Christmas Encouragement (a reason for joy)

I'm not sure I've ever done this before so I'm excited about what you're going to read next. Dave, who is a part of our Freedom family, posted in our Facebook Connecting Point Group after the service on Sunday and shared a vision he'd had and not just for himself but for the church. (I have to tell you, going back and reading posts and comments from Sunday is my favourite way to start my week!) Dave's vision was right in line with so many of the conversations I've been having over the past few weeks and really spoke to my heart so I'm sharing it with you in this format with his permission.

_____________________________

Afternoon Church Family,

I had to write about a vision I had this morning in church and I think it was meant for more then just me today based on Pastor Tracy's word.

I came to church today feeling very alone in a crowd and I could see myself just going through the motions thinking that no one knew or had to know. It felt as if there was a spotlight on me, singling me out as the odd ball in the group. Not participating emotionally or spiritually - just standing alone, existing.

Today's message was about Joy. Joy, in the coming of Christ. Joy in the sacrifice that would be made for us and me. Joy, that the birth of Christ was about the end and not the beginning. Joy, that it was set in place before I knew I needed it or before I had to clean myself up to get it. Joy, that new has come for me and all those who call on Jesus...

That was when God cleared up the vision I had seen in my heart and head. The spotlight was not to show me that I am isolated from those around me, isolated and alone, alone and lost...but...that HE has isolated me in His eye's vision. He is looking right at me even though everything else is happening around me and I feel alone. Instead He is FOCUSING on me alone (and you in your place right now). He is LOVING right on me - alone from those around me. His love is not corporate when it is directed at me...it is FOR ME ALONE. BOOM!

Yes, I feel alone still, right now in the physical - the situation of the loneliness has not changed yet but... I am NOT alone, but instead, a focus of His attention. And with that came JOY. Oh, not the jump up and down because I just won one of the Sunday morning prizes, but a sense of His presence in that loneliness - a loneliness in Joy.

I think that wasn't just for me today and so I felt I needed to share. May the Holy Spirit of God lavish you with JOY of isolation today.

- Dave Hancock

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This touched my heart. He sees you. He knows you.

And, He is working through US to speak to the individual heart. How amazing is our God who teaches us to lay down our selves but also speaks to each one of us personally?

We are TOGETHER this Christmas because we are IN CHRIST. Indeed, there is so much reason for joy.

Would you invite someone to join you for our Christmas Eve service? It's all online so you won't break any by-laws! Just click the "Together at Christmas" graphic below.

Do you know someone who will be joining us for Christmas Eve and would like our Christmas Eve service package? We would be delighted to get one to them. Just let us know!

Pastor Tracy

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This Sunday

THE GIFT
Gold (A King Like No Other)

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Together at Christmas (more Christmas at Freedom)

It's happening! Our online Christmas Eve service is coming together and we're excited about the opportunity to not be limited by room capacity or registration forms but to be able to extend the invitation to hear the good news about Jesus this Christmas to absolutely everyone.

Here's your assignment for the week. Check out our website with all the details about our Christmas Eve service and decide who you can invite. There is even a simple inviter tool right there on the page. So easy!

But wait, there's more! If you are on our regular mailing list (as in, you get this email), we are working on a special package that we will deliver to you before Christmas Eve so that we can be as together as possible while we're apart this year. It has a lot of nice things in it but our favourite is that we're sending you candles that you can light with us during the service... the same ones we use when we're in person. Yeah!

If you are wondering if you really are on the list or if you've invited someone who would also like a package from us, just reply to this email and let us know. We're making a list... and checking it twice... we'll bring you a package no matter how naughty or nice you've been. :)

The Christmas Eve page on our website has lots of information, including what to do if you aren't on/don't like Facebook. Be sure to check it out!

Lastly, I'm asking that you'll pray with me that we'll have a Christmas with lots of impact for Jesus. Pray for Rob and our tech team that they will have much success in putting the service together. Pray that the Holy Spirit would begin to soften hearts to respond to the message of the gospel. Pray that you would have the courage to invite others and talk to other about Christ this whole season long.

It's going to be a very merry Christmas indeed!
Pastor Tracy

It's not too late... join us for our ADVENT READING PLAN on YOUVERSION.

