ELEVATION NORTH has NEWS for YOU!

FROM ABANDONED TO ECSTATIC!  From the most unimaginable feeling of being totally forsaken … to the most unimaginable feeling of total triumph and indescribable joy.  That must be what Jesus felt.  Yes, before the cross – and every excruciating moment He hung there.  And yes, after the cross – sensing the lifeblood pulse through His veins once again and walking out of that tomb.  Leaving it empty behind Him.  Facing a world that would never, ever be the same because He arose from a death that could not keep Him.  What an amazing experience that would spill out of that joyous, victorious moment down through the ages, from century to century, and beyond time as we know it … even into Eternity!  Experiences I cannot begin to fathom, hard as I try.  My mind and my heart just cannot wrap themselves around such excruciating and such ecstatic emotions.  The span is so extreme from one to the other.  Try as I might, it’s impossible to comprehend a love that would willingly take on the pain and suffering that He did – for me.  What did He see in me that would cause Him to submit to such horrific sorrow and pain?  In moments of doubt and questions, I can’t help but understand that there must be something of priceless value in me that would compel Him to give His very lifeblood to rescue me and save me!  Hosanna!  Hallelujah!  What I can grasp is that He would not have wasted His very life.  He knew that giving it for me … and for you, was worth every drop of blood.  My mind begins to spin again with a million “whys” and “whats” – just what did You see in us that would make you bear the beating, carry the cross, stumble up the hill, endure the humiliation, let the soldiers nail You to that splintered cross, sweat drops of blood, and breathe Your last breath?  Why?  What for?  I know You knew that we could never be good enough or get it right enough times to pay for a ticket to heaven.  Suddenly I catch a glimpse of that sparkle in Your beautiful eyes that looked on a redeemed mankind as you walked out of that grave on that third day.  Your eyes are creasing wider as a smile breaks forth on Your face … for you see the Hope you have brought to us!  And there’s no feeling like that of saving Your children and knowing that Your life would bring us the Gift of all gifts – a life with You forever in our heavenly home!   You must have shone with an almost-blinding radiance as You exited that place of cold and darkness … knowing that death no longer held any power over You, or over us as Your children, for that matter!  Did You skip down the garden path with a heart of celebration and praise to Your Father?  Your sacrifice was complete and heaven resounded with a multitude of angels singing a new song of victory that could not be debuted before this moment in time!  You peered into the future and saw us celebrating, too!  You saw that we finally get it … we live because You live.  We win because You won the battle over sin and sickness and death.  We can be victorious because You’ve already taken on Satan – and came out of hell victorious.  We will never be alone – because You’ve already spent time in that state of being forsaken so we wouldn’t have to.  The joys of that first Resurrection Sunday morning are ours on this Resurrection morn if we will accept them, experience them, and share in the ecstasy that our Lord is Risen!  He is Risen, indeed!  Walk with Him, your hand in His nail-scarred hand.  Walk in celebration and gratitude and victory.  Redemption is ours!

 

 

IN A NUTSHELL . . .

 

A SPECIAL WELCOME to Brian & Diane and to Mary, who worshipped with us for the first time this past Sunday!  God bless!

 

SUN, MAR 31^ST:                                                        

10:00 A.M. – RESURRECTION SUNDAY                                      

CELEBRATION w/fellowship to follow!                                        

No KIDZONE this week – will resume next week.                         

MON, APR 1^ST:                                                       

6:30 P.M. – RE:FUEL YOUTH                                                      

WED/THU, APR 3^RD/4^TH:                                              

7:00 P.M. – MID-WEEK BIBLE STUDIES                                   

See church calendar for locations!                                                         

SUN, APR 07:                                                           

10:00 A.M. – PRAISE & WORSHIP                                              

10:30 A.M. – KIDZONE CHURCH 


ELEVATION NORTH SPOTLIGHT! 
Our VINTAGE TEA for all ladies and girls is being planned for Saturday, April 27th, at 2:00 p.m. here at the church!  The entire event promises to lift your spirits and bring a smile to your face!  You are in for a true, vintage treat ... including Hazel's gourmet foods and refreshments, a powerful program starring a gifted dramatist and music that will cause your hearts to soar!  Please, please ... plan to invite family and friends that you want to see blessed and encouraged!  There will also be fun prizes and a generous dose of fellowship and laughter.  This event is free - no charge!


