“Do Not Worry.” Those words Jesus spoke have been floating around my brain all week. Aren’t they a challenge? I want you to know that when I first heard the word “cancer” in reference to me, my gut reaction was to begin to think of all the possible outcomes – in other words, I began to worry. As I sat on Sunday and listened as Kimberly unpacked these words from Jesus, I was inspired by her brave courage and insights that she has come by through consistent effort. I’ve been able to observe her close-up in the past few weeks as she has wavered back and forth between trust and worry. I think that’s an ordinary reality for many of us. It’s hard not to worry. It’s challenging to put aside our concerns and keep them from strangling the life out of us. I want to encourage you to listen to her message if you happened to miss it.

However, I’m not suggesting that you put on a happy face and deny your feelings. Kim made it clear that acknowledging our feelings is the beginning of healing. When we can admit how we feel to a safe person and receive empathy, we can discover a hope available to us that we may not have realized we have available. This is the power of being part of a Community Group of people who care. Kimberly and I have found our Community Group to boost our spirits during this cancer classroom. I know many groups will be restarting the week of September 12. I hope you will use this season as a time to start forming relationships, so you have an anchor to hold you firmly when life takes a crooked turn.

One of the ways to fight the battle against worry is to engage in praise and gratitude. I love the song by Michael W. Smith called Fighting My Battles. Here is how it goes: “The Word says, ‘For the spirit of heaviness put on the garment of praise.’ That's how we fight our battles. This is how I fight my battles. It may look like I'm surrounded but I'm surrounded by You.” We fight our battles against worry and fear through praise.

Paul said it this way in Philippians 4: “Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” That’s the key. I fight my battles through praise and prayer, and God blesses me with peace of mind. Folks, that’s how I’m fighting my battle every day of this cancer journey. As Kimberly reminded us on Sunday, “God’s in charge, and we can rest in His providence.” Will you please let me know if these thoughts help you?

Now that I’ve received my Chemo/Radiation Diploma, I’m ready to move out of that classroom and forward in my journey toward healing. I am now making plans to begin the trek to UCSF and surgery. I have a consultation on August 25, which I hope will include a surgery schedule. At this point, I don’t know when that will be, but I’ll keep you updated. I love you. 

I’m excited that we get to celebrate NEW LIFE as several people express their faith in Jesus through BAPTISM on August 22. Baptism is a time when you go public for Jesus as you take this step of identification and intimacy with Him. If you’ve never been baptized after you said “YES” to Jesus, please pray about this opportunity for you. Then, check it out and register on our website. 

GROWTH PATH is August 22. We’ve recently mentioned that over 40 families have moved out of Nevada County since COVID began. We will miss these people immensely. At the same time, several families have discovered Twin Cities and have started regularly attending either in person or online. Growth Path is a great time to find out more about our church and how you can fit in here. We all need a place where we can know and be known, love and be loved, serve and be served, and celebrate and be celebrated. I hope you’ll go to our website and register to attend the class that fits you best. 

GIRLS NIGHT OUT will be a fantastic opportunity for women of every age to gather together, celebrate, and have a fun time! Here are important details. This fantastic evening will be Friday, August 27 from 6:30-8:30pm. Make sure to register soon because it’s just around the corner. What a great way to celebrate the end of summer and the beginning of something new. 

The next DRIVE-THRU FOOD DRIVE collection day to support Interfaith Food Ministry is Friday, August 27, from 8:00-10:30am. Please bring your non-perishable foods to the church, and we’ll make sure all the food gets delivered to Interfaith. This is a huge help to the resource-challenged in our community. Please look for more information coming soon about bringing specific items to help Hospitality House. 

SUNDAY, we will move into a section of the Sermon on the Mount where Jesus talks about a very touchy subject for those of us in our cultural season. He says, “Do not judge…” These words get thrown around frequently in a way that makes it seem impossible to live with discernment or disagreement with the position of others. That’s not what Jesus meant for those listening in His day or in ours, either. I’m excited to dig into these words on Sunday as we talk about Following the Way of Discernment.

Here are the links you’ll need to be fully prepared for Sunday’s Service:

• Message Notes and Study Guide
• Weekly Spotify Playlist
• Children's Ministry
• Student Ministry 

Joyfully living everyday life on mission in intimacy with Jesus and others,

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