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This Sunday

THE GIFT
Myrrh (It’s Hard to Believe)

Join us on Sunday at 10am for church online.
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Christmas At Freedom... And How You Can Participate (together at home!)

Go ahead and watch the video above and here are all the links you need!

CHRISTMAS EVE: Watch our socials and your email for shareable invitations to our Facebook Live Service on Christmas Eve at 7:00pm. You don't need a Facebook account to watch. Just go to our page without logging in: CLICK HERE

ADVENT READING PLAN on YOUVERSION: CLICK HERE

Looking forward to celebrating with you,
Pastor Tracy

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This Sunday

THE GIFT
Frankincense (No One Understands Me)

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5th Sunday... Let's Celebrate the Church in 2020! (all the hope, love, joy and peace)

I don't know about you but I'm happy to have some reasons to celebrate at the end of this year. I always love the Advent and Christmas season but I'm looking forward to understanding it even more and deepening my gratitude as we go through it together.

There are lots of great resources to help us understand this season. I've included one below that does a great job with teaching and with a great soundtrack. :)

So this Sunday, we're going to use our 5th Sunday service to celebrate some things as a church and get our hearts ready for the days ahead.

We're hoping to celebrate some baptisms, have some fun with new vs. old, celebrate our new normal, introduce you to our new Freedom Church campus, talk about the exciting opportunities to impact the world for Christ this Christmas and more.

On that note, I have a few action items for you this week:

1. If you would still like to be baptized, I need to hear from you today. Just click the button below.

2. If you have a question for one of our pastors, email it to question@freedomkw.com.

3. Whether you're in person or online, get ready to participate. We have built the service to be fully interactive and we can't wait to hear from you!

4. If you're watching the livestream and have an Advent wreath at home, wait and we will light the Hope candle together during the service.

Are you ready for 5th Sunday!? We are!

Looking forward to celebrating with you,
Pastor Tracy

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This Sunday

THE NEW NORMAL
The New Pastor

Join us on Sunday at 10am for church online.
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Have You Braced Yourself? (suiting up from Ephesians 6)

Have you braced yourself?

I'm writing this after the insane wind storm we had on Sunday that came after that ugly rain in the morning. My daughter watched a chair fly across the street and smash into the side of a house. That was right around the same time that a neighbour's shingle hit my bedroom window. Yeah, not the prettiest of fall days.

It was quite a wake-up call after the record-breaking warm days we had. Winter is on the way and it has the potential to be one of the loneliest on record.

So I'm wondering, have you braced yourself?

Are you emotionally and spiritually prepared for the season ahead? Do you have the rhythms and disciplines in place that you're going to need in order to walk with grace and peace through the winter?

Let's do a check-in with our hearts and calendars this week and see where we need to be prepared to fight fear, anxiety, sadness, and apathy over the next few months. Like putting winter tires on your car, what is going to give you the best spiritual traction?

Ephesians 6:13-18 gives a great picture of what it means to "suit up" spiritually, to be ready for every season, every storm that comes our way.

"Put on the full armour of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayer and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord's people."

So in these next few days, consider how prepared you are for what's next.

1. Are you in the habit of reading the Bible daily?

2. Do you consistently communicate with God in prayer?

3. Have you built time into your calendar for connecting and growing with other believers?

4. Are you confessing your sin and living rightly before God through Jesus?

5. Do you ask God to use you to share the hope, peace and freedom you have in Christ?

6. Are you finding rest and being restored in Him?

Take an inventory of your heart, mind and spirit as we head into the darkest days of the year (in a very literal sense!). Join me in asking the Holy Spirit to show you where you need to be more intentional so that we are ready for the season ahead... and the one after that!

Staying alert with you,
Pastor Tracy

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This Sunday

THE NEW NORMAL
The New Prayer

Join us on Sunday at 10am for church online.
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The New Creation (all about water baptism)

Pastor did an excellent job helping us understand what it means that we are new creations in Christ and how water baptism symbolizes this amazing truth. If you didn't get a chance to listen or watch, be sure to check it out here, including the Q&A afterward.

