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Author: Brendon

February 20, 2024
in Church, Discipleship, DTOTD, Local
by Brendon
0 Comments

DTOTD – Thought #4 – Grace

” Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God thought our Lord Jesus Christ. Through Him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God.” – Romans 5:1-2

 

Grace. Grace is defined as unmerited divine assistance given to humans for their regeneration or sanctification by the Merriam-Webster dictionary. Grace is central to the message of Jesus and the Bible. God the father from the very beginning of time has given Grace to all of mankind for all sorts of things.

 

I heard it once said like this, ” as we become more and more aware of Jesus in our lives, we become more and more aware that we need more grace than we ever imagined.” It was interesting the first time I wrestled with that statement, because I have never thought about it before. I never thought that once I become part of the kingdom of God, I would need more and more grace. Because of course, once we find Jesus, we are all good to go……I guess I was off a little bit.

 

In the definition of Grace, the word sanctification stands out. The act of sanctification is the idea that as we go through life, searching for God and following his son Jesus, He will sanctify or continually form us into his likeness. So in turn, the idea of Grace is something that is ongoing and essential for our becoming like Jesus.

 

It’s hard though isn’t? The thought that we need to be vulnerable and humble enough to say that we messed up and the only help or saving that we need is the grace of Jesus?

 

Let’s be honest, we live in a culture right now that crucifies anyone that does anything wrong. Don’t get me wrong, there are lots of circumstances where someone getting caught or in trouble for something that they did is absolutely the right thing to happen. But what would happen if instead of cancel culture, there is grace culture. A place, a community, a group of people that will listen and forgive and give grace instead of a tongue thrashing and a turn your back away from those that aren’t perfect place. Perfection can never be attained, even though that is what is desired by so many.

 

We seek to be perfect in the way that we look. To be perfect in the way that we dress. To be perfect in the way that we cook. To be perfect in the way that we drive. To be perfect in the way that we parent. To be perfect in the way that people look at us. To be perfect in the way that others treat us. To be perfect in the way that we show ourselves to the world. To be perfect in the way that we play sports. We seek perfection or maybe a better way to think about it, we seek to be better than everyone else in whatever we do or maybe even what our kids do so that we can obtain some sort of status that is unwritten and not given.

 

Grace is the complete opposite of perfection. When we strive to live like Jesus and live unlike the normal, grace is the only thing we can seek out. Grace requires a level of humility that is against the society that we live in. Grace requires a level of a contrite heart that is willing to say, I am not good enough. Grace requires attention to the actions that we take on a daily basis, even the small ones. Grace requires the nurturing space for God to seep into every corner of our lives to take away the bondage that we all live in.

The question with grace…is how will grace shape your life?

 

One of the most common phrases or thoughts that I hear or even have myself, is that I have done so much wrong in my life, how could God ever forgive me and also gift me to do anything good for him?

 

Abram argued with God about what he was going to do to Sodom and Gomorra.

Sarah, laughed at God when he said she would have a baby.

Moses, doubted that God could use him to set the Israelites free.

Jonah, tried to run away from God when God called him to speak to the people of Ninevah.

Saul, the king, lost sight of God in his jealousness of David.

David, committed adultery and murder in the eyes of God.

Peter, denies knowing Jesus.

Paul was a murderer and a zealot to cancel the Christian faith.

 

Through God’s grace…..all of these people were God’s chosen.

 

” but God shows his love for us in this, while we are still sinners, Christ died for us.” – Romans 5:8

 

Even when we feel our mistakes, baggage, and sin, holding us back from being called by God and being given grace, God doesn’t look away.

 

Grace is not something earned. Grace is given, freely, every time.

 

As a disciple of Jesus, as we draw closer and closer to our Lord and Savior, allow grace to be given to you in the mountaintop and in the valleys.

 

God gives grace freely.

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January 24, 2024
in Church, Discipleship, DTOTD, GiveHope, Guest Services
by Brendon
0 Comments

DTOTD – Thought 3

” If you love me, you will keep my commandments. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, even the Spirit of Truth, whom the world cannot receive because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you……These things I have spoken to you while I am still with you. But the Helper, The Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.” – John 14: 15-17, 25-26

 

Just follow your heart.

 

Have you heard that phrase before? It is a phrase that you can find in all of culture, movies, songs, art and even the news cycles. Just follow your heart.

 

That phrase has led to most likely, heartache, confusion, questions, counseling, divorce, anger, resentment, mistrust, bad financial moves, and maybe even worse but the hurt of your own body.

 

Just follow your heart is a dangerous phrase. It can lead us down so many different paths that we may not know where we end up at the end of it.

 

There is a story in the Gospel of Luke, where the author writes a parable that Jesus used in teaching about Grace and God the Father. The parable goes that the youngest of two brothers went up to his father while he was still living and asked him to give him his portion of the inheritance that he would receive when his father is dead. For some reason, the Father says ok and gives the youngest son a whole pile of money. The youngest son, follows his heart and the bible says:

 

” not many days later, the younger son gathered all he had and took a journey into a far country, and there he squandered his property in reckless living. And when he spent everything, a severe famine arose in that country, and he began to be in need….” - Luke 15:13-14

 

The youngest son followed his heart and it led him to nothing.

 

We might not all be able to resonate with the youngest son, that followed his heart and it lead him to literally having nothing to his name other than his clothes. But, we probably are able to look back at seasons or years of our lives where we followed our hearts and it led into a place of desolate isolation and regret.

What if there was something or maybe someone that would remind us of who we are, what we are, what we are made to be, the concrete truths that we can stand firm on in our lives…..

 

” But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” - Acts 1:8

 

Recently in a discussion about the Farewell Discourse of Jesus in John 14-18, the topic of the Holy Spirit came up and if we would rather have Jesus still on earth or if we understand the power of the Holy Spirit. Conversation ensued and the thoughts came to this:

 

There is a reason Jesus told us that it was better for us for him to go back to Heaven and the Helper come to Us. Because if The Holy Spirit did not come, then we would never be able to break free from anything that our hearts lead us towards.

 

Just follow your heart is not the phrase to lead us to Jesus or even help us become more like Jesus in our every day lives.

 

Allowing the Holy Spirit of Jesus/God to come into our hearts, so that when we have moments of time to make a decision, the Spirit Helps us through those times.

 

There are lots of thoughts and perceptions of the Holy Spirit. Some are right, some are off and some are just downright weird.

 

But for the simple-minded, the Holy Spirit is the Spirit of God that brings us knowledge and strength and power and healing and grace. The question is whether or not we allow the Holy Spirit to come into our hearts or whether we will continue to just follow our own hearts that are riddled with sin.

