Psalm 23

Wouldn’t life be better if we didn’t have to deal with the debilitating fear that Satan tries to put on us every day? Life would be easier if we did not have to handle fear that is intended to keep us from having  peace, love and power that God wants us to have.  If you have ever struggled, as I do with anxiety, then you are familiar with the worry, stress, and the feeling of heaviness that comes with it.

Of course, another great message from the gifted Amanda this past Sunday.  Amanda and Blake make a powerful dynamic duo for Christ!  Amanda spoke about another one of God’s names, among His many – Yahweh-Rapha.   Rapha means healer.  God is our healer.  And because we are sons and daughters of God, we are also healers.  Our lives are to point to and be a reflection of our Heavenly Father.  

Two weeks ago, we heard in our Sunday morning gathering that we have three main enemies: The world, the flesh, the devil. But we know that there’s so much more to that. From the parable it reads, "The worries of life and the lure of wealth” can really drag us down. What also drags me down is the fear of my own insignificance.

Singing along to “Holy Water” during worship I was really feeling the joy in worship. I love this song. It moves me and promotes movement from me. I think this was the heart of Amanda’s message today. We are to choose to hear, speak, and feel words within us that move us, that generate goodness within so that we can act with goodness on the outside. 

Can you believe we are about to celebrate First Sunday at Radius?

2022, here we come!  

As we prepare for our annual interactive gathering, we wanted to share with you a little about one of our yearly stations during our First Sunday event. 

Each year at one of those stations, we encourage you to pick a word for the year.  

Hospitality.  To me, this word is always associated with “cooking,” which I loathe.  If I didn’t have to keep other humans alive, I’d probably eat cereal and peanut butter sandwiches every single day.  So, pretty much, I’d rather do anything else than cook.  Do your laundry?  Sure.  Take care of your little human?  Can do!   Manual labor?  Check!  Cook?  No, thank you.

In this week’s talk, we looked at God’s word and many examples of hospitality.

This Sunday was a little different than every other Sunday at Radius.  Our beloved Roehm family, who leads us in worship tirelessly, was noticeably absent.  Sarah’s dad unexpectedly went home to be with the Lord this past week. We are all broken-hearted for them. We prayed for them and the entire worship team who are experiencing entirely too much loss and challenges. I think Satan was working overtime that morning to try and discourage Blake in his message as well.  On an uncertain day, what better time to increase the uncertainty by attempting to plant seeds of doubt about a very useful and applicable message that would draw us to the living water to strengthen us against the enemy?

How I Started Asking For Help

Just kidding.  I haven’t.  I am very self-sufficient and have been that way for as long as I can remember.  In this week’s talk, Pastor Blake continued the series on Moses and the help he received from those around him.  God put people in Moses’ life to help him lead the Israelites.  God also puts people in our lives because it is not good to be alone.  

“We are not meant to walk this journey by ourselves.”

Today we soaked in the message of the “Balance of Three” as there’s God, there’s us as individuals and there’s others. God calls on us to seek out the others and to make connections with our neighbors. 

This balance of three was brought to us with Moses. We entered the time when Moses needed to hold up the staff to help Joshua fight the Amalekites and his arms grew tired...but he knew that if he lowered his arms that people would die. So Aaron and Hur stepped up and helped him out; they held up his arms. They didn’t criticize him, call him weak, try to take over, or worse, leave him. They allowed him to still fulfill his calling while supporting him so that he could do what he needed. 

As I was listening to Blake’s message Sunday, the first thing that came to my mind, was my writing is a valley of dry bones.  I haven’t been able to write anything since last October.  Nothing.  Two things happened in October.  My schedule changed so my best time to write (mid morning) was no longer an option.  Disappointment and heartache was the other reason for not having anything to write.  We found out that we would not be travelling to Oregon to visit our extended family for Christmas.  We had already postponed the trip once last summer, and now it was happening again.  It has been two years since I’ve seen my family – the longest span I’ve gone without seeing them.

It should have been that I had more excitement in awaiting the birth of our daughter, Zora, but instead I was filled with anxiety and it was exhausting me.

A Person After God’s Heart

Another break up… There I was again mourning the loss of another failed relationship. Even though I knew it was for the best I couldn’t stop the waves of rejection and grief that washed over me. The lies of the enemy that I am not good enough and never will be. So in week one of our David series when Blake asked if we have ever felt rejected, I could relate. 

For the last ten years, I have had over a dozen failed relationships, and none of them lasted longer than three months. That starts to wear on a person's heart, mind and spirit. One break up becomes a dozen. You start thinking, If only I had been better it would have lasted? Why am I the way I am? What is wrong with me? Maybe I am cursed. Maybe God is punishing me. 

“What is our measuring tool to know if God is enough?” I honestly had no idea where Amanda was going when she asked this question nor what could be used to measure our experience, trust, belief or faith of the truth of God. I mean, truly, we know that we can use a measuring tape to measure the length and width of a room to find its square feet or a cup to measure ounces for baking a cake; as a former Special Ed. Teacher, I knew that we could not write a goal for a student if it was not measurable. But how do we measure something that we can’t see, something that is abstract, something that remains larger and more “unknowable” as the relationship with God grows?

What do we do if we do not participate in the pursuit of more but we still struggle with enough?  In this week’s talk we were reminded how stuff does not bring happiness.  Instead, we heard how our relationship with Jesus and people brings true wealth.

“Spiritual work is HARD.”  What?  I don’t know about you, but that is not what I want to hear.  Even though I know Amanda is right.  In the last week of October’s gathering, we dove deep into the discomfort of our comfort.

I don’t know about you, but I’ve heard the story about the prodigal son for as long as I can remember.  I’m guessing that most people, even if not Jesus followers, know the story as well.  So, it’s difficult for me to not drift off in other thoughts when hearing it.  This past Sunday, I took notes during the talk and therefore, paid attention.  I still didn’t “get” anything even after paying attention. 

I have to spend some time putting myself in the parable and figure out if I identify with any of the people?

This week’s talk was the third in the Into the Unknown series at Radius.  In this series, we’ve had a chance to look at how we face the unknowns in our lives.  This week’s talk looked at Israel’s encounters with God and their own creation of the golden calf.  If you missed this week’s talk you can catch it here. 

Don’t Be Afraid To Dream Big.

This was one of Amanda’s exhortations that stuck out to me.  Dream Big.  I couldn’t possibly.  I’m entirely too practical for that.  Keep my plans small, and then they’ll probably work out.  And that brings me to another point Amanda made, “Accept that you are not in control.”  A small dream or plan is something that I feel is in my control.  Just because I feel in control does not mean that I am.  It just gives me the illusion that I am.  And, I am quite content to live in that illusion.  However, what kind of growth am I going to have within that illusion?  I will have very little growth along with my very small dreams.  But it feels safe.  Maybe safe-ish?

Toward the end of Pastor Blake’s message today he prayed: "May we chase, may we embrace the Holy Spirit in our life.” This spoke so truly to me, along with the question, “God, Holy Spirit, who am I supposed to reach today?” After a few weeks of feeling disconnected to our gathering for various personal reasons, I felt (what feels like) the truth of the Holy Spirit reflected in the words shared today. I’ve often felt that the Holy Spirit is what chases me, like the “Reckless Love” song that I am absolutely enamored with when we sing, “Oh it chases me down, fights ’til I’m found, leaves the 99.”

I am your over the top protective parent the kind of parent that my family called the hawk when my daughter was a toddler long before the term helicopter parent even existed.You know most times we don’t even realize how active God is around us on a daily basis as his children. He is the ultimate helicopter parent watching and hovering over us. He keeps us safe from so many dangers and pit falls that we never even knew were there. He is constantly removing the banana peels from our path and keeping us upright. How many times have we narrowly avoided an fall or an accident and said thank God with out really stopping to think that he really was watching and did intervene. Or when you drop your toast and it lands jelly side up was that luck or Gods doing?

After an interesting personal week wherein I found myself talking about a painful incident from my childhood, I heard Pastor Blake use words on Sunday that spoke directly to me. He challenged us in the beginning to recall if we could remember an experience when the powerful words of an adult had spoken something into us. These words could have caused fear, anxiety and confusion. As he continued to speak, he said “When someone spoke something over you that has impacted us our entire lives...no matter how successful we are” I found myself nodding my head because those words spoken over me as a child, at now 36, still resound in my mind like an earthquake through my soul. You see, at that age I sang, “Jesus loves me this I know…” but I didn’t really know. I didn’t really know who I was as a child of God and I don’t believe I actually came into that until my mid twenties.

“I’m no longer a slave to fear,

I am a child of God”

 As has happened many times in the past, we find ourselves in a series that seems to be speaking very directly to where I find myself in this season of life. Reminders and clarity on who God says I am and letting that, and only that, shape my identity and sense of worth, have been very needed for me personally. I thought the song whose lyrics are quoted in part above was a very appropriate choice this past Sunday as we discussed that as children of God, we are also considered heirs. I don’t know about you, but for me, I find myself living as though I’m still enslaved, someone bound to stay in the same stagnant position, doing the same things over and over, rather than someone empowered by God and worthy of receiving a great and holy inheritance. 

I have a nervous bladder--- what I mean by that is when I’ve had opportunities to speak, let’s say at a

conference--- I’ll have to slip off to the restroom several times right before I go to speak and sometimes

I’ll be speaking multiple times that day, so that’s a lot of restroom breaks. It’s a funny thing because

when you’re in a bathroom stall at such a conference, other people are often talking about the speaker

and the message they just heard. It’s a strange thing to hear others speak about you without realizing

that you are present. 

Low lighting, somber organ music and candles are not Radius’s usual style. But when I arrived to Sunday gathering a few weeks ago, the normally cheerful church seemed like a funeral was underway. And it made me so uncomfortable! Though I knew the upcoming message series, Rest In Peace, would be uplifting, I was struck by how much a few details can seem to change everything.

Having just returned from the missions trip to Ecuador, I wanted to share some of my thoughts and lessons learned during my time there. There were many lessons I learned or got to see in action on this trip. I’d like to share the three main ones that I think we all can use in day to day life.

“His way is in the whirlwind and the storm…” (Nahum 1:3)

This summer as we’ve been moving through the Minor Prophets, we have reiterated the fact that the God of the Old Testament gets a bad rap. Admittedly, I have often shied away from diving too deeply into these earlier books of the Bible because I simply can’t rectify the God of peace and love that I know, with some of the horrific judgments we see occur there.

I don't often get the opportunity to contribute to the Radius Blog, but imagine my delight when I found out that the subject of the message the week I was asked to write was a book of the Bible that has been quite instrumental in shaping my beliefs in my faith walk as it currently stands today: The Book of Micah. 

“The LORD your God who goes before you will Himself fight on your behalf.”  

Deuteronomy 31:8

I’ve read that verse during some of my darker times, for sure. You may or may not have as well. Just follow me here. This week someone reached out to me to write about our gathering, how it applies to my life, and how I relate to the story of Jonah. I decided that I wasn’t going to be afraid. This time I decided to do what I was asked to do, no matter how hard it was for me, no matter how scared I was. 

Some of you have heard the Cliff-Notes version of my story during the On the Road series that we did last year. If you haven’t, go check “Christians in Cars Having Coffee” (I’m the owner of the dirty Jeep). At that time, I had the opportunity to share with Pastor Blake about the time when God met me on my journey, when I came out of my darkness, when I was no longer in the fish, like Jonah. But today let me take this opportunity to tell you what happened when I said “no” to God. 

We always sat in the same spot. First two seats on the front row, all the way on the left side of the room. We walked back to those seats after having dedicated our young son in front of our church family and we stood at those chairs years later as the pastor asked that same church family to pray over us as we prepared to move to a new city. Every week, those chairs stayed empty until we arrived to occupy them. We worshiped, prayed, hugged dear friends, and were fed spiritual truths all in those same chairs.

The writing team had this prompt—“ Imagine you're on the Road leading to Calvary seeing Jesus headed to the cross. 
Who are you? Why were you there? What part of your life was interrupted? What did you FEEL when you saw Him?”  Several wrote first person accounts following the events of the day—This week’s blog is one of those perspectives- written by Andrew Roehm.  Imagine yourself in the events happening in Jerusalem the week leading up to Jesus’ death.

Feelings are not facts.

I adopted this mantra a while ago, determined to not let myself be led solely by my feelings, or to fall prey to believing the damaging and self deprecating thoughts that so often run through my mind, and to separate reality from the over exaggerated and anxiety laced fiction that feelings can so often cause you to believe. Feelings are messy. Feelings are hard. Feelings are unpredictable. Feelings keep you up at night. So then here comes Radius with a series called Felt, focusing on Jesus’ feelings, and I’m instantly a little uncomfortable.

About a year ago, after I had just turned 40, I was riding in the car with my husband and kids. Out of the blue, one of my lovely family members mentioned that I was middle-aged now.

Honestly I thought, “No Way!” I don’t feel middle-aged, and I, for sure, didn’t like the sound of that. So needless to say, I decided to Google, “What age is middle age?” Even though the age ranges came back anywhere from 35-65, I succumbed to the fact that I may actually be middle-aged or at least on the verge!

             After always being a rather good student, I met my nemesis in high school and it called itself, Chemistry.   The classroom itself was always fascinating to me with its knobs and handles, hoods and sinks, and tables meant to extinguish flames.  I looked forward to learning about these tools and putting them to use.  Like so many things, my expectations of what it could be didn’t entirely capture the reality.  Chemistry was a danger zone.  With experiments that  could explode and react and create other substances, it was a class full of learning but most of it not what you could find in a book.  Labs were the best part of the learning and the most important truth was follow directions one at a time and focus on each step and not the product you were trying to get. 

As we celebrate Radius’ 4th birthday I want to share how much my life has changed since the first time I walked through those doors.
 
To summarize my life prior to Radius, I was a MESS. Not a hot mess, just a mess mess. (If you’d like some details feel free to read my testimony here My Red Cord). I was lost and struggling with depression around the time I first discovered Radius. In my desperate time of need, God was moving in my life without me even realizing. I will never forget the first time I visited.

In the season of vacations and road trips, I headed out of town with three girlfriends last weekend to the little town of Waco, TX. 

Waco is a small enough town, that you don’t actually fly into it.  You fly into a neighboring larger town, Dallas/Fort Worth or Austin, and then you drive more than an hour to Waco.  It’s a town that’s held the prominent Baylor University since 1886.  And it’s the town still clouded by the shadows of the 51 day stand-off between a cult and the U.S. government ending in tragedy in the spring of 1993. 

How Do I Follow Jesus?

What does it mean to follow Jesus?

We live in a world consumed by social media. I am guilty myself. Not a day goes by that I don’t check my Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat… multiple times. We scroll through to see funny memes, people's lives, what someone ate for lunch that day. We follow people on Twitter, Instagram, Youtube, Facebook. So how do we follow Jesus?

The Believers Form a Community

42 All the believers devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, and to fellowship, and to sharing in meals (including the Lord’s Supper), and to prayer.

43 A deep sense of awe came over them all, and the apostles performed many miraculous signs and wonders. 44 And all the believers met together in one place and shared everything they had. 45 They sold their property and possessions and shared the money with those in need.46 They worshiped together at the Temple each day, met in homes for the Lord’s Supper, and shared their meals with great joy and generosity—47 all the while praising God and enjoying the goodwill of all the people. And each day the Lord added to their fellowship those who were being saved.

