The Village Blog

How To Handle The Stress

Sometimes stress can make you feel overwhelmed and you wonder, “How can I handle all this stress?” The answer is, you don’t have to. God is bigger than your stress, and He is ready, waiting, and more than capable to help you carry your burdens. Stress-Free Trivia Break Now, here are some fun trivia questions, let’s see if you can guess the right answers. What is the estimated weight of planet earth in tons? A. 6 Billion Tons B. 6 Trillion Tons C. 6 Quintrillion Tons D. 6 Sextillion tons If you guessed the letter D, you are correct. Here’s what it looks like as a number: 6,000,000,000,000,000,000,000. That’s 21 zeroes! And we still need to times it by 2,000 lbs which equals 1 ton. My calculator won’t compute that number because it’s too big. Now, just for fun, what’s holding up planet earth? Gravity. Who created gravity? No, it’s not Isaac Newton, he just more or less discovered how it works. Did you know the earth is tilted at exactly 23 degrees? Any more or less and our seasons would be lost in a melted polar flood. And finally, did you know the earth revolves at a rate of just over 1,000 miles per hour or 25,000 miles per day, 9,000,000,000 miles per year? Nothing Is Bigger Than God So, if God can suspend the weight of planet earth in the universe, keep it perfectly tilted, and keep it rotating at a consistent speed, do you think he might be able to help you with the stress you are currently facing? Do you think he might be the answer to guide you on what to do next? The next time you think, “How can I handle all this stress”, remember: He knows you, He created you, and He loves you more than you can imagine. Give him some room to work in your life. He knows how to help. You just need to ask, then be quiet and allow Him to work. Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. -1 Peter 5:7 Get to know God by reading His Word. An easy way to do that is to use YouVersion Bible App. You’re Invited To Be Part Of A Community Of Believers Being connected to a community of believers will help lift you up and encourage you wherever you may be. There are options to do this: In-Person Church RSVP For Sunday Morning – Minooka Campus RSVP For Sunday Morning – Seneca Campus Experience The Village Live Online The Village Live Facebook YouTube Share Your Story Your Story Matters Connect In A Lifegroup Find Your Group Choose what you’re comfortable with right now. Start there. We are here to encourage you!

March 8, 2021

Stress Buster

Stress. Does just reading that word make your blood pressure go up a bit? Life is hard, you’re being pulled in different directions – work, family, finances, parenting, marriage, house, maybe an illness, a loss, and the list goes on and on. The enemy wants you to be stressed. It can be overwhelming and just really hard. Sometimes you just don’t know where to turn or what to do next. Do you know that God doesn’t want you to feel stressed, anxious, or overwhelmed? He does not promise that you will never have trouble or stress, in fact, he does tell us that we all will have trouble and stress: I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world. John 16:33 The good news is that He is available to help you get through it. He is ready to take over that stress for you. OK – Tell Me How Two words – The Bible. I love how the Bible has so much encouragement in it! Did you know the Bible is one way that God communicates with you? I know sometimes it can be confusing and hard to understand, but if you take the time to dive into it a bit, it has so much good stuff. It’s a source of truth and God always provides the right encouragement at just the right time. Today I want to provide some encouraging verses when the stress is high and you’re just not sure what to do next. You can grab a hard copy, go online, or use an app like the YouVersion Bible App. Try looking at the verses in different translations which can help in understanding. It’s easy to do this in the YouVersion app at the top next to the verse. Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. James 1:2-4 I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid. John 14:27 Commit to the LORD whatever you do, and he will establish your plans. Proverbs 16:3 And when I was burdened with worries, you comforted me and made me feel secure. Psalm 94:19 Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Matthew 11:28 Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Philippians 4:6 And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them. Romans 8:28 As pressure and stress bear down on me, I find joy in your commands. Psalm 119:143 What’s Next? So you read this blog, read the verses, and then you move on with life. Now I want to encourage you to STOP. ? Read the verse. Then read it again. Take a few minutes to think about it. Take a few minutes to pray, tell God what’s on your heart, and ask for guidance. Then read the verse again. Write it down or make a note in your phone to have that visual reminder. God is here. He is present and ready to take over that stress. Now release it to Him. FOLLOW US: Facebook facebook.com/thevillagechristianchurch Instagram instagram.com/villagechristianchurch/ YouTube youtube.com/c/TheVillageChristianChurch

February 26, 2021

A Life Changing Invite

In The Beginning… “I hate going to church.” That is what I told myself for the majority of my life. I grew up on the south side of Chicago in an Italian/Irish neighborhood. Firemen, policeman, mechanics and all sorts of blue collar workers. I grew up in a traditional Catholic community and I went to Catholic grade school, Queen of the Universe. Before my parents got divorced I was set to go to Marist Catholic High School. I did the CCD classes, the first communion classes and went to church every Sunday. For the life of me, I can’t remember one thing I learned about Jesus during that time. The only thing I remember about those days is the kneeling. I didn’t like the kneeling. Now this isn’t a blog about how bad the Catholic Church is, this is just my recollections on my childhood and these memories are probably fuzzy. When I got to college, I stopped going to church. I “didn’t have time” and I had “better things to do”. Also, I remembered how I didn’t like the kneeling. I stopped going to church from age 18 to age 40. Twenty two years of not having a relationship with Jesus. When I was going thru the darkest times in my life, I didn’t have Jesus. Let me correct that, looking back at that time Jesus was with me, I just ignored him. Then Came The Invite… Then one day, Jesus showed up in the form of an invite to The Village Christian Church. At first, I didn’t want to go (see above reasons/excuses) but my ex-wife insisted we try the church. She had already visited after an invite from a neighbor and she begged me to go with her. To say I was hesitant is an understatement. I agreed to go and she gave me a few “warnings”. She said it is loud like a rock concert and it is in a gym in a junior high school. None of these comments did anything to sell me on going. But I went. And my life was changed. I walked into that school and was immediately greeted by numerous people. Everyone was welcoming. I was shocked because at my old church, everyone just walked in and out without really talking. I went into the gym and was immediately hit with worship music. For me, that was all I needed. I immediately connected. I remember looking around and seeing people in shorts, wearing baseball hats. Again, not something you see in my old church. I remember Nate’s message to this day. It was about Jesus knocking at your door and how he is trying to form a relationship with you. I felt like Nate, the Lead Pastor, was speaking to me directly. From that moment on I was hooked. I learned more about Jesus on that Sunday than my entire childhood. Life-Changing Experience The music, the message and the people. All of these things I never experienced before. I got baptized, joined lifegroups and volunteered as much as I could. I don’t know what my life would be like if I didn’t get that invite or if my wife didn’t get her invite. Today I say “I love going to church”. I look forward to going on Sunday. Playing in the worship band is life giving to me. I even organize vacations and social events around Sundays. I don’t want to miss a single Sunday. So, I urge each and every one of you, please go out and invite people. You may end up changing someone’s life. You have choices when it comes to how to experience church – The Village LIVE, the Online Campus or in-person at the Minooka Campus or the Seneca Campus opening February 21, 2021. Then Jesus told them this parable: “Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Doesn’t he leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it? And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep. – Luke 15 3-7

