Sunday Preview & Thought for the Week (10.23.14)

I hope you're enjoying this beautiful Fall weather and having a great week.  I so missed worshiping with you on Sunday, but I'm looking forward to being back with you this week as we begin a brand new series, "Living Generously."  It's a really new experience for us as a church, as we'll really weave a story together over five weeks as we walk through life with a family going through some of the same things we go through.  Hopefully, we'll learn what it means to have God's generous heart permeate our entire lives.

I'll also be leading a small group study to go along with the series beginning next Monday night (Oct. 27) at 6:30 p.m. at our Grayson Campus.

Looking forward to seeing you this week!

Thought for the Week
"Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever."  Hebrews 13:8

Last week I took advantage of Verizon's offer to turn in my old iPhone for the new iPhone 6.  Now, you must understand that I went to a liberal arts college.  I don't really 'do' technology that well.  It took me a least a full day to get it up and running after many attempts to throw my computer, old phone and new phone out the window.  It was incredibly frustrating.  I thought, "This is how it must feel when people are going through change."  I'm a pretty good adapter to change (new personal technology devices aside).  We've built our church on changing with the direction of God's Spirit.  Nevertheless, change is often very frustrating, even if you know something is better on the other side.  Now, I love the new phone, but the process of changing over was frustrating.  We face all kinds of changes:  family changes, job changes, church changes.  Life changes.  Kids grow up, we take new jobs, friends move away.  Change happens.  I think there are two things to remember.  In the midst of frustration during change, we need to keep our eyes on the better days ahead.  Yes, it will be frustrating to take a kid from pre-teen to teen, but there will be lots of fun experiences with teens.  It will be difficult to have your youngest leave the house for the real world, but many new experiences will be awaiting you as an empty nester.  Seeing friends move will be sad, but your best friends ever might be the next ones to move in next door.  Just remember...you'll love the new phone if you can get through the change.  Of course, the greatest comfort is that Jesus is the same in the midst of our change.  As the world changes, Jesus is the Rock.  As life ebbs and flows, Jesus remains steady.  So, hitch your wagon to Jesus.  You can't stop life from changing.  It's supposed to.  Jesus doesn't.  Make sure you're anchor is in Christ.

Be blessed,

Carter

Sunday Preview & Thought for the Week (10.9.14)

What an awesome week!  I hope you're having a good one.  Good things are happening at Church of the Way and I can't wait to see what God does next.  Hey, have you heard about our One Way Middle School ministry on Sundays at noon at our Grayson Campus?  Check it out!

This Sunday, we'll be concluding the "CRAZY" series on King David by talking about his relationship with his son, Absalom.  It is a powerful story.  It's been speaking to me for months as we planned this series.  I hope to see you there.  

Thought for the Week
"The Israelites again did what was evil in the sight of the Lord."  Judges 10:6

Again.  If you read Judges, that's the theme you'll find.  I've been teaching about Judges recently and we keep reading that word.  Again.  Again God's people turned away.  Again they were unfaithful.  They did was was evil in the sight of the Lord...again.  Do you struggle with again?  Why don't we get it?  What speaks to me in all the 'agains' is that God keeps coming back.  We often feel like "this time" we went too far for God.  He'll never take us back.  We've turned away one too many times.  We've done it -- again.  There a few lessons here:

1. If we are not diligent, we'll fall back to former ways again.  When we don't focus on God, spend time with God, take time to pray and read God's Word, get ourselves in a Bible Study, or whatever makes our faith grow, we'll be sure to stagnate and, again, fall away.
2. God's love stretches beyond 'again.'  God pursues us because of His great love.  We don't deserve.  We might run away, but God always runs after us again.  He loves us that much.
3. Bonus:  What would it mean for us to have the heart of God when others hurt us again and again?  That's a tough.  We'll talk more about that on Sunday.

Have an awesome weekend!

Carter