Pray the Hardest, when it is the hardest to pray

        These last two Christmas breaks have been total opposite but at the same time they have been really good and reminded me of different things.            Last year's Christmas break (2021) was all about finding my wedding dress. That is what we did for my birthday shopping day and we went on my birthday the 27th. We celebrated it that way. Sharon came with us to join in on the fun. After we went to two different places to try on wedding dresses, we found the one. The two places that we went were David's Bridal and Gracie's. We found my wedding dress at Gracie's. I tried on about 3 to 4 dresses at David's bridal. At Gracie's, I tried on about the same number of dresses. We also ate out at a small restaurant.            This Christmas break (2022) was my family oriented. On the 27th, we had a Christmas / birthday dinner with almost all of the family there and Sharon. We even opened on Christmas presents...

            Going into 2022 from a messy 2021 didn't start anything out right. I was exhausted at the start. Jan.      - whole new class      - new assistant teacher      - new director Feb.       - sent out save the dates       - looked for new apartments March        - try out dress and hair for wedding over spring break April        - dad's first birthday without him        - went fishing with family for his birthday        - his birthday was on Easter this year May        - mom had first wedding anniversary without dad June          - first Father's day without dad so we went fishing to celebrate him         - had Covid at the end of the month for the 1st time July          - fixed a tooth over summer break ...

          I have had 3 days off of work this week and as I have been lying around thinking about the last time I actually had sick days. I cannot remember when that was in the past 2 years. The sick days came at the perfect time. They came right before Christmas which I could get ready for when I feel like it and now I won't have to be so stressed out come Christmas.              I feel that God planned it as perfect timing because he knew I was getting so tired of everything and that I have had a really busy past couple of years with my dad passing and planning for the wedding. I think God Neil I wanted to give up but he also knew that I couldn't On My Own Strength so the next best thing was to make me weak and sick. I have gone back thinking to the time before my dad passed away and all that consisted of and what I was going to with my job back then.               It is kind of funny no...

I have to be moved out in 24 hours. Something I thought I couldn't do but I think I will be able thanks to my fiancé and my dad and my co workers. I would just like to say, "Daddy, I have never felt more like you then these past 2 days. I almost had to be you today or was thinking about it." I almost had to talk hard to someone because they couldn't get on the ball. Something else that helped me these past 2 days is that I could literally here my dad asking "did you call and check on your apartment?" "Do you really have it?" "How much is it really?" "Call the movers and see what they can do?" "Tell them you have lless things now and they are big things And other questions guiding me. I also feel like he was there when we picked the apartment. I think he would be happy with it. I really don't think I could have gotten through these 24 hours without him speaking to me. He knew I needed guidance with the 1st big move witho...

1. The unrivaled love of Jesus             -Luke 14:26                     -Love Jesus more, you will love everyone more and better. 2. The unlimited sacrifice for Jesus               -1 Peter 2:24-25               -Luke 14:27               -Luke 9:23 -2 truths about dying daily               -something has got to die if I am going to be free                      -Galatians 5:1       3. The unreserved surrender to Jesus               -Matt. 4:17               -Acts 2:38               -Luke 14:33

-2 Cor. 1:3-4 Four ways to be a minister to drying: -Minister of comfort          -provide physical comfort          -be a loving support to the drying and.               their family          -be available......but not burdensome  -Minister of encouragement          -Keep fighting by resting in God          -Don't doubt God's love for you.                    -Phil. 1:6          -1 Thess. 4:13-18                     -words of eternal hope . Just a brief season but you are going to have an enternal hope in Christ. -Minister of glorious promises          -Minister of gospel -Don't take the pain for granted. God did it for a purpose. To share with other people. -You have been...

