This week wel talked about our dreams of leaving a legacy, of being a part of and creating families that will impact our world when we’re long gone. Very appropriate on the day we celebrate our Mothers to take time to say thank you and to consider how we can do our part to encourage and create a legacy.
We opened with a couple songs: Lead Me To The Cross (Hillsong United) and Everything Glorious (Crowder).
We’ve invited everyone to read a chapter a day from the Book of Proverbs (the inspiration behind the series) and so we asked anyone who was willing to come up and share anything from their reading that stood out to them. A couple did.
Each week of this series we have a testimony time – someone willing to share their story and how they’ve experienced the wisdom to help make their dreams come true. This week we focussed that time in on some of the kids of our church. Here is a video I made of what those kids had to share about who they are, about their families, and about the lessons they’re learning…
The Proverb for the night:
Proverbs 6:20-23 (New International Version)
20 My child, keep your father’s commands
and do not forsake your mother’s teaching.
21 Bind them upon your heart forever;
fasten them around your neck.
22 When you walk, they will guide you;
when you sleep, they will watch over you;
when you awake, they will speak to you.
23 For these commands are a lamp,
this teaching is a light,
and the corrections of discipline
are the way to life
Then John (our pastor) shared some of his story. His father left when he was 13 and he didn’t know it, but a handful of men from his church came together and promised that they wouldn’t let John fall through the cracks. They decided to fill some of the void his father left behind. And it made all the difference in John’s life. We talked about how the idea of family is much bigger than just a mother and a father. We thought about how all of are called to love on the family of God and that it is an honor to do so.
That brought us to another family’s story: We watched a video piece that will make you cry!! BE WARNED.
If you have 7 minutes, you should watch this video now!! It’s called 99 Balloons
So our big idea was that each of us has the chance through God to leave a legacy in this world that is much larger than ourselves. For many of us that will happen through the blessing of family, but that is not the only way. Our larger family of brothers and sisters in Christ is also before us and a part of us if we’ll follow God’s lead. So we want to make the most of EVERY DAY and opportunity like the family in the video did. We passed out slips of paper, pens and balloons. Invited everyone to write a note of thanks to someone who has invested in them. Might be a mom, but it could be any number of other relationships as well. They wrote their notes, tucked them into their balloons and then brought them forward to be filled with helium. After tying a ribbon on, they were ready to share their thanks. Letting people know about the legacy they are creating in us. (we only lost a couple of balloons to the ceiling, and only one exploded mid-filling right in the middle of a worship song!) While people came forward to be filled, we first had the talented Neel family play “The Hand Song” by Nickle Creek and then we sang You Are So Good To Me (Third Day) and How Great is Our God (Tomlin).
It was a cool night.
Here are our prayer requests this week: (Anyone can ask for prayer, just let me know! You can talk to me or drop one of our prayer request cards in the worship space Drop Boxes.)
:: Jackie Anderson is home from another stay at a treatment facility and asks for continued prayers for her healing and wellness. There are still of lots of complicated life details to figure out as well. This will be a long, rough road.
:: Sonya Cooper’s Aunt – Mary – is back in Mexico for more treatment and is feeling good. Pray for healing and hope.
:: Pray for Katie Thompson’s grandmother (Sil) – had hip replacement surgery this morning.
:: Pray for Lynn Kelly – she’s doing good, but still struggling with several recovery issues. Her sister-in-law is also battling cancer – her name is Susan.
:: Tony got a job!! Pray that it goes well as he begins to get his feet under him again.
