Mark's Journey

Who's going to annoy you in the next few days?

As many of us will be with family and friends in the next few days, often times those gatherings are not always peaceful.  Even though Jesus is all about bringing peace into people's lives and this season is known for being about peace, it is often everything but that.  People stress out, relatives bug you, arguments break out, and your family does things to annoy you.  So in the next few days, I challenge you (as much as you can do) make it peaceful.  You can't control others.  But you can control what you say and do...and God can help you.  Trust Him and ask Him for strength.  Here are some verses that you can claim and remember in the next few days.  Pick one and live it out.

A patient man has great understanding, but a quick-tempered man displays folly. Proverbs 14:29

A hot-tempered man stirs up dissension, but a patient man calms a quarrel.  Proverbs 15:18

Starting a quarrel is like breaching a dam; so drop the matter before dispute breaks out.  Proverbs. 17:14

Do not let any unwholesome talk coe out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.  Ephesians 4:29

Christmas with Journey Networks

This past month we had many at The Journey participate with our Networks to impact the community.  It was a month of service, giving, and living beyond ourselves.  Thank you to so many of you that gave and brought hope to people in our community.  Here is a highlight from someone in the North Network...

I dropped the gifts off from the church last night to the North network family and they very much appreciated the genorosity.
I found out that the Mother finally got a part time job and used every penny she had to pay the firsts month rent of their apartment. They have no food in their fridge and hopefully with the gift cards they will be able to get some groceries.

This is awesome.  Merry Christmas Journey!  Can't wait to see what 2012 brings!

Take a Walk

Christmas is coming.  And if you attend The Journey you have an opportunity in the next few days.  Don't miss it!  You have an opportunity to bring hope and encouragement to someone's life.  But you may need to take a short walk to do so.

Your short walk may be across the street or over to the other side of the building where you work.  Or, you could keep sitting and pick up your phone.  But you have the opportunity to invite someone to come to one of the Christmas Eve services at The Journey.  We have one on Dec. 23 at 7:00 pm, and two on Dec. 24 at 3:30 and 5:00pm.  Maybe they don't go to church anywhere.  Maybe they need encouragement and hope brought into their life.

It may require you to take a walk.  But it could be the first step for them towards a relationship with God.  They just need to be invited...by you.

Weekend Review

What a great, full weekend.

• As a family we enjoyed celebrating Jacob's 17th birthday.  We also had lots of laughs and did some shopping.
• My boys each bought a used snowboard and boots with their spending money.  They got a great deal.  We are not a ski/snowboard family.  But I think since we've been living here now for over 4 years they are interested in it.  So, if it ever snows, they may be going some.  As for me...not a chance.  I've gone down hill skiing before.  So maybe I'll try that sometime with them.
• We had dinner with some friends on Saturday night.  Great food, great people, lots of laughing.
• Journey Services were great.  It was cool to do communion and the Hope Project.  I can't wait to hear the results of the project.
• Had a blast in our Journey Group last night.  We did a semester end Christmas party.  We laughed hard, played some games, ate good food, and made plans for the next semester.
• Jen made mocha punch!

Looking forward to a great Christmas week!

It's stuck in my head!

I read some verses in the Bible this week and they are stuck in my head...Romans 5:6-9:

 ⁶ You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. ⁷ Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. ⁸ But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

I don't think I fully grasp all this.  I don't think I fully grasp God's love for me.  I don't think I fully grasp what his death for my sin really does for me.  I think I get a lot of it, but not all of it.  I don't think or live that way, but God does.  Here's what is stuck:  I am powerless to do anything about my sin.  I can't get rid of it on my own.  I simply need forgiveness.  And God gave his life for me to have that.  I am so grateful.

I hope it keep sticking.

He's 17 today!

Today is Jacob's 17th birthday.  As I saw him sit down to eat breakfast this morning then walk out to his car to drive to school, I was filled with a number of emotions.  I am so proud to be able to call this young man my son.  I am overwhelmed with gratitude that God has allowed me to be his dad and share this life with him.  I am amazed at how he views life, people, and situations.  His perspective is something I can learn from.  Jacob has a huge heart of generosity and is willing to serve and help others around him.  Most of all, I love watching him live out his faith in Jesus.  The way he trusts God and desires to serve Him encourages me often.

Happy Birthday Jacob!  17!

Big Network Week

This week our Journey Neworks are doing their thing.  It is about making an impact in our community.  We have several ways this is happening.  Gifts and necessary household items are being purchased and given to those in need.  Others are serving in our community helping those in need.  Meals are being served to those who often go hungry.

It is about being generous.  It is about living beyond ourselves.  It is about looking to make a difference.  This is the kind of life Jesus taught as the way to live.  Part of following after him means we do these kinds of things.  Let's all keep looking for ways to live beyond ourselves...to live for Jesus.

Unseen things

Here is a verse I love.  2 Corinthians 4:18.  "So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen.  For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal."  Often times what is unseen in our world are the things of God, and God Himself.  It is sometimes hard to see Him and His ways and His plan amidst so much happening in our world.  The verse encourages us to fix our eyes (to fix our thoughts, our vision, our future, and what we see happening in our life) on the unseen things...the things of God.  Because those things last for ever.  The things of this world that we get caught up in don't last forever, they are temporary.  Money, possessions, selfishness, fulfilling greedy desires, and things of that nature will pass away.  They don't satisfy and don't bring us long term joy.

So what are your eyes fixed on?

Together as a staff

One of the things we are doing together as a staff is reading through the book of Luke in the Bible.  Each week before we meet, we read 3 chapters and come prepared to ask questions, share what we are learning, and discuss different parts.  We are doing that because together we want to be about growing in our relationship with Jesus.  We know that we cannot lead at The Journey nor invest in other people's lives unless we as a staff are growing in our own relationship with Jesus.

As we've been reading, we realize the ways we need to grow and how to take our next steps.  It is about our relationship with Jesus and letting him lead our lives.  We aren't perfect, we don't always know what we are supposed to do...yet, we want him to lead our lives and be the leader of The Journey.