Acts 2:42-47

There is this phrase I say, “that’s Jesus getting in your business.”  I left gathering on Sunday saying that!  I have found myself reflecting on Amanda’s message multiple times.  One thing that has continued to play over in my head is the phrase Amanda said, “we need to tap out of the physical wrestling match and take it to the spiritual mat and wrestle with God.” 

I became suddenly aware of how often and how much energy I am using in wrestling in the physical world.  No wonder I feel exhausted sometimes!  

Growing up I was raised mostly in a Christian/Non-denominational environment.  My parents jumped from church to church and my mother even converted to Atheism at one time.  My grandmothers took me with them to Catholic, Methodist, and Lutheran churches.  With all that bouncing around to different churches and religions, it’s no wonder I had no solid foundation of God in my life.  I thought I had accepted Christ as my personal savior many times when I was younger.  But I had a hard time accepting that my sins were forgiven.  I knew I would continue to sin and I was afraid of making God mad at me. So, I kept my distance, from him.  I guess I thought that if I was a good person, I would still go to heaven.

37 billion hours—the amount of time experts estimate that Americans wait in lines every year.  If you’re like me, when I read that, it evokes all types of feelings and none of them are good.  Overall, I’d say, I dislike waiting.  I think my kids would probably even say they hate to wait.  An M.I.T. line expert named Richard Larson has concluded that occupied time feels shorter than unoccupied time.  I say, “Yep,” to Mr. Larson and wonder how much he was paid for his findings.  Because we can all attest that when we are busy, time seems to fly by and as our hands slow down, so do the hands on the clock. 

I had a conversation with a friend this week that so reminded me of how God can (and will) redeem our stories, that it brought me to tears. As we approach Easter, this concept of redemption is at the forefront of my mind, as it’s the most tender and heart achingly beautiful part of the Gospel to me.

In 1841, Dr. Livingstone arrived in Cape Town, South Africa, a staunch abolitionist, this Scottish medical missionary headed north through the continent of Africa exploring and and sharing his faith.  He wrote and spoke about the horrors of the slave trade and shared of the beauty of the African people and country on his return trips to Great Britain. His explorations became legendary and his voice proved influential.  In 1866 – on another trip to Africa, his voice was silent.  No letters, no communication of any kind made its way back to Europe or America  from the famous missionary and many supposed he was lost or dead.  In 1871, Henry Morton Stanley a journalist with the New York Herald and London Telegraph was commissioned to search for the famous doctor.  In 1871, it is said Stanley found Livingstone in the Zanzibar region suffering from illness.  Upon locating the good doctor, Stanley introduced himself, saying, “Dr. Livingstone, I presume.”  These lines echoed across Europe and America, gaining a fame to be all their own that would far outlive both the doctor and Stanley. 

Have you ever travelled to a different country?  I’ve lived for some periods of time overseas and have had wonderful experiences.  But on every trip, without fail, there is a time for adjusting to everything.  For the first couple weeks, I wake up in the morning and am a bit surprised I am there.  I have an extremely uncomfortable feeling in my stomach; it’s like I’m on another planet.  Nothing is familiar and I feel like I don’t belong.  As the days and weeks pass though, I get into a routine and get adjusted to the time; I make new friends, and I start to feel like myself again.  This process is longer than I want, and it takes multiple experiences to gain normalcy.

We're excited to add a new voice to the Radius Writing team.  Here's the first Rad blog from Angela Schuck.  - 

The theme for this past Sunday’s service was ‘Overcomers: Speaking our Testimony as we overcome the World and Help People Meet Jesus.’ After I saw this theme, God impressed upon my heart the words of Revelation 12:11, which Pastor Blake also mentioned during his sermon on Sunday:

Revelation 12:11 (KJV) – And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.’

Wow.  This is a powerful passage that sums up how we should be as Christians right now.

As I write this I am on day 3 of a juice and water fast. My roommate is also cooking something that smells so delicious for her and her daughter. To say that I am leaning on God right now would be an understatement. This is my first real fast.

I don’t know about you, but when I’m in the car by myself, it’s like a concert up in there. There’s none of this quiet, background music….we’re talking full volume music blasting, and there’s definitely singing and dancing involved. (Consider yourself warned if you ever find yourself next to me at a red light.) Several times God has used music to speak very clearly to me. One such instance was during a very low and difficult time of my life and the song He used was one most of us probably know,

Happy New Year!  It’s 2018!  

There’s so many exciting things that happen in our lives when we feel like we get that fresh start in January each year.  Some will quit bad habits; some will begin good habits.  Some of us will shift and adjust priorities as we reflect back on the things we’d like to change from the past year.  

It can be a fresh start in your soul health and in the life of your church family as well.  At Radius, where our gatherings are to hear from and speak to God, we like to mix that idea up on the First Sunday of the year and start the year in fresh exciting ways.   Though we meet corporately, we individually move throughout our gathering space to the stations set up to aid us in interacting with God.  It’s a great way to carve out time for personal reflection and response to what we hear Him saying to us.  

Last Sunday, we finished with the story of Mary in our Expectant series. 

It was back in November when Joel made the graphic for our December Expectant series.  When we saw his idea, there was something so perfect and intriguing about an open door to represent “Expectant.”  An open door as in a place to go maybe you haven’t been before.  An intrigue about what is next.  As we close the year on the threshold of Christmas, we look to the future like that open door.  There are things yet to come that only God knows is in our future.  Our friend, Tim, often says-“ The best is yet to come”; and with God, that statement really is always true.  What a tenet to hold onto so that you CAN  stand Expectantly looking toward 2018. 

I was asked to write this week’s blog post, and I’ll be honest, I wanted to say no. Not because I don’t enjoy writing; I very much do. And not because I don’t have anything to say about our current series, Expectant; actually, quite the opposite. I wanted to say no, because God has been using this series to speak to and stir some places in me that I’ve pushed far down and have not wanted to deal with or talk about.

I wrote a couple different versions of this post, but hit a wall every time because it didn’t feel authentic or genuine. Sometimes in life, our reality looks so vastly different than our expectations, and the pain and disappointment of that can be crushing. I think when we find ourselves in these inevitable situations, it can reveal so clearly who we believe God to be, and the position we give Him in our heart. I’ve found myself in just such a place, living in that tension of unmet expectations and a reality I never thought I’d live.

We took family pictures on Monday.  Last year, I remember looking at the family pics taken at the Shuffleboard Club and Mirror Lake and thinking it may be the last year we would be at that gathering location as a church. 

Because it was around that same time that a specific building came into the sights of our church as a possible next step.  So, we began the inquiries and sought information.  It seemed like so many things were going to fall seamlessly into place.  It was ideal—in multiple ways.  For instance, we had been told that we were losing our office space as the new office building owners had different plans for the space.  No problem. It’s perfect.  We could move right into this new space as the office space closed down.  Maybe we’d have to do a month in storage and then voila---our next location.  Look at God’s timing!   

Not to mention our family pics would be like a little memorial to the time there at the Shuffleboard Club.

Isn’t it perfect?

Isn’t it a neat little package with a red bow on top?

We've talked a lot about the Harvest over the past few weeks. By all accounts, the harvest has been something to look forward to, something to hope for, and something to work towards. But what about the harvests we don't want in our lives?

Every week, we close out this blog by inviting the reader to gather with us the following Sunday. I'd like to tell you why that invitation is so important.

At Radius, we talk a lot about changing the world. We have to, it's the mission we've ben given, and it is our responsibility to communicate that mission. It's also our responsibility to live out that mission. But sometimes, we need a model. Changing the world is a big job, and it is one that none of us have ever really done before. We need something we can't point to and say, "Ohhh, that's how you do it." 

In a city like St. Pete, everyone matters.

Luke 10:1-2

The Lord now chose seventy-two other disciples and sent them ahead in pairs to all the towns and places he planned to visit. These were his instructions to them: “The harvest is great, but the workers are few. So pray to the Lord who is in charge of the harvest; ask him to send more workers into his fields.

I love how Jesus spoke to people during his 3 years of ministry. He understood who the people were he was trying to reach. He spoke to them in terms they could understand. Though he had the wisdom of eternity, Jesus made sure that anyone, young or old, educated or not, could comprehend the message he was sharing. For the people of his day, agriculture was most widely understood. People worked the land, lived off the land, and depended on the land. So when Jesus spoke about the idea of sowing and reaping, of laying down seed on rocky or fertile soil, and of times of harvest, they got it. It was a part of who they were, and it helped connect the dots for thousands during that time, and billions of people since.

When we board an airplane, we put a lot of trust into people and technology that we really don't get to see. There's the pilot in the cockpit doing pre-flight checks. We usually don't see him until we are getting off the plane, yet we trust that he is there, that he has all his mental faculties in order, and that he know what he is doing. There's the airplane itself, tens of thousands of functions and calculations being done to make sure this giant hunk of metal stays airborne. None of us stop to check any mechanical parts of the plane or question why there is duct tape over a section of rivets. There's the navigation system and communications devices that connect us to the people and technology that not only know where we are going, but knows where every other plane in the sky is so we don't hit them. We trust that all these people and systems are working together. After all, we can't even see out the front window!

When we choose to follow Christ, we are filled with a confident hope of spending eternity with our creator in Heaven. Heaven, we believe, is a perfect place where there is neither pain nor sickness nor death. It is a place filled with the light of the Lord. It is a place full of love where we want for nothing.

Relationships! They seem almost impossible to avoid these days. They find their way into our work and leisure activities. They follow us into our hobbies. They even get in the way of our spiritual life. You just can't seem to avoid relationships no matter how hard you try.

I've thought a lot about family this year. I think that's inevitable when you lose a close family member.

At my dad's funeral, I got to see a lot of family I hadn't seen since I was a teenager. They shared stories of their past, stories about my dad, and stories about relationships. I felt a closeness to that side of my family that I hadn't before felt; a yearning to connect with them, to not let those stories die, and to make new stories with them.

We are a people on mission, moving out in ever-widening circles to change our world.

We talk a lot about the people at radius, and being on mission. We talk a lot about ever-widening circles and how we can reach more people. But let's not forget about what the people who are on mission, moving out in ever-widening circles are trying to do. We are trying to change our world.

What does that mean?

Food. It's a wonderful thing. Over the course of our lives, we develop quite an interesting relationship with food. We associate food with childhood memories, comfort, happiness, depression, and boredom. Sometimes, we even associate food with nourishment; giving our bodies that fuel it needs to function properly.

At my first communion celebration, my grandfather presented me with a piggy bank. All the kids in my family received a piggy bank at this Roman Catholic milestone of their life, however mine was different. Everyone else got a homemade piggy bank. My grandfather was a woodworker and made several piggy banks for my cousins and my brother. However, after completing mine, it was dropped and broke. So I got a store-bought piggy bank. It came filled with $2 bills, bicentennial quarters, and Kennedy half-dollars. There were also some fives, tens, and twenties in there. Over the years I added and subtracted money and today it sits in my son's room, collecting change and the occasional dollar bill.

Philippians 2:5-8

You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had.

I've never liked labels.

Growing up, it seemed like everyone tried to label each other. I practiced Tae Kwon Do for most of my childhood and adolescence so that was my label. I was quiet and well-behaved in school so people assumed I was smart and a bit of a nerd so I carried those labels, too. I tucked in my polo shirts and wore clothes that actually fit me, and I hung out with kids that dressed kind of the same way so I was labeled as preppy.

I have been going through a lot lately. I know, everyone has their struggles, but I like to often deny my stress and worry. I hate asking for help. But as I saw in the last couple of weeks, I was working myself too thin and realized I am extremely blessed to have people in my life who lift me back up when I fall down.

Psalm 51:10-12

When David saw Bathsheba from the roof of his palace, he was presented with a choice. He could knowingly pursue a married woman, or he could continue on with his life and duties as king. How many times have each of us been in a similar situation?

Having recently returned from our mission trip to Ecuador, my head and my heart are still full of the things we discussed there. We spent time each day talking about and studying God’s word. Each morning, a different person would lead a discussion. It could be around a particular scripture that’s been speaking to them, something that’s been happening in their life, or a question that’s been on their heart.

It’s easy to think that the universe revolves around you. I mean, look around…literally everything is happening around you. People are walking in and out of your life, cars are passing by you. The clouds in the sky are moving by, and the stars at night seem to revolve around you. Your email is full of messages sent to you, and your Facebook feed is filled with pictures, posts, and funny cat videos from your connections.

There I was, sitting in church, listening. It was the Sunday before Independence Day. Let freedom ring! And so it did- my phone rang in the middle of the sermon and I immediately lost focus on what Pastor Blake was saying. A tidal wave of emotions came over me. “I still feel like the new girl at this new church, I want to impress everyone but now I look like the ditzy millennial who’s preoccupied with her phone.” Those fearful lies ran through my mind. Stereotypes and labels played ping pong in my brain. I was so focused on myself. I tried to reengage in the message. As I continued to take notes, I realized what just happened and how it was so applicable to the sermon. This Sunday’s message was all about focus and freedom. To me, this was so convicting.

When I was 18 years old I was sitting in a room in a little brown house on the edge of the land where my childhood summer camp was. I was enjoying getting to know the new counselors that summer. At some point, a 15-year-old girl walked in and sat down in a recliner across from the couch where I sat. She was wearing shorts and a tank top and had long hair. We may or may not have been introduced in that moment.

Little did I know that would be a defining moment in my life. That was the first time i laid eyes on the girl that would one day become my wife and the mother of my child.

Proverbs 3:5-6

Job 30:20

“I cry to you, O God, but you don’t answer.
    I stand before you, but you don’t even look."

I can't imagine what was happening in Job's mind, body, heart, and soul when he made this statement. This was a guy that was so in love with God. He was the example of what it meant to be a good follower of the Lord at that time...someone after God's own heart. But Job was put through a test, and through his experience, we can learn what we should do in those times when God seems silent.

We are a people, on mission, moving out in ever-widening circles to change our world.

I say those words every week at the open of our 11AM gathering. It's the mission of Radius. It's our goal for every person that walks through the doors of the Shuffleboard Club each Sunday; we want you to join the mission of Radius Church and make an impact on the people in your world; your workplace, your social circles, and your family.

I do not like to write. However this is my fifth… actually my six time writing for Radius (I had to go back and look).

When people compliment my blogs I quickly tell them, “God wrote it, I actually don’t write.”  

2 Timothy 3:16

All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right.

Right. I get it. Why would I want to read something that's going to tell me what is wrong in my life?

Right about 3 years ago, Blake and Amanda had just made the decision to move back to St. Petersburg and start Radius. Stephanie and I were on board 100% from the beginning. We knew it would be a lot of work, but really had no idea what we were about to get into. We were just excited that our friends were coming home and we felt that we were about to be part of something big.

How did I know Radius would have a heavy impact on the lives of people in St. Petersburg?

"Our father who art in heaven..."

"Hail Mary, full of grace..."

I can't tell you how many times I said prayers that started this way growing up. Sometimes they were said sitting in a pew during mass, sometimes at a desk in a classroom, sometimes in song during chapel, and on rare occasions they were said at home, alone.