February 5, 2021

God Is Present And At Work

Today we are thanking God. In the midst of a pandemic and national unrest, a time unlike no other, He has done so much. God is working in the midst of the chaos and we are thankful to be part of the solution. We are thankful for such an incredible God. He is present in our world today. He is working in our world today. We wanted to share a snapshot of what God did in 2020 to provide encouragement and hope. 2020 started with a bang! We had big plans and were reaching 700 people per week in person + 100 people online. Then COVID-19 hit and everything changed, but God did show up in amazing ways! Thanking God For Online Options We were planning to launch The Village LIVE Online Campus in the summer. Man plans, God laughs! The pandemic changed our timeline and in March, without time to prepare, we went all online. In the summer we started to slowly add in-person services while seeing the online presence grow. By late fall, we were reaching 500 people in person (safely distanced) and over 500 people online weekly. Online guests came from all over the U.S. and we even went international to Canada, Africa, India, and Austria. In 2020 the focus was on the word “Solution”. Rather than complain (even though we had our moments) about what we couldn’t do because of the pandemic, we focused on solutions to what we could do and how we could reach people where they were. The Village LIVE Online Campus, digital Lifegroups and Rooted sessions, and leader meetings via Zoom were a few of those solutions. We are so thankful to each of you – our church family – for your flexibility and willingness to try innovative ways to connect. Going Old School One of the ways we connected was to go “old school” and pick up the phone. We spent time calling people and just talking. During those personal phone calls, we asked, “How are you doing? How can we pray for you?” In our normal busy life, that probably would not have happened. Not being face to face reminded us of the value of human interaction. In 2020 we announced that The Village was expanding into Seneca. The pandemic delayed those plans, but now the Seneca Campus is scheduled to open February 2021. God has shown us that in the future we can have more physical locations, which paired with the online efforts provides unlimited opportunities to connect with people who do not have a personal relationship with Jesus. God Is Ready To Use You The Village is no longer one church in one location. We are one church with multiple campuses and unlimited potential. We can’t wait to see how God uses you to be the church to others who don’t know Jesus in the future! Please pray with us for how God will use you and His Church to reach more people (Life Change), connect and grow them into disciples (Life Growth), who serve and live out His Purpose (Life Purpose) in this world. Every one of you is special and God has a plan for you! Step into it and be greater than last year! Check out the Annual Report…

January 14, 2021

Having Faith Is Key

If you have no faith in the future, you have no power in the present. Having faith is key to living a full life, the life God intended you to have. Have you ever looked at a new year and been excited? Have you ever felt extremely nervous because you didn’t know how it was going to go? Maybe you experienced both excitement and nervousness at the same time. Thinking about the future offers so many opportunities. I’m completely experiencing both emotions as we begin 2021. It couldn’t be a more exciting time at The Village with so much potential for the future. We are launching a new campus in Seneca, experiencing exponential growth with the Online Campus, and seeing incredible things happen at the Minooka Campus! It’s so much fun to see God working in all three areas and it’s more than we can keep up with! My friend gave the perfect metaphor this week….it’s like changing a tire on your car while driving 25 miles per hour ? Sometimes life goes that way, right? God is providing so many opportunities that you’re not sure what to do next. It requires faith. Faith is having complete trust in someone or something, in this case, that complete trust is with God. He wants to have a personal relationship with you. He wants you to have 100% trust and confidence – to have faith in HIm. My non-negotiable in rapid seasons of growth is my time with God at 7:30 am. It’s an appointment that cannot be missed. Without it, I’m a wreck. I use this time to focus on my faith, my complete trust in Him. My devotion the other day was, For whoever has been born of God overcomes the world; and this is the victory that has overcome the world: our faith. 1 John 5:4 (NASB) The challenge after the verse was simple… If you have no faith in the future, you have no power in the present. Faith is the victory! God has the future in His capable hands, not mine. I don’t know what God has in store in 2021, but I’m thankful that He is in control. I’m thankful that even when I’m overwhelmed and feel so nervous I almost get sick, He is in control. I can place my trust in myself, other people, other things. Or I can place my trust in Him and the future He has in store. I have faith in God and what he can and will do. Do you?

January 13, 2021

A Simple Guide To Surviving Loneliness

Loneliness is a real feeling, especially in the times we’re in. The pandemic is resulting in isolation and feelings of loneliness that are difficult. We’re told to social distance and stay home to keep our family and loved ones safe. The struggle is real and today we want to encourage you with ways you can survive, and even thrive, through loneliness. Start Each Day With A Positive Attitude How you start your day determines how it’s going to go. If you wake up determined to be positive and have a good attitude, then your mind is more likely to follow. My mother-in-law is in her 80’s and lives alone. It’s a situation that can definitely lead to loneliness, but we’ve set up a system where we check in every single day to remind her that she’s not alone. We’ve been doing it for over a year so far and haven’t missed one day. Each morning, usually around 6:30 am when she wakes up she sends me a text. They make me smile every time and I wanted to share just a few… Good Monday morning–you are my sunshine 🙂 All together now, let’s sing “good morning to you” la-la-lah… Catch the sun while you can! Why did Johnny Appleseed cross the road? (Are you ready for this?) To get to the other cider (O groan up) 🙂 So here’s the thing…I’m ok if you want to steal the morning text idea. If it helps you or someone else, go for it! Think of someone – a friend, a relative, a child…and start each day with a positive text. It’s a way to connect, a way to smile, and a way to get your mind in a positive place. Start Each Day With Jesus You can have peace, in fact, that is what God wants for you. He doesn’t want you to feel lonely…ever. God promises you peace if you trust Him. One way to trust is to be reminded daily that you are not alone and you are loved. One way to remind yourself of that is to focus on truth and spend uninterrupted time with Jesus. Find a quiet place. If that’s a challenge for you because you have a houseful, think about a closet or maybe a bathroom. Seriously, whatever works! People with their minds set on you, you keep completely whole, Steady on their feet, because they keep at it and don’t quit. Depend on God and keep at it because in the Lord God you have a sure thing. – Isaiah 26:3-4 (MSG) This doesn’t mean you’re not going to have trouble, because the Bible tells us that we will have troubles. However, if you remain close to Him you will get through it. Here are some ways to remain close to Jesus: Pray, which is really just honestly talking to Him as a friend. Take time to be quiet as you pray so you can hear His response. Read the Bible. If you don’t have a hard copy, access it online. Work through a devotion or YouVersion Bible App reading plan. There are plans specifically about loneliness. The First Step Is To Start Sometimes the hardest part is to get started. Today I encourage you to take that step, right now. If you take the time, God will definitely work.

