The LINK: 6/22
Dear brothers and sisters,
Is it summer already? Spring, as wet and cold as it was, poured over us in a deluge of activities that confirmed a long-awaited hope: something new is springing up! The past few months have been a breath of fresh air and a shining of new light following the stuffy and dark two years of COVID-19. It has been such a blessing to see our church family spring back to life in ways that were impossible six months ago. God is faithful! In Isaiah 43:19, the Lord declares:
“Behold! I am about to do a new thing; now it springs forth; do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.”
I am looking forward to seeing what “new thing” the Lord will do in the life of our congregation this summer. For many of us, the summer season is an opportunity to slow down and rest after a busy time of work and responsibilities. This is also a wonderful time of discernment and a chance to ask im-portant questions. For example:
*What “new thing” might the Lord be calling you to do?
*Where is he making a “way in the wilderness” for you?
*Do you “perceive” what the Lord is doing? What can you do to better listen to his voice (reading Scripture, prayer, practicing spiritual disciplines, etc.)?
These are just a few questions worth taking the time to ponder in your own heart. Doing so is like investing in your soul: the more time you take to discern with the Lord, the greater the reward you will reap.
This summer we will explore opportunities to invest in this discernment together through our summer sermon series where we will look at the life of Abraham in Genesis chapters 12 through 22. The Lord called Abraham to go to a land that the Lord would show him and trust in the Lord’s provision. Like Abraham, there are times when we are faithful to this call, and there are times when we sin and fall short of God’s calling. As we work through this series and the corresponding Bible Reading Plan that I have prepared for you, my prayer is that you will take time to reflect carefully on the areas of your life that the Lord has called you to give to him. I’m excited to walk this journey with you!
As we prepare our hearts to discern God’s call in our lives, the youth of our church are preparing to follow the Lord’s call to Mexico. From June 18 to 24, 16 members of our church family will be travel-ling to Rosarito to build a home for a family in need. Our youth have worked hard to prepare for this mission, and we are excited to serve God’s people together. We want to extend a sincere “thank you” to all those who have supported our mission team through the Flower Sale and with prayer. As we serve, we do so as representatives of this church family. On Sunday, June 12, we hope you will join us as we commission our team in the worship services.
May the Lord bless you this summer!
In Christ,