 

The Holy Spirit is a Helper.

 

The Holy Spirit is a Healer.

 

The Holy Spirit is a Guide.

 

The Holy Spirit is a Presence.

 

Take a breath and allow the Holy Spirit to come into your lives.

 

 

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January 16, 2024
in Church, Discipleship, DTOTD
by Brendon
0 Comments

DTOTD – Thought 2

Posted on  by Brendon

” 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 were made through him, and without him was not anything made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.”

John 1: 1-5

 

In a conversation a few years ago, a co-worker asked me this question:

” Do you or have you ever been in a place where darkness felt heavy?”

It was such an interesting question, based on the fact that he was reading through the book of Exodus and the plagues that enveloped Egypt while God was getting the Israelites free from Pharaoh. He was reading about the darkness plague and how the bible described as this:

 

” Stretch out you hand toward heaven, that there may be a darkness over the land of Egypt, a darkness that can be felt.” - Exodus 10:21

 

Have you ever been in a place where you could feel the darkness?

 

My response to the question was yes, because there was a cavern that I went to when I was growing up that put us in a place like this. It was a cavern that you would hike down into the earth to see the opening to what looks like a horrifying wonderland. The stalagmites and stalactites bulged from under the ground and dangled from the roof of the cavern. You would walk back along a creek that ran in to the cavern, in some places feeling a little unsafe as the path would get smaller and smaller but it finally led you to an open area of the cavern that you just looked at in amazement. It was huge and loud and breath taking. The guide you were with would talk about how the people that discovered the cave and the cavern probably had little to light trying to find this big open space and he would turn off a little bit of the light that guided your path. Then he would say that if the people that were finding this cavern were criminals or potentially people that were trying to hide from someone or something, that they probably had no light on……….the last of the light went out.

 

That is a memory and feeling and emotion that I will never forget. The moment the last light went out the darkness caused a sudden case of paralysis that you didn’t want to move anything, even though a second ago you were looking at your feet and your hands, but the darkness caused you to forget where you were and what was around you. And then…..the guide did something that I was not ready for….he didn’t turn the lights back on, but he demonstrated what just a little bit of light could do in the darkness.

He took out a match and lit it. And for the time that the match was lit, one little match was able to light in the darkness a path for you to walk safely back to the entrance of the cavern.

 

In the beginning was the Word, the Word was Light and the darkness has not overcome it.

 

To most people in the world, the darkness that is felt inside of a cavern when the lights are turned off, is the same darkness that they feel on a daily basis.

 

They are lost. They are wounded. They are looking for answers. They are searching for peace. They are searching for a place to belong and a place to love them. To be known and loved and welcomed and cared for. Every heart on the planet, old or young is in a constant journey to find purpose and in some cases…..light for their lives.

 

Some of us will turn to our work. We will sink everything into our work. We will work day and night and never rest because that is where we feel our purpose lies. Some of us will turn to making money. It doesn’t matter what we have to do to make the money, but as long as we continue to make money we find our purpose in making money. Some of us will turn to being a parent. That everything that happens in life will be determined and predicated on the schedule of our kids and that our kids are the most important things happening and our purpose is to do everything for them.

 

Some of us will turn to the bottle. Because we don’t know what our purpose is and the only time you feel anything is when you open another bottle. Some of us will turn to drugs because that is the feeling that you need in life to feel alive. Some of us will turn to sexual encounters because that is what makes us feel alive. Some of us will just sit in darkness and walk through life like living zombies that have no emotion to anything because we are in a perpetual state of darkness……

 

In the beginning was the Word and the Word was light.

 

What if I told you that there is someone who can provide a light that overcomes any darkness. What if I told you that you can connect and listen and learn and love and be loved and be known by this someone who can provide that light. That no matter what is going on in your life or around your life, you are seen and heard. Whether you are perfect, which you aren’t, or you are filled with mistakes and regret and shame, someone looks at you with preciousness and grace and love.

 

Saul was a man in the bible that prided himself on being the person that was going to take down ” The Way” as it was known. The Way was the followers of Jesus that went on after Jesus died, was ressurected, and ascended into heaven. The Way was spreading all over the known world and Saul was zealous enough to go after The Way to kill it. On his way to destroy The Way, kind of feels like a star wars movies as I type this, but on his way to a city called Damascus, Saul encounters something that he was not expecting:

 

” Now as he went on his way, he approached Damascus, and suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. And falling to the ground he heard a voice…..” Acts 9:3-4a

 

The Word was Light and the darkness has not over come it.

 

Even a man that is on the hunt to destroy The Way would feel the light that would overcome all darkness.

 

We live in a world right now that feels like there is a lot of darkness. Deceit, lies, political war, physical war, bombings, child trafficking, sex trafficking, suicide, mental illness, physical illness. So many things in our world that, make some of us feel the darkness, just like the Egyptians did during the plague of darkness. Can I invite you to something if you are feeling this darkness….

 

“ So Moses stretched out his hand toward heaven, and there was pitch darkness in all the land of Egypt three days. They did not see one another no did anyone rise from his place for three days……but….all the people of Israel had LIGHT where they lived.” - Exodus 10:22-23

 

Jesus is the light that can overcome the darkness.

 

Jesus desires for you to know him because Jesus knows you.

 

God sent Jesus to the earth to live a life that is worth learning from and then sacrificed him so that we could have a relationship

with God.

 

The light of the world is in the person of Jesus.

 

Jesus is worth a follow.

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January 10, 2024
in Discipleship, DTOTD, Jesus
by Brendon
0 Comments

DTOTD – Thought 1

” Behold, the dwelling place of God is with Man…..’ and Behold, I am coming soon……Behold, I am coming soon…….I, Jesus have snet my angel to testify to you about these things for the churches…..Surely, I am coming soon.” Rev. 21:3b, Rev. 22: 7a, 12a, 16a and 20b

 

  Life.  

 

What is it? Why is life the way it is? Where did life come from? How did we get here? What made the earth so beautiful? What made the earth so cruel? Is there a system for life? Is life random? Can we predetermine life? Can we determine our own outcome? Why does bad things happen to good people?   These amongst others, are some of the most asked questions in history. These are questions that people have asked that have led to incredible discovery, adventure and knowledge.  

 

I love a good question. One that makes you think and ponder and research and read and learn and underline until you come up with your own answer. Some of the questions listed above might be one of those questions for you. Maybe you have other questions that keep you up at night.  