Matthew 28:19-20

Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.

I wonder if the disciples even understood the weight of this command when Jesus told them during those last moments before He returned to heaven. 

Matthew 5:13-16 (NLT)

“You are the salt of the earth. But what good is salt if it has lost its flavor? Can you make it salty again? It will be thrown out and trampled underfoot as worthless.

“You are the light of the world—like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden. No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father.

I've been traveling for work a lot lately. I've been on airplanes more in the last 2 years than I had in the decade before that.

He is risen.

Those who believe that Jesus Christ is the son of God and is one with God, just celebrated the greatest act of "I love you" in all of human history—the day that we were given the ability to have a relationship with our creator. We celebrated the day that Jesus wiped away our sins so that we no longer have to live in bondage and fear, but can move forward in freedom and hope. We celebrated Easter.

I don't know about you, but I have a hard time identifying with being part of a kingdom. After all, wasn't this country founded by people who were trying to disassociate themselves from a kingdom? When I think of a kingdom, I think of big, thick walls and lots of guys with bows and arrows. I think of oppressive kings who seek only to exert their power over their subjects, conquer new lands, and seek to serve their own self interests.

My dad died. After an 18 month battle with cancer, my dad passed away in January of 2017.

Nineteen years ago my dad and I sat at has father's funeral and I saw my father cry for the first time in my life.

“A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.”

Israel’s journey of miles began with accepting the freedom God gave them and learning to trust and obey God in the wilderness. This past week at Radius we saw Israel finally step into their promised land. 

Together as followers, we too stand at the precipice of many promises; promises of peace that passes understanding, unspeakable joy, and mountain-moving faith. Wherever we find ourselves in this journey, we all need to take more steps forward into these promises. As God’s own children, these promises are our inheritance. 

And how do we claim that inheritance?

It's too hard.

I can't do it.

I quit.

Have you been in situations when you've heard these words? Did it shock you to hear them coming form your own mouth? 

You made it out the door. You're on the road. The windows are down. The music is loud. Everyone in the car is talking about how awesome the road trip is going to be. 

What a time to be alive. It's like some cool movie from the 1970's. Anything could happen, and no matter what, it was going to be an awesome adventure.

And then...

No matter how much preparation you put into a road trip, something is bound to go wrong.

Flat tires.

Broken belts.

Dead batteries.

Wrong turn.

Road work.

In every good road trip there is an element of adventure. 

Most of the time when we get into a car, we are about getting to a destination. We are about avoiding traffic, getting as many green lights as possible, and making good time. For a task focused person such as I am, the destination trumps everything else. But on a road trip, the perspective changes. On a road trip, a good road trip, the destination becomes secondary to the adventure of the road. On the road, you could end up anywhere. There are thousands of miles of highway criss-crossing the United States. Just by pulling out of the driveway, you can connect to any of them.

Every good road trip begins with a map.

Back when I was a kid that was a large piece of paper that was impossible to fold. I picture it laid out on the kitchen table with eyeballs studying it, trying to find the best possible route from point A to point G with stops at point B, C, D, E, and F.

These days, you just plug the information into a mobile device and let your virtual navigator tell you the best route while also providing information about interesting places to stop, speed traps, and potential delays. I happen to love technology, but there's something about pouring over that paper map that I miss.

I have had the incredibly good fortune of being a part of two amazing church families. HighPoint, the church I attended for many years prior to moving to St. Pete, was also a church plant, and over the years I saw many shifts take place.

We shifted from housing our children’s ministry in one tiny room to an entire “town” for kids taking up half of the building.

1 John 4:11-12

Dear friends, since God loved us that much, we surely ought to love each other. No one has ever seen God. But if we love each other, God lives in us, and his love is brought to full expression in us.

People want to see God. They want to reach out and touch him to know that he is real. I confess, being a follower would be much easier if I could schedule an hour in the physical presence of God every day. It was difficult to believe that God was real for a good portion of my life. God was an Our Father and three Hail Mary's. God was a B in Religion class. God was an old Irish woman who taught math and who could make you feel as small as an ant if she was angry with you. God was having to sit through a boring Mass every Thursday morning. 

Romans 8:10-11

And Christ lives within you, so even though your body will die because of sin, the Spirit gives you life because you have been made right with God. The Spirit of God, who raised Jesus from the dead, lives in you. And just as God raised Christ Jesus from the dead, he will give life to your mortal bodies by this same Spirit living within you.

Remember the first day of just about every year you were in school? You show up wearing your new outfit, hoping that people think you look good, only to find out that fashion changed over the summer and you were the only one that did not get the memo (pre-Facebook). The next thing you realize is that everyone else grew 4 inches over the summer and you didn't budge. Before you even made it to your first class, all the self-esteem you thought you'd built up coming into a new school year was lost.

Picture being a teenager and finding out you are pregnant. Now imagine you are engaged, but the guy are are supposed to marry isn't the father of the child you are carrying.

Double whammy.

There was once a woman who had a great life. She had a loving husband whom she moved to a great new town with. They had two awesome sons, and a great place to live. Then one day her husband died and she was left with two awesome sons and some uncertainty about the great place she had to live. She pressed on. Her sons grew into men and found women to marry.

Though she missed her husband, she found hope in the prospect of being a grandmother. She and her sons, and their wives formed a happy little family. But suddenly, and without warning, both of her sons died. She was left with two daughters-in-law and no hope.

What if...?

Recently, I was challenged to find my “five kernels” in life; you know, those times when perhaps we felt lost or broken and God provided, or a time the phrase “when it rains it pours” felt like an understatement.

Today we’re gonna talk about talents.

I know, I know…you probably think you don’t have any, or at least any that are very useful, but humor me.

That's the question some of us are faced with on a constant basis.

Just to get this out of the way early on, Jesus was REALLY serious about forgiveness.

Forgiveness is essential.

Forgiveness is love.

Forgiveness is the trademark of a believer.

Do I really need to say more?

In the Summer of 1999, Stephanie and I were camp counselors. Once every two weeks the camp took a field trip to a theme park. One particular trip was to Disney World. We were excited to get to hang out together all day as we were a young dating couple. So, after we got our campers to lead around the park all day, we combined our groups and went on our way. These were long days. Not only were we in the hot summer sun, but we were also responsible for the lives of 10-12 campers. We were pretty good at what we did and fairly responsible for our age, but the long hours of the summer had definitely caught up to us.

What do you fear?

Cockroaches? Yuck.

Spiders? Kinda.

Clowns? Definitely.

The election? A little bit.

Rough seas while on some cheap "all natural" Dramamine? Oh yeah!

Rejection? Ridicule? Confrontation? Yes x 3 = Me

Hello, my name is Sarah, and I like stories.

I can’t help it. I mean, what’s not to love? And they’re everywhere! It’s totally true that art imitates life and life imitates art (I’m not sure which is more true). Everywhere I look I see a story being played out; walking down the street, talking with a stranger, hearing beautiful music or even a pastor speaking… *ahem* You see where I’m going with this?

Sitting at Radius on Sunday, I promise I really was carefully listening to the things Blake was saying. I didn’t intend to get lost in a story. But hey, if my mind keeps heading in a persistent direction whilst I’m actively asking God what he has to say, I’m gonna go there!

To set the stage, I’m going to have to allow you to track just how easily I can end up in a storyline, so step into my mind won’t you?

Thinking about fear I am reminded of something I read in the book Praying God’s Word, by Beth Moore about breaking free from spiritual strongholds, "Satan is many things, but he is not very creative. He uses the same thing over and over as long as he is getting results."

How true is this when it comes to fear. The enemy not only knows your fears he put them there!

Debt - ✔

Late fees - ✔

Electricity shut off for non-payment - ✔

Cell phone shut off for non-payment - ✔

Car insurance cancelled for non-payment (and license suspended) - ✔

Car repossessed - ✔

Living paycheck to paycheck - ✔

Savings account - What’s that?

Tithe - Occasionally, when I am “able”

What is wrong with that list?

Romans 13:10

Love does no wrong to others, so love fulfills the requirements of God’s law.

I've been reading Leviticus lately. We talk a lot about "the law" and so I felt it was necessary to understand what some of the laws, regulations, and requirements that the "Israelites and the foreigners living among them" actually were, beyond the top ten list we all heard about as kids.

To be honest, it's a tough read. There are a lot of details and processes to trudge through. Sometimes it's hard to believe that this is the same God that we know today; a God of love and acceptance, a God who meets us right where we are and who cares more about our future than he does our past.

What I realized was that he set the Israelites apart from the rest of the world. They were his chosen people. They had to be different. They had to look different. They had to act different. God held them to a higher standard because they were meant to change the world.

We live in a world that looks similar to the world of the Old Testament. People care more about themselves than they do others and look to be moving further away from God. Church's are closing their doors every Sunday. Sin runs rampant.

But we also live in a much different world than before. Jesus died on the cross, paid the full price for our sins, and rose from the dead so that we could have a personal and direct relationship with our creator.

We no longer have to follow the laws, regulations, and requirements. The rules don't dictate how we act. We dictate how we act.

What we do makes us who we are.

I don't know if the sentence hurts you or helps you, but I know it was hard to write because it means what I've done defines who I am and I know what I've done. Not all of the things I've done are good. Some of them are down right bad. Some of them I don't want to remember. But does it really mean that?

Let's look at that sentence again.

What we do makes us who we are.

That's not a past tense sentence. I didn't say the things you did in the past have to define who you are today. I didn't say that the things you did in the past are bound to be repeated again. I said the things that you do right now, today, and tomorrow are what matter.

Just like God cares more about our future than he does our past, what you do today is more important than what you did yesterday. Every day, we have the opportunity to be better than we were the day before, not because we have to be, but because God gave us the choice and the ability to be. Every day, we have the opportunity to love.

What we do, or rather what we are called to do, is love. At Radius, we've made it our mission to love. When we say we are a people on mission, moving out in ever-widening circles to change our world, we mean we are moving outside the walls of our gathering and into our community to show tangible love to those around us, not because they deserve it, but because it is the right thing to do. We've all done things that make us undeserving of love. We all fall short of perfection (by a long shot), but we all carry in us the ability to give love; good, pure love that lifts people up, helps them out, and invites them in to have a real experience with their creator.

Gather with us this Sunday at 11am as we speak to and hear from God. In the mean time, check out Blake's message from last Sunday on the core values that define what we do here.

Acts 1:8

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

These were the last words Jesus spoke on Earth.

They must be important.

Jesus could have said anything before ascending into heaven, but he chose these words. We are all called to tell people about Jesus. We are all called to take action, and use words to do God's will.

Words are powerful -- that's a statement I hear my wife say over and over to our son. He's grown up knowing that words are important, and they contain power. Perhaps that's why he enjoys spending time reading and writing.

The words that we use in our daily lives are powerful too. They carry weight and we get to choose what words we use. We can spread words of judgement. We can spread words of hate. Or we can spread words of love and hope. Our words can lift people up or put people down. They can be used to belittle or strengthen those around us.

So when the idea of Radius came into reality it was important that we used words to describe who we are. The words that make up our core values were not idly chosen. They aren't church-y sayings that you've heard all your life. They are meant to convey the the DNA that make up the core of Radius.

Here are some examples of our core values:

We are not an obligation or a destination, but a mission and a movement.

We believe the Holy Spirit is always at work; and God’s presence is promised when we meet.

When we gather, God’s love is tangible, God’s power is evident, and God’s presence is regular.

We want people to feel comfortable to come as they are; but leave inspired and equipped to be more.

We are children of the Light; we do not fear the darkness.

We act on the belief that God’s house will be a house of prayer.

These look great on paper, but that's not enough. We as a church have to live out these values everyday of our lives. If you are a part of the Radius family, you represent these values to our community every day. That's not an easy thing to do, but that's why we offer so many opportunities to be around the Radius family; to stay encouraged, to be strengthened, and to have a group of people that are willing to speak life and hope and love into your life regularly. We want to fill you up so that you can pour out life, hope, and love to those around you; whether it's at school or at work, at home or out in the community.

If you've never been to Radius, then I invite you to come see what these value look like in action. We take them very seriously, and although we are far from perfect, our goal is to continue to strive to live out these values in everything we do.

Gather with us this Sunday as we continue talking about our core values and learn more about what we do as a church. In the mean time, check out Blake's message on who we are here.

Do you cringe when you read truth like that in the Bible. Hebrews 12:1 is one of those verses that gets me every time. It's inspiring and convicting all at once.

I love the idea that we are all in this race together. We are all here to support each other. That's a comforting feeling, and I am proud to run this race with my Radius family.

But then there's that thing about sin. Paul tells us to strip off the weight; to get rid of the sin. Something in that always hits me in the gut. Perhaps it's the reminder that I still have sin in my life. Perhaps it's the memories it conjures when I hear the word sin and I flash back to those times in my life when I have completely and utterly failed.

Or, maybe it's the simplicity of the statement.

When Paul says to let it all go, it makes so much sense. Yes, if I am going to run a race, why would I want to carry a backpack full of rocks and bricks? Why would I want to carry with my all my fears, guilt and shame? Wouldn't life be easier - couldn't I run a better race - if I just threw it all to the side and left it in the dust?

So I resolve to do just that. I let it go. I free myself from the burdens of my past.

But then it comes back. Somewhere along the line I pick up my back pack and put it back on without even thinking about it.

The cycle continues.

Why does that happen?

I get to where I am feeling like I am running the race the right way, and then I see a butterfly or a little shiny object. That little distraction leads to a bigger distraction, and then a bigger one and if I'm not careful, I can run right off the track and out of the stadium like a lost sheep.

So for me, I have to stay on guard and ignore the butterflies. I have to recognize that shiny objects are just that, nothing more.

I have to keep my focus on Jesus.

I can't tell you how to do that, but I can tell you what I do.

Pray: It's not always the easiest things to do, and there are times that I dread it, but it's the best way to keep your focus on God and see the reality of a situation.

Read: I'm referring to the Bible, not Buzzfeed or Facebook. Getting in the Word and filling your head with truth keeps the bad stuff out. It allows you to see the world through a clear lens and opens the door to God speaking into you.

Listen: Find some podcasts of messages or conversations about positive things. Figure out who is saying the stuff that you need to hear. If you're not sure, ask your pastor.

Attend: Show up to Radius, or whatever church you go to. Get around the people running the race with you. Listen to them. Share with them. Encourage and be encouraged. Join a Radius Home or small group and start building real relationships with people who genuinely care about you and want to see you succeed.

Serve: One of the biggest things sin does is keeps us selfish. We worry about what others think of us. We start to think the world revolves around us and everything everyone does is done to hurt us or otherwise affect us in some way. Serving forces your eyes onto others and allows you to see the truth.

Doing these things has certainly helped me stay on course, or not veer too far off course. They also help me recognize when I have picked up my backpack full of sin and reminds me to cast it off again.

The secret to winning the race is to keep your eyes on Jesus.

Ignore that temptation to focus solely on your self. If you're too busy looking down at your shoes, you're eventually going to end up on the ground.

Don't compare yourself to others. They've got their own race to run and you don't know their whole story. Just because they look like they are ahead of you (or behind you) that doesn't mean they are. It just means God is working things out with them the same way he is with you.

