As we enter a brand new year, we do so filled with hope and with optimism and with the joyful expectation that this year can be different, that we can be different. In fact, John C. Maxwell famously said that most of us have “uphill hopes but downhill habits” – that we want for the best, but we don’t really works towards it: we allow old patterns of behavior and belief to get in the way of the newness and refreshing that God wants to work in us. Examining five critical habits – “uphill habits” – our prayer, together, is that we will dare the difficult “uphill” climb and commit ourselves, our families, and our church to new ways of thinking, acting, feeling, and being…following Jesus to the newness He promises. “Ready or Not” based on the scripture from Acts 12:11-16.

As we enter a brand new year, we do so filled with hope and with optimism and with the joyful expectation that this year can be different, that we can be different. In fact, John C. Maxwell famously said that most of us have “uphill hopes but downhill habits” – that we want for the best, but we don’t really works towards it: we allow old patterns of behavior and belief to get in the way of the newness and refreshing that God wants to work in us. Examining five critical habits – “uphill habits” – our prayer, together, is that we will dare the difficult “uphill” climb and commit ourselves, our families, and our church to new ways of thinking, acting, feeling, and being…following Jesus to the newness He promises. “Ready or Not” based on the scripture from Acts 12:11-16.

As we enter a brand new year, we do so filled with hope and with optimism and with the joyful expectation that this year can be different, that we can be different. In fact, John C. Maxwell famously said that most of us have “uphill hopes but downhill habits” – that we want for the best, but we don’t really works towards it: we allow old patterns of behavior and belief to get in the way of the newness and refreshing that God wants to work in us. Examining five critical habits – “uphill habits” – our prayer, together, is that we will dare the difficult “uphill” climb and commit ourselves, our families, and our church to new ways of thinking, acting, feeling, and being…following Jesus to the newness He promises. “Mixed Emotions” based on the scripture from 1 Kings 19:1-8.

As we enter a brand new year, we do so filled with hope and with optimism and with the joyful expectation that this year can be different, that we can be different. In fact, John C. Maxwell famously said that most of us have “uphill hopes but downhill habits” – that we want for the best, but we don’t really works towards it: we allow old patterns of behavior and belief to get in the way of the newness and refreshing that God wants to work in us. Examining five critical habits – “uphill habits” – our prayer, together, is that we will dare the difficult “uphill” climb and commit ourselves, our families, and our church to new ways of thinking, acting, feeling, and being…following Jesus to the newness He promises. “Mixed Emotions” based on the scripture from 1 Kings 19:1-8.

As we enter a brand new year, we do so filled with hope and with optimism and with the joyful expectation that this year can be different, that we can be different. In fact, John C. Maxwell famously said that most of us have “uphill hopes but downhill habits” – that we want for the best, but we don’t really works towards it: we allow old patterns of behavior and belief to get in the way of the newness and refreshing that God wants to work in us. Examining five critical habits – “uphill habits” – our prayer, together, is that we will dare the difficult “uphill” climb and commit ourselves, our families, and our church to new ways of thinking, acting, feeling, and being…following Jesus to the newness He promises. “Get Out of Your Head” based on the scripture from Romans 12:1-3.

As we enter a brand new year, we do so filled with hope and with optimism and with the joyful expectation that this year can be different, that we can be different. In fact, John C. Maxwell famously said that most of us have “uphill hopes but downhill habits” – that we want for the best, but we don’t really works towards it: we allow old patterns of behavior and belief to get in the way of the newness and refreshing that God wants to work in us. Examining five critical habits – “uphill habits” – our prayer, together, is that we will dare the difficult “uphill” climb and commit ourselves, our families, and our church to new ways of thinking, acting, feeling, and being…following Jesus to the newness He promises. “Get Out of Your Head” based on the scripture from Romans 12:1-3.

As we enter a brand new year, we do so filled with hope and with optimism and with the joyful expectation that this year can be different, that we can be different. In fact, John C. Maxwell famously said that most of us have “uphill hopes but downhill habits” – that we want for the best, but we don’t really works towards it: we allow old patterns of behavior and belief to get in the way of the newness and refreshing that God wants to work in us. Examining five critical habits – “uphill habits” – our prayer, together, is that we will dare the difficult “uphill” climb and commit ourselves, our families, and our church to new ways of thinking, acting, feeling, and being…following Jesus to the newness He promises. “God-First Living” based on the scripture from Joshua 24:14-15.

As we enter a brand new year, we do so filled with hope and with optimism and with the joyful expectation that this year can be different, that we can be different. In fact, John C. Maxwell famously said that most of us have “uphill hopes but downhill habits” – that we want for the best, but we don’t really works towards it: we allow old patterns of behavior and belief to get in the way of the newness and refreshing that God wants to work in us. Examining five critical habits – “uphill habits” – our prayer, together, is that we will dare the difficult “uphill” climb and commit ourselves, our families, and our church to new ways of thinking, acting, feeling, and being…following Jesus to the newness He promises. “God-First Living” based on the scripture from Joshua 24:14-15.

During Advent, it is easy to get overwhelmed. It’s easy to get over-scheduled and over-committed and overloaded. We get overloaded doing everything we’re “supposed” to do… but if this is all we do, we will miss the point of Christmas: we will miss the truth that a Savior has been born unto us, a truth that we have to return to year after year and day after day. Aware of this, we will use the four weeks of Advent to make/grow room in our lives to return to and to reconnect with the beautifully simple Truth of Christmas: that angels still sing, that miracles still happen, and that Christ still wants to be born (or born again) in us. “Overloaded Expectations” based on the scripture from Isaiah 11:1-9.