KidStuf is this Sunday and I am so excited!!! I know, I know-usually our KidStuf happens on a Friday night, but this month we get a special treat of it taking place on Sunday afternoon at 4:15 in the UpStreet room. They are even serving dinner!!!!
The reason you HAVE to check out KidStuf is simply because of what it can do for your family. KidStuf is specifically designed to launch the Big Idea that our UpStreet kids will be learning about each month and then help us parents know how we can be applying the Big Idea at home. Whether you have been bringing your kids to Gwinnett Church from the beginning or this will be your families’ first Sunday, we believe it is WAY more important what happens at home than the short time we have at church each Sunday. KidStuf is just part of a plan that helps give parents the tools they need to lead their kids spiritually. This is why we want every family to experience KidStuf each month!
For a little taste of how learning about God can be fun and helpful, check out how we helped our UpStreet kids learn the books of the Bible!
Books-of-the-Bible from Gwinnett Church on Vimeo.
In our series Breathing Room, Andy touched on the differences between “standard of living” and “quality of life.” Quality of life just sounds good. Of course we want quality. Yet we often do things to sabotage the very freedom we desire. And the fixes don’t sound all that inviting either. I mean, people don’t usually invite you over for dinner and budgeting. Or when was the last time you brought Quicken® to a party to lighten the mood?
But there is something inviting about peace and margin—especially with regard to finances. When it comes down to it, doesn’t a plan just make sense?
Last fall at Gwinnett Church, we hosted several small groups formed around the Financial Peace University (FPU) curriculum by Dave Ramsey. It is a fast-paced, 9-week, impacting curriculum that is designed to help you pay off debt, create a financial plan, and save for the future. And it works! Here is just one of our group member’s experience:
My husband and I participated in Financial Peace University last year and it was wonderful. As someone who generally avoids budgets at all costs, that’s saying a lot! It gave us great tools and resources to make a plan for our financial goals for our family, along with helping us better understand each other. We have even talked about making our kids participate in FPU before they go off to college! The best parts were our group discussions and learning from each other. I strongly recommend FPU if you want to experience financial freedom!
If you are up for getting your finances in order, if you desire more financial freedom, if you want a little peace when you think about your finances, we hope you’ll join us! You’ll be glad you did.
Click here to register or for more information.
As many of you know, the father of our lead pastor, Jeff Henderson, has been ill for several months. We wanted to let you know that Dr. Emmett Henderson passed away this past Tuesday. You can read more about this incredible man here.
Please be praying for Jeff and Wendy and their family in these coming days. Pray specifically for Jeff’s mom as she mourns the loss of her husband of 67 years.
Feel free to leave a comment or prayer below to encourage them all.
All month long in Waumba Land we’ve been showing our appreciation for our volunteers and how grateful we are for all that they do! Waumba Land wouldn’t be able to happen if it weren’t for them, so we thought February would be the perfect month to show just how much we love them!
We planned surprises all throughout the month starting with Valentine’s Day cards from children in their classrooms and small groups. We even set out a fun table right next to Waumba Land for children to write and decorate cards they made. The children had fun making the cards but I think it was even more fun for the leaders to receive them!
This past Sunday we gave a certain candy to our volunteers telling them how Marvelous & Magnificent they are. They were M&M’s if you couldn’t tell!
Our volunteers have been teaching our Waumba Land children all month long that Jesus loves them and they’ve done it so well. We want our volunteers to know that what they do every Sunday night isn’t simply babysitting children. It’s helping instill into their hearts our three basic truths: God loves them, God made them, and Jesus wants to be their friend forever! They’re investing in the lives of children and we want them to know how thankful we are for that.
I’m a big fan of Jeff Henderson, so of course I love every series he does but this series Promises, Promises was different for me. This one hit home. Here’s why…recently my husband and I have been dealing with infertility. If you or a loved one has ever struggled with infertility you know how exhausting it is. It’s a continual cycle of holding out hope and belief for something that is inevitably met with sadness and disappointment. On top of this cycle is a constant bombardment of guilt. I feel guilty for not being content with what God has already given me and letting that be enough. I feel guilty for doubting whether or not God will do a miracle. I feel guilty for even talking about it because I don’t want to burden others. Amidst these emotions and many more, I have found myself these days trying to believe God’s promises in spite of our unchanging circumstances.
This series couldn’t have come at a better time. Jeff began week one saying that “we all move in the direction of the promises we believe.” I know that to be true. As I look back on my life, I can see how the outcomes of my life decisions were a direct indicator of how trustworthy I believed God’s promises to be.
Yet, in this season and in this struggle, I found myself needing a tune-up when it came to believing in God’s promises. Yes, I believed him in the past but the question remained would I believe him now in this trial?
Throughout these past three weeks, I’ve been reminded that I do have a Promise-Maker who has NEVER broken a promise to me. Yes, he may not be changing my circumstances but that doesn’t mean he won’t keep his promise. In fact, he sent Jesus to be the greatest example that he always keeps his promises even if it means death on a cross. If God would allow Jesus to die on my behalf to keep his word and redeem mankind then surely he will be faithful to keep his other promises. He is worthy of trusting.
I needed this series. We all need this series because there are times in our lives when our circumstances are too hard, our self-sufficiency is not enough and our confidence is too small to do it alone. In these moments, we find ourselves relying on our Promise Maker who not only created us but, as we learned this week, ordained our days and knows exactly how best to use our days for His glory. For me right now, God is most glorified through this struggle and I have the opportunity to move in his direction trusting in his promises. This trial is not about God giving us a baby; it’s about tenaciously holding on to the promises of God and trusting that whenever and however this journey ends, I can trust him, my great Promise Maker no matter what!