REMEMBER . . . “You are infinitely dear to the Father, unspeakably precious to Him.  You are never, not for one second, alone.” ~ Norman F. Dowty

 

“HOW GREAT IS THE LOVE THE FATHER HAS LAVISHED ON US THAT WE SHOULD BE CALLED CHILDREN OF GOD. AND THAT IS WHAT WE ARE!” ~ I John 3:1         

 

 

 

Serving Christ Joyfully . . .   

 

 

Pastor Doug and Debbie       

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

ELEVATION NORTH has NEWS for YOU!

 

SOME THINGS ARE JUST HARD TO PUT INTO WORDS!  I’m sitting here tonight excited about our upcoming Good Friday evening Passover Meal that we will experience together at the church.  It will be a “first” for Elevation North, though on a smaller scale as we begin this incredible ministry event that we will plan to do each year just before Resurrection Sunday.  It is truly unforgettable, and especially when we add the production of various scenes leading up to and through the crucifixion and resurrection of Christ!  I will always remember as a young, new pastor’s wife, how my part in all of this came to be.  We were at our church in Michigan and some of the men of the church were portraying an Easter drama titled, “Is it I?”  One of the ladies of the church who was in her early seventies would make the lamb and put together the Passover foods for everyone to sample.  After several years of doing this, one year she came to me and said that it was getting too difficult for her to stand on her feet for as long as it took to prepare the lamb.  She informed me that it was time for me to learn how, and she would teach me.  As long as I have a great teacher, I can learn anything … so I agreed!  I could have never known at that point what a cherished honor this would become.  For the next twenty plus years I would marinate the lamb for hours with a special seasoning to roast in the middle of the night in preparation for the 2-3 nightly productions that a group of our church people would participate in.  It was a lot of work with little sleep, but such joyous work for the Lord, because we soon learned how very powerful this presentation was as God’s Spirit would fall upon those who were involved in portraying the biblical characters … as well as those who came to partake of the lamb and unleavened bread … and watch.  Each year we would add something more to the “Living Last Supper” - as it came to be known; another scene, a new song, more costumes sewn by one of our elderly women in the church.  Each year we would order more lamb to roast and make more unleavened bread.  The rehearsals drew the actors together in such close comradery, that on the final evening when we started taking props down, we did so, exhausted, but sad that it was over until the next year.  We would sit around and reminisce about experiences – both old and new, and it didn’t take long to sink in that putting together this huge production each year that re-enacted those scenes leading to the betrayal, the crucifixion, and ultimately, the resurrection - made a difference in so many people’s lives!  We sensed that any sacrifice being made by any of us was so worth it – not just for the present time, but for eternity!  Looking back, I can hear little children’s voices crying, “They’re hurting Jesus!”  I can still remember the emotions that people felt as they saw Jesus hanging on that cross, and the ensuing tears that streamed down their faces as they listened to the words of that powerful song, “Watch the Lamb” or “At the Foot of the Cross”.  I will never forget the one year that in between two nightly productions, I was at home folding laundry in the bedroom and suddenly I began crying as I caught a glimpse of how very meaningful and powerful this “Living Last Supper” was when it was bathed in the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ Himself!  Experiencing this changed all of us, and we always marveled that what might have been a rough-around-the-edges rehearsal, when turned into the actual production, God’s Spirit just pulled it all together in a wondrous portrayal that He definitely used for HIS glory!  We cannot wait for you to experience this year’s Living Last Supper on the Friday evening just before Easter; you will be reminded that He did it ALL for you!  And He would do it all over again if need be!  That’s how much He loves you, dear ones!  We’ll see you around the table!  

 

 

IN A NUTSHELL . . .

 

 

A SPECIAL WELCOME to Bill and to Jazzi, who both worshipped with us this past Sunday for the very first time!  God bless!

 

 

 SUN, MAR 24^TH:                                                       

10:00 A.M. – PALM SUNDAY PRAISE & WORSHIP                                   

10:30 A.M. – KIDZONE CHURCH   

 

 

NO BIBLE STUDIES THIS WEEK ON 27^TH/28^TH                            

Both study groups will resume the following week!      