 

As my kids get older, the more inquisitive they become. They also are beginning to ask a lot more questions. Some good, some bad and some that just don’t make any sense.   However, I am trying to foster a place in our home where questions are welcomed, which means I have to keep myself in check when one of those ridiculous questions comes out.   One of those questions or maybe we can consider it a thought, was this….  

 

” dad, can I really believe that God created the world when everything else tells me that it was something else other than God? “

 

  I got to baptize my son a few years ago and part of me wonders if I should have waited, but part of me also knows that Jesus has his life in his hands and he is now learning and growing into his own belief. My role in his life now is to guide him always back to Jesus.   We were lying in his bed before bedtime talking about this and we read out of his big encyclopedia on how the people that put the book together thought the earth was made.

 

And we began to talk about it more and more until we got to a point in the conversation where he understood that in order for him to really dive into his faith he had to wrestle with 5 words….  

” In the beginning, God Created……”

 

  The first five words of the bible. That is what my son was wrestling with.   I have a feeling that most of us in our present context, feel the same way. We are all wrestling with whether or not there is a creator or whether this is a bang.  

 

There are seasons of life where we will lean on our faith in an understanding of that God created life. But then there are seasons of life when we question the very reason for life. Some of us battle that question so hard that it leads us to unimaginable pain and confusion.  

 

But if there is a first thought that we can have each and every day…..it might be a good way to start with this:  

 

Thought 1 – God, desires to be with you.

 

Whatever the season of life that you are in, God desires to be with you.

Whether you are in a good season or a bad season, God desires to be with you.

Whether you are happy with what you see in the mirror or hate what you see in the mirror, God desires to be with you.

Whether you are in the job you love or a job you hate, God desires to be with you.

Each and every morning when you wake up and shake off the sleep grog, God desires to be with you.

Even when things are hard and you don’t know what is next, God desires to be with you.

If you are going to start your journey off with a thought, start with this one.  

 

God, desires to be with you.

Let that be your rock.

Let that be your anchor.

Let than be your life line.

Let that be your compass.

Let that be your prayer.

 

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December 18, 2023
in Discipleship, DTOTD, Guest Services
by Brendon
0 Comments

DTOTD – The Coming King

” ….But you, O Bethlehem Ephraith, who are too little to be among the clans of Judah, FROM YOU SHALL FORTH FOR ME ONE WHO IS TO BE RULER IN ISRAEL, whose coming forth is from of old and ancient days…..and HE SHALL BE THEIR PEACE…..” Micah 5:2, 5a 

 

In a season of busyness and checklists and grocery lists, baking time, cooking time, family time, work time, rest time, present time, worship time, church time, and all the other times that are pulling for our attention, there is little to no time for peace. 

 

Maybe not peace and quiet, but memories, feelings, and emotions of peace. Where we allow time to slowly slip by as we sit with our family and remember the things that were, things that are and things that will be. Peace that rests our hearts, minds and souls. 

 

In the midst of the chaotic busyness there is a chance for us to use this time to find peace that we have not found and not felt at any other point of the year. 

 

The above text is from the prophet Micah in the OId Testament, as he was prophesying to the nation of Israel about coming turmoil and tribulation that they will endure of being taken over….in verse 5, he states what this coming ruler will bring that will come from Bethlehem… 

 

Peace. 

 

In a state of confusion and chaos that the Israelites were in, there was a message of peace. When all else seemed to be fading into darkness and into a pit that will be incredibly difficult to get out of. Peace was the coming message. 

 

Fast forward a couple hundred years to Matthew 1 / Luke 2, the coming of this prophesy takes place. The birth of Jesus Christ, the son of God is born in a time that was full of chaos and confusion and misunderstanding. The Roman empire had swallowed up so much land that rules and regulations and censuses were being taken for the first time or coming from a land that most Hebrews would never see. But it was in this moment, in the moment of busyness and travel and confusion and bad travel plans and cancelled reservations that Jesus made his way onto the scene. 

 

Immanuel has come. As Richard Foster so eloquently states in his book Life With God, that the desire and outcome of the grand story of God is that Jesus comes to earth as a baby to show and prove that the place that God desires to be is WITH his people. Not separated or far away from or not in touch with, but one that is intimately with his people every day. 

 

In a season where people were lost and looking for answers. In a season where people were hurting and looking for someone to heal them, maybe not physically but spiritually. And even some that were seeking healing physically. Jesus came to the world to give them peace. 

In John 16, Jesus, in his Farewell Message to his disciples with him and to us, tells us: 

 

” I have said these things to you, that in me you may have PEACE. In the world you will have trouble. But take heart, I have overcome the world. ” John 16:33  

 

Jesus came to Bethlehem to bring Peace. 

Jesus spoke a message of Peace. 

Jesus died so that you can have Peace. 

Jesus sent the Holy Spirit so you can have Peace. 

Jesus calls you to Himself to offer you peace. 

 

Will you find and reach out and accept his Peace? 

 

Take a moment today, tomorrow or sometime before the calendar switches and as Jesus to bring you Peace that he can only give. 

 

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December 4, 2023
in Church, Discipleship, DTOTD, Guest Services, HCC Basketball-Cheer, Local, Outreach
by Brendon
0 Comments

DTOTD – Farewell Message

” 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 were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it…….And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.” John 1:1-5, 14 

 

In a season that is full of lights…lights on houses, lights on cars since it is darker sooner and longer, lights on shoes, lights on shows, lights on trees, lights in motion….there can be a whole lot of darkness.  The Christmas season can bring so many memories, both good and bad and some just indifferent. Whether you love the holiday or despise the holiday or maybe you are just a grinch until you realize that you can’t steal Christmas away and just embrace it. 

 

And even those who gather together to celebrate the birth of Jesus for Christmas, feel this weight that the season brings. So it seems kind of weird that this season, reading the end of Jesus’ life brings a whole lot of peace and life by breathing slowly. 

 

Jesus came into the world in a time of dysfunction and confusion. The people of God, the Hebrews or Israelites haven’t heard from God in over 400 years at this point. Then all of a sudden a star shows up in the sky, a young couple travels back to a hometown that they didn’t know well and find themselves in a manger where the pigs and horses and cows and chickens and any other number of barn animals slept and got out of the cold. But it was in this moment in time when God decided to make a grand entrance and send his son Jesus to the earth. 

 

Over the next 33ish years Jesus would live amongst the creation that he was a part of as we read in John 1. But in Jesus’ 33rd year of life, came the moment where it was time for him to go back to the Father in Heaven. He spends 3 years with a group of disciples that walked with him, breathed with him, learned from him, ate with him, watched him preform miracles and healings and listened to every teaching and got to ask questions to him directly. At the last moments of Jesus’ life, we see Jesus with his disciples but away to pray and he prays these words: 

 

” I do not ask for these only, but also for those WHO WILL BELIEVE in me through their word….” John 17:20 

 

Jesus prayed for you. 

