So many things change from generation to generation - clothing styles, music, behaviors, technology...

It can be hard to live closely with someone who sees the world so differently than you, but that's what the church is all about! We are DIFFERENT GENERATIONS WITH THE SAME HEART.

God wants to use us TOGETHER to change the culture around us.

WE ARE THE CHURCH

God's desire for us in the church is to be ACTIVE - engaged with others and with him. We are meant to be IN THE GAME, not just sitting on the sidelines. Many of us have missed the potential of our life with Jesus because we've passed the responsibility of our growth to someone else.

It's time for us to STEP UP and be the church he has called us to be!

Every year things change - that can be scary, but change is good. It helps us release the old and step into something NEW.

God has something NEW for you - to become a new person, a new friend, a new spouse, a new co-worker. New is better. What does God have for YOU?

As we start this new year we want to focus in on how we love Jesus.

When Jesus is talking to one of his disciples, he asks him 'do you love me?' and his disciple says 'Yes! I do!' Jesus replies with, 'then feed my sheep.' Jesus is saying - if you love me, then do as I have taught you, help others to live this way - you love me through intentional action.

We're talking about how we can love intentionally and decide to love rather than waiting on a feeling.

Following Jesus doesn't mean things are easy or always go like we planned. Lots of times we find ourselves in uncomfortable or even dangerous situations. What we can find rest in is that with Jesus there is always PEACE. A peace that surpasses understanding - a Powerful Peace.

God sent his son Jesus to be born as a human and bring us back to himself. This was the greatest gift ever given.

This gift was EXTRAVAGANT. It was God giving all he had - more than he had to - simply because he loved us so much.

When God sent us his son Jesus, he gave us the Greatest Gift.

Many gifts we get around Christmas last for a bit and then get old or outdated or broken. Those gifts had a time, but they cannot KEEP giving entertainment, life, joy, fun.

Jesus is the gift that keeps on giving. He brings peace and joy and counsel to us EVERY DAY for as long as we will live with him. This is what makes him the GREATEST GIFT and why we celebrate this season when he was born to the earth.

Christmas is a time of giving - of love and happiness. And during this Christmas season we don't want to overlook the GREATEST GIFT ever given - Jesus.

God knew what we needed most and that's why he sent his son - he sent us himself. Because our greatest need was him.

How can we reflect this kind of self-giving in our own lives?

'you can learn from your past, but you can't live in it.'

The Past is gone and is behind us - often times we find ourselves stuck in the past unable to move forward and see what God is doing right now. Whether those are good moments from the past or bad moments, we can't let the past keep up imprisoned! God has more for us and it's ahead.

We all have tons of thoughts all the time. We don't have to be captive to what pops into our mind though. Jesus has freedom for us and a way to decide what we think on to effectively change our whole life!