Tell Your Story

I want to encourage you this week to Tell Your Story.  As we have been talking in Sunday School, I encourage you this week to be open to opportunities to share your story of how Jesus has changed your life.  It may just be an encouraging work to a friend or a time where you feel the Lord is leading you to share the Gospel with someone.  Love you girls!

Remember Him

I just wanted to stop in and bring you a reminder today that as I stepped outside this afternoon and noticed the bright sunny skies, it was a reminder that He is here and He is faithful.  Just as most of us don't like freezing weather and gloomy skies, we don't like the feeling of being down, alone or "blue".  The sunshine today was a reminder to me that He our SON is here for us.  I encourage you today to seek Him and spend a few minutes in His presence.  He loves us so much and longs for us to know Him intimately.  Love you girls! Hope to see you Sunday!

One Day at a Time

As a follow up to our lesson from this past Sunday, I just want to encourage each of you to take it "one day at a time".  I know life can get overwhelming at times and the weeks run together. Before you know it, you are back to Sunday again.  I encourage you this week to take at least 5 minutes a day and spend some time with the Lord. 

• Spend time reading a passage from the Bible.  Pick a book you are familiar with.  John is a good place to start.  Don't try to cover tons of ground, just read a passage and think about how you can apply it to your life today.

• Spend a couple minutes in prayer, praising the Lord for who He is in your life, thanking Him for all He has provided to you, confessing to Him where you have failed Him and asking Him for help/guidance in the areas of concern in your life.

• If you want, as Rob talked about this morning, journal.  I go back and forth doing this.  I am not too consistent but when I am, it is really neat to go back and look at what the Lord was doing in my heart that particular day.  Don't put pressure on yourself to do it every day.  Journal when you feel like it.

I love you girls! I am so excited we are here at Crossroads together! I am looking forward to an amazing time with you in 2010! Talk to you soon!

Was, Is & Always Will Be

"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being."

John 1:1-3

When I was reading this, it was such a huge reminder that we are so secure in knowing that our Lord is all powerful, all knowing and ever present. He has always been here and always will be. That is such an assurace for me to know that I can always call on him and he is right there.

Take some time to ponder how awesome it is that we can have this amazing relationship with the creator of the universe. He is so huge, but he can be so personal to our every need. Call out to him with whatever is on your heart. He is right there and willing to listen.

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Have a great weekend and week. I will be back on the 16th. I am looking forward to seeing you more consistently and getting to know each of you!

The Armor of God

"Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might. Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemems of the devil."

Ephesians 6:10-11

• vs. 14 "girded your loinst with truth (integrity), having put on the breastplate of righteousness (purity)"
• vs. 15 "shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace (tranquility)"
• vs. 16 "taking up the shield of faith (certainty) with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one"
• vs. 17 "take the helment of salvation (sanity) and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God."

What are some practical ways we can put on the armor of God every day? Let me know what you think.

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I hope each of you have a great week. Keep in touch.

"Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts..."

"Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body, and be thankful." Colossians 3:15

What does it mean to you to "let the peace of Christ rule in your heart"?

Some ideas I had were:

• understand that He is in control
• let the peace of Christ cause you contentment and rest in your situation
• know you are one with Him and rest in that
• "be thankful" that He died for you, that He loves you unconditionally, that he has purposed a plan for your life