                   

 

GOOD FRIDAY, MAR 29^TH:                                                     

7:00 P.M. – CELEBRATION OF THE PASSOVER                           

Come & join us for lamb, unleavened bread, & more,                                   

plus a truly meaningful service of remembrance!                            

 

 

SAT, MAR 30^TH: 

10:00 A.M. - CHILDREN'S EASTER EVENT!

Don't miss out on this fun time for all the kids!

 

 

SUNDAY, MAR 31ST:                                                       

10:00 A.M. – RESURRECTION SUNDAY CELEBRATION              

with fellowship to follow / no KidZone this week  

 

 

ELEVATION NORTH SPOTLIGHT!

Resurrection Sunday Celebration promises to be a complete service of joyous praise!  Begin praying now who you can bring with you to experience the victory of the empty Tomb!  Most people will look for a church to attend on Easter ... and if they have nowhere to go, we would love for them to join us for this special time in God's House!  There will be a power-packed message of HOPE ... LIFE ... AND PURPOSE from the Word of God; songs of celebration and joy; passion in our worship and warm fellowship with a body of believers who is truly a family in Christ!  Let's bless others with the love of Jesus on Resurrection Sunday!                          

 

 

REMEMBER . . . “May we never forget what Jesus did for us!  He says to us, ‘I will not forget you.  See, I have inscribed you on the palm of my hands.’” ~ Isaiah 49:15-16 

 

 

 

Serving Christ Joyfully . . .

 

 

Pastor Doug and Debbie

 

 

 

 

ELEVATION NORTH has NEWS for YOU!

 

JESUS, WHAT DID YOU DO?  No, I don’t mean what did You do during your time here on earth?  I’ve just been wondering today what it was like for You when You knew you were down to Your last few weeks before Your crucifixion.  Not that You hadn’t known for always and forever, because obviously there has never been anything that You didn’t know about before it happened.  For me, I think that almost would have been worse.  Always knowing, never a day going by that my life wasn’t on a count-down to death on a cross.  How did that make you feel, Jesus?  Especially when You were perfect, knowing You hadn’t done anything to deserve death – much less this kind of a torturous death.  Knowing that You weren’t paying for Your own sins, because You are sinless – but paying for all of mankind’s sins from the beginning of time until the end of time as we know it on earth.  Obviously, because You are the Son of God, You didn’t allow this knowledge to be a stress-point or a heaviness on Your heart that diminished Your ability to still love this lost world with an everlasting love.  You didn’t allow it to make You bitter that because of us – You had to die because that was the Father’s plan to redeem us.  You just drank the bitter cup when the time came to pour out Your life for ours.  I cannot comprehend such a love, Jesus … I just believe and accept it, and am eternally grateful that You literally saved my life!  There are no words to express what I feel.  I just have to believe that forever and always, including the last few weeks of Your life on this earth, You weren’t moping around, hiding in despair, awaiting the inevitable thrust of those spikes through Your flesh.  I believe that because You saw not only me, but all of Your creation down through the ages, You fell in love with us just as a parent does when they gaze upon their child.  You knew we would stumble and fall … and need You to help us get up again.  You saw our bad choices and outright sins … and knew that You would need to be the One to rescue us from an eternity in hell.  You felt our pain when the diseases and sicknesses came upon us … and it was clear that it would take the stripes on Your back to bring healing to our ravished bodies.  You understood the dark clouds of depression and darkness that would seek to take us down … and You knew that You would be lifted up on that cross, so that we might also be lifted up as overcomers.  You saw our hearts bleed for a million reasons … and Your compassion would compel You to allow Your blood to be spilled so our bleeding could stop.  You saw our confusion and our blinded ways … and You knew we would need a Shepherd to follow Who was willing to give His life for His lost sheep.  You knew we would be disappointed by others and You couldn’t bear the thought that there would be no one that we could truly count on … so You chose to come to us and through Your death and resurrection fulfill Your promise that You never change and that You will always be with us, always – to the end, and always – throughout eternity!  Never to leave us.  Ever!  I have this sense that for any of us humans facing a cross or any kind of death on behalf of someone else, we would either rebel or run.  Even if we had the slightest desire to give our life, would we not dread the end, wishing there could be another way?  You know, Jesus faced the cross knowing the pain and agony He would endure – He even cried out to His Father, asking if it be His will, that this cup would pass from Him.  When that wasn’t possible, the unspeakable joy at what He saw beyond the cross as the ultimate Gift for all of us is what kept Him focused on the plan, and He could still love through the sweat-drops of blood staining His face.  He paid the ultimate price to bring us victory for every day of our lives.  That’s what Jesus did then.  And that’s what He is still providing for us now!  Jesus sees us as worthy – through the blood of the Lamb!  May we daily live that way, never wasting His willingness to give us His ALL! 

