Sunday Preview & Thought for the Week (7.24.14)

What an awesome week it's been here!  KidsGames has rocked as we've welcomed about a 100 kids each night.  We've made so many new friends as about two-thirds of those children are from our community and new to Church of the Way.  It has been so much fun.  On Sunday, you'll get to see a highlight video for some of the amazing things going on this week.

We've got a big Sunday coming up.  We'll be continuing our series on where God's calling us the next 15 months as a church through "Go Beyond:  V15ION".  We'll be talking about how each of us can deeply connect to Jesus.  It's a Sunday you won't want to miss:

• There's a few surprises in this week's message, and it's going to be a lot of fun.
• Sunday morning we've got a baptism and remembrance of baptism.
• KidsGames highlight video!
• Some big, exciting news you'll want to hear.

Also, if you've got questions about Go Beyond or anything, this Sunday at 3:30 we have an "Ask the Pastor" hosted at my home.  We'd love to have you for discussion and dessert.

Thought for the Week
"The Lord will march out like a champion, like a warrior he will stir up his zeal, with a shout he will raise the battle cry and will triumph over his enemies."  Isaiah 42:13

This week we've been talking about being a champion at KidsGames.  What does that mean to you?  Does it mean winning the most games, being the best, or accomplishing the most.  If life is all about how we measure ourselves against others, there will always be someone a little better.  And if we do reach the pinnacle and become the very best, it won't be long before we become older and a little less sharp while a new generation comes behind us to take our crown as 'the best.'  It's inevitable.  It's a losing game to see ourselves based on the merit of our accomplishments.  We can be champions because our God is THE Champion, and he created us in His image and called us by name.  Whether you have accomplished a great deal in life or very little, whether you think you measure up or have always doubted that you might not.  God is a Champion...and He is your champion.  And listen really closely -- the True Champion overcomes where you fall short.  And we all fall short sometimes.  The greatest athlete or artist has areas of their life they're not real happy about.  We've all got failures and some dirt in the corner.  We serve a God who triumphs over those shortcomings and cleans up the dirt.  I hope you'll hear this.  If you want to define your life by you ability to win, you'll be disappointed.  While there might be a season your a champion on the field, office, classroom, or whatever, there will be others where someone else gets the job or promotion, wins the game or excels past you in the area in which you thought you were the best.  Don't fall into that trap.  You aren't defined by your accomplishments.  You are defined by a Champion who has power over all the universe, and still calls you into a personal relationship with him.  Jesus loves you not because you are a champion at life but because He is a champion at love.

In His love,

Carter