I hope that you've heard by now that there will be an opportunity to be baptized in water on 5th Sunday, November 29th, during our service. If you or someone you know is considering baptism, allow me to reiterate what it's all about. Here is the first page of what you'll find on our website:

So if you've made a decision to follow Jesus and you've never been baptized in water, this is the perfect opportunity. Just click the button at the top of the page and read about your next step. And, of course, don't hesitate to give me a shout if you have any questions!

In Christ,
Pastor Tracy

PS - Fast & Pray Days are still happening and it's not too late to join in. Jump into our Connecting Point Facebook Group for guided prayer and other encouragement for the week!

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This Sunday

THE NEW NORMAL
The New Tithe

Join us on Sunday at 10am for church online.
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Fast & Pray Days (let's do this together!)

Fasting is a simple concept, truly. It's a spiritual discipline that is practiced throughout scripture (old normal and new normal!) and is still valid for us today. It's abstaining from food for a period of time to be able to focus in prayer with increased intentionality.

But still, we have a lot of questions about fasting. I've put together a few thoughts in the video that I hope are helpful and more than that, I hope they encourage you to join us for Fast & Pray Days next week.

November 8 - Deep Roots

• Worship @ 6:00pm (FB Live & In Person) CLICK TO REGISTER

• Prayer @ 6:30pm (Zoom & In Person) EMAIL US FOR ZOOM LINK

November 8-14 - Fast & Pray Days

• Follow us on social media for specific needs and a prayer guide for the whole church!

Thank you for praying with me,
Pastor Tracy

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This Sunday

THE NEW NORMAL
The New Creation

Join us on Sunday at 10am for church online.
FOLLOW THE LIVESTREAM ON OUR FACEBOOK PAGE.
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The New Normal (even though we're tired of hearing about it!)

There are certain words that I have banned in the past few months. It started in April or May when we’d been locked down for a while and I was just entirely fed up with our new pandemic-related catch phrases. Can you guess what they were?

Unprecedented – pivot – bubble – new normal…

Yes, the new normal. This one is not as bad as unprecedented but people are sick of hearing it. So, I thought that’s what we’d name the new series. Giggle. 

But… throughout human history there have been a series of new normals that have made the most unbelievable, incredible, fantastic things possible for us. We’re going to use some precedents from the Old Testament and compare them with what was new and unprecedented (see what I did there?) in the New Testament and hopefully fill your heart with joy and hope at the idea that a new normal can be a beautiful, life-transforming act of grace from God. 

• November 1st is all about the new covenant.

• November 8th, We’re talking about water baptism and the new creation.

• November 15th we're breaking down what scripture says about giving in the new tithe.

• November 22nd is going to be some teaching on how prayer has changed for us.

And in our final week of this series - November 29th - we have a very special 5th Sunday. Not only are planning for water baptisms in the service, we are calling the service - "The New Pastor". And while I'm not very new anymore, I've invited our "old" pastor, Del, to join me for a church-wide, nothing's off limits, Q&A that we'll tackle together. FUN!!!

So much to look forward to this month. The new normal isn't so bad after all. :)

And if you have a question about anything that you'd like a pastor to take a stab at answering for you, email question@freedomkw.com any time this month and we'll do our best to get to it during the service on the 29th.

Embracing the new with you,
Pastor Tracy

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This Sunday

THE NEW NORMAL
The New Covenant

Join us on Sunday at 10am for church online.
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People of the "And" (living in the already and not yet)

We are people of the "already" and "not yet." You may remember hearing that in church before. We have already received much of the blessing and promise of the Kingdom of God with the arrival and work of Jesus on earth. But there are still things to be done and Jesus has promised that someday He will make everything right and everything new. We live in the tension of these two realities, thankful for all that we have been given and longing for what's still to come.

One of the keys to navigating a difficult conversation is to use a similar principle. The word "but" has the effect of erasing whatever came before it in favour of what's about to be said. If you say, "I love you, but...," the expression of love has just lost its power. However, "I love you and..." has a different effect altogether. Loving someone and needing to say something difficult about your relationship can and do co-exist. It's incredibly helpful to be able to express them both well.

