Friday, January 4, 2013

ELEVATION NORTH has NEWS for YOU!

 
DO YOU HAVE AN EMPTY JAR?  If not, I suggest you find one!  This January, why not start out the new year with an empty jar and then fill it with notes about good things that happen!  Then on New Year’s Eve at the end of the year … empty it and see what amazing things happened throughout the entire twelve months!  I have a feeling that at some point, you will have to go hunting for a larger jar – because the one you started with will not hold all those special notes!!  Now, I have another question for you.  (Yes, I’m full of them tonight!)  DO YOU HAVE AN EMPTY LIFE?  I hope not, but if you do – I propose that beginning to fill the empty jar with little notes will soon provide a powerful reminder of just how full your life really is!  And, if your jar remains empty for more than even just a day or two, that means that you are keeping yourself too isolated … too far away from where the blessings are flowing.  You see, good things often happen as a result of us helping someone else.  So, if we are anywhere close to others, we will see an entourage of unexpected good things come tumbling in our direction.  Of course, that is not the purpose of blessing others – that is just God’s law of sowing seeds and harvesting!  Our God has invited us to “ask and we shall receive!”  Surprisingly it seems He often asks us to give when we feel we have so little or nothing at all.  What we’ve found is when we’re at the bottom of the barrel of resources, and we take that last little bit to share with someone else, suddenly … (did I say SUDDENLY?!) God starts pouring in His blessings from such unexpected sources!  OUR JAR IS EMPTY NO MORE!  Close to the end of our 2012, our jar was filled to overflowing in so many ways!  Had we been literally filling a jar last year, the end-of-year notes would have spilled over the rim.  Let me share a few notes we would have scribbled and tucked down inside with all the others tightly scrunched in there.  “Got to drive less than an hour to meet up with our oldest son and his wife, and see our 12-year old granddaughter perform in her team’s synchronized ice-skating competition and she did g-r-e-a-t!!!”  “Were blessed to travel to celebrate Christmas with our youngest son and his wife and our three youngest grandsons, ages 7, 4, and 2 – for the first time ever at their home!”  (It’s a little difficult to be anyplace else for Christmas when you are doing the Christmas Eve service at your church!!)  In the midst of all the fun noise and laughter and activity, we loved watching the two older boys sing two songs with the kids at their Christmas Eve service at church.  Sunglasses and all … they sang every word and looked happy to be doing it!  That would have been another note – what a precious thing we got to experience that usually we are never there for!  Presents, toys, cookies … and a two-day adventure for our little grandsons to go out and bless others who didn’t have much.  They really got into the groove of telling complete strangers, “Merry Christmas!  Jesus loves you!”  Tuck another note in the jar!  And I got to see my 88-year old mom and two of my siblings soon after Christmas ~ I’m scribbling another note!  Some of our last-minutes notes were a bit tear-stained ... the goodness of God and others touched our hearts so deeply!  This new year “jar” of 2013 is almost ALL EMPTY … how will we fill it?  What kind of living will we tuck into it?  What experiences of joy will we write about?  What will we say about the sustaining strength and peace God will give us in the tough times?  What new God-adventures and opportunities will we want to put pen to paper for?  Let’s not leave our 2013 empty … let’s live it to the fullest like God meant for it to be:  life more abundantly!  Begin choosing now what you will write on your notes … and get ready to record all the incredible surprises God has in mind!  “For I know the thoughts and plans that I have for you, says the Lord, thoughts and plans for welfare and peace and not for evil, to give you hope in your final outcome.”  (Jeremiah 29:11)  There … go and find a jar!  
 
 
 
 IN A NUTSHELL . . .
 
A SPECIAL THANKS to Wayne and Verla for ministering in the service in Pastor Doug’s & Debbie’s absence last Sunday!
 
 
JOIN US . . .
 
SUN, JAN 6TH:
10:00 A.M, - PRAISE & WORSHIP
10:30 A.M. - KIDZONE CHURCH
WED, JAN 9TH:
7:00 P.M. - MID-WEEK BIBLE STUDY
905 Eldorado St. SE, Owatonna
7:00 P.M. - MID-WEEK BIBLE STUDY
165 24th Place NW, Owatonna
FRI, JAN 18TH:
7:00 P.M. - LADIES NITE OUT
 
 
ELEVATION NORTH SPOTLIGHT!
The Annual Church Visionary Meeting will be held on Sunday, January 20th, following Praise & Worship and the Potluck Meal.  Plan now to participate with your attendance and involvement.  Be in prayer for God's leading, that we will be in alignment wirh the vision God has for our church for growth both numerically and spiritually ... and for outreach that will bring in the lost - that they might find Christ as their personal Savior and Lord!  If you consider this your church home, please commit to joining us as we unite in an effort to make 2013 a year of results for the glory of God!
 
 REMEMBER . . . “God may be invisible, but He’s in touch.  You may not be able to see Him, but He is in control … That includes all of life – past, present, future.”  ~ Charles R. Swindoll
 
 
Serving Christ Joyfully . . .
 
 
Pastor Doug and Debbie
 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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