Never give up on yourself or others!  Continue to set goals and make plans.  But I would encourage you as you’re planning and setting goals to: 1) make room for God’s word , 2) make room for the Holy Spirit,  3) make room for God’s passion [people], and 4) make room for God’s church!

It has been said that, “If it wasn’t for people and things, life would be easy.”  Well, no doubt people (including myself) can be challenging sometimes, and things can get in the way.  But life is really all about people and relationships.  “God intended for us to love people and use things, not love things and use people.”  People are eternal, not things.  People were always the focus and the passion of Christ.  Jesus loved people unconditionally.  His greatest desire is that all people would be part of His family - the family of God - His church - ‘the Bride of Christ!”  No one loves you like Jesus.  With Jesus there are no strings attached.  He doesn’t look at gender, color, race, social status, material wealth, vocation, education or popularity.  Jesus doesn’t look at your failures or success.  Jesus doesn’t look at you with the attitude, “what can you do for me?”  Jesus simply looks at YOU.  The you that ‘only you know’, and He loves you anyway and wants you to be a part of His family.  His eternal, everlasting family - the family of God.   All of us have the need to belong and to be loved.  There is nothing compared to belonging to Christ and His family.  There is no greater love than the love of Christ.  “I’m so glad I’m a part of the family of God - I’ve been washed in the fountain, cleansed by His blood!  Joint heirs with Jesus as we travel this sod, For I’m part of the family, the family of God.   From the door of an orphanage to the house of the King - No longer an outcast, a new song I sing; from rages unto riches, from the weak to the strong; I’m not worthy to be here, but praise God I belong!” - Gloria and William Gaither

We are all broken and imperfect.  But we are His church and we need one another.

That is why the writer of Hebrews wrote, “let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching” (Heb.10: 24-25).  Family is important!  His visible church is important!  God help us to unite as we reach our world for Christ!

Pastor Rodney