Lastly, ignore those obstacles in front of you. Worrying about them right now is only going to slow you down. You'll have plenty of time to deal with the obstacles when you get to them; if they are even still an obstacle at that point.

Stay focused on the goal. Keep your eyes planted on Jesus and run faster than you've ever run before.

We are here with you. We want to see you win. We want to celebrate your victory.

You are a legend.

So let's go!

Gather with us this Sunday as we talk about some of the core value of Radius. In the mean time, check out Blake's message on how to run the race here.

We are very fortunate to live less than 2 hours from some of the greatest theme parks in the world. People save up for years so that they can visit Orlando and go to Disney World, Epcot, and Hollywood Studios. And though Universal has always been almost as popular, the introduction of Harry Potter to the theme park world has changed the game. Visit either Universal Studios or Islands of Adventure and you will be treated to some of the most amazing sets and rides you've ever seen. If you want to be immersed in a movie, that's the place to go.

But as awesome as it is, I find myself dreading those trips.

We'll give Universal the benefit of the doubt and choose to believe that there isn't some evil mastermind behind the curtain thinking up new ways to take my money.

Why, then would anyone dislike such an amazing place?

Lines.

I consider myself a pretty patient person, but when I go to the theme park and have to stand in line for 2 hours to ride a 30-second ride, I get a little frustrated.

A couple years ago when the second Harry Potter area opened at Universal, I was really looking forward to seeing what they built. We'd been watching them build it little by little and were so excited to check out the new shops, the details in the set design, and all the little fun things that make it an unreal experience. When we talked into the area though, all I saw was a sea of people. I saw selfie sticks, umbrellas, Brazilian flags, strollers, and plenty of sunscreen smeared on nameless faces. There was no magic in the reveal because there were so many people. You spent more time trying to navigate your way through the crowd than you did looking around.

And then it happened.

We got in line for the great new ride...3 and a half hours. A third of  our day at the park was going to be spent standing in one line for one ride.

Waiting. It's not fun.

You know who never had to wait in line at a theme park?

Joseph.

I don't know if they had theme parks in Old Testament times, but I'm going to guess that they did not.

Even if they did, Joseph's family sure didn't have the money to go, not with all those brothers.

What Joseph did have was a dream. And he held onto that dream tighter than my 10-year old son holds on to his season pass when we are approaching the turn-style.

Genesis 37:5-11

One night Joseph had a dream, and when he told his brothers about it, they hated him more than ever. “Listen to this dream,” he said. “We were out in the field, tying up bundles of grain. Suddenly my bundle stood up, and your bundles all gathered around and bowed low before mine!”

His brothers responded, “So you think you will be our king, do you? Do you actually think you will reign over us?” And they hated him all the more because of his dreams and the way he talked about them.

Soon Joseph had another dream, and again he told his brothers about it. “Listen, I have had another dream,” he said. “The sun, moon, and eleven stars bowed low before me!”

This time he told the dream to his father as well as to his brothers, but his father scolded him. “What kind of dream is that?” he asked. “Will your mother and I and your brothers actually come and bow to the ground before you?” But while his brothers were jealous of Joseph, his father wondered what the dreams meant.

If I were writing the Bible, it wouldn't be but a few more paragraphs until Joseph's dream came true. But, God is a much better story teller than I am and I could have never come up with the idea for such an amazing turn of events. Thankfully, I'm not Joseph, because I surely don't have the kind of patience that saw him almost killed by his brother, sold off into slavery, seduced by a queen, and jailed before seeing his dream come to fruition.

If you're looking for a good story to read, check out Genesis 37-50. It will blow your mind. Genesis and chill.

So why would one person have to endure so much? I mean, this wasn't just a few rough months in the life of Joseph. This was years and years of trials before realizing a dream.

Surely Joseph had to have given up on his dream at some point.

Surely it would have been much easier to just accept his circumstances and settle into the life that he had been dealt.

Surely Joseph could not overcome the obstacles in his life.

Surely God had forgotten about the dream that he had placed in Joseph's heart.

Genesis 39:21

But the Lord was with Joseph in the prison and showed him his faithful love. And the Lord made Joseph a favorite with the prison warden.

Read that again.

God was with Joseph the whole time. God had Joseph right where he needed him. God was setting Joseph up for greatness. God was using these events to build Joseph's character.

The more 'stuff' that Joseph went through, the more experience he had, the more insights he had, and the more wisdom, strength, and courage he gained.

Do you have a dream? Are you going through 'stuff'? Does it ever feel like the 'stuff' you are going through is preventing you from achieving your dreams?

Get excited. God is with you and he is setting you up for something great. Hold on tight to that dream. You have it within you to be a legend. And, as Blake said,

The greatest dream killer in our life is the journey itself; the things we don't see coming that derail us...never let your situation or your circumstances speak louder than God's promises.

Looking back, I had some great moments with my family and friends while standing in lines for rides at Universal. We've played games, met new people, planned out church events, brainstormed on ideas for youth camps and messages series, and planned vacations. In the end, the new Harry Potter ride was worth the wait, and the journey to get there was just part of the experience.

Gather with us this Sunday as we conclude our Legends series.

Sometimes I think about what it would be like to be super rich or super powerful (or both). I wonder how my life would be different; I wonder how much good I could do for my family, friends, and people in need, or how much good I could do for St. Pete. But then I start wondering if my beliefs would change, if I would become a different person, or if my struggles would either be amplified or put out on display for all to see.

I don't want to be super rich or super powerful. I just want to be me.

I don't know if Esther ever had fantasies of being a queen. Regardless, that's where she ended up. Her position in society gave her very little choice when King Xerxes was looking for his new queen. She was young and pretty which pretty much fit the criteria for the search. I would tell you to Google "young and pretty" but that's probably not a good idea. I'm not going to do it and I think you shouldn't either. But, I imagine, if King Xerxes were around now, that's what he would have done. Whoever showed up in the search results would have been considered for the queen spot.

So Esther finds herself in this powerful position - living in a kind of luxury that she could never imagine. Anything she wanted was hers. She got the finest clothes and jewelry and was considered the hottest women in Persia (don't Google that either).

She was put on a big stage, and the only real expectation put on her was that she be available to the king whenever he called upon her.

She must have wondered why someone so insignificant was put in such a great position. What was her purpose? What was the reason for all this?

The book of Esther in the Old Testament describes what's going on in Persia at the time. Esther's people, God's chosen people, the Jews were being persecuted and there was going to be mass genocide if someone didn't step in to do something.

But God is bigger than the boogie man (that's a Veggie Tales reference and I apologize...you can Google that).

God had a plan.

What people didn't know about Esther, and maybe Esther didn't even know about herself, was that she was placed as queen for a specific purpose. She was placed there because her inner beauty surpassed her outer beauty.

Esther was put into the position of queen because of her outer beauty, but she found favor with the king because of her inner beauty. She was given prominence and King Xerxes respected her which is why he would listen to her and ignore all the other women in his harem.

So when Esther came to the king with a problem, he listened.

In the end, Esther saved her people. Maybe you didn't win the lotto or get elected president. But, God has put you where you are for a specific purpose. If you are reading this, you have been given more than most people in the world. What are you supposed to do?

With our second birthday as Radius just around the corner, I can't help but wonder what you and I are supposed to be doing right now for Radius, or with Radius, or because of Radius. How can you use the prominence you've been given in your life to influence those around you that will effect positive change?

Esther 4:13-14

Mordecai sent this reply to Esther: “Don’t think for a moment that because you’re in the palace you will escape when all other Jews are killed. If you keep quiet at a time like this, deliverance and relief for the Jews will arise from some other place, but you and your relatives will die. Who knows if perhaps you were made queen for just such a time as this?”

Let me translate.

Don't think for a moment that because you live in St. Pete you will escape when the enemy comes to attack. If you keep quiet at a time like this, deliverance and relief will arise from some other place and you'll miss out on the chance to be part of something great. Who knows if perhaps you were made queen for just such a time as this?

Big changes are coming to this city. God's love will be spread all over this place. It's up to you whether you want to be a part of it, or just sit on the sidelines and watch it happen.

Gather with us this Sunday as we continue our Legends series and find out how you can be a part of something great.

Check out this week's post from our very own guest blogger, Brennan.

Moses, a man whose story is rich with danger, suspense, and victory. His story is also a pivotal point in the overarching storyline of God’s relationship with humanity.

In Exodus chapter 2, Moses was born into a slave family during a time when all newborn Hebrew males were to be put to death by order of pharaoh. Right off the bat God reveals to us a beautiful truth; in the places where we think there is the least likelihood of success and victory, God makes those the center of His masterpieces. With all the turmoil that was being visited upon the Hebrew people, it’s a wonder Moses made it past his second birthday.

Moses not only survived as an infant, but was put in a tar covered homemade basket, and placed into a river on the long-shot gamble that someone might pick him up and not end his life as the law commanded. Again God steps into the desperate times and creates plenty. It just so happens pharaoh’s daughter finds the basket and Moses is raised in the palace, with his mother and sister taking care of him.

Moses grows up in the palace, but never forgets where he comes from. His mother and sister educated him on the history of his people, the Hebrews, and helped him to see things differently than others in the palace. As he grew into a man, and kept that piece of who he was close to his heart, it would lead to an event that changes the whole of history.

One day he sees a soldier savagely beating a Hebrew slave. In the slave’s defense, Moses kills the soldier.  It’s easy to see how this could be a crime of passion, seeing someone in whom he may have seen himself, being beaten so badly. Word gets out and the pharaoh tries to have Moses killed, but he escapes into the desert. We can see here that Moses is obviously not a holier-than-thou, dressed in white, floating above the ground person.  He murders someone, runs from the law, and hides out in the desert for years. God still sees potential and pursues this person, even though we would easily write him off as a completely lost cause.

Stick with me, it’s about to get good.

Moses spends his time in the desert shepherding livestock. He now lives in the rough country of the mountains and rocky hills, and he’s had plenty of time to ponder that question we’ve asked ourselves so many times, “Why me?”

Moses has heard from people, and been taught by people, and been mentored and brought up by people in what seems like the absence of God. Moses is hungry and thirsty for answers and purpose.

Here comes God.

A bush that is consumed with fire, but not burning draws Moses’ in and he moves closer to investigate. This is where God directly addresses Moses, knowing what he’s been through, where he’s been and what he’s done.  God doesn’t send him a notarized letter saying Moses has to get cleaned up, put on his best clothes, go and get closure from all the people he’s wronged, and say 100 prayers before he comes to God. God steps into Moses life, claims Moses as he is, and invites him to be the leader of a nation. Even as Moses whines about how he literally can’t even, God continues to tell Moses that his weaknesses will not stop God from accomplishing His will. Finally, after promises and prophecies, Moses chooses to step into his real role in life’s story and play his part.

Your role in life’s story has only just begun, and God is offering you a chance to be a legend every day. So remember that God takes weakness and turns it to strength. Remember that God can do His best work in our worst places. Remember God chooses real life people with real life problems, and plants in them real power when they partner with Him. God doesn’t wait for you to be good, because He’s all the good you’ll ever need and more.

Such a time is this to be a legend.

Gather with us this Sunday as we continue our Legends series.

"Rob has such great potential. If he would just apply himself, he could do so much."

I've personalized this, but I think many of us saw something like this on a report card, progress report, or note home at some point in our lives.

For me, it was a problem with consistency. I was very consistent at being inconsistent. I would try for a little while and the get bored or lazy and my grades would suffer. I was smart enough to get average grades without trying very hard, but not motivated to give it much more effort than what was expected of me.

Fortunately for me, not a lot was expected of me. Unlike Samson, I was just a regular kid in a upper middle-class suburban family.

Samson, on the other hand was bound for greatness from before he was born.

An angel of the Lord told Samson's mom,

Judges 13:5

You will become pregnant and give birth to a son, and his hair must never be cut. For he will be dedicated to God as a Nazirite from birth. He will begin to rescue Israel from the Philistines.

That's a lot of weight to put on a kid, and his parents. How would you parent your child differently if you knew he was going to rescue Israel from the Philistines. That's like saying, "your kid is going to rescue the Jews from the Nazi's."

So if that's the expectation, then the kid must also have the potential to fulfill the expectation.

"If Samson would just apply himself, he could save Israel from the Philistines."

So when Samson started showing signs of greatness, his parents and everyone around him must have gotten really excited. When he grew bigger than the other kids his age, or when he started displaying unnatural strength, people must have really started to watch him closely to see what he would do. They all wanted to follow his Snapchat story.

But like a lot of great men, Samson had a weakness. All the attention and the expectations of him reaching his full potential; all the likes on his Instagram posts must have made him feel pretty important. While he understood his potential, he let temptation get the best of him.

Matthew 26:41

Keep watch and pray, so that you will not give in to temptation. For the spirit is willing, but the body is weak!

The truth is we all have great potential. Any one of us could rise up an do something as monumental as saving Israel from the Philistines. We all have greatness living with in us.

1 Corinthians 2:9

...No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love him.

So what's stopping us?

Probably the same things that held Samson back from being truly great.

Focus. Where do you put your focus? Samson set his focus on the things he wanted; women, power, and winning. These distractions kept him from doing what he was called to do.

Source. Where does the source of your potential come from? Samson assumed it was in his great physical strength. He thought he could do it on his own. He thought he could handle it. This fueled his pride, and led to his fall.

When we set our focus on what is true, what is right, what is pleasing, and what is good, then our lens changes. We stop looking at the world through broken glass and see the reality of our situation. We stop looking in the mirror and seeing our flaws, our failures, and our fears and start seeing our beauty, our victories, and our potential.

When we recognize that the source of our power does not come from our own strength or will-power, but from the creator of the universe; the one who defeated sin, then we put ourselves on the path out of the valley of the shadow of death. We have access to a power and a hope that is greater than any on earth so that even when we are stuck in the chaos of the world we can find peace.

Samson claimed victory in the end.

Samson 16:28-30

Then Samson prayed to the Lord, “Sovereign Lord, remember me again. O God, please strengthen me just one more time. With one blow let me pay back the Philistines for the loss of my two eyes.” Then Samson put his hands on the two center pillars that held up the temple. Pushing against them with both hands, he prayed, “Let me die with the Philistines.” And the temple crashed down on the Philistine rulers and all the people. So he killed more people when he died than he had during his entire lifetime.

He recognized the source of his strength and cried out to the Lord. And God, being as amazing and as awesome as he is, remembered Samson and used him to save Israel from the Philistines.

Samson lived up to his potential. But did he have to go through the dark times to get there?

Can we learn from Samson's story? Can we cut out the hitting rock bottom part and begin to rise up as a community now? Does it take total defeat before we realize that our focus should be on the Lord and our source of strength comes from Him?

Or can we live in victory now?

I believe we can.

Gather with us (in victory) this Sunday as we continue our Legends series. In the mean time, check out Blake's message on Samson here.

We have an extra special blog post today from Sarina. You won't want to miss a single word of this post.

Rahab. Why was it so important that her story share that she was a prostitute? The story could’ve been just a woman named Rahab, instead it is the prostitute Rahab. I realize that we will never know if Rahab wanted her story to be shared including that part of her life. Maybe that is how God wanted her story to be told. God saw the importance of every detail in Rahab’s life and wanted it to be shared.