Lately I've been thinking a lot about being a person of the "and," a person of the "already and not yet." As disciples of Jesus, this tension of recognizing the truth of a situation while still being able to hold firmly to hope is our superpower. Yeah, that's kind of a weird way to say that but it's true! We have been given the supernatural ability to both respond to the needs, grief, happiness (or anything else!) of the moment while having hearts and minds that are fully convinced that this is not all there is. We'll be "living our best life" when we're in the presence of Jesus for eternity and nothing here can compare to that.

Take a read through Romans 8:18-37. The Holy Spirit empowers us to live in the "and" and to know how to navigate every day, every circumstance and every season as we both wait for the "not yet" and invite others into the "already".

I'm praying that all of us will be like the men of Issachar who understood the times and knew what to do. I'm thankful that we have everything we need as followers of Christ to hold on to the hope held out in the gospel and to share it with others.

Thankful to be walking with you,

Pastor Tracy

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This Sunday

THE DISCIPLE LIFE
The Company

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This is the Way (the disciple life)

Let me show my hand before we get to Sunday. Sometimes when I'm writing messages, the place that I think I'm going to land is not where my studying takes me. I've learned not to fight it (mostly!) but instead to be delighted by it. The Word is so full of beauty and wonder and mystery and is alive and active so it should come as no surprise, really.

What I intended to be a message about the practical aspects of the life of a disciple of Jesus turned into a practical application of how much I need all of you in order to walk in that way. How am I going to be able to stay focused on the things that please the Lord - love and good deeds, according to Hebrews 10:24? How will I stay faithful, growing in maturity and staying in step with the Spirit? Turns out, the Way is you and me doing this together.

Okay, I mean, I knew that. But the freshness that came from these verses in this distracted, fearful, separated (AKA socially-distanced) time has renewed my commitment to The Way, to being humble enough to be challenged by others and kind enough to speak truth in love... and all the practical things that come from that devoted life in Christ. Ah, how refreshing in a culture that teaches us to ball up our fists and keep the best of ourselves to ourselves, worried that we won't have what we need.

To be fully-devoted followers of Jesus we need to know the Way and be able to help others and be helped by others. I'm looking forward to sharing from Hebrews 10 and hearing your thoughts and ideas along the way!

See you on Sunday... however you're able to connect!

Pastor Tracy

PS - Shout out to my CP group who has lots of patience and understanding for me as I led them at the end of a long, not-great day and reminded me of the power of this concept from Hebrews in real time!

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This Sunday

THE DISCIPLE LIFE
The Way

Join us on Sunday at 10am for church online.
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Connected... On Purpose (not just to the wifi)

Not a lot of introduction needed to this week's email. We believe in so much in connecting that we're continuing to remind you that Connecting Point groups are launching. Some started earlier this week, some start next week - and all groups are still open to you.

Looking forward to all that God has in store in our Connecting Point groups this fall!

Pastor Tracy

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This Sunday

THE DISCIPLE LIFE
The Test

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Now What? Connect & Train! (CP groups are starting soon)

We believe that it's vital for our growth and effectiveness to be doing three things:

• CONNECT - with God and others (don't do it alone!)

• TRAIN - learn to be like Jesus (be equipped!)

• IMPACT - change the world for Christ (share your faith!)

You know as well as I do that these things don't happen on their own. We have to be intentional and we have to keep checking in to make sure that we haven't stalled out in any of these areas.

Connecting Point is one of the ways that you can connect and train so that you are equipped to make an impact.

This fall our groups are running for eight weeks in October and November. They are, simply put, all going to be excellent.

Allow me to show you how to find them on our website and then take a moment to sign up for the one that works best for you connecting, training and impacting this fall.

Can't wait to dig into these with you!
Pastor Tracy

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This Sunday

NOW WHAT?
Effective

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Next Up... (Kids Church is opening!)

This week we're still answering the question: What does this crazy pandemic make possible? Again, so much!

Our next step is to open up Kids Church in new and exciting ways. Our kids are VERY important to us and we believe that investing in their lives in a way that is relevant to them is vital for their growth in Christ.

We were originally thinking about doing this in October but as we kept assessing the possibilities for this fall, we decided to start now. Why? Because lots of our Freedom kids are with us in the service already and we are ready to take the opportunity to pour into them on Sunday mornings!

Take a moment to watch Miss Margaret's video about opening Kids Church and be sure to reserve your kids a space. We are only allowed to take 15 kids at a time right now so sign-up early.