Jesus prayed for you in the darkest moments of his own life. 

Jesus prayed for you before you were born, or your parents were born or your grandparents were born or even your great grandparents were born. 

Jesus prayed for you before you knew him.

Jesus prayed for you knowing you would find dark times. 

Jesus prayed for you knowing you would find light times. 

Jesus prayed for you. 

As we enter into another Christmas season, whether the season is filled with lights and traditions and places to go and people to celebrate and hug or whether the season brings pain and hurt and memories that are hard…..know this……

That Jesus, the light of life, prayed for you. 

That Jesus, the wonderful counselor is here for you. 

That Jesus, the prince of peace will give you peace in the chaos. 

That Jesus, the Mighty King died on the cross for you even while we still sin. 

That Jesus, the Son of God, prayed for you. 

Let those words sink in as you walk or run or crawl through this season. 

 

 

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November 7, 2023
in Church, Guest Services, HCC Basketball-Cheer, Local, Outreach, School Outreach
by Brendon
0 Comments

The Gathering Recap

“ So much time and energy is put into religious concerns-church buildings, church committees, church programs, and activities – that the secular world suffers from pure neglect. But it is in that very world, Christians spend more of their time. If the Christian faith is going to have any kind of impact at all, it must address how believers live in the secular world. Ordinary people must learn to live as disciples of Jesus when they are NOT at church. Perhaps we need a new category of saint – a ‘ secular saint’ who lives passionately for Christ while serving as a banker or teacher or construction worker or artist.”

Gerald Sittser –  Waters From a Deep Well

 

It is hard to believe that it has been almost 2 weeks since we had our Guest Services and Local Outreach team Gathering! But it’s true, the days have flown by and it is time to prep for Thanksgiving and Christmas!

 

If you were able to join us for the Gathering, the quote above was one I explained that stood out to me when I read it but I wasn’t sure why at the time. But as I continued to think about and stew on the quote, it finally dawned on me…..

 

As a Guest Services and Local Outreach team, you are fulfilling this quote.

 

As a team, we welcome guests onto our campus and inside our doors and in our worship center. As a team, we go into the community and serve many different schools, organizations and people of all kind to be the hands and feet of Jesus to each of them. As a team, you are all secular saints. People that do not do ministry full time as a career, but a group of people that have fallen in love with Jesus and are genuinely passionate about Jesus and wanting others to know who Jesus is, all the while being that secular saint in your work places and homes that are in the secular world. The premise that Mr. Sittser speaks of in this quote, is that ordinary people learning to live as disciples of Christ in a secular world is one of the hardest but most fulfilling roles to have in life. And as a team, you are all a part of that premise and are doing amazing at it!

 

Before I get to any sort of information or details about a few things that will be coming in 2024, let me encourage you going into a very busy time of year:

 

” Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for i am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for you souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” Matthew 11:28-20

 

Jesus speaks these words when he is talking with his disciples as well as disciples of John the Baptist. Jesus says these words also to each and every one of us. That when we are in the craziness of life, the mundane daily tasks, the transportation company that is your vehicle to practice and games and concerts and friends houses, that Jesus is the best place to find rest.

 

My hope for you individually, is that you are able to find rest in Jesus. I hope that you find the rhythms that find you resting in Jesus far more often than you have at any other point in your life. That 2024 can be a year that is a catalyst for a life long journey with Jesus as not just a need or help in dark times, but the source of light and life in your every day.

 

We are going to need it. Because in 2024, there will be two big things changing on an every week level that you need to know about:

 

  1. A new Database – ChMS – Some of you reading this are probably thinking…huh? Why is this important? Well, in years past it may not have been. But this year, mainly for our Guest Services teams, this change to a new database is going to be a pretty large move, due to the additions of:
    1. Self Logins – meaning, you will have access to this database. You will be able to create a login username and password for you to have access to ChMS. Sure, still may not seem like a big deal, but our reach just became massive! Having your own login will allow you to be just as big of a resource as a coach or leader because we all become ambassadors for our teams and our church. Recruiting is a massive task and when all of us have the ability to recruit and contact people, it makes recruiting an easier opportunity.
    2. Scheduling – did you know that there are 8 teams that make up the Guest Services team as a whole?? Parking, Golf Carts, Greeter, Communion tables, Section Hosts, Living Room Guides, Guest Central, First Aid and our Mission Cafe is a huge partner with us. All of those teams have their own schedules right now….that is a lot of schedules to keep track of. In January 2024, we will be moving to using ChMS as our primary way of signing up to serve and keeping schedules. This will also allow ALL members of the Guest Services teams to see who is serving and where. As an individual team, it can seem a little lonely, but when we see the whole picture, we know that we are part of something bigger than ourselves. There will be more talk about the online schedules in the coming weeks.
  2. The Belong Experience, wont Belong anymore – man that sounds so depressing, and it kind of is. But, we are brining our Belong Experience to a close so that we can start something new!
  3. Enter – Discover Harvester – Discover Harvester, starting in April, will be our new space to invite and push new guests and anyone wanting to get more involved with Harvester CC. Just like Belong, Discover Harvester will be where people can learn about who we are as a church, what we believe and how they can get involved. But instead of attempting to do that in one hour, it will be broken down into TWO parts:
    1. Week 1 – this will be very similar to what our Belong Experience is right now. It will be video driven and information based. However with filming new videos, it will also free up a ton more time for table conversations all about Harvester. Think these two things about week 1 – we want people to make a decision for Jesus and then Harvester.
    2. Week 2 – part 2 of Discover Harvester will also be video driven but will be geared and designed specifically to help people have more time to see where it is that God might be calling them to take a next step. Through video stories, table conversations and hosts, week 2 should be a great chance for not only the hosts of the morning, but also the attenders to make a great decision on where God is calling them to be involved with HCC.

 

The last thing about the Gathering that I do not want to over look is this:

 

Our goal for 2024 – is to not get stuck in what was, but embrace what could be.

 

The great theologian, Olaf the Snowman said this in Frozen 2 – ” Oh how I wish this could last forever. And yet change mocks us with our beauty.”

 

Olaf could not be more right. The machine is clicking right now. Things are working and each week, as teams fulfill our team goal of being the most welcoming church anyone can experience.

 

The danger that we run, especially in a season like it is right now, that if we do not begin to change or think about how things get better and move towards that, we get stuck and end up behind the game. And it is much harder to catch up instead of trying to be ahead of the curve.