For a while now God has been tugging at my heart to share my story. Perhaps he has been tugging a lot longer and I am just now noticing. However, as much as God has been whispering I feel the devil shouting. Every time I think about the details of my testimony I feel fear, guilt, ashamed, unworthy.

“If my family knew what I’ve done they would be ashamed.”

“If my friends knew the details they would judge me.”

“If the man I am dating knew my past he would definitely not be interested."

Well no more. Here is my testimony – May my story bring you glory.

I grew up in church, was baptized at two, went to a Lutheran school through 7^th grade and was extremely active with my youth group all through high school.  As some may remember from my last blog a lot changed in my early 20s. I went through a terrible divorce that challenged my relationship with God. As God was waiting with outstretched arms to comfort me, in my time of need, I went the opposite direction. Let’s just say I ran the opposite direction.

For the next 8 years I spiraled from one bad relationship to the next. Trying desperately to please any man that gave me attention. I’ve been verbally abused, emotionally broken, cheated on and lied too. I also fought spitefully with anger, was jealous, lied and cheated. I constantly felt heart broken. I am pretty sure I spent more time crying in my relationships than when I was single.

About halfway through this spiral I was at one of the lowest points in my life. I had lost my job, car, boyfriend of almost 3 years and had to move back in with my parents. I quickly turned to a new man, partying and heavy drinking. Just when I thought things couldn’t get worse….. I found out I was pregnant. There I was alone in my parent’s bathroom staring at this stick crying and terrified. I called two friends and both gave advice one said keep, the other said abort. My heart is heavy as I type that I chose the latter. I hid everything from my family, had that friend drive me to the clinic and tried to pretend like it never happened.

Fast forward another year I was 25 years old and back with my ex-boyfriend.  This time around he started doing drugs… at first I was devastated but the sad part is I was more devastated at the idea of losing him than the fact he was sneaking behind my back doing drugs! So naturally I thought ‘if you can’t stop him, join him’. Two years of drinking, drugs, fighting and lots more crying. How had I fallen so far?

I know right now, as you read this, you are waiting for the climax of my story, some life changing event where I decided to turn it all around. Nothing just “turns around” after the things I have been through…. But God knew that and was still at work in my life.

At 27 years old that relationship ended for good and with it the drugs. Around the same time God placed me in a new position at work that moved my desk next to a woman who was on fire for Him. Her tattered bible sat on her desk as she spoke freely of his love and compassion. I never felt judged and openly shared much of my life with her. She gave me the book Captivating and challenged me to pray and read my bible. I could feel Gods presence in our conversations and soaked it all up! He was there still, he loved me and he wasn’t done with my story yet. My story was just beginning.

As I share my testimony I feel that fear rise up, however I will no longer let fear rule my life. I will no longer fear the darkness. God was not ashamed of Rahab and he is not ashamed of me nor you. No matter what your past, what mistakes you have made, what failures you have, He is right there with loving arms open ready to forgive and help you heal.

Ephesians 1:7

In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace

2 Corinthians 12:9

“My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me.

In one of Amanda’s previous messages she said “May our story bring him glory”. I have felt God pulling me to take the first step forward, and that by sharing my story it will help others. I am not sure how yet but I have finally taken the first step in faith. I have thrown my red cord out and can’t wait to see what God brings next.

Thy Will Be Done.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PAmh3yvmzXs

Gather with us this Sunday as we continue our Legends series. In the mean time, check out Amanda's message on Rahab from this past Sunday here.

Elijah was a man of God. He spoke to the Lord and delivered messages to the people. He was really good at it too. When God said 'jump,' Elijah didn't need to ask 'how high?' - he just did it.

So when God told Elijah (the casting is difficult on this one, maybe Christopher Lee, Harrison Ford, or Viggo Mortensen) to let the king know there was going to be a drought, Elijah marched up to the king and told him what was coming. When the drought Elijah predicted came to fruition, Ahab (the king, perhaps played by Ben Kingsley) and Jezebel (the lunatic queen who wouldn't hesitate to kill anyone she felt wronged her, played by Halle Berry) were pretty ticked off and they wanted to kill Elijah. Elijah knew this, but was still obedient when God told him to tell Ahab that the drought would be coming to an end soon (after 3 years). Elijah was a bit ticked off too. He'd been warning Israel that they needed to turn away from false gods and back towards the one true God, Jehovah. So he challenged the king.

1 Kings 18: 16-21

So Obadiah went to tell Ahab that Elijah had come, and Ahab went out to meet Elijah. When Ahab saw him, he exclaimed, “So, is it really you, you troublemaker of Israel?”

“I have made no trouble for Israel,” Elijah replied. “You and your family are the troublemakers, for you have refused to obey the commands of the Lord and have worshiped the images of Baal instead. Now summon all Israel to join me at Mount Carmel, along with the 450 prophets of Baal and the 400 prophets of Asherah who are supported by Jezebel.”

So Ahab summoned all the people of Israel and the prophets to Mount Carmel. Then Elijah stood in front of them and said, “How much longer will you waver, hobbling between two opinions? If the Lord is God, follow him! But if Baal is God, then follow him!” But the people were completely silent.

The showdown begins!

Now there were 450 prophets (standard dim-witted extras) who follow Baal (no casting necessary). Elijah has them set up an alter, sacrifice a bull, and call out to Baal.

Silence.

From morning until noon...silence.

1 Kings 18: 27-29

About noontime Elijah began mocking them. “You’ll have to shout louder,” he scoffed, “for surely he is a god! Perhaps he is daydreaming, or is relieving himself. Or maybe he is away on a trip, or is asleep and needs to be wakened!”

So they shouted louder, and following their normal custom, they cut themselves with knives and swords until the blood gushed out. They raved all afternoon until the time of the evening sacrifice, but still there was no sound, no reply, no response.

Queue the rave scene (re: The Matrix - loud techno music, dancing, and debauchery).

More silence.

Now it's Elijah's turn (close-up on his face as he looks towards the sky, a confident smirk forms on his mouth).

1 Kings 18: 30-39

Then Elijah called to the people, “Come over here!” They all crowded around him as he repaired the altar of the Lord that had been torn down. He took twelve stones, one to represent each of the tribes of Israel, and he used the stones to rebuild the altar in the name of the Lord. Then he dug a trench around the altar large enough to hold about three gallons. He piled wood on the altar, cut the bull into pieces, and laid the pieces on the wood.

Then he said, “Fill four large jars with water, and pour the water over the offering and the wood.”

After they had done this, he said, “Do the same thing again!” And when they were finished, he said, “Now do it a third time!” So they did as he said, and the water ran around the altar and even filled the trench.

At the usual time for offering the evening sacrifice, Elijah the prophet walked up to the altar and prayed, “O Lord, God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, prove today that you are God in Israel and that I am your servant. Prove that I have done all this at your command. O Lord, answer me! Answer me so these people will know that you, O Lord, are God and that you have brought them back to yourself.”

Immediately the fire of the Lord flashed down from heaven and burned up the young bull, the wood, the stones, and the dust. It even licked up all the water in the trench! And when all the people saw it, they fell face down on the ground and cried out, “The Lord—he is God! Yes, the Lord is God!”

God showed up in a big way. It's easy to see this as just a story (or an epic movie) and say that it is either a work of fiction, or that it was  long time ago and things were different. It's true, things were different. God used prophets back then. Most people didn't have direct access to God. Now, because of what Jesus did on the cross for us, we have access to the same Holy Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead (Romans 8:11).

Just like in the story of Elijah, the world wants proof of God. They want something tangible. Today, that's us. We are called to be the visible tangible evidence of Jesus in St. Petersburg. We are called to be the fire, raining down from heaven. We are the hands and feet of Jesus.

How do we do that?

Relationship. We go out into our community and we build relationships with people. We love on them. We forgive them. We remind them it's OK to not be perfect. We love them like God loves us.

So let's be a Radius of grace in our community and watch God work.

Gather with us this Sunday as we continue our Legends series. In the mean time, check out Blake's message on Elijah from this past Sunday here.

“Follow your heart.”

This has to be one of my least favorite phrases. Far from being just an expression, this lie has so permeated our culture that on any given day, you can buy t-shirts, journals, or phone cases emblazoned with these words. As socially accepted as this advice is, the Bible, as usual, stands in stark contrast to accepted societal norms. Not only does it not recommend following your heart, it goes so far as to say that your heart is wicked and will flat out lie to you.

Jeremiah 17:9

“The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?”

It’s easy to look at the story of Jonah and judge his disobedience. It’s easy to scoff at his seeming cowardice in running in the opposite direction of what God called him to do. The truth of the matter is that our hearts, if left unchecked, will always lead us into a dark, lonely place much like the one Jonah ultimately found himself in. When our obedience to and communication with God is dependent on our current feelings, moods, or circumstances, we’ll spend most of our life running or being tossed about like a ship in rough waters.

If you are a follower of Christ, you have a great call on your life. To love God, to show others His love, to extend His grace, to assist the poor and needy, to make disciples...yet we have all been guilty of letting our hearts lead us astray from fulfilling these beautiful, God-given purposes. How many times have people quit jobs or given up on relationships simply because they weren’t “happy”? And how can we avoid falling into this very common and very human pitfall? The answer can be found in one simple word from a verse found in the book of wisdom.

Proverbs 23:19

“Listen, my son, and be wise, and set your heart on the right path.”

Set.

Not be at the mercy of.

Not follow.

Lead.

The Message translation says to “point your life in the right direction”. I’ve recently struggled with letting life circumstances, hurts, and unanswered prayers deter me from actively pointing my heart towards communion with God. If you find yourself in a similar place, I’ve got good news. You’re actually in a great position to encounter the relentless mercy of your Heavenly Father.

Jonah 2:2

“I cried out to the Lord in my great trouble, and he answered me. I called to you from the land of the dead, and Lord, you heard me!”

When we cry out to Him, He hears us. When we align our hearts with His wisdom, we step more fully into the calling of our life. When we adjust our compasses to the one true north, He directs our steps and leads us beside still waters.

Gather with us this Sunday as we continue our Legends series. In the mean time, check out Briana's message on Jonah from this past Sunday here.

Genesis 22:2

“Take your son, your only son—yes, Isaac, whom you love so much—and go to the land of Moriah. Go and sacrifice him as a burnt offering on one of the mountains, which I will show you.”

Nope.

That would be my answer if I was asked to sacrifice my only son. I've dis-obeyed God on much smaller tasks. I don't think I could ever have the trust that Abraham displayed.

...and perhaps that's why God didn't build the nation of Israel through my family line.

Genesis 22:9-12

 When they arrived at the place where God had told him to go, Abraham built an altar and arranged the wood on it. Then he tied his son, Isaac, and laid him on the altar on top of the wood. And Abraham picked up the knife to kill his son as a sacrifice. At that moment the angel of the Lord called to him from heaven, “Abraham! Abraham!”

“Yes,” Abraham replied. “Here I am!”

“Don’t lay a hand on the boy!” the angel said. “Do not hurt him in any way, for now I know that you truly fear God. You have not withheld from me even your son, your only son.”

Even if by some crazy chance I decided that I would trust God enough to take my son up the mountain, build an altar, and tie my son to it (who I imagine would not lie there and just let me tie him up), I think I would have a REALLY tough time picking up that knife. I might have just decided at the last minute to call it, untie him and head home with a big apology to God and the satisfaction of knowing that my son was still alive.

So this story would have gone a lot differently if it were me. It's likely it wouldn't have been Bible worthy and no one would ever know my name. The only record of it might be a blog post about how I thought God once told me to kill my son, but then I realized I was wrong because he never intervened and stopped me even though I got so far as tying my kid to an altar.

But Abraham trusted God.

Perhaps it was because of the wisdom that comes with age, and if that is true, Abraham was VERY wise. When you're like a 100 years old, you know things. Maybe it was because of the promises that God had fulfilled in Abraham's life. God had already provided a son to Abraham and Sarah when they thought it was impossible.

God promised Abraham that he was going to work through Isaac to build a great nation. Abraham had the courage and confidence to believe God. And, if Abraham believed that promise, then he must have known that there was no way they God would allow him to kill Isaac, right??

As the story tells us, that's exactly what happened. At the last minute, Abraham was stopped. You might say this showed God that Abraham was faithful, but let's face it, God already knew. Instead, this showed Abraham that God was faithful, it further solidified Abraham's confidence in his willingness to follow God, and it showed Isaac what it meant to be a man of God.

How might our lives be different if we put our complete trust and obedience in God?

Gather with us this week as we continue our Legends series.

This week, our guest author, Brennan, shares his perspective on the story of David.

No job is too small for a father. A father sees the needs of the people around him, whether those people are family or not, and moves to serve and act in order to accomplish what must be done.

Though David was just a boy when he met Goliath on the battlefield, he already displayed the traits of a good father (and future king).

David enters the story as the youngest brother, holding the least standing not only in their family, but also because of his job; he was a shepherd turned delivery boy.

David continues by getting involved in the situation at hand, where a giant has been insulting the men, the king, and the God of the Jewish people for 40 days. He doesn’t shy away, uncertain of whether his contribution will be appreciated, but steps bravely into the midst of other men and begins pursuing the truth of the situation. Here we see that a father does not shy away from the unknown, but pursues knowledge and wisdom of what he does not know in order to prepare himself to act in the best way.

1 Samuel 17: 26-32

David asked the soldiers standing nearby, “What will a man get for killing this Philistine and ending his defiance of Israel? Who is this pagan Philistine anyway, that he is allowed to defy the armies of the living God?”

And these men gave David the same reply. They said, “Yes, that is the reward for killing him.”

But when David’s oldest brother, Eliab, heard David talking to the men, he was angry. “What are you doing around here anyway?” he demanded. “What about those few sheep you’re supposed to be taking care of? I know about your pride and deceit. You just want to see the battle!”

“What have I done now?” David replied. “I was only asking a question!” He walked over to some others and asked them the same thing and received the same answer. Then David’s question was reported to King Saul, and the king sent for him.

“Don’t worry about this Philistine,” David told Saul. “I’ll go fight him!”

He then volunteers to take on this giant that has intimidated and embarrassed the entire army day after day. Not only does he volunteer, he declines armor and weapons. He then prepares himself for the conflict.

1 Samuel 17:40

He picked up five smooth stones from a stream and put them into his shepherd’s bag. Then, armed only with his shepherd’s staff and sling, he started across the valley to fight the Philistine.

Here we see how a father, and all of us, can prepare for the giants in life. He gathers stones, knowing they are solid and useful like the truths and promises God has given us.

David moves out into the battlefield, issues a blistering challenge, and speaks truth over that place and over his opponent. He draws power from God and it is boldly established regardless of his physical size or the amount of his experience with combat. Like our Father, he acts to defend his family from the giant that stands before them.

David’s victory over the giant who was thought to be undefeatable, saved both armies from enormous loss of life and revealed God’s power to be true and real. Each father’s life can be a testament to God’s love, truth, and power being real in the world.

Now whether you are a biological father, step-father, adopted father, foster father, or you’ve been a father to someone by guiding and loving and caring for them, there’s something you can take away from this. In fact, everyone reading this can take this truth from this story:

David was only able to do these things because when faced with the giant, and when the people around him said, “Have you seen the giant?!”