December 18, 2020

When Life Is Hard Choose Joy

How do you deal with challenges? When life is hard, it is so tempting to just give into worry, discouragement, or fear. Did you know that you don’t have to be miserable even when you are going through tough circumstances? You can choose something else. It’s so easy to get wrapped up in the things of this world, to get busy, distracted, and you miss what matters. Today I want to encourage you to take a breath, sit still, and focus on the bigger picture. Here are some reminders of truths to focus on. Choose Joy! This is the day the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it. (Psalm 118:24) I am fortunate to have many wonderful mentors in my life. My mentor in prayer is our Prayer Pastor, Lilye Sease. When I pray with Lilye I learn so much and it encourages me. I encourage you to find a mentor that can teach and encourage you. One of the things Lilye often says in prayer is the verse above…”this is the day that Lord has made, let us REJOICE and be glad in it.” Joy is not based on circumstance and it’s different than happiness. Happiness is based on what happens (I get a Christmas gift I like, I’m happy). Joy is more elusive. It’s that internal feeling that says your life is ok, you’re at peace, and therefore you have joy. I wake up every day and can quickly lean towards worry. Can you relate? You may feel hopeless, discouraged, unsatisfied, disappointed, and/or scared. Especially in these days of the COVID-19 pandemic, there is worry and fear about getting through all of this. The Bible teaches me, and my mentor has reinforced in me, a different approach. God made this day. There’s opportunity all around me to do good. And I need to CHOOSE JOY in the midst of it all. Regardless of the circumstance…if I choose JOY, I handle things better and I make others around me better. If I choose worry/discouragement/fear…I don’t handle things well and I drag others down. Jesus can be your source of strength. Jesus can be your sense of hope. Today I encourage you to focus on that truth because only in Christ will you ever be fully and finally satisfied. Only in Christ will you be able to find that true joy. Be reminded to have courage and choose JOY today! This is the day the Lord has made, let US (all of us) REJOICE and be glad in it.

December 7, 2020

Be Thankful In The Challenging Times

Do you ever wonder how to be thankful when you’re going through some challenges? These days of COVID-19 have made this year a big challenge. So many people are dealing with hard times and there is uncertainty on what this virus will do next. This blog will share ideas about being thankful. Count Your Blessings The picture was a drawing made by my son, but it has so much more significance than just colorful artwork done by a child. This particular Thanksgiving, my son Evan had been through 11 months of cancer treatment. After being home bound, he had just returned back to school and this was one of the first art projects he brought home. Now I remember that day, being so thankful for a child that was able to go to school. I was thankful that he finally had enough of an immune system to be around other kids. I was thankful that he was healthy enough to get through an entire day of school. In the previous year these were things I took for granted, and now I felt so thankful for them. As I look at this picture today I realize I could use a recalibration of my perspective on gratitude. Thanksgiving is a perfect day to hit the reset button! Choose Gratitude Over Complacency I think of the Israelites. Hungry in the desert. They had no idea what the future would hold but they were trusting God for provision. He sent down manna. Literal provision from the sky everyday. They lived with such awe and gratitude of such a simple thing provided by God. As the days piled up, they started to become complacent and even complained about the manna. The thing they were so thankful for had now become insignificant. They wanted more. They wanted meat. If you finish the story you see that God did eventually give them what they wanted, only to prove to them it would not make them happy, on the contrary, it caused misery. So I ask you, as I search my own heart today; where have you begun to take advantage of God’s blessings in your life? If we focus on “getting more” we will never feel fulfilled, but if we focus on God and thank Him for all He’s done, we will have indescribable joy. I can’t even explain it to you, but during Evan’s cancer treatment I experienced the most joy I’ve ever felt. Not because my circumstances were good. That’s for sure; but because I spent more time being aware of my need and dependency on God. “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with THANKSGIVING, present your requests to God.” – Philippians 4:6 Related Who Are You Thankful To?

November 24, 2020

What Is Discipleship?

Are You A Spectator? I am passionate about Discipleship, but there was a time I didn’t know what discipleship was, what it meant or what it had to do with me. Unfortunately, I spent a lot of my life as a fan in the stands of Christianity. I thought Christianity was a spectator sport. I showed up to the game, followed the program, and then left and went about my business. What exactly is Discipleship? A Disciple is a follower of Jesus, who helps others to find and follow Jesus. And the whole process keeps repeating. We want to populate the world with Disciples of Jesus! In one of Nate’s recent messages he asked, “What are we in the business of?” and “How is business?” I am now in the Discipleship business! At The Village, we want to provide opportunities for you to grow, be equipped and encouraged and learn to operate in your gifts and strengths to disciple others well. Our heart is to create Disciples of Jesus as opposed to converts. A convert to Christianity has made a change to their religious belief but a disciple has a changed heart, a relationship with Jesus and participates personally in advancing the Kingdom of God. A disciple understands that Christianity isn’t a spectator sport. Jesus said “I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you.” Matthew 28:18-20. Follow Jesus With A Changed Heart As followers, we show people Jesus with our love, words, and actions, and we must make sure that we take the time to teach them how to follow Him. Jesus walked with His disciples most of the day, each day for years. Now, most of us don’t have this opportunity outside of our home relationships (which are the perfect place to start) but He provided us with a great model. “(1) Jesus did it and the disciples watched; (2) Jesus did it and the disciples helped; (3) The disciples did it and Jesus coached and encouraged; (4)The disciples did it and Jesus left.” [1] Jesus was super intentional with the time He spent with His disciples. It was loving, it was purposeful, and it was exponential. Then, He released them to go and do the same. To learn more about discipleship email Sarah O’Sullivan. [1] A Discipleship Journey by David Buehring, pg. 256