And never fear, if we reach capacity in Kids Church, our kids are still welcome to join us in the main service. Tables will still be provided for families so the kids can enjoy quiet activities.

Lots to navigate in this season but so thankful for the opportunities in front of us!

See you on Sunday,
Pastor Tracy

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This Sunday

NOW WHAT?
Equipped

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In The Works (things to look forward to this fall)

In this video devotional... What does this crazy pandemic make possible? So much! Pastor Tracy talks about the fall, what's exciting and what to expect. Check it out!

1. September & October Series

2. Kids Ministry

3. Connecting Point Groups

4. Call to Prayer

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This Sunday

NOW WHAT?
Equitable

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ICYMI: Slow Fade (the truth in the yellow ceiling)

This week's throwback devotional is from May 2018: Slow Fade

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This week's throwback devotional is from May 2018: Slow Fade

I consider myself to be a pretty clean person. I do regular chores at my house and like to keep thing tidy. But something pretty horrifying came to light last week while Rob and I started a small kitchen renovation. We were about to begin the process of painting the cabinets and I decided that it was probably a good idea to paint the ceiling since everything else was being freshened up. I could see that the section around the stove had yellowed a bit so I bought a can of ceiling paint and got started. Within a few strokes of the roller I was equally horrified and fascinated. When compared to the rest of the 14 year old ceiling, it wasn't bad... but compared to the fresh, white paint, the ceiling was a perfect shade of EW!

Immediately, I saw the metaphor on my ceiling. When we compare ourselves - thoughts, actions, attitudes - to others, to our surroundings, or to who we were yesterday, we simply can't see clearly what needs to be changed. But when we allow the Holy Spirit to illuminate the Word to us, to speak truth to us and to show us His ways, we have the opportunity to be truly transformed. That's why we're so passionate about meeting together, about knowing the Word, about the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives and, in this series, how to be people of prayer. All of this works together to help us see more clearly how to be transformed into the image of Christ.

Looking forward to being transformed by the Word with you on Sunday,

Pastor Tracy

PS - Speaking of Sunday, Jeremy Feller will be here as our guest speaker and I CAN'T WAIT!!! You will not want to miss this service. Be here live if you can, join us on livestream if you can't!

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This Sunday

NOW WHAT?
Guest Speaker: Jeremy Feller

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ICYMI: The Power of Inefficiency

This week's throwback devotional is from July 2018: The Power of Inefficiency

But first... it's 5th Sunday! We have a great service planned and are so excited about celebrating how LOVED we are by God. Even if you can't be here for the service, why not join us after service for a socially-distanced picnic? We will have our lawn setup and ready to host up to 100 people for lunch outside!

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I love efficiency. I get a little giddy when I find out that there is a better or faster way to get something done. I don't drive anywhere without considering how many lights I might have to sit at or how much traffic I will encounter. I organize my grocery list so that I don't have to backtrack through the store. I don't pack for a trip until every piece of laundry is cleaned, folded and put away so that I don't have to return to the job over and over again. If I can order something online for the same price, I definitely will... and let it just come to my door. I like checking off lists and feeling accomplished at the end of the day. You get the picture. I suspect I've just divided you into two groups: those of you who are breathing an amen and those who feel a bit suffocated.

While our family was away doing worship ministry at Sunset Point Camp in Alberta, we had the chance to take a canoe out on Lac St. Anne. Rob is a very proficient canoe-ist and I knew all I'd have to do is paddle and he'd get us where we wanted to go. Before we set out I had just finished answering a bunch of emails and generally having a productive afternoon. After we'd been paddling for about ten minutes I realized a couple of things:

1. The noise of the shoreline was disappearing. (Canoes are so quiet!)

2. The water was beautiful and the setting incredibly peaceful.

3. Paddling is extremely inefficient.

Sure, we were moving through the lake but we weren't getting anywhere quickly. Pretty soon, the only sound we heard was our wooden oars dipping in and out of the water. And that's when I had this thought: times of inefficiency are so very good for the soul.

I'm not talking about idleness or laziness, I'm talking about strategically spending time accomplishing nothing but quieting your heart.