He turned to them and said “Yes, but have you seen our God?”

His heart, his mind, his spirit and his strength were all completely focused and dedicated to God.

In our lives when we face the giants, we can turn our eyes to our Father and see that he is with us.

Deuteronomy 31:8

Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord will personally go ahead of you. He will be with you; he will neither fail you nor abandon you.”

God continues to fulfill this promise even when the giants of our lives seem to block out the sun.

I call on each of us to challenge ourselves. Let each of us recognize the fathers in our lives, and recognize all they do to serve and love others. Let us each live like David in that moment, completely dedicated to showing the world God’s power and truth in the love He shows us.

Gather with us this Sunday as we continue our Legends series. In the mean time, check out Blake’s message on David from this past Sunday here.

This week our guest author, Cassie, shares her honest and transparent thoughts on our Legends series as she takes us into the story of Noah.

I glanced in my rear view mirror at the fuzzy blonde head in the backseat. At less than two years old, he was too little to understand that the world and family he knew had been forever changed. Sin had entered the picture and did the only thing that sin does; destroy. Although this little one didn’t belong to me, his mother is like a sister to me, and I loved and cared for him and his family deeply.

As I rounded the corner to this little boy’s broken house, I looked up and saw a beautiful rainbow in the sky. Where moments before questions, frustrations, and anger had swirled in my mind, in an instant one word cut through them all: promise.

His promises still stand.

His promises are always true.

His promises do not return void.

I can’t imagine what Noah and his family must have been feeling. 40 days of rain and flooding? They had to start wondering if it was ever going to end. They had to doubt whether God really knew what He was doing, and if they would ever see dry land and sunshine again. Their temporary circumstances had to start feeling like they were going to be pretty permanent. The same is true for us when the storms of life come and grief, sorrow, and pain seem as though they will be our constant companions. Will this ever end? Where is God? How could anything good ever come out of this?

In any given situation in life, we all have choices. We choose how we react and how our circumstances grow and shape us. It’s human nature when things happen to us, to lose focus of the fact that we can allow those same things to do something through us.

So, what does that look like, practically? Well, if we take a page from Noah’s story, I think it looks a little like three not-so-simple steps.

Listen.

Obey.

Worship.

People surely thought Noah was crazy. Noah himself may have even questioned his sanity at times as he built a massive ark following God’s incredibly specific instructions. The Bible says Noah was a righteous man who found favor with the Lord. Because Noah walked with God, because he invested in his relationship with his heavenly father, he talked to Him regularly. We all know that with any relationship, you only get out what you put in. God was no stranger to him, so when He spoke, Noah recognized His voice. Then he did what seems like the most obvious next step; he obeyed. And yet, how often do we miss out on this?

We have a dream God planted in our hearts. We feel God leading us in a certain direction in our lives. We feel prompted to speak to someone. We feel God putting His finger on a sin habit in our life that we know needs to be dealt with….

But we let fear, uncertainty, self –doubt, or pride get in the way of our obedience. I write this to myself as much as to anyone who may read it. I am currently going through the most difficult time of my life. There are days where I don’t know up from down, and holding onto God’s promises and walking in obedience to Him in the midst of intense heartache is difficult and at times seemingly impossible. But in a time of uncertainty, what I do know is this…I want it to be said of me that I found favor with God. I want to be seen as righteous in His eyes. I want to raise my son in such a way that the same will be said of him. The Bible says if we draw near to Him, He will draw near to us. Draw near and listen for His voice. He will speak. When he does, listen and obey.

After the waters receded, and Noah and his family safely stepped off of the ark, the first thing Noah did was worship God. He built an altar and offered burnt sacrifices, and the Bible says it was a sweet and pleasing aroma to the Lord.

The truth is, storms are a part of life, and in most cases, all of us are either in one, coming out of one, or one is looming ahead on the horizon. No matter where you find yourself today, build an altar. Worship the One who sets His sign in the sky as a reminder of His covenant to us.

He is faithful.

When nothing else in life is good, He is.

He is worthy of our worship.

Gather with us this Sunday as we continue our Legends series. In the mean time, check out Blake’s message on Noah from this past Sunday here.

Daniel 6:10-12

But when Daniel learned that the law had been signed, he went home and knelt down as usual in his upstairs room, with its windows open toward Jerusalem. He prayed three times a day, just as he had always done, giving thanks to his God.Then the officials went together to Daniel’s house and found him praying and asking for God’s help. So they went straight to the king and reminded him about his law. “Did you not sign a law that for the next thirty days any person who prays to anyone, divine or human—except to you, Your Majesty—will be thrown into the den of lions?”

Busted. Daniel was sent to the lions' den as decreed by the law.

The story should have ended there. But it didn't.

Daniel 6:17-23

A stone was brought and placed over the mouth of the den. The king sealed the stone with his own royal seal and the seals of his nobles, so that no one could rescue Daniel. Then the king returned to his palace and spent the night fasting. He refused his usual entertainment and couldn’t sleep at all that night.

Very early the next morning, the king got up and hurried out to the lions’ den. When he got there, he called out in anguish, “Daniel, servant of the living God! Was your God, whom you serve so faithfully, able to rescue you from the lions?”

Daniel answered, “Long live the king! My God sent his angel to shut the lions’ mouths so that they would not hurt me, for I have been found innocent in his sight. And I have not wronged you, Your Majesty.”

The king was overjoyed and ordered that Daniel be lifted from the den. Not a scratch was found on him, for he had trusted in his God.

The lions never touched Daniel. And it was the guys that got him thrown down into the pit that ultimately were eaten by the lions, along with their wives and children (yikes!). After that, King Darius told everyone that they should pray to the same God as Daniel.

We're living in the pit.

We are Daniel in the lions' den. This world is filled with lions, and just like Daniel didn't belong in that pit, we don't belong in this world. We were created to live in a place without lions, but we chose to put ourselves in the pit when we turned away from God.

The punishment for our sins is the pit. We deserve the pit. We practically beg for the pit every time we follow our flesh and ignore God's call.

We wake up every morning in fear of what the lions will do to us that day.

What made Daniel a legend in this story was his faith that God would protect him even in certain danger.

What will make us a legend in this world filled with lions is our faith in God, and the belief that our sins have already been paid for; that even though we deserve the pit, we will receive the kingdom. It's not that the lions' mouths will be shut, it's that the lions won't even be able to devour us. Sure, they might try to take a swipe at us. They might gnash their teeth and roar their roar, but they can't touch us. When Jesus defeated death, he didn't rid the world of lions, but he took away their power over us.

One day our king will call to us to leave the pit and spend eternity in his kingdom. When he calls to you, will you be curled up in the corner frozen in fear? Or will you be standing in the pit with your head held high, confident that you are untouchable and crying out, "Long live the king!"?

That would be some legendary faith. How do we get there?

We band together. We remind each other that the lions have no power over us. We remember that this pit is temporary and the kingdom is eternal. When the lions try to attack, we rebuke them. When their roars pierce our ears, we recognize that it's just noise. When their nails get close to us, we look and see that they did not scratch us. When the lions try to separate us from one another, we lock arms even tighter.

Daniel may have been put in that pit alone, but we are in this pit together.

You are not alone. You were created by a God who loves you, who wants you, and who has made a way for you to escape the pit.

He's reaching down to pull you out. Will you take his hand?

Gather with us this Sunday as we continue our Legends series. In the mean time, check out Blake’s message on Daniel from this past Sunday here.

Bonus Material:

Check out this video, circa 2011. See any familiar faces?

Mark 12:28-31

One of the teachers of religious law was standing there listening to the debate. He realized that Jesus had answered well, so he asked, “Of all the commandments, which is the most important?”

Jesus replied, “The most important commandment is this: ‘Listen, O Israel! TheLord our God is the one and only Lord. And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength.’ The second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ No other commandment is greater than these.”

If someone asked me to describe Radius in one sentence, I would say something like,

Radius seeks to love God and it's neighbors.

One thing that has become abundantly clear since the inception of Radius is love. I'm not talking about the, "we're so glad you're here" kind of love on Sunday morning. I'm talking about real, deep love that moves people to action.

I've seen so many examples of people going out of their way to love their neighbors.

Families are making and taking Love Lunches out to the community every Sunday in huge numbers; so much so that people who don't know Radius Church by name, still know of the 'peanut butter and jelly church.'

I've seen people taking time out of their busy schedules to sit down and eat lunches with their neighbors. I've seen families help get their neighbors off the street and into housing. I've seen people cooking meals for their neighbors who are sick.

Radius is visiting hospitals and volunteering at food pantries, shelters, and charity organizations.

And that's just what I have seen. There are so many unseen acts of love going on that we don't even know about.

Radius Church isn't a place. It's not a building. There is no physical address. Yes, we have a location where we gather, but that's just for Sunday. The church is the people, and it is the people that make Radius so great. It's the choices we make on a daily basis that define the successes and failures of Radius, not the number of people who show up on Sunday.

So what does it take to love your neighbor?

You have to be willing to be inconvenienced. For some of us, that's the hardest thing to do. We are all busy. We all have 'stuff' going on in our lives that we need to deal with. We have responsibilities that have to be taken care of. Loving your neighbor might mean being a few minutes late to work because you helped your next door neighbor get his car started so he could go to work that day.

You have to be willing to be involved. Loving your neighbor takes a commitment. It's not something we can check off our ToDo list and be ToDone. It's going to take effort to love. It might mean committing to a cause on a monthly or even weekly basis.

You have to be willing to be invested. Loving your neighbor might mean giving up watching a couple Rays games or dedicating your Saturday to volunteering instead of college football. It might mean getting your hands dirty. It might mean using your hard earned money for God's glory instead of your vacation.

If we are going to move out in ever-widening circles and change our world, we have to start with ourselves. We have to be willing to give our money and our time to something bigger than ourselves. If we want to truly live, we've got to commit to truly give.

Galatians 5:13-14

For you have been called to live in freedom, my brothers and sisters. But don’t use your freedom to satisfy your sinful nature. Instead, use your freedom to serve one another in love. For the whole law can be summed up in this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”

Gather with us this Sunday as we begin our Legends series. In the mean time, check out Blake’s thoughts on loving your neighbor from this past Sunday here.

Mark 12:30-31

And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength.’ The second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ No other commandment is greater than these.”

Marriage, the joining together of two neighbors. So often as followers we focus on loving our neighbors and we forget about loving our first neighbor, our spouse.

It's easy to get caught up in the mission of the church; to get busy doing the holy tasks that we feel we are called to do. We feel good. We feel important. We feel useful. We feel productive when we are giving of our time and talents. But all too often, we put these feelings in front of the command God gave us to love our neighbors.

I am certainly guilty of this. I know the importance of the mission of Radius; to move out in ever-widening circles to change our world. But how can I change the world if I ignore the command to love my wife and to lead my family?

Add to that the difficulty I have in outwardly expressing how I feel and you have a potentially dangerous situation.

To be fair to myself, I do have a few good qualities as a husband and I do not completely ignore loving my wife and family. All I am saying is that I am not perfect. I am broken. We are broken. People are broken. And so it is important to recognize that we all have faults and failings.

Proverbs 17:9

Love prospers when a fault is forgiven, but dwelling on it separates close friends.

Fortunately, my wife excels at forgiving faults through unconditional love. This is one of the biggest lessons she has taught me over the years and one that I strive to reciprocate.

So between her example and the example that Christ gives us as a result of his marriage to the church, I have a pretty good model of what love looks like in marriage. Thankfully, I know people are praying for us, and we are praying for others. But let's all take a moment to pray together as a church for marriages all across St. Petersburg. Couples are hurting and struggling. Couples are falling away from each other.

The stronger our marriages our, the stronger the church will be.

Will you pray this prayer?

God, we praise you for the example you've given us of how to love. We thank you for the free-will you give to us so that we can choose love every day. We ask that you work in marriages all across St. Pete to strengthen them. We pray that you will call husbands and wives back to you lord. You promised that you would always pursue any sheep that have left the flock. God, pursue those lost sheep. Bring them back to the flock so that we may love them. Father, give us the strength to love our spouses as you love us.

We pray these things in Jesus' name. Amen.

Gather with us this Sunday as we continue our Shipwrecked series. In the mean time, check out Blake and Amanda's thoughts on marriage from this past Sunday here.

This week our guest author, Sarina, shares her thoughts on our Shipwrecked series. Check out her honest and transparent thoughts on relationships.

There I was, 21 and going through a divorce.

Leaving an abusive relationship; I was scared, angry, broken, ashamed and betrayed. How could God let this happen? What did I do wrong?

That was when I decided God wasn’t going to be a part of my relationships anymore. I mean, He was a part of my marriage. We prayed together, attended church, did bible study, and look how that turned out.

Going my own way, I started seeking approval, happiness and fulfillment in having a large group of “friends” and another very unhealthy relationship. Again I was hurt, betrayed by people I thought were my friends, by the person I thought loved me. In all honesty though, I was betraying myself! By not having God at the center of these relationships they were shallow, selfish and superficial.

It could be easy to look back at my failed relationships and friendships over the last decade and feel hopeless.

OR

I could learn how to better navigate the buoys!

I am reminded of a scripture Paul wrote to us single ladies.

1 Corinthians 7:25-26, 32-34

²⁵ Now regarding your question about the young women who are not yet married. I do not have a command from the Lord for them. But the Lord in his mercy has given me wisdom that can be trusted, and I will share it with you. ²⁶ Because of the present crisis, I think it is best to remain as you are.

 ³² I want you to be free from the concerns of this life. An unmarried man can spend his time doing the Lord’s work and thinking how to please him. ³³ But a married man has to think about his earthly responsibilities and how to please his wife. ³⁴ His interests are divided. In the same way, a woman who is no longer married or has never been married can be devoted to the Lord and holy in body and in spirit.

This has become one of my favorite passages. It reminds me that being single can be a blessing. We live in a world so focused on dating, marriage, sex, and relationships. From the time we pop out of the womb it seems every movie, game and toy is about finding the person that “completes” you.

When a relationship ends it can feel like the world has ended also.

As Pastor Blake reminds us, “We’ve all had shipwrecked relationships, spouses, friends, parents…. What treasure can we take from that shipwreck?” Looking at my fleet of shipwrecks I have found there is hidden treasure in each one. My broken relationship with God was restored. I am reminded that God has never given up on me, he has never turned his back on me. It’s hard to even fathom a love that great.

How could he love me, in all my brokenness?

But he does…

John 15:12-13 (NLT)

¹² This is my commandment: Love each other in the same way I have loved you. ¹³ There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.

And that is what He did. Jesus came and died on the cross because he loved us so much and wanted to give us eternal life in heaven. Why wouldn’t I want to be best friends with him?! Only by leaning on God and putting that relationship first will I be able to love others the way he loves me.

John 13:35 (NLT)

³⁵ Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.

Gather with us this Sunday as we continued our Shipwrecked series. You won’t want to miss it!

Growing up at a summer camp, my main goal was to become a counselor. From the camper's perspective, camp is the most fun when you are in charge; when you don't have to answer to anyone and no one is forcing you to go to your classes when all you want to do is hang out with girls.