October 13, 2020

A Great Story About Baptism

It’s All About The Opportunity In this blog I’ll talk about baptism and the opportunity for life change. Did you like playing in puddles of water when you were a kid? It was an opportunity to have fun and splash around, but most likely, you didn’t have dry clothes to change into. Did that stop you? My guess is the answer is no because you were focused on the goal of having fun so it didn’t matter. The opportunity presented itself, and you grabbed it. You didn’t wait, you didn’t make excuses…you just took action. Opportunities don’t often present themselves at the perfect time. In fact, they may come up when you’re not prepared or when it’s not convenient. Easily one of the best parts about what I do is getting to watch people respond to the opportunity of a life-changing call of God and make the decision for baptism. And guess what…it usually doesn’t happen during a Sunday morning service. One Day This Happened One day I drove into church and my friend Tim drove in right behind me. I got out of the car and said hello. Tim replied and said he wanted to be baptized, RIGHT NOW! He’d been out on a walk that morning and felt this strong leading to commit his life to Christ and make the decision for baptism. Tim felt a sense of urgency and wanted to take action that day. So, he drove directly to church and was ready to be baptized right then and there. By the way…he’d been thinking about it for a very long time. He would think about baptism, but then life and distractions would happen. This time he wasn’t going to wait until Sunday or even another hour once he made up his mind. He didn’t bring clothes to change into and our baptistery wasn’t set up. It would have taken at least an hour to set it up and fill it with water. Tim was not going to wait. So…we drove to my house and I baptized him in our pool! It was amazing! Afterwards he drove home in soaking wet clothes, but it didn’t matter to him. He was so focused on the opportunity to commit his life to Christ that the wet clothes didn’t matter. Baptism is Open To You Did you know baptism is open to you? It doesn’t matter what your past is, it only matters that you are ready to move forward into a relationship with Christ. You can experience life change. It’s what God wants for you. Has God been tugging at your heart to make the decision of baptism? Why wait? God has your best interests at heart and He has a plan for you, but you have to take the first step of baptism. Make the decision right now. Make a commitment to Christ, no more excuses, no more putting this off. Say yes today. Learn more about Baptism, or if you’re ready email nate@thevillagechristianchurch.com. Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight. – Proverbs 3:5-6

October 5, 2020

Stuck In A Rut

Have you ever felt stuck in a rut? If you’ve had that feeling when your life has become boring, stale, and monotonous, you’re stuck in a rut. This happens when we do the same thing over and over again, which some may call a habit. In fact, the definition of a habit is an acquired behavior pattern regularly followed until it has become almost involuntary. Habits become lifestyle. Have you ever heard of the 21/90 rule as it relates to our habits? The 21/90 rule states that it takes 21 days to form a habit and 90 days to make it a permanent lifestyle change. This is a true for good habits and bad habits! Most people want to develop good habits. Habits like getting enough sleep, getting up to get to work on time, exercising and eating healthy. In March our country was locked down due to Covid-19 and life changed. There were feeling of depression, anxiety, and fear. Many of our good habits were thrown out the window and replaced by not so good habits. Some people have become stuck in a rut and are having difficulty getting back to their good habits. Can you relate? What Is Essential? May I press in a little here? Did you go to the grocery story this week? Did you go to a Big Box store (Walmart/Target/Home Depot/Menards) this week? If you answered yes to the questions above, may I ask one more? Did you connect at church this week, online or in person? Are you going to connect in a Lifegroup this fall, online or in person? Those are habits – good habits. Being with other people, safely of course, is good for your mental health. God wants you to be with people. Connecting in a Lifegroup provides the opportunity for you to connect with Godly people, which will encourage and support you. This is critical especially in challenging times. Your relationship with God IS “ESSENTIAL” You need to make sure you are in the habit of giving priority to your relationship with God. Much the same way you are in the habit of making sure you have the food and supplies you need for each week. We are honored to provide online and in person opportunities for you to connect and give that priority to God. And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching. (Hebrews 10:24-25) Please make your habits of connecting with other believers a lifestyle for the next 21/90 days. You won’t regret making this decision to go from habit to lifestyle.

September 15, 2020

Choices Create A Ripple Effect

The choices we make in this life have a ripple effect. Each drop creates an initial little wave in the lives of those closest to us. If you choose to go on a diet, how does it affect your family? Are their eating habits changed because you are preparing the food? Is all the junk food still in the fridge and cabinet, or did it get thrown out to make it easier to resist temptation? A second ripple…. So, now that you are eating healthier, what if you begin to exercise? Will that change anything at home? What about with your friends? When someone close to me makes positive changes with health and diet, I start paying attention. I want the same results that they are getting! I want to look better and feel better also. They have a boost in appearance and confidence that I want to experience as well. The First Drop What if the 1st drop was choosing to lead a Lifegroup or to join one? What would the ripples of that choice look like? How far reaching could it be? If you were to start or attend group and meet weekly, studying the Word together, speaking truth in each other’s lives, sharing joy and pain, triumphs and setbacks, would you see the glow of growth on the faces of those around you? Would people begin to wonder what has changed in your life? Would they want to experience what you have? If positive life change is taking place in the lives of your Lifegroup, it will be noticed and it should be. Luke 11:33 says, “No one lights a lamp and puts it in a place where it will be hidden, or under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, so that those who come in may see the light. The following ripples take place as we go about our everyday lives. Each member of the group will encounter countless others on a regular basis and shine the light of the Lord working in them. Let your words and actions reflect the One Who Saved You. Let the ripples of His love work in you, through you and be endless. Your choices matter. Find a group that works for you…

September 9, 2020

5 Reasons To Invest In Your Marriage

Do you invest in your marriage? When you hear the word invest, most people think about money. Investing money for the future is a good idea, but what do you invest in your marriage? Where do you see your marriage going 20 years from now? Are you going to have a partner for life, or a roommate you barely know? I think most people agree that when you get married, you hope to stay that way, but have you asked yourself why? Here are some reasons to think about. It’s Biblical First and foremost, God created everything, including marriage. Genesis 2:24 says: That is why a man leaves his father and mother and is united to his wife, and they become one flesh. God also tells us how we are supposed to treat each other as husband and wife in Ephesians 5:33: However, each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband. There are many more examples related to marriage that you can find in the Bible, but the point is, God literally tells us how to make marriage work. He wants you to invest in your marriage. He created marriage for us to have companionship and joy in our spouse’s company. Read Song of Songs if you don’t believe me. Till Death Do We Part When you get married you make a promise to your spouse before God. It’s a long-term commitment. Kids, jobs, houses, busyness. Through all of it, the goal is to stay married because you promised to grow old together. You want to know and like the person you marry. Your spouse will be there when the kids grow up and move out, when you retire, and when you move into a smaller home for just the two of you to slow down and enjoy life. Be the Example If you have kids, you know they are sponges. They see and hear more than you think. Show them what a marriage is supposed to look like. Give them the benefit of a good example for their future. Set boundaries. While you make sure your kids know they are loved, make sure they also know your spouse is who you will be with after they grow up and move out and find spouses of their own. Same Team If you’ve ever played sports, you have heard the saying, “There’s no I in TEAM.” In order for any team to be successful the players need to participate, work together and encourage each other. You have each other’s back and stand up for each other. You each have a part to play and a responsibility to each other and you can rely on each other. In Good Times and Bad Life is hard sometimes. There will be disappointments, sickness, hardship and curve balls. You have each other to lean on for support. Don’t forget you have someone to celebrate the good times with too. Through the good times and the bad, your relationship can grow and mature right along with you. Investing in your marriage means that you will always have someone to honor God with, grow old with, teach your children with, do life with and laugh and cry with. Marriage is a blessing from God, so treat it like a gift that you cherish.