Our calendars are full, our inboxes are full, our kitchen sinks are full and we strive for better strategies to get it all done and keep it all in order. And truthfully, ordering our worlds is an important discipline for effectiveness in our life and ministry. But ordering your life is about more than that calendar or inbox. There has to be time "wasted" doing whatever it is that quiets your mind and soul.

So go out and inefficiently paddle to the middle of the lake... or whatever you do to move away from the noise. Maybe it's tea on the porch swing (without your phone!). Maybe it's a walk through your neighbourhood with worship in your heart and/or on your iPod. Maybe it's a hike with your family or day at the beach unplugged from the calendar. I can't think of a better season to be intentional about this life-giving practice. Use this beautiful summer season to get this habit into your DNA.

Looking forward to connecting with you on Sunday,

Pastor Tracy

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This Sunday: 5th Sunday!

MORE THAN A SONG
Loved

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ICYMI: Surprised By Beauty

This week I want to throw back to a devotional I wrote back in August of last year. It hits on similar themes from my message two Sundays ago but from a bit of a different point of view. Enjoy!

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I was delighted when we moved into our new house last fall that there were simple perennial gardens around the fence. I love how gardens warm-up and finish outdoor spaces. They're so welcoming and beautiful. But then early spring came and I was meeting a neighbour outside of my house. She glanced at my yard and said, "So, do you like gardening?" Uh...

She knew something I didn't. These simple gardens require a lot of maintenance. I got to skip the construction and planting stages, I hardly have to do anything to make the plants grow, but that is far from the whole picture. My neighbour had seen the old owners working away in those gardens on a consistent basis and was wondering if I was going to do the same or bring the neighbourhood property values down.

I've spent more time gardening this year than ever. While it has been backbreaking at times, I've actually been surprised by the joy I've found watching those plants develop over the past weeks and months. I really didn't know what most of them were since the season was over when we moved in last year. But one day I looked out at my garden and realized that two of the plants were lilac bushes. I love lilacs! A few weeks later my street smelled like lilacs again... turns out that the trees in my boulevard are white lilac trees. Sweet!

I've been watching one plant grow that I thought might be rhubarb... then it wasn't. It was very, very slow to come to life and after several months of waiting it suddenly took off and is now blooming purple flowers. Nice. And if that weren't enough, just when I thought I had seen it all, two unknown bushes started to flower with pink hydrangeas (I think...see photo above!). What?! Gor-geous.

I know that some of you reading this are wondering how I didn't know what a hydrangea plant or lilac bush looked like before they flowered. If you want to come by and identify all the plants in this garden for me, I welcome you. We'll have tea. My only gardening strategy is to keep things tidy, pull the weeds and prune anything that gets out of control. 

But back to the point. How much is this like our lives in Christ? God has created us in fearful and wonderful ways. He has done the work of planting His calling and gifting into our lives. He keeps speaking and moving, giving us every opportunity to grow and mature into all that He designed us to be. When we join in with what He has already done, the beauty that is produced in our lives is sometimes surprising and always amazing.

So how are you cooperating with what God has planted in your life? Do you see the miracle of His grace in your life? Are you noticing love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control growing, flowering and being produced?

Let's not ever take for granted the power of staying in step with the Spirit every day and what is produced in our lives through that diligence. And let's not ever take for granted the incredible things that God makes beautiful in His time.

To quote Psalty the Singing Songbook:
Beautiful, beautiful, Jesus is beautiful
And Jesus makes beautiful things of my life 

Thankful to be in Christ,
Pastor Tracy

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This Sunday

MORE THAN A SONG
East From The West

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ICYMI: Asking for Time (wisdom from Daniel)

This week I want to throw back to a devotional I wrote back in April of last year. Considering what our 2020 has been like so far, April 2019 seems like a decade ago! The wisdom of Daniel's response to the king continues to be a poignant challenge every day and it a great set up for my message on Sunday so here it is again: Asking For Time

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In my devotional reading a verse caught my attention in a passage I've read many times before. It's found in the story of Daniel interpreting Nebuchadnezzar's dream in Daniel 2. Daniel was under extreme pressure. Not only did the king want his dream interpreted, he wanted someone to tell him what his dream was to prove they weren't making something up. In fact, the king was so angry with and suspicious of his astrologers that he was planning to end all of their lives unless they could do what he asked. Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego were on the hit list (v.13).