-Matt. 15:14 -Verse 1        -Temptations are sure to come.        -Don't be the stumbling block. -James 3:1         -teachers -Luke 17:2          -children          -small in faith or new in faith people too -Luke 17:3         -Examine yourself. -Psalm 139:23-24            -a good Prayer to pray every now and then. -Forgive others every time because God forgives you every time you sin. -Luke 17:5        -You need grace and a great God to have faith as small as a mustard seed.  -Titus 2:11-12

Luke 16:19-31 Ezekiel 33:11 -Dustations of two man:         -Point 1: The life of man had no doing with where they went.          -Luke 6:20         -1 Timothy 6:17         -The problem is the love of money aka heart condition.       -James 2:14-17       -Point 2: Lazarus is by Abraham's side. Aka Heaven -"We are saved by faith alone, but the faith that saves is never alone."-Martin Luther          -Point 3: the rich man went to hell.                  -Matthew 25:41                  -Revelation 20:15                 - Revelation 21:8 -If you chose to love, then that is real love." -We have a choice to chose. Haven or Hell. God did give us choice. -John 3:36

BEST TIME EVER” Amy Sanders, Speaker Deuteronomy 6: 4-9 This verse is about being devoted to Christ. Kids seeing us being devoted is a great way for them to see Christ. Psalm 127:3-5 Kids are arrows and weapons. Hide quoted text Parents are warriors. Parents are the bowman. We must: Align ourselves Be devoted Parts of the “Arrow” Shaft Identity Body of the arrow. Gives the arrow strength. Made in the image of God. -Gen. 1:27 Values are developed. Fletching Character -Discipline -Family rules and boundaries -Consequences -Proverbs 13:24 -Affirmation -Provides security -Build self worth and confidence -1 Samuel 16:7 Tip Mission - Must be sharp. -Teach them to "set their minds" -Col. 3:2 -Sharpening natural talents, gifts, and passions. Release the arrow! 3 John 1:14 Warriors let's set up and make some arrows that will change the world. 1) Read Psalm 127:3-5. What are three things that these verses say about children? 2) Amy talked about the BOW and the BOWMAN. Why is correc...

Luke 15:25-32 Luke 15:1-2 -This man receives sinners and eats with them. -Main verse of the chapter. -The older son's heart was like the scribes and high jews in those days. Nation of Israel. -Older son's pride has kept him from his father.          -Didn't want to go into the party. -For the church:          -We are all lost son's. -Elder son sickness;         -Believes God owns him something when he has been good          -Divides people into two different groups.           -Lives their lives out of fear, not love and joy.           -Pride -There's hope for the Elder son's. -This story is about a Loving Father. -God owns you nothing. God gives us things by His Grace.

-"Don't try to be in God's Presence, enjoy being in it."- Me

-"When a person loves you through your dumb, little messes, it should make you see how much more the Lord Loves you."

-"Sometimes you don't know and you will never know but that's the beauty of a love story. Isn't it?"

April 6th, 2020: "A voice cries; In the wilderness prepare the way of the Lord; Make straight in the desert a highway for our God. Every valley shall be lifted up, And every mountain and hill be made low; The uneven ground shall become level, And the rough places a plain. And the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, And all flesh shall see it together, For the mouth of the Lord has spoken." Isaiah 40:3-5 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "He gives power to the faint, And to him who has no might he increases strength. Even if shall faint and be weary, And young men shall fall exhausted; but they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; They should run and not be weary; They shall walk and not faint." Isaiah 40:29-31 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor Reap nor together into barns, And yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And whi...

April 17, 2022 ________________________________________ 1 Cor. 15:3-17 1 Cor. 15:12 If there  was No Resurrection at all: -preaching and faith is worthless. -Christ isn't raised from dead -Still in your sins -there can't be any forgiveness -people have died and perished, just gone. -we are a pitiful bunch 1 Cor. 15:20-21, 26 -Christ is the 1st of many Resurrections. -Balances the scale against good and bad. Verse 35-37-Spiritual death -Answer: what we buried in the ground, it will go away. Our old bodies are perishable. -It will be raised with a Spiritual body-powerful and strong. No more weaknesses. -John 12:24-25 -The Casting Crowns song: Scars  of Heaven __________________________________________ -1 Cor. 15:58: Should be another life verse __________________________________________