August 18, 2020

Manual For Life, The Bible

The Myth I saw a quote that said “There is no manual for life. We all muddle on and hope for the best. So always follow your heart. It is your best guide.” I won’t cite the person who stated this, but when I read it I thought what terrible, untrue advice. However, I do feel like much of the world operates from a place of this belief. This disregard for God as the Creator and Ruler of all of creation is very evident in 2020. I want to start by debunking this idea and pointing out, there absolutely is a manual for life, the Bible. It is actual written words, inspired by God, to help guide us in every area of life. There is literally nothing He left out, parenting, marriage, sin, forgiveness, grace, sex, family, money, giving, humility, pride, self-control…..I could go on but if you haven’t already, you should read it for yourself. It is, by definition, literally, a manual for life. Now to address the second falsehood, “muddle through, hope for the best, and trust your heart because it is your best guide?” That is the opposite of what the Gospel stands for. Jesus died to give us forgiveness, hope, and eternal life. We don’t have to hope and guess. Our salvation is secure in Him. The Bible clearly states in Acts 1:5 and John 14:16 that Jesus died and left the Holy Spirit within us to lead, comfort and guide us. We don’t have to “muddle” through on our own and thank goodness we don’t have to rely on our weary heart to be our guide. The Challenge My husband and my best friend both set out to read the entire bible through in a year. I didn’t want to be left out, so I jumped on the bible reading bandwagon with them. In the past, I have attempted to read through the bible, starting in Genesis, several times and I always get stuck and fizzle out somewhere near Numbers or Deuteronomy. I have read most books of the bible at some point, just not in a succinct, chronological order. Now, I’m happy to say I am currently ⅓ of the way through the bible, and loving my time reading. The difference this time is I’m using a good reading plan called The Bible Recap. There’s also a podcast to go with the reading where the host explains what you read for the day. This has been extremely helpful because, we can all agree the old testament can be very confusing. What I like the most about this podcast host is, at the end of each podcast she says, “Where is your God shot today?” She is asking where do you see God’s character in this scripture? This has been monumental in growing my relationship with God. I’m not just reading the bible as a story, I’m reading as a way to spend time with God, to know who He is, and how He works. And I’m applying what I read as a manual for life. This type of connection has bent my heart in the best way possible. True Joy I find myself excited to wake up every morning to read and see what happens next and find out why God did what He did in the stories I have grown up hearing. When I first started, I really needed the host to point things out for me. I needed her to explain why God would or would not accept certain behaviors or attitudes. But now I’ve found myself seeing it for myself as I read. It made me so happy, true joy, the other day when I realized the reason I could understand this on my own was because my relationship with God was growing and getting stronger. I usually wake up early, before the kids, and sit quietly in my front room to read and pray. One morning as I was getting settled in with a hot cup of fresh coffee, I paused. I had a vision and I had this warmth, comfort, peace, and joy about me. I realized it came because I knew I was about to enter into a space with God. The Vision My vision was of me, in the ocean. I pictured my life in the past, and I was sitting in a small boat on the big beautiful ocean. The bible would represent the ocean. If I just sat quietly and watched and waited, I would see things in the water. Maybe a school of fish would swim by, a dolphin would jump, or maybe even the dorsal fin of a shark. What wonders lie beneath would catch my attention. I would then drop a fishing pole in the water and pull out an amazing looking fish. Maybe a bluefin tuna, or a marlin. It would remind me of the many times I would open my bible to a specific verse or story to study or find comfort, or direction. Now, as I sit in the stillness or the early morning, I know WHO God is not just what He has done. I feel that I am scuba diving now, under the water and I can see everything in its entirety. I see everything working and living together to create one big community, one big story and it makes me love God even more. He created me with intention and He wants to know me. I am moved by such a truth. My favorite part about this vision was that when I was below the water, looking at all of the beautiful things that were living below the surface, it was silent. When you are underwater or scuba diving you cannot hear the sounds above the surface. God Is In Control I don’t know about you but I am exhausted by the noise and opinions of everyone in 2020. You don’t have to go far to be inundated with information. Between social media, the news

August 4, 2020

How To Study The Bible

Why Do I Need To Study the Bible? I find that it is important to have a goal for new endeavors. I find it helpful to understand the “why”. The goal for studying the Bible is to develop a close relationship with Jesus. To learn about God, His character, His will for our lives and His ways. We want to hear from God and understand how He made us, what His plan for our life is and what He wants us to know. We need to understand God’s heart so we can respond from our heart. The Bible is the story of God with us. It is 66 books by 40 authors and focuses on God’s plan to reconcile us, in our brokenness, back to Himself through Jesus. The Old Testament points toward the coming of Jesus. The Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke and John) provide us with accounts of Jesus’s life from 4 unique perspectives. Acts shows us how the Christian church began. The Epistles (letters written to the new churches) are instructions containing necessary insights to living a life that honors God, following Jesus and potential pitfalls to watch out for. Where Do I Start? I definitely recommend starting in the gospels (the first 4 books of the New Testament). If we want to develop a close relationship with Jesus and model our life after His, we need to know what His life looked like. We should know what was important to Him, who He spent time with, how He responded to the world and people around Him and what He taught. The Gospels all tell the story of Jesus’s life. Just like you and I, the authors were different and experienced interactions with Jesus with different perspectives. Some stories are recounted by all of them, some stories were only told by 1 or 2 of them. Reading them all, gives you a bigger, broader picture of Jesus’s life. Next, I would read the Epistles. These are letters written by apostles and siblings of Jesus to the churches that were forming all over. They are filled with truth and encouragement for the churches in areas that were living and loving well. There was also valuable personal testimony of what God was doing in various places and how the message of Jesus was expanding. The letters gave advice for avoiding painful consequences and discipline when necessary for redirection, growth and living a life that glorified God. These letters are so applicable to life today! A great tool for studying the Bible is the YouVersion Bible App. You can download it free to your smart device and have the Bible with you wherever you go. What Do I Do With What I Read? As we begin to study the Bible, we want to understand what we are reading so we can apply it to our life, exactly where we are today. For the word of God (the Bible) is alive and active. – Hebrews 4:12 All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. – 2 Timothy 3:16-17 We don’t want to just know what the Bible says, we want to live it! Grab a journal and as you read, answer these questions (taken from the Rooted study) about the scripture you are reading, What does it say? (Paraphrase it, using your own words) What does it mean? (How does this impact you today?) What am I going to do? (What specific application will you make today?) This is a super simple but highly effective method to making the most out of your Bible study time! Again, a close relationship with Jesus is the goal, and worth the time investment. Life Change occurs when we encounter Jesus in a meaningful way and live our lives for Him.