So when I turned 16 and came to camp my first year as a non-camper, I was excited. I'd already won camper of the year, and C.I.T. of the year (counselor in training) so I was pretty sure I was going to be a rockstar counselor. My first assignment was day campers. My job was to sign them in each morning when they arrived, make sure they got to their first class, take them to lunch and hangout with them during rest hour, get them to their afternoon class, and then sign them out at the end of the day.

I had two boys around age 8.

This was a manageable level of responsibility, and I only let them get heat exhaustion one time during our two-weeks together.

I was then given my own cabin, which was more responsibility than I should have been given, but remember, I was a rockstar. All of the sudden I had a cabin full of 10 year olds.

You must know, I was kind of a big deal at my summer camp. People knew me. I wanted these boys to understand that I was cool. I was on their side. I wasn't like those mean counselors that yelled at their campers all the time.

The first few days were pretty good. They got the schedule down and although getting them to clean the cabin or make it anywhere on time was an issue, for the most part, we were doing OK. I was the cool counselor.

Until...

I had one boy who really didn't want to follow the rules. He obviously didn't know how big of a deal I was. Nor did he understand my rockstar status. If he had known those things, he probably would have listened to me. But he refused. He flat out refused. He refused right to my face.

Shipwrecked.

After an incident in the cabin that left me yelling at the kids and demanding that boy get out, our relationship was wrecked. I had lost any control I had over them.

I had to swallow my pride and go to another counselor for help. Fortunately, he and I were able to sit down and discuss what had happened and he helped me realize that I couldn't be my campers' friend. I had to first be their counselor. I had to first lead them. Sometimes leading them meant I couldn't be the cool counselor.

It was a humbling experience and one that guided me through the rest of my years at camp.

Now I'm a dad. My son is about the age those boys were back then. I was reminded this past Sunday of that lesson and had to check myself. He's at an age now where we can talk and joke around. I catch myself making fun of him as if he were one of my friends. And maybe that's ok...sometimes. But my words, joking or not, can cut through him, stick with him, and can ultimately shape is self-image.

First and foremost, I am his dad. My responsibility is to raise him, to give him the best possible foundation, so that when the world offers him a choice, he has the ability to weigh his options and make a decision. Right or wrong, it is his decision. All we can do as parents is equip him and constantly remind him that God loves him no matter what, that God is there for him always, that God has a plan for him, and that he should put his full faith in God (not us). I think it's clear that those things are more important than being the cool parent, or being his friend.

Besides, no matter how hard I try, I'm just not that cool.

Gather with us this Sunday as we continued our Shipwrecked series. You won't want to miss it!

This week our guest author, Brennan, shares his thoughts on the Parable of the Three Servants.

Matthew 25:14

Again, the Kingdom of Heaven can be illustrated by the story of a man going on a long trip. He called together his servants and entrusted his money to them while he was gone.

Many times when we hear, “kingdom of God” we think of something beyond this world, high above us. The truth is that the kingdom of God is all around us, and every day we get to choose whether we invest in it or whether we withhold ourselves. Each of us has gifts that carry value, and the people we meet on mission as we move out in ever widening circles are hungry and thirsty to experience those gifts.

Matthew 25:15

He gave five bags of silver to one, two bags of silver to another, and one bag of silver to the last—dividing it in proportion to their abilities. He then left on his trip.

Here we see a glimpse of how God equips us, and where He places us in the world. God has had the deepest understanding of who we are since we were being woven together as a human being. He knows our abilities and what potential we hold. God gives to us in many different ways whether it’s spiritual gifts, material gifts, or physical gifts. He also understands that what He gives us is more than enough to accomplish His will when we partner with Him. Then he places us in the world, and gives us freedom to use those gifts as we see fit. In this we are allowed to explore the beauty God has created around us and in us with the talents we have been gifted. As we follow the story we see what can happen when we choose to fiercely pursue His will, or refuse to act and stand still.

Matthew 25:16-18

The servant who received the five bags of silver began to invest the money and earned five more. The servant with two bags of silver also went to work and earned two more. But the servant who received the one bag of silver dug a hole in the ground and hid the master’s money.

At any point in our lives we can see ourselves in all three servants’ shoes. Sometimes we are given plenty and we use it to make great things, even if the risk is great. Sometimes we are given less than others, but we are still happy and willing to make due and increase what has been given to us. Other times we find ourselves terrified to lose what little we have, and we rob ourselves and the world of our gifts by sitting still and holding on to them out of fear.

Matthew 25:19-30

“After a long time their master returned from his trip and called them to give an account of how they had used his money. The servant to whom he had entrusted the five bags of silver came forward with five more and said, ‘Master, you gave me five bags of silver to invest, and I have earned five more.’

“The master was full of praise. ‘Well done, my good and faithful servant. You have been faithful in handling this small amount, so now I will give you many more responsibilities. Let’s celebrate together!’

“The servant who had received the two bags of silver came forward and said, ‘Master, you gave me two bags of silver to invest, and I have earned two more.’

“The master said, ‘Well done, my good and faithful servant. You have been faithful in handling this small amount, so now I will give you many more responsibilities. Let’s celebrate together!’

“Then the servant with the one bag of silver came and said, ‘Master, I knew you were a harsh man, harvesting crops you didn’t plant and gathering crops you didn’t cultivate. I was afraid I would lose your money, so I hid it in the earth. Look, here is your money back.’

“But the master replied, ‘You wicked and lazy servant! If you knew I harvested crops I didn’t plant and gathered crops I didn’t cultivate, why didn’t you deposit my money in the bank? At least I could have gotten some interest on it.’

“Then he ordered, ‘Take the money from this servant, and give it to the one with the ten bags of silver. To those who use well what they are given, even more will be given, and they will have an abundance. But from those who do nothing, even what little they have will be taken away. Now throw this useless servant into outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

Each of us is beyond lucky to be the son or daughter of a God that gives generously. We are given much, and our impact can be great in the world if we choose to act and utilize what we know we have. Even if it’s being able to make people laugh, make people feel comfortable where they are, or being able to really listen to someone when they speak. These are riches that we can invest, and the return on our investment can end up being priceless.

So this week go out with the gifts God has given you, and act boldly knowing that you carry the name of God on your heart, and that His Spirit fills you up. Invest in the people you do life with, and watch as God works and grows in them. Reflect God’s light into the world and see it reflected back, even if it’s just a glimmer from a person you never expected it from. The ultimate return on the investments you make for God is a warm embrace, a smile from the Father of Lights, and to hear “Well done, my good and faithful servant.”

Gather with us this Sunday as we begin a new series called Shipwrecked. In the mean time, check out Blake’s thoughts on the Parable of the Three Servants from this past Sunday here.

A wealthy woman showed kindness to a man of God, and in return...

2 Kings 4:11-16

One day Elisha returned to Shunem, and he went up to this upper room to rest. He said to his servant Gehazi, “Tell the woman from Shunem I want to speak to her.” When she appeared, Elisha said to Gehazi, “Tell her, ‘We appreciate the kind concern you have shown us. What can we do for you? Can we put in a good word for you to the king or to the commander of the army?’”

“No,” she replied, “my family takes good care of me.”

Later Elisha asked Gehazi, “What can we do for her?”

Gehazi replied, “She doesn’t have a son, and her husband is an old man.”

“Call her back again,” Elisha told him. When the woman returned, Elisha said to her as she stood in the doorway, “Next year at this time you will be holding a son in your arms!”

“No, my lord!” she cried. “O man of God, don’t deceive me and get my hopes up like that.”

Since I was 7 years old, I've wanted to be a professional writer. I have images in my mind of sitting in a second floor room, overlooking a body of water, typing away on my next great writing project, or walking into a bookstore and seeing my book(s) on the shelf; my name in boldface font staring back at me.

Writing is the one dream that's stayed with me through my entire life. Different interests have come and gone, but the thread that's connected them all was writing.

God has answered so many of my prayers over the past few years. I realized recently that although I have had this life long dream, I don't know that I have actually taken it to God and specifically asked him for it.

Why?

I don't know. Maybe I'm afraid it won't happen. Maybe I don't believe God is big enough to put a book worth of words in my head. Maybe I don't believe I can actually put a book on a shelf. Maybe I'm scared of rejection from publishers or of the negative feedback from critiques and readers. Maybe I'm just too comfortable carrying this dream around in my back pocket.

Maybe all of those things.

So like the woman who dreamed of having a child and would never ask for such a miracle, I don't take it to God. And if anyone told me that by next year I would have a book on a shelf in a bookstore, I would think the same thing the woman did, "Don't deceive me and get my hopes up like that."

Maybe I'm scared my dream will come true, but then be taken away from me.

2 Kings 4:18-24

One day when her child was older, he went out to help his father, who was working with the harvesters. Suddenly he cried out, “My head hurts! My head hurts!”

His father said to one of the servants, “Carry him home to his mother.”

So the servant took him home, and his mother held him on her lap. But around noontime he died. She carried him up and laid him on the bed of the man of God, then shut the door and left him there. She sent a message to her husband: “Send one of the servants and a donkey so that I can hurry to the man of God and come right back.”

“Why go today?” he asked. “It is neither a new moon festival nor a Sabbath.”

But she said, “It will be all right.”

So she saddled the donkey and said to the servant, “Hurry! Don’t slow down unless I tell you to.”

God gave this woman something she never thought she would have, and then the world took it away from her.

It's interesting that one of the very things God told Adam he would have to do in order to survive when he was cast out of the Garden of Eden is what took the woman's son. I can't help but come to the conclusion that it wasn't God who caused this bad thing to happen, but the broken world in which we live.

Perhaps even more interesting is how the woman deals with this. She could have knelt down next to his death bed and given up. But instead she took action. She immediately went back to the man of God. Was she upset? Absolutely, but she knew she had to do something.

She reminds Elisha that she didn't ask for this dream to come true. She reminds him that she didn't want to get her hopes up. But Elisha ignores her comment and they head back to the woman's home where Elisha brings the boy back to life.

Our dreams are our dreams for a reason. God has placed those things on our hearts. He wants us to have them. They are worth pursuing. If you feel like your dream is too big for you, like it's something that you can't accomplish, then get excited. You have to partner with God, and when you partner with God (when you seek him first) miracles can happen and dreams come to life.

My dream has been lying dead in a bed for a while. Perhaps it's time to talk to God about bringing it back to life.

Gather with us this Sunday. In the mean time, listen to Amanda's message on Elisha and the Woman from Shunem here.

"When we engage with the word of God, we engage with God."

Those words rang out through the Shuffleboard Club on Sunday, from Blake's mouth to our ears. It's a simple statement, but the more I think about it, the more amazing it becomes.

I've been spending a lot more time with God these days. I've carved out time in my morning to read the word and spend time in prayer. It is in those times that I can go to God, thank him for all that he has done in my life and in the lives of the people around me, to confess my sins to him, to share my fears, doubts and worries with him, to praise him for all his goodness, and to listen to him.

Admittedly, I probably don't spend as much time just sitting and listening as I should, but I feel like I hear God most when I am reading his word.

In the pages of the Bible I can find answers to questions. I can find new insights and perspectives into the things that I face on a daily basis. I can find relatable examples that aid me in my work and personal relationships.

One of the lies that I tend to believe is that God is angry with me because of my win; that in those times that I feel myself moving away from him, I cannot go to him in prayer. I know that this is how the enemy isolates us from love so that I can tear us down, but I still believe it in those times. I still have this lingering idea in my head the my deeds dictate God's love for me. Recently, during my morning reading and prayer time, God reminded me of this truth,

God loves you regardless, no matter what you do, because of what Jesus did for us, God loves us unconditionally. The price has been paid for all of your sins; past, present, and future. No matter what you are going through, God is always there for you and wants you to come to him. Now, it is up to you to decide what to do with that love.

God reminded me that I have a choice, every day, to either take his love and do nothing with it, or to give his love to the people around me; to my neighbors. When I am giving love (real love) then there is no room for sin to interfere. It is only when I choose to not accept God's love that the enemy can get a foothold in my life.

Perhaps God would have revealed that truth to me in some other way had I not engaged with him through his word. Maybe I would have heard it on a Sunday, or in small group. But, it felt much more personal when it was just me and God sitting at my dinning room table in the early morning hours. It felt like it was just for me. It felt like God loved me.

If you want to experience God. If you really want to hear from and speak to God, then get in his word. Take time with God.

Hebrews 4:12

For the word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires.

Here are some resources you can use to engage with God.

YouVersion - This website/app holds pretty much every available translation of the Bible, provides reading plans, and allows you to highlights, comment on, and share verses.

BibleGateway - This is pretty much my go-to website when I need to find a verse or lookup verses on a particular topic.

The Bible Project - This website provides free videos an d resources that explore the narrative of the Bible.

Gather with us this Sunday as we continue in our Pages series. In the mean time, listen to Blake’s thoughts on engaging with God through the Bible here.

This week our guest author, Cassie, shares her thoughts on our Pages series.

I have a friend who has the very unique and interesting job of being a rare book dealer. He was recently in town to exhibit at one of the oldest and largest antiquarian book fairs in the nation and we had an opportunity to talk about the nature of his career. It's multi faceted and while it certainly requires quite a bit of knowledge, experience, and savvy, one thing stood out above the rest as being a crucial element to his success: relationship. He spends time getting to know his customers, their interests, their collections, their likes and dislikes. In turn, his customers are more willing and comfortable spending the money associated with these rare, precious items because a trusting relationship has been established.

We have access to the most precious book ever written. A collection of 66 of the most precious books ever written, actually. People have died because of their belief in it. Men and women have given their lives so that others may have free access to it. It is a book filled with hope, truth, and promise, but most of all, it is a book about relationship. From the first page to the last, it is about God's constant pursuit of each one of us.

He knows us intimately.

He knit each of us together in our mother's womb.

He has counted every hair on your head and he collects every one of your tears in a bottle.

He loves you.

If you were the only person on this planet, He would have still gone to the cross just for YOU. That's how important you are to Him and that's how precious a relationship with you is to Him. He came to seek and save that which was lost. He wants you to know you can trust Him. Spend time getting more acquainted with His character by committing to being in the Word regularly. The Bible promises that if we draw near to Him, He will draw near to us.

‭‭Romans‬ ‭15:4‬ 

Such things were written in the Scriptures long ago to teach us. And the Scriptures give us hope and encouragement as we wait patiently for God’s promises to be fulfilled.

Gather with us this Sunday as we continue in our Pages series. In the mean time, check out Blake's Precious Pages message from this past Sunday here.

When I was a kid in the Catholic Church, the Bible was a really nice book that sat on my shelf or in the pew pockets next to the Hymnals in mass. I thought the Old Testament was old and the New Testament was new. I made several attempts to read it, starting at the beginning, but never made it past Exodus.

When I was a young adult in college, I saw the Bible as a piece of literature that should be dissected like the novels I was reading. I allowed my teachers and fellow classmates to convince me that it was filled with inconsistencies and false teachings. I made several attempts to read it, starting at the beginning, but never made it past Exodus.

And then I made the decision to enter into a relationship with God and began calling myself a Christian.

It was then that the Bible started to scare me.

As a Christian, I thought I had to be a Bible expert. I thought I had to have all the answers. Even scarier, I thought I had to 100% believe everything the Bible said without question.