 

So come along with us for another great year of welcoming guests and being the hands and feet of Jesus to our church, community and world!

 

Oh yea, here are some dates you might want to know:

 

Christmas 2023: all services are full programmed except the 11pm service on the 24th.

  • Friday, December 22nd – 6pm
  • Sunday, December 24th – 8am/9:30am/11am & 3pm/4:30pm/11pm

 

Guest Service and Local Outreach Trainings 2024:

  • Thursday, February 29th – 6:15-8:30pm in the Mission Cafe 
  • Thursday, May 16th – 6:15-8:30pm  in the mission Cafe 
  • Thursday, October 24th – 6:00-8:30 – The Gathering in the Landing 

 

feel free to reach out if you have any questions!! 

Love you guys, thanks so much for serving! 

 

 

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November 7, 2023
in Church, Discipleship, DTOTD
by Brendon
0 Comments

BUILDING

” He said to them, ” But who do you say that I am?” Simon Peter replied, ‘ You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.’ And Jesus answered him, ” Blessed are you Simon Bar-Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven. And I tell you, you are Peter and on this rock, I WILL BUILD MY CHURCH, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” – Matt. 16:15-18

 

Each of us have a natural instinct to build.

 

Whether it be a child wanting to build a lego tower, fire house scene, kitchen scene, fantasy dream land, or even a fort on the couch. Maybe as a teenager it is building an identity or building friendships or building grades or building a foundation to drive or building knowledge for college. As an adult, we continue to want to build, whether it is a home, a family, a career, wealth, influence or maybe it is just building a tree house for your kids.

 

Building seems to be a natural process all throughout life. Building could be equated to work or learning or just getting older. There is something in the passage above that struck hard at a conference last week.

 

As Christians, we tend to fall into the same category of wanting to build things. We want to build our understanding of the Bible. We want to build our standing in the church. We want to build a place for us to call home.

 

The interesting part of building when it comes to church, is that it is not about you or me.

 

Building a church, is what Jesus said He would do.

 

The disciples are this point in their walk with Jesus, are maybe starting to grasp who it is they are walking with. We see in this passage in Matthew 16 that Simon Peter states it blankly and bluntly. Peter states, while they were standing in a place that was known as the gates of hell, it was a large rock opening that burned red due to sulfur under ground. But with boldness and clarity Peter claims that Jesus is the Christ, the son of the Living God.

 

Jesus greets that answer with exclamation! Isn’t it interesting

 

There is another place where Jesus references building a space. In John 14, the beginning of the farewell Discourse that he is having with his disciples in the Upper Room, Jesus says this:

 

” Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God, believe also in Me. In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare(build) a place for you?” – John 14:1-2

 

Not only is Jesus stating that here on Earth He is going to build HIS CHURCH, Jesus also states that He is building a room for anyone who believes.

 

As much as we try to control the areas that we can build in our every day lives, Jesus is working diligently behind the scenes building both the church and rooms in heaven.

 

Jesus will build HIS church. Not me.

 

Jesus will build HIS church. Not you.

 

Jesus will build HIS church. And the Gates of Hell shall never prevail.

 

Jesus will build a room…for you.

 

Jesus will build a room…for me.

 

Jesus will build a room…..for all to hear and accept the message of love and grace.

 

Jesus will….

 

Breath a deep breath knowing that not everything depends on you.

 

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October 5, 2023
in Church, Discipleship, DTOTD, Guest Services, HCC
by Brendon
0 Comments

DTOTD – Abram

” Now the Lord said to Abram, ” Go from your country and your kindred and your father’s house to the land I will show you. And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing.”

Genesis 12:1-2

 

The Old Testament is a fascinating read.

Have you ever thought about that?

When you pick up your bible and turn to the Old Testament, have you ever thought…this is awesome?

Now, I might be weird, but I truly think the Old Testament of the Bible is one of the most fascinating reads you can read in your life. Not just because it is the Bible but because it has everything you could ever want in a book to read. It has love stories, sex stories, war, blood, confusion, anger, betrayal, praise, unheard of rawness, hope, heaviness, light, creation and so much more. That might be just in the first 5 books!

 

As we walk through the story of Abraham on Sunday morning @ Harvester CC, it was fitting to continue those conversations here. Because Abraham is a man full of interesting stories that we can all learn from. The timeline of Abrams story starts in an interesting way. We are only 12 chapters into the bible, in which we have already encountered creation, the fall, death, murder, chaos, a flood that wipes everyone out except for a few, humans create more people, then a big tower is built and God separates people and then we see Abram’s father Terah get to a certain point in the journey and just stop.

 

Abram then comes on the scene mainly as a nomad for the first little while. He is called by God to go to a land that God will show him. So Abram, packs his things and goes, along with his wife Sarai. They travel hundreds of miles and to multiple locations before we find them having to travel south to Egypt because of a famine.

 

As they approach Egypt, Abram makes a decision that leads to an interesting lesson. So Abram looks over to his wife, Sarai and says……your really good looking…..(brendon’s translation) and instead of telling people that you are my wife….because apparently Abram was not good looking???…..we are going to tell people that you are my sister so that they don’t kill me so that they can take you as their wife. And for some reason, Sarai agrees!

 

We can leave the obvious marriage counseling that is needed in this relationship aside, but in the grand scheme of things, Abram makes a decision to hide a truth about himself to other people to make sure he is ok. Even at the risk of losing his wife, losing his life anyway and possibly never being able to leave Egypt.

 

As the story continues, we see that Abram loses Sarai and she is taken into Pharaoh’s house and Abram is set somewhere else. But as time goes on, God takes matters into his own hands. While Sarai is in Pharaoh’s house, God sends great plagues towards Pharaoh(Gen. 12: 17). Pharaoh then goes and finds Abram, maybe Abram was not that far away. Pharaoh then brings Abram and questions him:

 

” What is this you have done to me? Why you not tell me that she was your wife? Why did you say ‘She is my sister’, so that I took her for my wife?” Gen. 12:18-19a

 

Abram has to feel rather embarrassed or maybe just idiotic at this point. Abram in an attempt to save his own life, gives up his wife and now is caught in an elaborate scheme to keep himself alive over the life of his wife.

 

Haven’t we all been there though?

 

Abram is in a place we have all found ourselves in at some point.

 

Abram is in a place where we either tell the truth or run and hide from it.

 

Abram is human.

 

He is flawed and weak just like anyone else.

 

Abram was afraid that he would not be welcomed because of the beauty of his wife.

 

You have been afraid that you would not be welcomed because of your clothes.