 

 

IN A NUTSHELL . . .

 

A SPECIAL WELCOME to Mike, Marcia, Jessica, and Matthew who worshipped with us this past Sunday!  May God bless you!

 

 SUN, MAR 17^TH:                                              

10:00 A.M. – PRAISE & WORSHIP                                  

10:30 A.M. – KIDZONE CHURCH                                     

MON, MAR 18^TH:                                             

6:30 P.M. – RE:FUEL YOUTH                                          

WED, MAR 20^TH/THU, MAR 21^ST:                         

7:00 P.M. – MID-WEEK BIBLE STUDIES                        

Check your church calendar for locations                          

SUN, MAR 24^TH:                                              

10:00 A.M. – PALM SUNDAY SERVICE                           

10:30 A.M. – KIDZONE CHURCH

 

ELEVATION NORTH SPOTLIGHT!

Just a few weeks away will be our Children's Easter event at church on Saturday, March 30th, at 10:00 in the morning.  We don't want anyone missing out on this special time that will remind them and teach them more about what Jesus did on the cross for them and how He arose from the tomb - for them!  They will love this time of learning, celebrating, fun, and special treats!  Plan to bring your children - and if they have friends who do not have a church ... invite them to come along!  This could be their time to hear about how very much Jesus loves them and ask Him into their hearts!  What a great opportunity for us to reach out around us!    

                                  

 REMEMBER . . . “Not one is missing, not one forgotten.  God the Father has His eye on each of you … May everything good from God be yours!” ~ I Peter 1:1-2 

 

 

Serving Christ Joyfully . . .  

 

 

Pastor Doug and Debbie

 

 

ELEVATON NORTH has NEWS for YOU!

DO YOU SEE WHAT I SEE?!  Moments before sitting down to share these words with you, my eyes caught the familiar scene on my computer desktop:  a gorgeous Alaskan landscape painted in summery green foliage, sunny blue skies, reflective rippling water, and decorated with the most beautiful lavender Arctic Lupine flowers that dot this “wish I was there” scene!  I see it every day when I flip open my laptop, but today I really saw it.  I took time to look at it!  Then my eyes turned to “look” at what was outside my windows … and a completely opposite kind of beauty was being showcased.  For the first time in days, the sunshine broke through the white skies of winter and brought a contrast of some blue hued skies that have been missing.  The piled-high snow danced with sparkling diamonds that will soon melt … even the bare, brown trees kicked up their style a notch with some white icing placed carefully on their boughs!  For seven days in a row, I have “seen” breathtaking sites in the Caribbean islands sent via on-line posts by our kids who were there … and I felt like I was experiencing a bit of it with them!  I “gazed” upon new photos that popped up on my phone – starring our grandkids and great-granddaughter, and their smiles, their features, their personalities bursting forth made me feel like I wasn’t so far away!  These past Sundays in church, I have “seen” the hand of God at work through the power of His love and the anointing of His Spirit, and I want to stay and bask in the sweet presence I experience there. I get to lift up precious ministry friends in prayer as circumstances break over their lives in a sudden roar; and I “witness” God’s amazing miracle because He is Jehovah-Rapha, the Healer… and because this couple’s friends all over the country united in intercessory prayer for their urgent need!  We received a letter in the mail yesterday from supporters of this ministry from several states away – and I “saw” through her eyes a vision of Heaven God had given her when she so badly needed comfort in the loss of her sister to cancer.  Amazing, to say the least!  I was thrilled to chat with my aunt in the state of Washington this past week, who just recently turned 98 years young!  I say “young” – because that’s exactly what she is!  I “see” how God has blessed her with long life (she has outlived her five younger siblings!), with great health, with a still-sharp, sound mind, and with a great attitude and outlook on life.  I love the inspiration that she is to me, and “want to be like my Aunt Aretta when I grow up”!!  I am so excited about “seeing” the new people that God has brought to us at Elevation North, who are as excited as we are about this God-given ministry … who love being there as much as we do, who are sensing God’s touch upon their lives like we are, and who cannot wait to get there next week, just like us!  I absolutely love “seeing” God-opportunities present themselves on the horizon of our lives as well as in front of our faces – so that we can be even a tiny part of what God is doing on such a huge-scale in our world today!  You see, until we “see” what God is desiring to show us, we are going to miss the best part of our lives.  I wish for you perfect 20/20 spiritual vision so that you do not miss even one frame of the movie of life being played out each day!  What does God say on this subject? Well, instead of being alarmed at what each day will bring, I think we need to be “looking” at the power of the Resurrection that is recorded in Mark chapter 16 and available for each of us:  “ ‘Don’t be alarmed,’ he said.  ‘You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified.  He has risen!  He is not here.  See the place where they laid Him.  But go, tell His disciples and Peter, ‘He is going ahead of you into Galilee.  There you will see Him, just as He told you.’ “  If we, too, will heed the angel’s words to “look” for the risen Christ – not in the empty tomb, but out and about in our world, having gone ahead of us … then we will “see” Him, just like He tells us we will!  We will “see” Him in every part of our day, every part of our lives!  We will be able to discern His heart-prints, His presence, His miracles, His love! 