There were a couple problems with that:

1. I didn't know what the Bible said.
2. A lot of what I read, I didn't understand.

How was I to start talking to people about my faith if I didn't know what all I believed? What if they started asking me questions? What if I didn't have answers? What if they convinced me that I was wrong, that this was a sham, and that I was an idiot for believing in some god I'd never seen?

...I'd better not let anyone know I'm a Christian until I have all this stuff figured out, right?

And so I entered into this time of my life where I was a Closet Christian. I went to church. I prayed...a little. I started reading the Bible...a little. I was doing the minimum amount possible and avoiding talking about my faith as much as possible. There wasn't much about my external life that said I believed in what Jesus did for us.

Slowly, so slowly, my faith increased. I started talking about it more. I started writing about it. In so doing, I started to solidify in my mind what I believed. My curiosity to know what the Bible said, and what it meant, grew.

And then God lead me into youth ministry.

I had worked with teenagers for years as a camp councilor. I went to school to become a high school teacher. But I had never worked with teenagers from a spiritual perspective. When you work with people from a spiritual perspective, you really have to rely on God. You realize quickly how ill-equipped you are to understand people and how much you need God's wisdom and guidance.

So when I decided to go to the youth group's summer retreat, I knew I needed extra help. The group was going to cover the book of Acts. I had 30 days to read the book which equated to a chapter a day. I committed to reading every day until I completed the book. Once I did that, I realized that wasn't a crazy commitment. So I kept going, and over the course of the next year, I read the New Testament.

From then on, I developed the discipline of reading regularly. This gave me fuel to ask questions. These gave me content to pray about. This gave me insight into my beliefs. In the pages of the Bible I met God. He spoke to me, and sometimes I listened.

I learned more about the books, the authors, and the origin of the Bible. Those discrepancies and inconsistencies I once saw started to make sense and/or dissolve.

I am by no means a Bible scholar at this point, and I still have questions and things I don't understand. But what I have learned is that I don't have to believe blindly. I don't have to 'just believe' because it is what the Bible says. God wants us to question him. God wants us to go to him and seek answers because it is in the seeking that our faith will be revealed and increased. Any reason for us to go to God is a good reason because it gives us the opportunity to build our relationship with him.

Above all, God wants a relationship with us. Go to him. Seek out the answers to your questions.

Hebrews 4:12

For the word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires.

Join us this Sunday as we continue looking at the importance of the Bible. In the mean time, check out Blake's thought provoking message from this past Sunday here.

Luke 24:1-3

But very early on Sunday morning the women went to the tomb, taking the spices they had prepared. They found that the stone had been rolled away from the entrance. So they went in, but they didn’t find the body of the Lord Jesus.

Within these 3 sentences, everything changes. Before this, the people of the Earth were trying to reconcile their broken relationship with God through 'being good' and following the law. Religion ruled as men used God to control other men. Sacrifices were made to atone for sins. Their hope for redemption and forgiveness was placed in some future event.

For those that believed Jesus was the messiah; the one who would make a way for us to have a relationship with our creator. Their hope had been nailed to a cross, and had suffered through a slow, inhumane murder. They spent their Sabbath wondering what the death of Jesus meant, what had happened to their hope, and if the last 3 years of following this amazing man had all been for nothing.

But very early on Sunday morning everything changed. The tomb was empty. Hope had returned. And though they couldn't quite comprehend it at the moment, I'm sure they knew in their hearts that it was all true. The prophecy in the scriptures had been fulfilled. Death had been conquered. The connection with our creator had been reestablished. Mankind was saved.

But that's a pretty big idea to comprehend, so instead,

Luke 24:5-11

The women were terrified and bowed with their faces to the ground. Then the men asked, “Why are you looking among the dead for someone who is alive? He isn’t here! He is risen from the dead! Remember what he told you back in Galilee, that the Son of Man must be betrayed into the hands of sinful men and be crucified, and that he would rise again on the third day.”

Then they remembered that he had said this. So they rushed back from the tomb to tell his eleven disciples—and everyone else—what had happened. It was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and several other women who told the apostles what had happened. But the story sounded like nonsense to the men, so they didn’t believe it.

Some confirmation. Now it's been stated. He is risen. What they felt in their hearts now starts to make sense in their minds. But it had to be a surreal feeling. I mean, it was a Sunday morning. It probably didn't feel like the day the world changed. What would that even feel like? Especially, when you were expecting horses and chariots and thunderous announcements from the heavens. This was three women discovering an empty tomb. It's no wonder that the men didn't believe them.

We men aren't that smart and we don't always listen very well. And we definitely don't listen very well when it comes to Jesus, which is why he always has to go to extra lengths to make his point with us.

Luke 24:35-31

Then Jesus said to them, “You foolish people! You find it so hard to believe all that the prophets wrote in the Scriptures. Wasn’t it clearly predicted that the Messiah would have to suffer all these things before entering his glory?” Then Jesus took them through the writings of Moses and all the prophets, explaining from all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.

By this time they were nearing Emmaus and the end of their journey. Jesus acted as if he were going on, but they begged him, “Stay the night with us, since it is getting late.” So he went home with them. As they sat down to eat, he took the bread and blessed it. Then he broke it and gave it to them. Suddenly, their eyes were opened, and they recognized him. And at that moment he disappeared!

Food always helps men see better.

From here on, the news starts spreading. Jesus shows himself to more and more people and the realization that the world has changed for eternity begins to set in with the believers of the time.

The ripple effects of those events can still be felt. That good news continues to spread today. There are still those who can't see what Jesus has done for them. There are those who have not heard that the connection to their creator has been reestablished and they now have the opportunity to spend eternity with him. There are still those that choose not to believe.

The fact remains. He is risen. The tomb is empty. Death was defeated. Hope has returned. There is something greater out there for you than this world.

Come be a part of our gathering next Sunday as we begin a new series looking at the importance of the Bible.

John 19:17-20

Carrying the cross by himself, he went to the place called Place of the Skull (in Hebrew, Golgotha). There they nailed him to the cross. Two others were crucified with him, one on either side, with Jesus between them. And Pilate posted a sign on the cross that read, “Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews.”

It's hard to know what was going on in the mind of Jesus as he was carrying that cross to his death. I would imagine it was a mix of emotions.

On the one hand, he is a man and programed for self preservation. Did he imagine his friends coming to save him? Did he hope that Pilot would stop the guards and set him free? He had already endured being flogged and crowned with thorns. He knew that he was about to go through the torture of being nailed to a cross and hung for all to see until he suffocated, starved, or bled to death. His last moments on earth would be spent listening to people yell at him, ridicule him, and cheer his suffering. And then, the real pain would start as he took on the full punishment for our sins.

On the other hand, Jesus is God. He is the messiah. He is the savior. He is fulfilling the prophecy that's been passed down for thousands of years. He was about to mend the relationship that we broke. He was about to make a way for us to spend eternity in pure love. And so from that point of view, he must have been excited. He must have been eager to get the job done and usher in a new era where people could speak directly to their creator, where people could find the strength to overcome their sins. He was about to invite the Holy Spirit to fill the hearts of men and women all over the world.

The one thing that binds these two perspectives together is Love.

Jesus, as a man, continued forward to Golgotha, one painful step after another because he loves us. He endured the torture and the torment because he loves us so much that he was willing to take our place and pay our price.

Jesus, as God, could not wait to fulfill his purpose and reunite us with our creator because he loves us. He has loved us since the beginning of time. We, you and me, have been on his mind since before the creation of the universe and despite what you did yesterday, despite what you did today, and despite all the sins that you will commit between now and the time you leave this Earth, he has loved you. His love is unwavering. His love is not based on whether you are a good person or not. His love knows no bounds. His love is infinite, pure, and is given to you without stipulation. He loves you because he made you.

Resurrection is around the corner.

The day of victory is near.

Let go of the chains that are holding you back. Let go of the fears that are holding you down. Let go of the lies that convince you that God does not love you, or that you need to earn his love.

You have been seeking a way. You have been seeking an answer. You have been seeking substance. You have been seeking purpose.

Join us this Sunday and find the way. Invite a friend this Sunday and receive the answer. Be a part of something that will fill you up, give you direction, and make your life about something bigger than you. It's Easter! It's Resurrection Day. Jesus is alive and wants to have a relationship with you!

We hope you will celebrate with us. We want you there. Come check us out.

Nail wounds, the remnant of an event that changed the world for all eternity.

Isaiah 53:5

But he was pierced for our rebellion, crushed for our sins.

He was beaten so we could be whole.

He was whipped so we could be healed.

We screw up every day. We turn away from God all the time, and at the beginning of every day, we wake up whole and healed. The nail wounds of our sins have been washed away.

How could Isaiah share his vision with such boldness and faith so long before it actually happened?

It doesn’t surprise me that the religious leaders of the time would dismiss the claims that the savior Isaiah spoke of had come.

It doesn’t surprise me that Thomas would doubt the authenticity of the claims made by his friends; that Jesus returned from the dead and was back, visiting people and being seen by thousands.

John 20:24-29

One of the twelve disciples, Thomas (nicknamed the Twin), was not with the others when Jesus came. They told him, “We have seen the Lord!”

But he replied, “I won’t believe it unless I see the nail wounds in his hands, put my fingers into them, and place my hand into the wound in his side.”

Eight days later the disciples were together again, and this time Thomas was with them. The doors were locked; but suddenly, as before, Jesus was standing among them. “Peace be with you,” he said. Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here, and look at my hands. Put your hand into the wound in my side. Don’t be faithless any longer. Believe!”

“My Lord and my God!” Thomas exclaimed.

Then Jesus told him, “You believe because you have seen me. Blessed are those who believe without seeing me.”

I can only imagine the mental explosion that happened in the head of Thomas the disciple. Was it necessary for him to touch the wounds in order to believe? I don’t know. Jesus seems to indicate that physical proof such as that is not required, only faith – faith like that of Isaiah. I’m sure as soon as Thomas saw Jesus, he believed. Regardless, Jesus invited Thomas to touch his wounds. In doing that, Thomas became a part of the story of the resurrection.

Can we offer Jesus’s physical wounds as proof to those around us? No.

But we can invite people to be a part of the story of the resurrection. We can show people how Jesus healed our wounds. We can share our stories of victory with those around and show them where the victory came from.

To you who believe — are you sharing Jesus’s victory over death with others? Are you inviting them into the story of the resurrection? Are you showing them that Jesus is alive, and that he can heal their wounds?

Want to be a part of the resurrection? Gather with us this Sunday. In the mean time, listen to Amanda’s message from this past Sunday here.

We all have those memories that we look back on and realize they were turning points in our lives. This week we continue our journey through scripture revisiting one of those real and powerful moments with our series #nofilter.

The story begins in Mark 2 with Jesus returning to Capernaum, and visiting a friend's house. Droves of people had followed him after hearing about the amazing things he had said and done. With people crowding the doorways and windows, Jesus began to teach with passion.

We see in this moment that it is Jesus' conviction and absolute belief in the truth he teaches that draws these people to him. As we live on mission we are called to follow this example. In order to change the world around us, we must first build a relationship with the people we meet, and then speak in truth and love with genuine belief that is born from experiencing God in our own lives.

The story progresses and four friends arrive with a paralyzed man seeking healing from Jesus. The room is so packed that the friends climb to the roof with their friend, and dig a hole in order to get their friend to Jesus. In this we see an example of incredible faith and commitment from people who may not have even met Jesus. The impact we can have when we share our experiences and lives with others can be just as powerful as these four friends’ faith.

Jesus saw their genuine faith, made plain by their actions, and chose to forgive the paralyzed man's sins. Before even recognizing his physical needs, Jesus tended to the man's spiritual needs. Some religious leaders then challenged Jesus, and he chose to make the moment one of witnessing the love and the power God gives us. He revealed his power by healing the paralyzed man, and sent him on his way.

Something we can take away from Jesus' commission of the newly healed man is an instruction Jesus specifically gave. Jesus told the healed man to take his mat with him as he went back out into the world. The mat resembles the person we used to be, and the newly healed person is who God can create in us when we engage in a relationship with Him. This allows us to engage others who may still be defined by their "mat.

Romans 8:31

What shall we say about such wonderful things as these? If God is for us, who can ever be against us?

Back in the 80's I attended a sleepover at my karate school. Mostly, we played games and watched movies. It was awesome. I stayed up the whole night. At some point in the early morning I watched a movie called No Retreat, No Surrender. The main character was in a David vs. Goliath fight with Jean Claude Van Damme in order to defend the honor of his master. He got destroyed. Van Damme demolished him, and his confidence. But then, the spirit of Bruce Lee showed up and trained him. And, when he finally got his rematch, he was victorious.

Basically, with Bruce Lee, the main character could do anything. I so wanted Bruce Lee to have my back. If Bruce Lee trained me, I could beat anyone.

So when I first read Romans 8:31 and found out that God is on my side, I should have been super excited, in the "Bruce Lee is going to train me" sense of the word.

But, I wasn't.

I wasn't because when I read that verse, my mind immediately asked the following question:

Why should God be for us?

• We don't deserve his love
• We sin against him daily
• We ignore his call on our life
• We are disobedient

What kind of person would continue to say, "yeah, I'm on your side" when all we do, it seems, is kick dirt on his name?

Maybe you've thought something similar.

Maybe you've completed the verse with your own ending:

• If God is for us, then why do bad things happen?
• If God is for us, then why did cancer strike?
• If God is for us, then why is this still a struggle?
• If God is for us, then why did that marriage fall apart?
• If God is for us, then why did they have to die?

Fill in your major complaint, hurt, struggle, pain, or memory.

What do we do with Romans 8:31? Well, like most of the Bible, when a verse doesn't make sense, we should go back and read the verses leading up to it, and the verses after it.

We have taken a pretty close look at the verses leading up to this. We've spent the last 7 weeks talking about everything leading up to this one grand statement.

So what do we know?

• There is no condemnation for those that belong to Christ Jesus
• God sent his own son to do what the law could not do
• Letting the Spirit control your mind leads to life and peace
• You are controlled by the Spirit if you have the Spirit of God living in you
• When God adopted you, you received the Spirit
• All of creation has been groaning in pain right up until the present time
• God causes everything to work together for the good of those that love God

Let's see if we can put this all into one sentence.

God will never condemn you because he loves you, you aren't alone, the whole world is in pain just like you, but if you love God then you will receive the Spirit of God and he will always provide exactly what you need.

It seems like everything we've learned up until now has proven that God is definitely on our side. No matter how many times the Jean Claud Van Damme's of the world demolish us, we can always get back up and continue to fight because God is for us, and no one, not even Bruce Lee (or Chuck Norris) can take that away from us.

Instead of trying to close this series out with some super insightful words, I'm just going to let Paul do it.

Romans 8:32-39

Since he did not spare even his own Son but gave him up for us all, won’t he also give us everything else? Who dares accuse us whom God has chosen for his own? No one—for God himself has given us right standing with himself. Who then will condemn us? No one—for Christ Jesus died for us and was raised to life for us, and he is sitting in the place of honor at God’s right hand, pleading for us.

Can anything ever separate us from Christ’s love? Does it mean he no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted, or hungry, or destitute, or in danger, or threatened with death? (As the Scriptures say, “For your sake we are killed every day; we are being slaughtered like sheep.