 

You have been afraid that you would not be welcomed because of your past.

 

We have all been afraid of not fitting in so we do things that everyone else is doing to fit in even if….we don’t want to.

 

We have all gone places that we don’t really want to go because that is where everyone else is going.

 

We have all made up stories to either keep ourselves in good graces with others or to feel accepted.

 

We have all had those facades come down in a very heavy way.

 

We have all felt the after effects of the stories that we have created.

 

We have all seen the effect that our decisions have on other people in the wake of our elaborate schemes.

 

Why do we do that?

 

There could be lots of reasons and some could be better than others.

 

What Abram in this scenario learns is that God sees him.

 

God sees Abram in his fear.

 

God sees Abram in his weakness.

 

God sees Abram in a place where he cannot get out.

 

God sees Abram in a way, that Abram cannot see himself.

 

There are times in our lives, when we need to be seen in this way.

 

We need to allow God to see us in our weakness, instead of bulding a facade that we are ok.

 

We need to allow God to see us in the place that we cannot get out of on our own but allow God to come and rescue us.

 

We need to be vulnerable enough with God to know He Loves You despite of our elaborate schemes.

 

Abram demonstrates to us a posture of…well just like you and me….a posture of performing when we need to have a posture of humility.

 

As you go today, think about the posture you have with God.

 

Is it one that demonstrates humility in needing God? Or could we be posturing in a way to make it look like we are something we are not?

 

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August 30, 2023
in Church, Discipleship, DTOTD, Guest Services, Local, Outreach
by Brendon
1 Comment

DTOTD – step out of the crowd

” …but it shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be slave of all. For even the Son of Man did not come to be served but TO serve, and give his life as a ransom for many.” – Mark 10:45

It is really easy not to serve.   Seriously. I get it. There are so many reasons that we could choose to not serve. Busyness. Calendars. Appointments. Homework. Dinner routines. Not sure where to serve. Not sure how to serve. Covid. Pandemics. Fear. Unsure of your place. It’s not for me. They don’t need me, they have plenty already.

I recently read an article by Danny Franks titled 4 Reasons Volunteering Within the Church is Crucial.  In the article, he tells of a study, ” While 84% of respondents said their church encourages every adult to serve in some capacity, only 30% said they have personally served in the past year.” My upbringing was probably a little different than yours. I was born into this world with a pastor as a dad. One that was hard-working and passionate about what he did. My mom took the step to be a stay-at-home mom to raise me and my 3 siblings the best should could. But it also meant that we were at church a lot until maybe I could drive myself. But for some reason, I still showed up on Sunday mornings for church/youth group. I can remember being in middle school and going to help at church whether it was just to play with friends or to help run through drywall to take a wall down to revamp a space for students. As I entered high school, I was one that everyone knew and looked too. Not sure if I was the best person to always be looked to, but my youth pastor saw something in me that I did not know was there. He put me on stage to host our weekly youth services. He had me pray on stage. He had me lead group discussions. And after I graduated he helped me make the decision to go to bible college. Going to bible college was well, small and isolated. I went from living on the East Coast where I could drive to 2 of the largest metropolitan cities in the country, to finding myself surrounded by corn and bean fields. It was a world unlike anything I knew about growing up. It was flat and you could see as far as you wanted to. In this rural community, one thing remained true. Serving became something that not only was taught but it was expected. Every year in bible college there was a dedicated week to serve on a mission trip or in an area that you may have never been to. Serving on the weekends at local churches whether it was with adults, students, or kids was always welcomed. After graduating from bible college, my personal service became serving students full-time both on the East Coast and then back into the Midwest. Even when it came time to step away from full-time paid ministry, I knew God always called me to serve. Whether working in the church or in the business world there was no question that I would still make it a priority to serve in student ministry and eventually moving to the adult ministry.  

Serving has always been something that has been there in my being. It has been ingrained in me to serve is to be Jesus to those around me. Even in my darkest, most confusing, most fearful moments of questioning what I was doing, where I was going,  how I was going to be a good husband, how I was going to be a good dad, how I was going to provide and lead my family…..serving provided clarity of who I was and what I was supposed to be doing. Service to others didn’t take something away from me. It provided an anchor and a constant in my life. 

There are a few things that I have learned about serving others that I want others to experience either for the first time or for someone stepping back into serving after a break. 

  1. Serving allows Jesus to work in you and through you – It is always interesting seeing in scripture, the rhythm that Jesus shows to his disciples. Serving always was part of what Jesus showed them for everyday living. In a recent cohort, Greg Curtis, the Guest Services Pastor at Eastside CC in Anaheim, CA, taught me this term – Outcome-based Discipleship. Essentially, this was all about the process of going and doing while learning and growing about Jesus. Hearing that phrase made me think about this idea that putting ourselves in places to serve not only allows us to show the love of Jesus to others, it allows Jesus to continue to mold us into his image.
  2. Serving brings community – Have you been in a church where you just feel left out? Maybe it’s because at church you feel like just another face in the crowd. Can I encourage you to step out of the crowd? It is super easy and comfortable to come to church and just sit and sing and listen and sing and leave. I tried that, but it didn’t last long. Take a step out of the crowd and find out where you could serve. Whether it is inside the walls of the church or outside of the walls. When you take the step to serve, God will guide you to a place where you will find a community of people who will love you and care for you.
  3. Jesus commanded us to do so – Not just in Mark 10:45, where Jesus says he did not come to be served but to serve but Jesus also shares in John 13, after getting on his hands and knees taking the place of a servant and washing his disciples’ feet, Jesus commands his disciples, ” A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; just as. I have loved you, you also are to love one another. BY THIS, ALL people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” ( John 13:34-35) Jesus did not say the commandment was to learn about him and sit on your butt and not do anything. Jesus did not that just going and attending a Sunday church service and going home is enough. Jesus said, love other people. Jesus commanded us to go into the world and tell others about his love and grace and to baptize those who believe. Jesus tells us that we are going to be his witnesses in our towns and regions and all over the world. Jesus tells us to pick up our own cross and follow Him daily. If we are to show love to others like Jesus showed to us, then that means we must step out, make sacrifices,  and follow his calling to serve others.

” For you were called to freedom brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through Love, SERVE one another” – Galatians 5:13

God has huge plans for you, both in and through your life. You have the chance to be part of serving others to allow them to get to experience Jesus in a way they never have before or maybe for the first time ever.   If you ever feel inadequate or maybe not ready or any of the other excuses we can use to stop us from serving you are not alone. Just look in scripture at all of the mess ups and the failures and the messed up people that God was able to use. Whether it is someone who tries to run away from God and ends up getting swallowed by a fish, or someone that follows Jesus for three years and then denies knowing him at all….those guys still gave testimony to who God is and brought about change in an entire city that was known for being crazy and the other is the one who leads the start of the early church.  