 

 

 

IN A NUTSHELL . . .

 

A SPECIAL WELCOME to Mary, to Chris & Diamond, and to Amon, who joined us in worship this past Sunday!  God bless you!

SUN, MAR 10^TH:                                              

10:00 A.M. – PRAISE & WORSHIP                                  

10:30 A.M. – KIDZONE CHURCH                                     

WED, MAR 13^TH/THU, MAR 14^TH:                         

7:00 P.M. – MID-WEEK BIBLE STUDIES                        

Check your church calendar for locations                          

FRI, MAR 15^TH:                                                         

LADIES NITE OUT/1^st Birthday Celebration!                  

SAT, MAT 16^TH:                                              

9:00 A.M. – MEN’S BIBLE STUDY and

LADIES' PRAISE & PRAYER - with the              

Barnabas Team meeting to follow  

 

 

ELEVATION NORTH SPOTLIGHT!

We are excited about the presentation of the Passover Meal as part of our Good Friday evening service at church at 7:00 p.m.  You will be able to focus on the indescribable sacrifice that Jesus made for us on the cross of Calvary as Pastor Doug shares from the scriptures.  You will also experience sampling the foods that Jesus and His disciples shared together before His crucifixion:  lamb, unleavened bread, grapes, salt water, paste, and more.  You will not want to miss this unforgettable, meaningful service that will help prepare your heart for Communion and looking towards the joy of celebrating the Resurrection of our Lord!  Plan to join us!!!                                        

 

REMEMBER . . .  “Be on the lookout for God’s trail of handiwork in your life … you will see things you’ve never noticed before!” ~ Debbie Jones

 

 

Joyfully Serving Christ . . .

 

 

Pastor Doug and Debbie

 

 

 

      

ELEVATION NORTH has NEWS for YOU!

