A New Year begins ...

A word many times closely associated with the New Year is "resolution"  ... one definition I found online said a firm decision to do or not to do something.

Some people will say they don't make resolutions because they just get broken within the first week (or first day) of the New Year anyway ~ true.  But the reality is we make resolutions every day ... moment by moment we are making decisions what to do or not to do!  

James Chapter 4 has much to say about the decisions we make day to day.  The chapter ends with a good reminder that the length of our days is in God's hands alone.


  

It's easy to sit on the threshold of 2012 and think we can live this year to please ourselves and start living for the Lord in 2013.  

Remember this??

One hard thing to consider doing for 2012 is making some resolutions {a.k.a. decisions} that put God first.

A good place to start ....

How do we do that??  Loving God starts with deepening our relationship with Him.

 ~ a great way to do that is to dig into His Word ~

Read The Bible In One Year  is a website you might find helpful to get started.  It's never too late to jump in and get reading!  

Let a comment or email us if you're going to be reading too ~ we'd love to be able to pray for you and encourage you!

Merry Christmas!

12.21 Prayer Requests

Rachel:  school


Harmony: school; stress


Ashley: stress; school; guidance


Lucy:  PRAISE - friend out of hospital and Grandmother out of hospital


Carey: Shelly - possible cancer; Michelle S. - radiation; Dee L. - cancer


Tammy:  school; family; stress; getting used to new home


Keri:  many sick


Nathan:  neighbor going through first Christmas after husband's death


Many families struggling financially and parent(s) out of work

Youth Retreat 2011

The cowbells at the top!

The first brave victim .... er ... volunteer!

So fashionable .....

Hebrews 12: 14-17

¹⁴ Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord: ¹⁵ looking carefully lest anyone fall short of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up cause trouble, and by this many become defiled; ¹⁶ lest there be any fornicator or profane person like Esau, who for one morsel of food sold his birthright. ¹⁷ For you know that afterward, when he wanted to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no place for repentance, though he sought it diligently with tears.

Titus 2: 11-15

¹¹ For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, ¹² teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age, ¹³ looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, ¹⁴ who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works. 
¹⁵ Speak these things, exhort, and rebuke with all authority. Let no one despise you.

1 John 2: 3-17

³ Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments. ⁴ He who says, “I know Him,” and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.⁵ But whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God is perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him. ⁶ He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked. 
⁷ Brethren,^[a] I write no new commandment to you, but an old commandment which you have had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word which you heard from the beginning.^[b] 8 Again, a new commandment I write to you, which thing is true in Him and in you, because the darkness is passing away, and the true light is already shining. 
⁹ He who says he is in the light, and hates his brother, is in darkness until now. ¹⁰ He who loves his brother abides in the light, and there is no cause for stumbling in him. ¹¹ But he who hates his brother is in darkness and walks in darkness, and does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes.

Their Spiritual State

    ¹² I write to you, little children, 
Because your sins are forgiven you for His name’s sake. 
       ¹³ I write to you, fathers, 
Because you have known Him who is from the beginning. 
      I write to you, young men, 
Because you have overcome the wicked one. 
      I write to you, little children, 
Because you have known the Father. 
       ¹⁴ I have written to you, fathers, 
Because you have known Him who is from the beginning. 
      I have written to you, young men, 
Because you are strong, and the word of God abides in you, 
And you have overcome the wicked one.

Do Not Love the World

   
¹⁵ Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. ¹⁶ For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world. ¹⁷And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever.