprint for everyday love, a love that chooses patience over frustration, kindness over criticism, forgiveness over scorekeeping, and faithfulness over giving up.
Whether you have been married for decades, are newly married, engaged, single, widowed, divorced, or simply hoping to marry someday, this message offers practical biblical wisdom for every relationship.
Transcribed
2 AUG 2026 · In this passage from Philippians 4:4–9, we learn that God’s answer to anxiety is not merely to “try harder” but to trust more deeply.
From a Roman prison, the Apostle Paul shows that joy is not determined by circumstances but by our relationship with Jesus Christ. He invites us to replace worry with prayer, cultivate gratitude even before answers arrive, and fill our minds with what is true, honorable, and worthy of praise. God’s promise is not a life without storms but His supernatural peace in the midst of them.
Pastor Lonnie's practical, hope-filled message reminds us that peace grows through daily spiritual practices of prayer, Scripture, gratitude, worship, and trusting God with what we cannot control. Whether you have walked with Christ for decades or are searching for peace in an anxious world, this sermon offers timeless encouragement: The Lord is near, and because He is near, we can face tomorrow with confidence rather than fear.
Transcribed
31 JUL 2026 · Pastor Lonnie’s message explores how unresolved hurts and minor offenses gradually erode relationships. It emphasizes that compassion asks, “What happened to this person?” rather than “What’s wrong with this person?” It also distinguishes forgiveness from reconciliation, noting that while forgiveness is a decision we can make today, rebuilding trust often takes time and requires the willing participation of both parties.
Ultimately, the cross is the model for every restored relationship. Through Christ, God reconciled us to Himself, and those who have received His forgiveness are called to extend it. We are challenged to take the first step toward healing by refusing to let resentment shape our future and by letting the peace of Christ rule our hearts.
Transcribed
31 JUL 2026 · Drawing on Ephesians 2:8-10, this message explores how purpose is found not in achievement but in God’s grace. Paul reminds us that salvation is God’s gift, freely given through faith, not earned by good works. Because grace comes first, we are free to serve God out of gratitude rather than striving to prove our worth.
The message highlights that every person is God’s workmanship and masterpiece, uniquely created with value and purpose, regardless of age, past mistakes, or life circumstances. God continues to shape us throughout our lives, inviting each of us to serve faithfully with our gifts.
Rather than viewing purpose as a single dramatic calling, the message emphasizes that God’s purpose is often lived out in ordinary acts of love, kindness, service, encouragement, and faithfulness. Just as healthy trees naturally bear fruit, we naturally produce good works because we have been transformed by God’s grace.
The message concludes by encouraging every generation to embrace their place in God’s Kingdom, reminding us that purpose begins with receiving God’s love and continues through daily acts of faithful service to others. Every act of service, no matter how small, becomes part of God’s greater story.
Rev. Dr. Lonnie Richardson (Pastor Lonnie) Is the founding and senior pastor of Fox River Congregational Church in Pewaukee Wisconsin.
Information
| Author | Rev. Dr. Lonnie Richardson |
| Organization | Rev. Dr. Lonnie Richardson |
| Categories | Religion & Spirituality |
| Website | - |
| lonnie@wi.rr.com |
Copyright 2026 - Spreaker Inc. an iHeartMedia Company