RELATIONAL REVOLUTION Series, Trading Up, Message 6 Mike McDaniel, Lead Pastor Philippians 2:1-11 Narcissism-We are raising them or teaching them to be that way. You can run or redeem. Have the mind of Christ.-verse 5, 7 Mind+feel=attitude Moving from a me like additive to a Chirst like attitude. THREE ATTITUDE ADJUSTMENTS FOR RELATIONAL REVOLUTION 1) sacrificial John 15:13 When I want to give up something I love for someone I love even more. Like my books. :) 2) serving Mark 10:45 Eph. 5:25 3) selfless Phil. 2:3-4

How Do You Give It to God?! Posted on  October 16, 2020 Brie Gowen Share Tweet Pin How in the world do you “give it to God”?! Have you heard that before?! You’re having a terribly stressful situation. It’s one of those times where you feel like you’re drowning, and there’s no buoy in sight. You know that God is in control. You know because that’s what everyone says! In fact, if you do reach out for guidance or share your plight with your Facebook friends, at least one person will say it. “We’re praying for you, honey! Just  give it to God !” Ok. Great. Now, how do I do that again? I think this was always one of those things in my Christian walk that kind of bothered me. Early on I asked more mature Christians the same question. Like, how? And most of the time I was told to just surrender. Become A Contributor “Brie, literally throw your hands up in the air and say, I can’t do it alone, God!” A friend suggested. And yeah, that’s true. I mean, God certainly hears you, and He eve...

           Spring Break 2022 was a busy one but at the same time I learn an important lesson. That lesson is: Just go with the flow.  Mom is able to do it. I can too!             We did a lot on break and I saw a lot on break for the first time. It was just mom and I for a week. Amber was at work for most of the week and most of the days. She didn't get home to 5ish most nights. Mom and I worked on things together and got a lot done. I know mom was happy having me there for a week needing her help on things. I kept her busy for sure.              We got a lot done. She went to the dentist with me. She wrote the addresses on my wedding invitations because her writing looks more artistic then mine. Her writing is a lot more readable then mine too. As I kept getting addresses to me, she kept writing them. We got stamps to out in them too. We also sorted my wedding things into plastic bo...

COMPASSION WITH ACTION Series, “Trading Up,” Message 4 Matthew 9:36-38 Who’s your ONE?  Text ‘whosyourone’ to 97000 and tell us. THREE PARTS OF COMPASSION Time to wake up! Wake up to love! Romans 13:9-13 "Love your neighbor." Repeated 8 times in Bible. Jesus quotes this command 4 times im the gospels. "Your neighbor is anyone in your way on your way." Compassion is: -outward focused. Less about you and more about others. -Takes action. A strong emotion that elicits a physical response. 1) See as Jesus sees Matthew 9:36 -He saw the crowds. -He saw valuable people in those crowds. -Deepen our vision. -Broaden out vision. 2) Feel as Jesus feels Matthew 9:39 I can be a part of the injustice. 3) Respond as Jesus responds How am I part of the solution? -Pary earnestly. "You can do more than pray, but you can't do more until you pray." Join us for a 40-day Bible reading plan , “ Praying the Scripture Through Lent ” - Text ‘GPCBible’ to 97000 or click  HERE . ...

Uses of Salt Salt acts as a flavor enhancer in recipes. Our food would taste bland without it. In bread, salt controls the fermentation of the yeast which gives the bread a better texture. In pastry, salt encourages browning and also gives a better texture. Salt is a natural preservative, so our cookies and baked goods last longer (yay!)  Some of these same qualities of salt come through in the spiritual meaning of salt as well. Salt in the Bible Salt had many uses in Biblical times. The Israelites were instructed in the Old Testament to season all their grain offerings with salt. A “salt covenant” is mentioned in regard to God making strong, enduring promises to the Israelites. Elisha treated a bad water supply in Jericho with salt. Newborn babies were rubbed with salt for its antiseptic properties. Salt was used as a preservative by rubbing it into meat and fish. It was mixed with cattle feed, bartered with, and used in small doses as fertilizer! Whew! The things you learn when d...