July 14, 2020

Greater Things Happen Together

YOU can make a DIFFERENCE!!! WE can make a DIFFERENCE!!! Jesus said in John 14:12; “…whoever (Singular – You) believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and THEY (Plural – WE) will do even greater things than these…” One person, who believes in God and puts that into action can make a difference. When lots of people do this, greater things occur! I see examples of this happening time and time again. Recently I had the privilege of being part of an event at our church, The Big Give For Kids. This was amazing to watch as our church family and community came together to provide new shoes, new socks and gently used clothes for families. A lot of families have been impacted by COVID-19 and are struggling. Hundreds of people in the community donated their clothes and dozens of people sorted the clothes. Many people in our church family also donated money to the Sell Something Challenge to purchase new shoes and socks. As a result, 280 kids in the surrounding communities received bags and bags of clothes! Our community came together to help those in need. GREATER THINGS! More Great Things Another example of great things happening when a group comes together was what one of our Lifegroups did. We partner with Ms. Pearl, founder of Good News DayCare in the Roseland community of Chicago. This area was hit really hard with rioting and looting and businesses were destroyed. One of our Village Lifegroups saw that Ms. Pearl couldn’t buy supplies in her area so they decided to take action. This group got a list from Ms. Pearl, purchased the supplies needed for a whole month, and delivered everything to the DayCare center in Roseland. These people recognized a need and filled it. GREATER THINGS! If you are interested in helping with supplies (because the businesses aren’t coming back anytime soon), here’s a list of what is needed: Supply List for Ms. Pearl Email info@reclaimedcharity.org to learn more about how you can make a difference. So my challenge to you today is to take a few minutes to think about what you can do, who you can partner with to make a difference and do greater things!

June 30, 2020

Love Is The Greatest Gift

And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love. – 1 Corinthians 13:13 NIV The green room at church is the place where our church worship team hangs out before service. In the green room, we have this chalkboard that lays out the service plan. I haven’t been in there for months, but this past Thursday, I happened to walk in and see this message: It was our plan for March 15th. This was the first Sunday we stopped having in-person services. The moment hit me hard. We have been through a lot in the past 3 plus months. COVID, lockdown, slumping economy, and protests. Oh, and I almost forgot the “murder hornets”. But with all the challenges we have faced, we have never lost our faith. In fact, I would argue, that most of us have become closer to God than we have ever been. I know for myself, this slowdown has given me a moment to stop, breath, and pray. Is it difficult that we can’t go to a restaurant or a movie theater? Yes. Does it bother me that I am in “lockdown”? Of course, it does. But I am also appreciating the fact that I am not going through this alone. I have friends I can talk to. My Lifegroup has been so encouraging and supportive. There are so many great things happening. I see people, who have never known Jesus, starting to hear his word and our online numbers skyrocketing. We are even opening up a new campus in Seneca and building out our House Campuses. I know that Jesus is reaching out to more and more people every day because I can see it happening. What I am trying to express, is that throughout all of these worldly challenges of the past few weeks, I still have my faith, I still have hope and I still have love. I would encourage everyone who is reading this to spread the word of Jesus. Show your love for him. Bring people into a relationship with Jesus. If there was ever a time for Christians to be loving to our fellow man, this is the time. Love is the greatest gift.

June 16, 2020

Remember the Sabbath and rest, renew, restoration

Sabbath – Do We Need To Remember It?

The Commandment Do we still need to remember the Sabbath? The answer is yes! Honoring the Sabbath was a law given to the Israelites by God himself. The Bible tells us this, “remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor, and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work. For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them and rested on the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.” Exodus 20:8-11 Even though this was declared as a commandment so many years ago, it is still vital to our physical and spiritual health today. Sabbath is not just the absence of labor, it is actively pursuing rest, restoration, and connection. Somehow, as a society, we have conditioned ourselves to believe that if we are not working hard, striving, obtaining, and achieving, then we are failing. We must read that verse in its entirety. It says for six days you will work, and on the seventh day you will rest. God recognizes that there is work to be done. There is value in an honest day’s work of providing for your family. He gives you six days to do it, however, you must then pause to rest and refuel. We would never expect a car to drive without gasoline, or a smartphone to operate with a dead battery. We will fill our tank and grab a charger. Yet, we somehow will not treat our own mind, body and soul as well as we treat a disposable electronic device. Restoration As we continue to work and live at breakneck speed, we have subconsciously recognized we are reaching burn out. Do we choose to rest at this point? No. We often choose to escape using caffeine, or nicotine, or alcohol. Or we mentally check out by scrolling, eating, or Netflix binging. We fool ourselves into thinking that it is resting and restoring, but the truth is, it is further depleting us. God knew what we needed from the beginning. He put this rhythm of renewal into place for our own good. He is the creator and author of our existence and He can be trusted to know what we need. I am reminded of a situation in my life where God used my circumstances to show me exactly what He wanted from me. In 2017 I had two major knee surgeries and was in a locked brace and had to use crutches for several months. For several weeks, I could not bear any weight on my right leg. I also could not drive or even carry a cup of coffee on my own. The timing of this was hard. It came after several years of hard things. Hard things in which I felt I had to carry the weight for myself and those around me. Funny that after a long season of being so “strong” in my own mind I would find myself being completely weak and helpless. I had to have friends and family drive me to physical therapy. My kids had to start riding the bus to school, and the hardest thing of all, I had to ask my husband for help with everything. Much to my surprise he was very willing, I had just never given him the space or opportunity to do so. Cry Out To Him One day in particular, I was feeling frustrated by my limitations. I’d even go as far to say I was depressed about the fact that I could no longer run. I’ve used running for many years as a way to deal with my stress and heavy emotions, convincing myself that this was a healthy coping mechanism. It beats grabbing a bottle of wine to deal with my stress, right? Wrong! It’s not good if you are constantly using it as a distraction from taking your need for a Savior to the only One who can help you. That day I cried out to God in anger over all of my loss. The loss of my career as I became a mom, the loss of my “healthy” child as he faced cancer, the loss of my brother in-law, and now the loss of my physical strength and ability??? It just wasn’t fair! I told God exactly that with loud words and big tears; and when I was done with my fit, he gently showed me this verse. “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will cause you to rest.” Matthew 11:28 I’ve heard this verse many times before, but that particular day, this is what had changed. In the past I heard this verse to say “I will give you rest” but the version I read that day said “I will cause you to rest”. I froze! It occurred to me that I’d been striving and surviving for many years. I’ve always trusted God, and He carried me through all of it, however, I thought I still needed to do more. So I kept pushing, kept working, kept striving and avoided the rest I so desperately needed. True Sabbath I didn’t just need a nap or a vacation, but true Sabbath. I needed to rest in the arms of the Father who loved me. Restoration for my soul and connection with God, with myself and with my people. I did exactly that, and God had so much for me. It was three years full of blessings, and joy. There were still hard days, for sure, but God showed me who I was. He showed me who He was. He made my path straight and guided me toward my purpose. I had to stop and listen though. God will not speed along side of you and yell to you what you need to