In our weakness, God supplies strength. Take a step out of the crowd and see how you can serve those around you. Get ready to receive the blessings of knowing exactly you who are and your purpose no matter what. 

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August 16, 2023
in Church, Discipleship, DTOTD, HCC, Local, Outreach
by Brendon
0 Comments

Story Teller Series

” Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as he CHOSE us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In Love he predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace,  with which he has blessed un in the Beloved. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace,” Ephesians 1:3-7

Adoption.

A topic that has gained steam in my life as I have met more and more families that have entered into this realm. It is a world that I do not fully understand and am not sure if I am ready for. This month, the month of August, it is Adoption/Fostering Awareness month and we have had many families at Harvester Christian Church venture into adoption and the stories of their adoptions are more and more impactful.

Adoption is not a foreign topic to scripture or to God. God has placed the concept of adoption all throughout scripture. Adoption is defined as, the action of taking another life, usually a child, and legally raising it as one of their own. In scripture, Adoption is defined as the reception of a believer into the Family of God.

If you think about it this way, the earthly version of adoption is when a person receives another person, not of their own blood or genealogy, brings them into their home and routine and rhythm and way of life, to raise that person as one of their own. God, the creator of all, is doing the same thing with each and every one of us. When we accept Jesus, God’s son, into our lives, God is adopting us back from the dominion of Satan, to raise us, grow us, teach us, discipline us, bless us, guide us into a thriving and full life with God as the leader of our life.

Some friends of mine, The Dickerson’s, went from a family of 5:

To this, a family of 7:

.Our families were in a life group together during this process that they journeyed through and let me tell you, it was one that was absolutely crazy and fast and so encouraging. I was able to ask Nathan and Brittany some questions about their adoption story. In Brittany’s words……is there a word count requirement? I have had a chance to read all these answers to the questions that they sent back to me and, well I am just going to let you take the time to read them:

  • Foster and Adopting is something that not everyone thinks about. How did you get your feet into the world of Fostering and Adopting? 
    • Dickerson’s – I (Brittany) have been drawn to adoption since age 14 when I volunteered in a district preschool. There was a little boy who had just been adopted from Russia. His parents discovered he was deaf and had no way to communicate after he arrived in the U.S., which was tough on the class. I was asked to just have fun with him and give the teacher a break for a bit. From there I’ve always had kids in my life who have been in foster care or been adopted. 
    • I (Nathan) struggled to consider it seriously until we became friends with a family in our Harvester life group with two adopted kids and two bio kids. They were doing a great job. It helped me grasp a vision for what adoption when we already had three bio kids could look like. 
    • Later I (Brittany) had some health issues, so there was a five year gap between our second and third kid. We decided that the best way to grow our family was a private adoption to minimize wait time, but it would probably have to be infant adoption because I didn’t want to travel to another country. What we really wanted though was an older child to fill our five year gap. We worked with an adoption consultant who helped us complete the paperwork in three months, and then we presented to 16 different birth moms two months time. We obviously weren’t chosen by these birth moms. But then the boys popped up and we decided on a whim to apply for them. Their birth mom chose us and four days later we were on a plane to pick them up! God had a plan to fill our five year gap all along, with not one but two preschool aged children.
  • In the process, what were some of the biggest struggles that you faced? 
    • Dickerson’s 
      • Since we thought we were adopting a baby, we didn’t have any training for older kids! None! Outside of a book my friend mailed me the day before we picked up the boys, we knew little of the trauma and grief that adopted kids experience. Our boys are wonderful and really want to love and be loved, but we didn’t always understand them and they didn’t always understand us. They grieved leaving Florida and their birth family more than we expected, which sounds silly to say now. Grief showed up in unexpected ways and we gave them consequences at times that didn’t match what they really needed. But all this helped reveal the areas we were lacking in our parenting even before adopting, and through it we have grown to parent all of our kids better. Consequences and rules MUST be tied to how much we love them and how much we want good for them, every single time we discipline. 
      • COVID hit shortly after we adopted and all therapies stopped, not to mention seeing our extended family and friends in person. While it gave us the time to focus on bonding as a family of seven, it was exhausting and lonely. We needed a community, but were too tired and we had too much to learn to do much else.
      • Finding our parenting groove took a while. Adoption books and counselors differ on tactics, and at times we didn’t agree with any of them! It took a while to find therapists and strategies that worked with who we are as parents.
  • As a dad to 3, Nathan, what were some of your prayers as you navigated the adoption world? 
    • Nathan – I prayed that our future adoption would be a win-win-win, a win for us, a win for the kids and a win for their birth mom. Ideally adoption is a ministry to both the child and their first family. 
  • As a mom to 3, Brittany, what were some of your prayers as you navigated the adoption world? 
    • Brittany- The thing that I’ve had to be the most intentional about is loving their birth mom. God made it very clear to me that I was not to judge her. I do not know her whole story and who knows how I would deal with the things she has had to deal with. God made it clear that He loved her and that she was okay with him- that would be enough for me. This idea first came to me on the plane flying to get the boys, and has been reaffirmed as I read scripture these past four years. No matter what anyone says, I am to accept and love her as she is. Sharing the mom role can be hard, especially because we are very different people. She is easy going and I’m more type A with routines and structure for everything, but we try to help the boys see the benefits to both ways and how much they are loved by both of us. 
  • When you got a call that there were boys that were looking for a family, what was your initial response, and did you have any hesitation? 
    • Dickerson- Yes! We had a lot of hesitation. With private adoption you get almost no information about older children. We were told to ask more questions if we were chosen, but the questions we asked made the adoption agency nervous. She told the boys’ birthmom to pick another family, but 24 hours later, the boys’ mom was steadfast. She still wanted us. We homeschool and like to go on family adventures- and it was all over our adoption photobook. That’s what she wanted for the boys. 
    • During that 24 hours that we were unsure about our match with the boys, we didn’t sleep at all. Both of us individually had to decide if we could do this with the little info we were given. A short phone call with the birthmom and a couple sentences of information, plus some notes from their latest well check… is that enough? What if things got really bad for our current three kids we were responsible for protecting already? In the end, we knew it was a risk but we thought God was telling us to move ahead. We are so glad we did! I don’t think this is smart in every situation, and I’d probably recommend against it to others, but it’s worked out really really well for all of us. 
  • You have a unique adoption story in that you have made it a point for mom of the boys to still be in their lives….how did you come to the decision? 
    • Dickerson’s – We never felt like we had a choice to NOT allow her to be part of their lives. God worked things so that we were put in touch with a family adoption counselor BEFORE we adopted (which is unheard of with this specific company) and the counselor told us that their birth mom being able to continue the relationship would allow the boys to feel loved and cared for, instead of being abandoned. The adoption process would still be grieved, but they would grow up with a better sense of belonging. As a mom, I would do anything for my kids’ wellbeing. If having their birth mom in their lives was best, then that’s what we would do! Plus she’s quite wonderful. The boys have so many emotions before, during, and after her visit that she doesn’t necessarily see. We are exhausted before she even arrives dealing with it all. BUT she supports us and encourages us and makes it clear that she thinks we are doing a great job. Slowly we are all starting to feel like one big family.  
  • When you look at scripture, what scriptures stand out to you when it comes to adopting and why? 
    • Nathan – James says that true religion is caring for orphans and widows in their distress. That call to action didn’t fully sink in until we had friends who had adopted kids and it normalized adoption for me. If they could do it, I couldn’t keep making excuses as to why I wasn’t cut out to adopt.
    • Brittany – I love how adoption is all throughout the Bible. The more I learn about attachment and how it works, I’m convinced we all have attachment disorders with God. I’ve seen so many adoptive children go through stages. First they push back against the change. They don’t want anything to do with this new family or way of living! Suddenly they have to eat vegetables, go to bed on time, bathe daily, AND their new family lives somewhere new and even talks or smells different. After a while, they kind of start to like the family, but still don’t trust the family and aren’t sure they like all these rules. Some more time passes and they start to see the benefit of eating regularly and following agreed upon rules, but they still aren’t sure they belong. Finally, they reach a point where they believe they do belong. They still don’t always like the rules (Who does?!), but they know this is their family where they belong and their family wants what is best for them. They trust their parents for good outcomes and know their parents really know who they are deep down. Family is GOOD. 
    • God IS the adoptive parent in scripture, wanting to help and love us and make everything better. But we just can’t trust him. We don’t think he has our best intentions at heart and we don’t trust that we will like his outcomes. However, His ways ARE best and his outcomes ARE better. We have to do the hard work of sticking around, getting to know God, and learning to trust him, moment by moment, in all things. 
  • What would you say or how would you encourage others to think about the adoption world and process? 
    • Dickerson’s – 
    • To people thinking of adopting- God’s fingerprints are all over our story. He picked the time and the boys that were perfect for us. And I hope that they say that we are perfect for them too. Nathan wasn’t always on board with adoption, and God used that to work out the just right timing. If things aren’t lining up and you are feeling impatient, just hold on. God will work things out when the time is right. 
    • To people who have adopted- It’s amazing the therapists, occupational therapists, speech therapists, homeschool co-ops, friends, soccer coaches, and more that have been placed in our lives at just the time we needed them. I have friends who I can ask to pray and within hours, whatever I asked them to pray for is better. Often I feel so much relief that I even forget I sent an urgent prayer text just that morning until they ask later how things are! You truly don’t have to have it all figured out. None of us do. God will provide the resources and help you need. You might feel alone at times, but you never are. You just have to be faithful and truly trust God to bring what you need when you need it. And hold on when God seems to be answering slowly- He is working and whatever it is won’t last forever. Also It can be hard to find the energy for community, but it is worth it and desperately needed. You can’t pour from an empty cup- God often uses people to fill mine. 
    • To people who aren’t sure if adoption is for them with kids at home- If you already have kids at home it can be tricky. Our three that we already had before adoption were the number one reason we hesitated saying yes. But what we learned in parenting adopted kids made us ten times better at parenting our biological kids. There have been times that our bio kids didn’t get enough attention from us, but extended family helped and they grew in maturity so much. At this point, all three of our bio kids would say that adoption is the best thing that ever happened to them. They can’t imagine life without their brothers. The journey hasn’t been easy, but it has been worth it. 
  • Now that you are a family of 7, would you ever think of changing anything? 
    • Dickerson’s – If we suddenly had more time and energy, we’d totally adopt more! But with our oldest two entering the teen years, we don’t want to miss out on time with them. We love watching them play sports, attending High Hill camp with them and taking them on trips. Adding another little one would definitely change our availability and we don’t want to do that right now. 
  • What would be your prayer or encouragement for those that have never thought about adopting or are thinking about it already? 
    • Dickerson’s – Hello!! Wherever you are on your journey, God is there working things out. I often tell my kids that God is doing a thousand things in your life right now and we only stop to notice a couple of them at any moment. Trust that He is here and he is working. He knows the desires of your heart and he has good plans for you. He knows where you are lacking and need support. He knows where you are strong and could more easily help another. And He will use any hardship along the way for good (Romans 8:28). 
    • Also, everyone doesn’t have to adopt. In fact, adoptive families need families that aren’t struggling right then to come alongside them and support them. If you don’t feel that God is calling you to adopt, He could be calling you to befriend an adoptive family and provide support for them. Meals right after adopting is really helpful, but adoptive families really need friends who are okay with the messiness that first year or two as well. Biological kids are going through a HUGE change and maybe not act like themselves for a while. And if a family adopts and disappears, just texting to see how they are doing and what you can pray for helps so so much. Prayer really does change things. We see it all the time in our lives- something feels hard and it’s just not getting better, so a friend starts praying. It doesn’t always change right away, but we see improvement immediately. My (Brittany’s) best friend is a prayer warrior and always going to bat for us in prayer. I know we wouldn’t be where we are now without her. If adoption isn’t working out for whatever reason, maybe your spouse isn’t on board or the finances are lining up, I would pray, but not push. God will line things up in time, and I’m sure he has big things for you to do in the meantime 🙂

I’m not crying….you are.

In all seriousness, Adoption is one of the most significant images when it comes to the relationship we have with Jesus, because of his death on the cross, when we take the step to allow Jesus to be the Lord and Savior of our life, we are adopted into the Kingdom of God.

Adoption may not be on your mind right now, but maybe after hearing the Dickerson’s story, you might start a prayer that may open your hearts to how you can be a part of your own adoption story or someone else’s.

If you are wanting to hear and learn more about this world of adoption, come join us on August 31st to learn how you can Unleash Hope to Children:

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From the HCC Outreach Team:

Thanks so much for stopping by the Harvester Christian Church Outreach Team’s blog! We hope you find this resource helpful, insightful and encouraging as we strive to Unleash the Hope of Jesus back into our world!

This resource belongs to Harvester Christian Church in St. Charles, Mo.