The Story of You:  You and Your Past Genesis 50:15-21 Questions to exploreWhat are the key experiences in the past that are a part of your story?How have those moments become a part of your story—because they have! How can you lessen the power of the negative and leverage the power of the positive? Writing a response to your past1. Identify the evil.  2. Acknowledge the source.3. Allow for God.4. Look for some good.5. Focus on the future.6. Live in grace.

The Story of You: Embracing who God made you to bePsalm 139:13-181. Embrace that you are created by God (13a)2. Embrace that you are crafted by God (13a-14) 3. Embrace God’s role for you (15-16) 4. Embrace loving your God and how He sees you (17-18)  The call here is to Embrace who God made you to be by embracing … That He created you giving you God-given value and significance.That He has crafted you in your abilities, passions, personality— embracing how God has shaped you.  That you are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works. Embrace God’s role for you. Loving God and how He sees you.  

You and Your Story Jeremiah 1:1-10 The four parts to your story:1. Your story has a before.· You can only fully understand your story as you acknowledge and address the spiritual.· Being known is core to who you are. 2. Your story has a beginning.· Your story is a story of yet-to-be-realized potential, purpose  and promise.   3. Your story has a becoming.· It’s more than just an ending, it’s a cohesive, meaningful  message.· It’s not just what you do with your life, but who you become. 4. Your story has a between.· You continuously face choices that form the content of  your story.By understanding your story to date, you can make better choices

Hebrews 12:18-24What to know about Mt. Zion:1. It’s inviting, not imposing. 2. It’s a city, not a wilderness. 3. It’s forever, not just for now. 4. But it’s also for now, not just for the future. 5. It’s about family, not about nationality. 6. It’s a place of joy, not of fear.7.  It’s about grace (Jesus), not about the Law (Moses).

Genesis 9;8-17What rainbows teach us about God:1. God is real—and reveals Himself.2. God is sovereign—and still in control.3. God is personal—and present in our moments.4. God is beautiful—and invites us to marvel.5. God is gracious—and offers us fresh starts.6. God is faithful—and always keeps His promises.7. God is redemptive—and offers us hope.

John 4:1-42The condition of the woman.1. She was thirsty.2. She was marginalized.3. She was alone.4. She was relationally challenged.5. She was spiritually curious. The conversation with Jesus.1. He looked for the woman,2. He established common ground.3. He leveled the playing field.4. He created curiosity.5. He answered her questions.6. He skipped the shaming.7. He offered a better alternative. The continuation of the story.1. Your story matters to Jesus.2. Your story has more to be written.3. Your story needs to be shared.

Joshua 8:30-35Keys to success:1. Any success is ultimately based on God’s blessing.2. Your personal success hinges on your obedience to God’s Word.3. Real success requires a prioritizing of the spiritual.4. The foundation of your success is the commitments that you make and keep and revisit.5. Sustained success requires that you lean hard into grace. Gerizim and Ebal: the mountains of choice.

Matthew 5-7; Matthew 6:19-211. It’s about God’s heart for you.   2. It’s about your heart for God. 3. Does God have your Heart?a. Your Attitudeb. Your Emotionsc. Your Relationshipsd. Your Commitments

I Kings 18,191. Falling Off the Mountain A. On the topB. In the valley: the crash C. Are you living in the wreckage?  2. Elijah’s Twin PeaksA. Elijah on Mount CarmelB. Elijah in the wilderness C. Elijah at Mount Horeb 3. Living Between the Mountains  A. Elijah the Adrenaline Junky B. God’s Answer C. Our Response

Note we had technical problem with recording and missed with introduction.Deuteronomy 32:48-52  (Numbers 20:1-13; Deuteronomy 34:1-12) A view from the summit: 1. He looked back and saw the faithfulness of God.2. He looked behind and saw the people who had followed him.3. He looked down and saw the harm of doubt and discontentment.4. He looked at himself and saw a flawed leader—that God still used.5. He looked ahead and saw an incredible future.6. He looked up and saw a better reward.