SOMETHING NEW AND FRESH!  Who loves the same old … same old?  Or the stale crusts of dry bread?  Or pulling out the very same few pieces of clothing and wearing them time after time after time?  Or knowing exactly what your day is going to be like and nothing new and exciting ever happens?  Or feeling like your world is shrinking along with your circle of friends and family?  Or wondering why your phone never rings with any messages of good news?  Well, you get the picture!  And maybe it is all too familiar.  If so, I just want to remind you of how our days are supposed to begin!  God’s Word says in Lamentations 3:22-23: “Because of God’s great love we are not consumed, for His compassions never fail.  They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness.”  Did you catch that?  We do not have to be consumed by the mundane or the tough times, which is what happens so often, right?  His great love and His compassions are faithfully available and fresh for us every morning … without fail!  That’s powerful!  We can expect God to show up, every day, first thing in the morning – with fresh and abundant portions of His incredible love and kindnesses.  Enough to last ALL day – every day!  They are not stale or old or boring.  They are not lacking or late.  That is SO exciting!  God promises something new and fresh EVERY day in our relationship with Him!  We should hardly be able to wait to jump out of bed in the morning to meet up with God and see “what He’s got cooking for us!”  I absolutely LOVE making new recipes, or trying out a new twist on an old recipe!  It’s much more delightful for the taste buds … and it makes cooking and baking a really fun adventure!  I think that’s how we’re supposed to look at our walk with God!  I believe He wants us to grasp the truth that He Himself is excited about our appearance each morning, and He can hardly wait to share with us what He’s got in store!  There’s nothing boring about God, you know!  He’s got some fantastic things lined up … new places to go, new people to meet, new God-planned appointments, fresh divine favor, new restoration of things we’ve given up on, new paths for us to take that will lead us to higher plateaus, experiences for us to dive into that we’ve been shy about in the past, gifts for us to receive that we’ve always wished for but never thought could be ours … and so much more!  It’s different each day, you see!  But first He wants to pour in the fresh anointing by His Spirit.  He invites us to sit at His feet, to curl up in what He wants to be a most familiar spot for us each new day as we just listen to what He has to say.  He teaches us and coaches us to be disciplined and committed to what He is telling us as we open the pages of His Word.  His instructions leap out – new and fresh each day!  While we might have read those passages before or heard someone speak from them before … this day, this morning, they are new and fresh – and exciting and personal!  Just for us … for today!  I tell you, living life this way is so much more exhilarating!  It’s how God planned and purposed it to be.  Just try it … for 30 days.  See what changes take place.  I can guarantee you’ll never want to return to the old and stale living of your past!  

 

 

IN A NUTSHELL . . .

 

 

OUR DEEP GRATITUDE goes out to Marty and Kelly for their awesome artistic work and dedicated efforts to see the new church sign to completion!  Your church family at Elevation North thanks you for this important witness!

 

SUN, MAR 3^RD:                                                

10:00 A.M. – PRAISE & WORSHIP                                  

10:30 A.M. – KIDZONE CHURCH                                     

MON, MAR 4^TH:                                               

6:30 P.M. – RE:FUEL YOUTH                                          

Bring a friend or two with you!                                        

WED, MAR 6^TH:                                                        

7:00 P.M. -MID-WEEK BIBLE STUDY                             

905 El Dorado St. SE, Owatonna                                      

THU, MAR 7^TH:                                                

7:00 P.M. - MID-WEEK BIBLE STUDY                            

165 24^th Place NW, Owatonna                                          

SAT, MAR 9^TH:                                                

Turn your clocks ahead for Daylight Savings                      

Time – for Sunday morning!  

  

ELEVATION NORTH SPOTLIGHT!

We join Marty and Kelly in saying "Hallelujah" that the new church sign is finished and in place in the parking lot ... pointing everyone who drives by to the location for Elevation North ... inviting them to stop in and join us in worship, praise, and fellowship!  May this sign ever be a powerful tool, drawing people not just to us, but most importantly, to Christ and new life in Him!  Or to a new, deeper commitment to Christ as we learn and grow together!  No one really knows the many, countless hours and challenges that are unseen when you just look at the church sign, but Marty and Kelly will never forget their experiences while designing, painting, and placing this sign for all to see!  They have quite a story, and bottom-line, we who know the story have caught a glimpse into how important this sign is ... for it points people to the Cross of Jesus Christ!  How we thank you, Marty and Kelly ... may God bless you immeasurably!!!

                                         

 REMEMBER . . . “The Lord is good to those who wait hopefully and expectantly for Him, to those who seek Him.”  ~ Lamentations 3:25

  

 

 

Serving Christ Joyfully . . .

 

 

Pastor Doug and Debbie

 

 

 

 

ELEVATION NORTH has NEWS for YOU!

