GuidePod Is Coming

Thrive is pleased to offer our Thrive Guides the opportunity to be thanked and helped on Saturday, Feb. 18, 2006 from 10:00am-2:00pm. We'll be looking at ways to take our groups deeper and in the process make them even more fun! You'll get a free book and heck we're throwing in lunch as well. Call the church or email Rob to get on the list!

These Ski Boots Weren't Made For Walking!

Well it's Rob again with another God inspired thought to help your week along. We had an awesome time skiing this past weekend despite the warmer temperatures and melting artificial snow. No broken bones but I'm sure some bruised bodies and egos. I always laugh a little when I watch new skiers put on their ski boots. Ski boots are hard to put on, hard to walk in, and generally make you look clumsy if you're not wearing them with skis on. Being a Christian is exactly the same way! As human beings we mimic Jesus and do a poor job at it. We stumble around praying, reading the Bible, helping others, going to church, etc. etc. etc. All the while we think more of ourselves and our own interests. We'd rather spend money on video games and movie tickets than donate that money to others. We're more comfortable praying in private than sharing our faith with others. So walking around as a Christian can be very awkward and often embarassing. It doesn't have to be that way! The more practice a skier gets, the easy it is to walk in the boots. It's still not always comfortable but it does get easier. Of course those weird boots are there for a reason! These boots are special, they help support you feet and ankles so it makes it EASIER to ski and helps protect you from injury. We need to see following Jesus as not awkward but of great treasure. The more often you think less of your self and more of God and others the easier it becomes to walk with Christ! Don't forget it's OK that you fall down sometimes. Just make sure you get back up and walk on.

Peace!

-Rob

2 Corinthians 6:3-10

Everyone Needs Their Own Preacher

Everyone needs their own preacher, mine is a girl named Jenny (name changed). She knows I'm not a religious person yet she is always there for me and every once in a while she'll say something like "Don't do it, please, for me," or "Don't do it, please, for God." She always apologizes afterwards but I think I need that from her. I found out she prays for me...

- Anonymous from the junior high

Thanks to the Winter Overnight!

Good job to everyone who attended the Winter Overnight in Dec.!

- A thank you from Cecile Denney, Chair for St. John's Women

We thank each and every one of you who made our decorations at our Holiday supper last night (Dec. 11) so beautiful. That was a very thoughtful thing to do and we want you to know we really appreciated your kindness.

Happy New Year! IPODS are Evil!

OK, the IPOD is not evil but I did shamelessly get your attention. I had lunch the other day with a friend who was home from college and we got talking about carrying around portable music players. He asked me if I was one of those people in college who ignored everyone. "Ignore everyone," I said, "what are you talking about?" He explained that one day it took his friends forever to get his attention because he had headphones on. Aren't all our gadgets great! Our MP3 players, our computers, our portable and car dvd players, and all the other stuff that entertains us but keeps us separate from others. God could have done the same. Stayed separate from us, maybe even ignored us, but... thankfully He didn't. In celebrating Christmas we are overjoyed that God choose to not just pay attention to us but to understand us. Jesus became human to know us, love us, save us. In 2006, take a break every so often from the virtual world that our toys create and enjoy the people around you! They'll enjoy your company!!!

What does IPOD stand for anyway?