You Just Never Know

Ever since Sunday's message I have been bombarded with stories of people that attend CSF who also have current challenges with family members. On Sunday I talked with a tearful father who said he understood what I was dealing with as his daughter is seven years old and has never spoken a word. Another told me about a disease her son has that they have just discovered is a terminal disorder. I have received emails from still others who have children that have mental and physical challenges. Still others shared about their challenges as adults who have terminal cancer and other physical challenges that they must live with daily.

You just never know what pain people are dealing with every week of their lives. Real pain. Real hurt. Real worries and confusion. As I went home last night I thought to myself....."I am so glad we are a Fellowship that deals with Real issues and can offer Real hope, because we have a Real God who loves us.

I always dreamed of a church that would allow people to share their real struggles and issues with others in Fellowship. That as life throws us darts that pierce our hearts, we can have people around us who really care and will help us get through life's most difficult challenges. Since day one, we have called this...."doing life together."

This Wednesday night as we spend our first night without Ellie in our home, we will have friends with us to eat, let the kids play, talk, pray, laugh a little I am sure, cry some and get through that first night the same way we have gotten through many other personal and CSF challenges. We will do it together in Fellowship!

For those who have contacted CSF with your personal challenges, I want to encourage you to use our Care Ministry. Also, I want to encourage you to get into a Home Team if you are not already in one. It is in these small groups of real loving relationships that you will discover people who can stand with you daily as you go through your challenges.

Christianity in this world is a team sport! We need each other. We support each other. When someone is weak, the other is strong. Together, as a Fellowship under God, we will accomplish more as a Fellowship than we could ever do alone.

Today's Bible Reading: Galatians chapter 2

Today we read about Paul and Peter getting into a little scuffle. Paul wanted to make sure that Peter remembered that Eternal Salvation is based only on our belief and trust in Jesus as our Savior. There is nothing else we have to do outwardly to be saved. No certain ritual, no certain look, no certain nationality or denomination...just Real Faith placed in Jesus Christ.