When you’re going through hardships or personal attacks it’s great to know that God is with you, but it’s even better to know that God is for you.

One of the fun things we focus on at Christmas time is giving and receiving gifts. And while we can certainly enjoy the temporary pleasure that comes from material items, nothing compares to the true gifts that God gave us on the very first Christmas! In this series we will examine the simple, yet life-changing truths of all that God has made possible for us as we “unwrap the gifts of Christmas.”

The world is full to two kinds of people:  givers and takers.

Everyone wants to be happy. As we pursue this elusive ideal in life, we find our happiness is often directly connected to external circumstances such as health, money, possessions, and relationships. When something changes for the negative in our external happenings, our happiness disappears. But Jesus offers us something better than happiness…joy. In this series we will discover what it looks like to have deep joy in Christ in the good and not-so-good times in our lives.

Anchor your joy in Jesus…not your circumstances.

Everyone wants to be happy. As we pursue this elusive ideal in life, we find our happiness is often directly connected to external circumstances such as health, money, possessions, and relationships. When something changes for the negative in our external happenings, our happiness disappears. But Jesus offers us something better than happiness…joy. In this series we will discover what it looks like to have deep joy in Christ in the good and not-so-good times in our lives.

We need to deal with our past, but keep our posture forward facing, always reaching for the new opportunities in front of us. As Christians, our best days are still ahead of us!

Everyone wants to be happy. As we pursue this elusive ideal in life, we find our happiness is often directly connected to external circumstances such as health, money, possessions, and relationships. When something changes for the negative in our external happenings, our happiness disappears. But Jesus offers us something better than happiness…joy. In this series we will discover what it looks like to have deep joy in Christ in the good and not-so-good times in our lives.

We are going to learn from Paul that sometimes conflict is healthy and necessary…and we can have joy through it all. 

Everyone wants to be happy. As we pursue this elusive ideal in life, we find our happiness is often directly connected to external circumstances such as health, money, possessions, and relationships. When something changes for the negative in our external happenings, our happiness disappears. But Jesus offers us something better than happiness…joy. In this series we will discover what it looks like to have deep joy in Christ in the good and not-so-good times in our lives.

Christian life can be messy and there are some growing pains and struggles as we grow into spiritual maturity. 

Everyone wants to be happy. As we pursue this elusive ideal in life, we find our happiness is often directly connected to external circumstances such as health, money, possessions, and relationships. When something changes for the negative in our external happenings, our happiness disappears. But Jesus offers us something better than happiness…joy. In this series we will discover what it looks like to have deep joy in Christ in the good and not-so-good times in our lives.

In our culture, pride is a virtue and humility is a vice.

Everyone wants to be happy. As we pursue this elusive ideal in life, we find our happiness is often directly connected to external circumstances such as health, money, possessions, and relationships. When something changes for the negative in our external happenings, our happiness disappears. But Jesus offers us something better than happiness…joy. In this series we will discover what it looks like to have deep joy in Christ in the good and not-so-good times in our lives.

As Christians, not only do we need not fear death, we can experience true joy in the face of death

Everyone wants to be happy. As we pursue this elusive ideal in life, we find our happiness is often directly connected to external circumstances such as health, money, possessions, and relationships. When something changes for the negative in our external happenings, our happiness disappears. But Jesus offers us something better than happiness…joy. In this series we will discover what it looks like to have deep joy in Christ in the good and not-so-good times in our lives.

Joy is possible in the midst of suffering.  
 
Everyone wants to be happy.  As we pursue this elusive ideal in life, we find our happiness is often directly connected to external circumstances such as health, money, possessions, and relationships.  When something changes for the negative in our external happenings, our happiness disappears.  But Jesus offers us something better than happiness…joy.  In this series we will discover what it looks like to have deep joy in Christ in the good and not-so-good times in our lives.

In a world that is connected like never before, we see so many living increasingly isolated lives.

Everyone wants to be happy.  As we pursue this elusive ideal in life, we find our happiness is often directly connected to external circumstances such as health, money, possessions, and relationships.  When something changes for the negative in our external happenings, our happiness disappears.  But Jesus offers us something better than happiness…joy.  In this series we will discover what it looks like to have deep joy in Christ in the good and not-so-good times in our lives.