June 2, 2020

Big Plans For A Little Town Called Seneca

History When I was 8 years old, my family moved to a tiny little town called Seneca in Illinois. My family moved a lot. I thought this would be the same as any other move. When we got to the town, I started school, unpacked, and made friends quickly. We ran around after school riding bikes, playing, and having cartwheel competitions down the sidewalk. I loved it, but it did not last long. In fact, it would be the shortest amount of time I spent in a town during my childhood years. Three weeks after we moved there, my Dad came home and told us we were moving to Louisiana. I was devastated. It is the only time I can ever remember being devastated about a move because I was so used to doing it. I laid on my bedroom floor and cried, holding my purple “boombox” and listening to REO Speedwagon sing “It’s time to bring this ship into the shore and throw away the oars forever.” Very dramatic, I know. I was only 8! God Is Always Working Behind The Scenes God uses us for His purposes before we ever become aware. “A Village Christian Church campus in Seneca God?” The morning after I woke up in our new home, in Seneca, 37 years later, this thought filled my mind. Since I have witnessed the miraculous with God before, I have learned, watching Him do the seemingly impossible, to trust Him. Things do not always make sense right away, but God’s plan is bigger than our plans and understanding. I said yes in that moment, however, there was a request. “God, will you tell Nate or Nick or both? This is a hard sell.” The town of Seneca is a small one. There are less than 2,500 people. I waited and trusted and prayed. I prayed at home and as I walked through the town. Praying for God’s plan to come to fruition and for the hearts of the people in and around Seneca to be forever changed in, through and for Him. I prayed for our team, for a meeting place, for open doors and closed doors to guide us where He wants to take us. This is what I still pray for each day. God Provides It has been almost a year since then. Along the way, God spoke to Nate and he has been a champion of this endeavor. We have had 4 informational meetings for the new Seneca Campus. We have about 60 adults and their children who are committed to launching this new church so far and the number continues to grow. There is so much anticipation and expectancy for what God has done, is doing and will do. Everyone is inviting their friends and family to come and join us in Seneca. We are going to start building teams and having team meetings and prayer meetings. We want you to join us! If you live in or near Seneca, if you have a missional heart, if you feel called to help out, if you are looking for community, I would love to talk with you!

May 11, 2020

One Day At A Time Together

I will remember Friday, March 13, 2020 for the rest of my life. The impact that day made will be felt for a long time to come. It has been a whole month. Schools are closed. Any businesses deemed non-essential are closed. We are supposed to work from home if possible and kids who would normally be in school are e-learning at home. Sunday morning worship and services are watched online from home. If you are not an “essential worker” you are only supposed to leave home to get essential items or if it is medically necessary. When you think about all the days that have already passed without our usual daily routine and personal contact with others, it can make you sad. Thinking about how many more days there are to come can make you feel hopeless. In This Time There Is Hope Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. I say to myself, “The Lord is my portion; therefore I will wait for him.” – Lamentations 3:22-24 Instead of looking ahead at all the days we have left sheltering in place, focus on today. God gave you today, so what can you do for Him today? Shifting Focus Is there someone you know who is having a difficult time right now? You can do an old-fashioned phone call! Or you can choose a more modern method of communication. There are many different video options available like Zoom, Google Duo, Skype and others. Sometimes hearing a familiar voice and having a good conversation can brighten someone’s day. Send thank you cards, or if you are able to, make a donation to local hospitals for all the staff on the front lines because they are risking their lives by treating those infected with COVID-19. If you have to go out for essentials, do your part and make sure to stay at least 6 feet away from others. Show kindness, respect and patience to those who are working in the service industry since this is a scary time for them not knowing if they will become infected while they are working. There are so many different things we can still do for others while social distancing, and you can probably think of even better ideas than I did. When you think about what you can do for others at this time, two things happen: You are honoring God, because Jesus said: “My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you.” – John 15:12 2. You are not worrying about tomorrow: “Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” – Matthew 6:24 We will all get through this together one day at a time.

April 13, 2020

Time Well Spent

Half Empty Or Half Full COVID-19 has certainly changed our lives. We have been on a Shelter-in-Place order for 3 weeks. How are you doing with that? I have talked to people who are thoroughly enjoying the slower pace, time with their families, and others who are ready to tear their hair out. I’ve spoken with those that feel very connected in groups and some that feel lost, unsure and without an outlet for these thoughts and feelings. Whichever side of the spectrum you are on (or anywhere in between) I want you to know that it is okay! We are all different spirits who are beautifully and uniquely made. We are going to handle this incredible disruption different. Opportunities In View I am a unique personality blend. I am a hopeful realist and hold out hope for the best-case scenario and prepare for the worst. It’s my belief that we have an opportunity here to look at some things in our lives that need to be addressed. Our normal routines and time schedules have been disrupted. What a fantastic opportunity! Do you know how long it takes to break bad habits or to build new habits? Many studies say 21 days. That is about where we are in this Shelter-in-Place Order. It has been extended to the end of the month. That is 21 days too! What if we take the next 21 days and break any bad habits we have and institute new ones? According to capespace.com, “One popular method to build habits is called the 21/90 rule. The rule is simple enough. Commit to a personal or professional goal for 21 straight days. After three weeks, the pursuit of that goal should have become a habit. Once you’ve established that habit, you continue to do it for another ninety days.” I love being productive and active in times of uncertainty. We are all in this together, so let’s grow and develop through these circumstances together. Believe me, I am taking this situation seriously. I’m praying in agreement with my friends and church for God to heal the land of COVID-19. I don’t want people to suffer with this illness or lives to be lost. I’m grieving with those who are losing hours, and jobs and with the mothers and fathers who are trying to work from home while trying to be teachers for their children and keep them lovingly entertained. My heart goes out to the lonely and isolated. I don’t want anyone to be alone. God’s Will Be Done I am also praying for God’s will to be done above my will. It is often in times of darkness, despair and confusion that people to cry out to the Creator of the Universe for answers. I want people who don’t have a relationship with Jesus to seek Him for the answers they are looking for. What if it is only being at the end of our ourselves that we will reach out to God? I also want those of us who know Jesus, but may take time with Him or each other for granted, to find a new found gratitude and renewed relationship with the Author of our Faith. This song has been my anthem during this, “Let it Rain” by Crowder and Mandisa. The lyrics are, “So let it rain, let it pour, Lord I need you more and more. Let it rain, rain down on me. Every day, whatever You want, not my will but yours, Lord. Let it rain, rain down on me.” I trust you God.