 

OUR IDENTITY … AND OVER-TIME!  What do they have in common, if anything?  Just what makes us who we are? Well, if we are God’s children, His Word tells us that we are created in His image.  That infers that we must look like Him.  Well, at least we are to resemble Him enough that we are actually a reflection of Him.  Wow!  That’s pretty incredible!  It’s one thing to think that I have my dad’s eyes or my mom’s nose, or that I sound like my siblings when others hear our voices.  But to think that I really look like my Father?  My Father in Heaven, that is?  Mind-boggling, to say the least.  Oh, yes … our minds.  God’s Word also says we are to have the mind of Christ.  Now THAT’S a tall order, wouldn’t you say?  And yet, God would not have told us these things if it was not possible to achieve them with His help!  But does accomplishing anything come as easily as we think it is going to?  I remember when our youngest son, Dustin, used to tag along with his dad in the summertime to help out with repair projects at the apartments we owned.  My husband would ask, “Do you want to go along, Dustin?  It won’t take very long!”  And Dustin’s reply was always, “How long is that?”  To which Doug’s answer was, “Oh, not too long … probably about a half-hour.”  So, Dustin would head out with his dad.  After going on several tasks like this, Dustin soon got smart and told me one day, “If Dad said it will only take about a half-hour, I know I’m going to be there at least two hours!”  I told him, “You’re learning!  Nothing ever goes as quickly as we plan for … or hope that it will, does it?  Something changes … it’s harder than we thought, or something else breaks, or we get interrupted, or we don’t have the right tools and have to go get them.  But we stick with it until we accomplish it!” There are many people who are committed to doing whatever it takes to get the job done in many arenas of their lives.  They work more hours to pay the bills, or they get an extra job.  They just do whatever it takes to survive.  Or, if they want something more than survival, some people start a business of their own on the side, in hopes that someday they can replace all of their long hours at so many jobs.  An easy change?  By no means, but adding in a few extra hours now means looking forward to later enjoying life the way God intended us to! Some people want to lose weight and become healthier, so they take a hard look at their options and choose to ditch the fast foods, the packaged and processed foods and replace them with the natural foods that God gave us to eat.  An easy change?  By no means, but a commitment to that means a healthier, longer life – and you feel great while you’re living it!  What about our walk with God?  Why do people just settle for “I just don’t have any more time or any more money to give to God!”  Point blank.  Done.  End of story!  I cannot answer for anyone else.  All I know is that if I can be my best at my job and make the right choices for enjoying life; if I can put the right kind of foods into my body to fuel it for the long-haul; then surely, I can put some over-time into my relationship with God – which is what matters eternally even more than any job I will ever have or any food choices I make.  All of these decisions mark who I am.  They give me my identity.  Especially my identity in Christ.  He gave so much for me … cannot I give more of myself … my efforts, my time, my devotion, my money and possessions, my talents, my ideas … to Him?  Do we ever even think of putting in some over-time to accomplish things for God’s Kingdom on this earth?  After all … our jobs will end someday when we can no longer work, our health – no matter how great it is, will end when we take our last breath, but our identity in Christ will live on into Eternity.  No one can steal that identity from us!  Today, I encourage you to think about putting in some over-time for the only lasting thing in our lives … let’s get out of our comfort zones and share Christ and recruit as many others for Him as possible!  Just wait until we get to Heaven … and there they all stand – because of Jesus … and because of us!  Will the over-time have been worth it?   

 

IN A NUTSHELL . . .

SUN, FEB 24:                                                         

10:00 A.M. – PRAISE & WORSHIP                                              

10:30 A.M. – KIDZONE CHURCH                                                 

WED, FEB 27:                                                        

7:00 P.M. – MID-WEEK BIBLE STUDY                                        

905 El Dorado Street SE, Owatonna   

THU, FEB 28:

7:00 P.M. - MID-WEEK BIBLE STUDY      

165 24th Place NW, Owatonna 

SAT, MAR 02:

9:00 A.M. - MEN'S BIBLE STUDY with the

Barnabas Leadership Team Meeting to follow

9:00 A.M. – LADIES PRAISE & PRAYER

 

REMEMBER . . . “We fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen.  For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.” ~ 2 Corinthians 4:18  

 

 

 

Serving Christ Joyfully . . . 

 

 

Pastor Doug and Debbie