The Epic Life is going to impact each of us, our families, our church and ultimately our valley. Everything is in place. All the behind-the-scenes work is done. So…

Let’s get this party started!

See you sooooon!

Maybe you’re heard of Oswald Chambers, maybe you haven’t. He wrote a devotional classic entitled, “My Utmost for His Highest.” So much of it is pure gold. Here’s one powerful example that was too good not to pass on.

“Faith is the heroic effort of your life. You fling yourself in reckless confidence on God. God has ventured all in Jesus Christ to save us. Now He wants us to venture our all in abandoned confidence in Him. …The real meaning of eternal life is a life that can face anything it has to face without wavering. …Again and again, you will get up to what Jesus Christ wants, and every time, you will turn back when it comes to that point, until you abandon resolutely. …Jesus Christ demands that you risk everything you hold by common sense–and leap into what he says. …Christ demands of the man who trusts Him the same reckless spirit. …that is daring enough to step out of the crowd and bank his faith on the character of God.”

This is a glimpse into The Epic Life…coming this weekend!

Here’s just a quick note to let you know we’re wrapping up our series Thin Places this weekend. I’ve been looking forward to this one all month.

We’ll be looking at a simple story in the Bible that helps us know how we can face the storms that come into our lives. These are the storms that so often blow into our lives without much notice, but have the tendancy to do real damage and cause all kinds of pain.

If you haven’t already, grab a friend and bring them. We ALL need this one!

There are many times we are faced with a beautifully complex tension as we leaf through the pages of God’s Word. I actually touched on one such tension in Thursday’s blog: God has all the power, but He still gives us the freedom to choose. Can you say TENSION?

Here’s one more that is worth some time to think through.

Jesus said following Him was NOT easy. He requires that you die to yourself and live for Him. In other places He implies that we make it much more difficult than it needs to be. Hmmm.

Let me show you. Read Luke 14:25-35. Does it sound easy or difficult to follow Jesus?

Now read Matthew 11:28-30. I really like this one in The Message.

I don’t have the perfect answer for this tension, but I do think the following  statements are true:

1-Anyone can follow Jesus and you can start right now, right where you’re at. You don’t have to earn or achieve any kind of spiritual “standing” to get this journey under way.

2-Following Jesus is way more than just saying a prayer or getting baptized so we don’t go to hell. Following Him is a daily process of turning over total control to the One who knows best.

While coming to Jesus is easy, and that’s where grace comes in, we cannot take the cross so lightly that we continue to do our own thing while calling ourselves Christ followers. It’s time, if we’ve made that choice to follow Him, to, ummmm, follow Him!

This week your LIfeGroup will be tackling a tiny little story with a huge impact. Get ready to head into the next storm you'll face with confidence, simply becuase Jesus is right there with you.

Stepping In: Getting things started!

1-Storms come into our lives for a number of reasons. Share a storm you’ve endured that you brought on yourself. Share a storm that hit you and you were never quite sure of the cause.

Building Up: What is God Saying? 

Read Mark 4:35. In a way, by telling them to go to the other side, Jesus had them go right into the storm. What are some of the reasons God would want us to head into some storms?

Read Mark 4:36. What are some ways this verse can serve as a challenge for the way you go into the unknowns of life? How do we do this?

Read Mark 4:37-38. This was no little rainstorm. Seasoned fishermen were actually afraid, but Jesus was sleeping. How is it that He can be so calm in the midst of this storm? How does that help us now?

Read Mark 4:39-41. Jesus has the power to quiet the storm, but that brings up some serious questions:

*Why doesn’t he jump in and calm the storm I’m going through right now?

*If He has the power to stop it, He also has the power to not let it hit me in the   first place. Why did he allow all this pain?

Living Out: How do I obey?

1-What’s one thing you learn from this story that will help you this week, or the next, or the next?

2-What is a practical way I can help someone who’s going through a storm?

3-Get a plan in place for your service project.