It was Will Rogers who said, "Diplomacy is the art of saying 'Nice doggie ...' until you can find a rock."  

Patience and tolerance ... we all need it - and not just to get the advantage.  Here's a fact: learning to be patient, tolerant, and make allowances for others is not only a gift we give to others and ourselves (thus making it possible for us to be happy) but it might even set pleasant historical vectors in-place that span 20 centuries.

Don't believe it?  You need to catch Rick's message, THEN you need to listen to this companion podcast!

Listen to Rick's message HERE: https://youtu.be/UfhGQqsZIGM

Find out about Happy HERE: https://www.roswellgrace.com/happy

When Thomas Jefferson wrote the Declaration of Independence, he mentioned that we were endowed by our Creator with inalienable rights, which include: life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.  And Americans DO spend time and money on that pursuit!  But are Instagrammable experiences, possessions, and money the essence of happiness?  Is happiness located only in pleasant circumstances?  The Bible never makes that equivocation.  In fact, it's universally recognized that real happiness can never be found by pleasing ourselves - it's about relationships.

That's why Rick is excited about this series.  This week, Rick and Sean discuss the starting point: accepting people for who they are.  You see, when the Bible commands us to "accept one another."  Simple, right?  Yes.  Easy ... no - at least not always.

Make sure you catch Rick's message by pointing your browser to roswellgrace.com AND find out more about the Happy series and other happy happenings at Grace.

All right, let's get to the conversation!

Click here for the message: https://youtu.be/BAevrFZ0KWI

Click here for more information about Happy: https://www.roswellgrace.com/happy

Click here for more information about how membership in a local church coalesces the factors that contribute to happiness - and find out how to join Grace: https://www.roswellgrace.com/connect

It was the Partridge Family (wow - is that dating me!) who sang "Come On and Get Happy", and Pharrell Williams inspired and made some great dance videos based on his song "Happy".  But - really - how do you "get" happy?  How do you define happiness?  What is the wisest, most fruitful means of finding - and giving - happiness in the world in which we live?  Given current circumstances, we are desperately in need to have answers to those questions.  Thankfully, God's Promises, found in his Word, supply just those answers.

In his brand new series, Happy, Pastor Rick Hale shares how happiness isn't all that elusive when we come to terms with the hindrances and true source of happiness.  

To watch Rick's message go here: https://youtu.be/nDnNjU5Gv34

To see that Alan Hirsch conversation on discipleship, go here: https://youtu.be/NN3oA5AETuI

To find out why Membership is so important and to sign -up for the January 17th, Class 101 Discovering Membership event, go here:   https://www.roswellgrace.com/connect  (There's no obligation to join, but it's important to know: According to the Bible, "Why does the church exist and what should the church be actively doing, and how do I - and should I - fit?)

When we think about 2020, most of us are glad it's over: "Good riddance of that terrible year!"  But Pastor Kevin makes a challenge for us: Don't carry baggage from 2020 into 2021!  It was too painful the first time - why relive it?  Make sure you check out the message, but you can catch some extras here on this podcast.  ALSO, we chat just a bit with Pastor Rick as he describes the importance and particulars of Grace's new series: Happy!

To hear Kevin's message, go here: https://youtu.be/HaETcg7D-LY

For more information about Happy, go here: https://www.roswellgrace.com/happy

For more information about Grace Community Church, go here: https://www.roswellgrace.com/

Merry Christmas, everybody - and Happy New Year to you!  

PLUS - we talk about our next series: Happy!   

After a month-long hiatus (thanks, COVID ... not really!), the Living Your Dash podcast returns!  

Rick has been doing a Christmas mini-series called "The Greatest Story Ever Told" - and this week we unpack his message, "Announced by Angels."  

Let's reframe things a bit by posing a question: What's the Greatest Story you've ever heard?  The greatest that HUMANITY itself has ever heard?  Some might say, "Well, that's hard to say - there are a lot of good ones."  But consider: writers, philosophers, and literature teachers all conclude that a good story needs five things: a protagonist (a hero, a person on a journey), an antagonist (the villain, the person trying to defeat the protagonist), an inciting action - what sets the hero and villain ultimately colliding, the conflict (the battle, the fight, the hardships, the losses), and finally the resolution: who wins?  What happens?  Who says: "And they lived happily ever after?"

The Gospel - the greatest love story, the greatest rescue mission in HIStory (that's no typo!), the greatest teacher who clearly laid out the greatest philosophy and purpose of life ... it's all there!  And as Rick mentions, sometimes we hear it so much, it loses its vitality.  So that's what we're going to talk about today!

To find Rick's message go here: https://youtu.be/zxpMeqrtf9M

To find out more about Grace Community Church, go here: https://www.roswellgrace.com/

If you're really bored and want to know about Sean's Covid Adventure: https://www.roswellgrace.com/post/the-light-at-the-end-of-the-tunnel

This week's podcast is very special because we're getting a nice variety of voices: 

First, Pastor Barry Anderson was the first - and so far ONLY - staff member to have been hit by the Coronavirus.  Barry talks candidly about his experience and the importance of having a good support system

Next, Pastor Kevin Price discusses his message from this past week and the crucial importance of personal integrity in our development as disciples.

And finally, Pastor Rick Hale closes us up with some important things coming up very soon.

UPDATE: We've uploaded a corrected version.  The original podcast was produced with an error - if you listened to 5 minutes of silence, you are our hero!  

You can find Rick's message HERE: https://youtu.be/yVp6366_kS4

You can find more about Grace Community Church HERE: roswellgrace.com 

A "masterpiece" is defined as "a work of outstanding artistry, skill, or workmanship."  If I say "Mona Lisa", you would say DaVinci; If I said, "Starry Night", you'd say VanGogh; if I said Stradivarious, you'd say violin.  You get the picture.  

Make sure you check out Rick's Message here: https://youtu.be/kPyshvjP-hg

You can find more details about the series "ME", here: https://www.roswellgrace.com/me-2020

Find more information about Grace Community Church here: https://www.roswellgrace.com/

Dr. M. Scott Peck wrote: "Emotional sickness is avoiding reality at any cost. Emotional health is facing reality at any cost."  Whether we're self-aware of it or not, NO ONE goes untouched by the negative - or postitive - labels that others have placed on us.  It can lead to powerful transformation, or shackle us in insecurity, projected fault-finding, paranoia, suffering silently in ignorance - and worst of all: we miss out on the great opportunities that God has for us.  But it doesn't have to be that way!

As Pastor Rick guides us through this series of messages entitled, "ME" we CAN develop a truly loving and other-empowering life after we acknowledge, and let the Holy Spirit transform us.

Find More about the series HERE: https://www.roswellgrace.com/me-2020

Find Rick's Message HERE: https://www.roswellgrace.com/living-your-dash-podcast