Church family,

I pray that your week is blessed! I pray that you have allowed the Holy Spirit to guide your thoughts and lives this week.

This is an exciting week in the life of our church. The bazaar is this weekend, beginning at 7am on Saturday in the Family Life Center. The ladies have been hard at work getting ready for the bazaar. I hope that you will come out to show your support. With the bazaar in the family life center, just a reminder: we will not be having our midweek meal this evening, but all bible studies and ministries will continue to meet. On Sunday, Nov. 23, we will also have both services in the sanctuary.

I pray that you have found time to be still this week and to reflect on how awesome God is in your life. This past Sunday, we were reminded by the passage in Psalms to be still and know that God is God. We've explored how to find gratitude through intentional rest and reflection. We were reminded about the gift of the Sabbath, the importance of stillness, and the power of reflecting on God's faithfulness. As we incorporate these practices into our lives, we'll discover a more profound sense of peace and gratitude. Imagine the transformation if we all prioritized rest and reflection. Our lives would be more balanced, our hearts more grateful, and our spirits more attuned to God's presence.

This is the beauty of finding gratitude in rest: recognizing God's hand in every moment and expressing our thanks.

Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!

Psalm 46:10 NKJV

This past Sunday, I shared a way to help us embrace the discipline of being still.

Here are five ways to do so using the acronym S.T.I.L.L.

  • "S" stands for surrender.

Give your plans to God and stop trying to do everything yourself. Embrace God's plan and the pace He has set for your life.

  • "T" stands for talk to God in prayer.

When we receive direction from God because we are in communication with Him, we won't be distracted by the world's advice, which may leave us confused and feeling we must do everything. One word from God may be just what we need to be still.

  • "I" stands for identify who we are in Christ.

When we know who we are in Christ, we don't have to worry about what others are doing or how they look. We can stop striving to be something we are not and calmly embrace the beauty of who Christ made us to be.

  • "L" stands for Look to the example of  Christ.

Even Christ, who was God, took moments of stillness, prayer, and solitude. He set the example that stillness would be essential for us as well.

  • The last "L" stands for Learn contentment.

When we've accepted what God has for us, we won't waste time hustling for something that might not be for us in the first place. I'm not saying don't dream of more. If we never find contentment where we are, we'll always be looking for the next best thing. Contentment grants us the space to be thankful and calm, no matter where we are on our journeys.

I look forward to Sunday as we will conclude our series on Gratitude!

Make plans to be with us to worship the Lord this Sunday!

Blessings, 

Pastor Brandon