April 7, 2020

3 Ways To Relieve Anxiety

Are you feeling a little anxiety? That’s perfectly normal, especially in the times we’re living in. Today I want to encourage you that the Bible gives us clear direction to not be anxious about anything. Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:4-8 NIV) Those are great words of wisdom. Do not be anxious about anything. That’s tough to live out right now, but fortunately the scripture tells us how to find relief from the anxiety. 1. By Prayer Take your concerns to God, whatever they might be. Put them at his feet. He wants to have the conversation with you. He wants to hear what is on your heart and causing your anxiety so don’t hold back. Pray to him like you’re talking to a friend. 2. By Petition A prayer of petition is a request to God that asks him to fulfill a need. If you are struggling and just don’t have the words, call another believer and have them pray over you, just like you would have someone sign a petition to agree on an issue. Have a friend pray with you in agreement for God to help. 3. With Thanksgiving In your time of need, don’t forget to thank God in advance for his help and to simply thank God for being there with you. Then, we see the… Result The peace of God will guard (in original language a military term, imagine a tank and soldiers guarding the fort) your hearts (your emotions) and your minds (your logic). So just to recap, you pray, ask others to pray in agreement with you and thank God. Then God’s peace will guard you from being anxious. One of the ways I like to pray is to be quiet, like when I’m driving to work. But most often, my favorite time and way to pray is while I’m moving. I like to walk with my dog, Simba, in our neighborhood. As I walk I just pray out loud (or under my breath when neighbors are around so they don’t think I’m crazy ?) and have a conversation with God. I share all the things I’m excited about and also worried about. Lately, I’ve been taking two walks a day. I might even go on three or more walks if needed. I can do this while social distancing and also keep my mind focused on God and his ever-present help in times of trouble. Take the time to pray and see what happens.

March 30, 2020

FEAR – False Evidence Appearing Real

I was going through some of my old journals and found this acronym, FEAR, that I had gleaned from a bible study. It seems now is a great time to revisit this thought. I feel this accurately defines where much of our fear is coming from in a time such as this. Our society is entering new territory. Most of us have never lived through a pandemic of this magnitude. “Social Distancing” never existed until now. Schools, restaurants, sporting events and concerts are closed and canceled. Disney and Las Vegas are shut down for crying out loud. Paralyzed With Fear This is serious stuff, and it doesn’t just affect our country, this is a worldwide concern. So many uncertainties can paralyze us with fear. The main threat is our health and the health of those we love. Then, a concern that our healthcare system cannot handle the increased strain. And what about the health care providers that are on the front lines? They are courageously doing their jobs for the greater good, all while knowing their risk of exposure and illness is extremely high. The forced shut down across the globe is putting a major strain on the economy. Businesses are not operating. Therefore, they are not producing income to pay employees. Plus, there is a decrease in product manufacturing and distribution and many of these items are needed for survival; medications, food, water, and our beloved toilet paper. It doesn’t take much reflecting to get yourself and your neighbor into a full-blown panic. We are all aware that the media gobbles up opportunities like this, for reasons beyond me, to stir up fear and panic in people. I believe there is more “fake news” available at this very moment than real truth about COVID-19 and the effect it has and will continue to have on our world. Keep Calm So what do we do about it? Go to Facebook! There are enough news articles, funny memes, and ideas for decluttering your home to last you the rest of the year. Although I think this virus has provided some of the funniest memes known to man, however I don’t think this type of content is helping calm our anxious hearts! “There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.” -1 John 4:18 If you know Jesus, if you believe He paid a high price for your salvation, then you are made perfect in love. It’s really that simple. The word love gets overused in the English language and we forget the powerful impact it has. I mean, I “love” a hot cup of coffee and an early morning walk on a beach, but I don’t think that’s what we are talking about here. Actually, God is love, and Paul tells us exactly what that means in 1Corinthians 13:4-8: Love is patient and kind. It does not envy or boast. It is not arrogant or rude. Love does not insist on its own way for it is not self-seeking. Love is not touchy or resentful. It keeps no records of wrongs. It does not rejoice at injustice and unrighteousness but rejoices when truth prevails. Love assumes the best in people, love endures, love never fails. When I read this verse I’m both encouraged and convicted. Some of these things I’m doing well. I’m loving others well, just as Jesus has called me to. Yet, other areas need some serious work. Called To Love How about you? As we live in a day to day rhythm right now are you loving others well? Are you being kind? Are you being patient with strained and overworked grocery store employees? What about your energetic, newly homeschooled children? How about your husbands who are secretly fearful about how they will protect and provide for their families? Or your wife who now has a major increase in her workload. She’s feeding children more often on limited supplies, keeping people entertained and healthy, possibly trying to work from home, all while trying not to lose her mind. Are you being arrogant or rude? Do you say “this is not a big deal” because you are a healthy middle-aged person? Have you thought about the mother or child with cancer, the elderly man with COPD, or the teenage girl with cystic fibrosis? Your lack of concern could be life threatening for them. You see, love does not insist on its own way. It is not self-seeking. Let me be totally honest right now. This is no time to be self-seeking. We need to love one another and look out for one another. As followers of Jesus, we have been given an enormous platform and an opportunity to show the world Jesus through our words, attitudes, and actions. We can show the world who Jesus is through our love!

March 24, 2020

Invite God Into Your Decisions

Have you ever had to make decisions? There is this fascinating conversation that Moses had with God in Exodus 33… “Moses spoke with God as a man speaks with a friend.” – Exodus 33:11 Can you imagine speaking with God like that? How cool. In the conversation Moses essentially says to God, you’ve told me you will lead us, but you haven’t told us where to go or to whom we are going. God replies…I will go with you and I will give you victory. Sounds pretty good. The next sentence is to me what is so fascinating. God said 2 things… I will go with you I will give you victory In my brain, I think I would have focused on the victory part. What is going to be our next victory? Who are we going to defeat and when is the battle? Moses instead focused only on one thing. That God would go with him. Check out these amazing 2 verses in Exodus 33…. Then Moses said to him, “If you yourself don’t go with us, then don’t send us away from this place. If you don’t go with us, no one will know that you are pleased with me and with your people. These people and I will be no different from any other people on earth.” – Exodus 33:15-16 Moses says if you don’t go with us, it’s not even worth packing our bags. Your presence in our lives is the absolute most important thing. Without your presence, there’s no point in going anywhere because there will be no victory. What’s your next step in your life? What’s the next stage with your kids? Your career? Your marriage? Have you invited God’s presence into those decisions, those moments? According to Moses (and I happen to agree with him ?), the most important thing is God’s presence leading. He wants you to invite Him into your decisions. He is ready to accept that invitation. Better to stay still than to lead out without God. Better to have God’s leading, then follow.

March 17, 2020