It's under this kind of stress (threat of death!) that Daniel goes to see the king. And here is how scripture records this interaction: "At this, Daniel went into the king and asked for time so that he might interpret the dream for him." (v.16, emphasis mine)

I know that my first instinct wouldn't be to calmly ask the homicidal king for some time. I would try to find a solution and bring it to him or hide and beg God for an answer that would save my life. Both of those might be valid action plans but Daniel asks for time.

My heart was challenged by this. How often do I rush to a solution without taking the time to really ask the Lord what His heart is? How often do I make plans and then ask God to bless them instead of spending time in prayer, waiting in His presence until I know the direction that He wants me to take?

Andrew Murray says it like this: "Learn to say about every want, failure, or lack of grace you need, 'I have not waited enough on God. He would have given me all I needed in due season.'" (from Power in Prayer & Waiting on God)

So let me encourage you to ask for time. Ask the Holy Spirit to help you take the time you need to pray for your needs and wait for His answer. Ask for time from those around you who are pressing you for answers that you don't have. And then take the time to slow down in a "tyranny of the urgent", stressed-out world to hear the voice of God speaking. And then, step out in obedience to what He says.

Asking for time along with you,

Pastor Tracy

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This Sunday

MORE THAN A SONG
In The Waiting

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ICYMI: Letting Love Root Deeply (truly "more than a song")

This month we're going to throw back (ICYMI = In Case You Missed It) to some devotionals that IMHO (in my humble opinion) deserve a second visit. Let's start with the wisdom of Psalm 1 because our series this summer is all about how the Psalms are more than just songs, they are biblical poetry that instruct, lead and equip us to follow Jesus. Here we go!

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Psalm 1:1-3 says, "Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers, but whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and who meditates on his law day and night. That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not whither - whatever they do prospers."

Meditating on the Word allows our minds to be transformed by God (Romans 12:2). It's counterintuitive to the break-neck pace of our culture but the Bible assures us that it worth every moment. As I thought about how we need to know and be changed by the love of God, I also thought about how our minds need to be renewed in order for us to truly understand it. So, this week, I've simply put together several verses for you to meditate on. I encourage you to take some time with each of them - read it over, read it out loud, journal some thoughts, sit and think about it quietly. 

As you meditate, "I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ." (Ephesians 3:18)

Pastor Tracy

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Deuteronomy 7:9
Know therefore that the Lord your God is God; he is the faithful God, keeping his covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love him and keep his commandments.

Zephaniah 3:17
The Lord your God is with you,
the Mighty Warrior who saves.
He will take great delight in you;
in his love he will no longer rebuke you,
but will rejoice over you with singing.

Ephesians 2:4-5
But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions-it is by grace you have been saved.

Romans 8:37-39
No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Psalm 86:15
But you, O Lord, are a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness.

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This Sunday

MORE THAN A SONG
Search Me

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Gathering at the Table (a Communion refresher)

While Rob and I are on holidays this week, there is a beautiful service taking place on Sunday morning. I'm glad that I can watch online! (Or maybe I'll sneak in the back... after I register, obviously. LOL!)

Margaret is working on her final assignment for a homiletics (preaching) course and is going to be using this opportunity to bring us a message from Ephesians 6 called "Suit Up". I have every confidence that it will be A+ and challenge all of us to know where our true strength comes from. If you're on site for the service, be sure to shout amen so her professor hears it on the recording. :)

And Pastor Erin will be leading us through Communion. So, I want to take this opportunity to share a refresher in what Communion (or the Lord's Supper) is and why it is so valuable to us as believers. We have a very clear and helpful lesson on Communion in our First Steps course so I've included Lesson 4 here for you to either learn about this beautiful act of worship for the first time or to give yourself a refresher.

Speaking of which... if you're participating at home, be sure to have some Communion emblems ready for 10am on Sunday. Any kind of juice and bread/crackers will work nicely.

Ah, it's going to be a great weekend as we connect, train, and impact from wherever we find ourselves.

Be blessed,

Pastor Tracy

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This Sunday

MORE THAN A SONG
Beautiful in Time

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