29:11... and our kiddos!

Dear Friends,

As we are taking on and "owning" Jeremiah 29:11, like Mickey challenged us, it doesn't stop inside our church walls. We believe whole heartedly that the Lord has plans for our church, plans not to harm us and plans to give us hope! Oh, what comfort that we've been shown this past Sunday. We have such an excellent piece of scripture to cling to in the midst of change, DIScomfort, and anxiety. As a worshipping body, we've been challenged and BECKONED to cling to the Lord's promise.  That rocks.

So what about the times that are really tough? How do you teach your kids about hope and about HOW God helps us? How do you SHOW your children ways God provides us hope and a future? Don't wait. Mickey reminded us that GOD uses us right where we are! RIGHT in the midst of your kids having anxiety about school, right in the midst of marriage trouble, right in the midst of sickness and death-- God uses us RIGHT now.

I'm going to challenge all of you to do something in your home for the next few months. I'll be doing it along side of you all and I will share and update with you my progress- if all of you promise to do the same.

It's called an "It's tough" jar... or journal. I'm going to encourage my families to use an empty jar and at the dinner table talk about the things that are just plain tough. Things like making new friends, starting a new school, having a fight with a friend, a parent who looses a job, beginning a new church, or when a grandparent gets sick. Write it down on a sticky note. Date it. Fold it up and put it in the jar. Be done with the tough things and move on!

I'm a journal(er). The next few months, when something is hard and I don't know how God is going to use a tough situation, I'm going to write it down. Then, I'm going to keep on living-- I'm not going to dwell on HOW or WHEN God is going to use this situation. I'm not going to let it slow me down, because I have no control.

In a few weeks, let's all look back on the things that were tough. I bet those things won't be as tough anymore. I even bet that God will have used those situations to teach you brand new things! What an opportunity for your family to grow and to talk through the "tough stuff" together... and for your family to learn and see God's workings first hand!! Be encouraged when you sit down with your kids and look over the tough stuff all together. This allows us as a family to talk about how God is moving and how God is present in your family's life. God is going to be teaching ALL of us brand new things- and I am so eager to hear how God transforms and teaches you and your families.

PLEASE be in touch with how this goes! I would love to be a conversation partner with your family in talking and dealing with the "tough stuff".