Monday afternoon reflections
It's really been tough to get back into a regular routine of posting here since our vacation in mid-December, so I hope you're still reading-
At any rate, this past weekend felt more like 'us' than it has in a while - attendance was back near normal, and a lot of yelling from the pulpit (at least in Tinley Park). I am seriously grateful for the number of sincere comments from folks who left encouraged, which is always good!
I hope you'll invite some friends to join you for this Heroes series - I'm already a few weeks ahead in my prep, and I can tell you I'm pretty pumped about what's coming! (This coming weekend we'll look at a longtime sidekick and a young boy - you'll have to be here to find out who - and the lessons we learn from them will help everyone!)
Of course, we also began our 10-days of Prayer & Fasting today - never fun, but always beneficial - leading up to our biggest meeting of the year this January 18-20 when our special guests for the 2008 "First Love Conference" will include Bishop Joseph Garlington, Pastors Gary Nellis & Eric Butler, Bishop Mark Chironna, and the Binion's! We're expecting all 3 of our campuses to join us, as well as area church friends, so it will be a wonderful time to renew your 'first love'!
At any rate, this past weekend felt more like 'us' than it has in a while - attendance was back near normal, and a lot of yelling from the pulpit (at least in Tinley Park). I am seriously grateful for the number of sincere comments from folks who left encouraged, which is always good!
I hope you'll invite some friends to join you for this Heroes series - I'm already a few weeks ahead in my prep, and I can tell you I'm pretty pumped about what's coming! (This coming weekend we'll look at a longtime sidekick and a young boy - you'll have to be here to find out who - and the lessons we learn from them will help everyone!)
Of course, we also began our 10-days of Prayer & Fasting today - never fun, but always beneficial - leading up to our biggest meeting of the year this January 18-20 when our special guests for the 2008 "First Love Conference" will include Bishop Joseph Garlington, Pastors Gary Nellis & Eric Butler, Bishop Mark Chironna, and the Binion's! We're expecting all 3 of our campuses to join us, as well as area church friends, so it will be a wonderful time to renew your 'first love'!
posted by Pastor Jerry McQuay at 2:25 PM
4 Comments:
Hi Pastor...I really appreciated your transparency this weekend. Perhaps many of us have been walking similar paths lately. I certainly left encouraged yesterday & looking forward to the remainder of this series.
AND a big Southeast Missouri HI YA'LL from Marty Bryant, who's pastoring now in Puxico. :o)
I for one certainly appreciated your honesty. I have been down and out in the last few weeks myself with all the cares and disappointments life has to offer and just wanted to quit. :O( I was encouraged to know that if you can feel like that and come out of it I know I can too. Even though we are Christians we all need a friendly reminder that we are to "Trust the Captain". Thank you, Pastor Jerry!
Nana
I also appreciated the sermon because I know that God has His way of speaking to us all. I had been very depressed lately about life and finances and family. I decided that praying was getting me no where. The very next day, 12/29, my best friend passed suddenly. It seemed like the icing on the cake but it wasn't. It made me love life again and the sermon Sunday was the icing on the cake.
THANKS Carmen, Nana, and 'whoever you are'. I've also had emails from CLCers w/similar sentiments.
I've long believed that one of Joyce Meyer's secrets of success is her transparency and vulnerability in the pulpit, but I'm still usually reluctant to 'own up' to my struggles until long afterwards, when I can look back from a good place - so this was one of the first times while I was still going through it.
So your encouragement helps! And I'm even more excited about the next installments of 'Heroes'!
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