January 2009

12.26.2008

Welcome to 2009! I hope you had a Christ-filled Christmas, but the holidays are over, and it’s time to roll up our sleeves and focus on a new year. It is my prayer that you will seek God’s will during this year.

I want to take this moment to let you know about some special training and events on the year’s horizon. First, there is a special discipleship class called “The Body Life Journey.” This study will assist you in discovering who you are in Christ by discovering your:

• Spiritual gifts: those gifts God gives through His Holy Spirit to empower you for service.
  
• Experiences: those unique, significant events God allows, which mold you into who you are.
  
• Relational Style: behavioral traits God uses in how you relate to others.
  
• Vocational skills: those abilities you have gained through training and experience you can use in service to God.
  
• Enthusiasm: that passion God puts in your heart for certain ministry areas.

When you put all of that together, it spells SERVE, which is what every Christian should be doing.

In addition, the Festival of Marriage conference will be held in Glorieta, New Mexico, again this year. We had 11 couples attend last year, and all enjoyed the trip. The dates for 2009 are October 2-4, and I’m estimating the cost for the conference, meals and lodging to be around $358 per couple. We want to make reservations early, because the rooms go quickly for this event; watch for a sign-up list in the foyer. Oh, by the way, just because it is a marriage conference, that doesn’t mean it is only for those with difficult marriages. If you truly believe God placed you and your spouse together, then you need to know that God wants you to continually do things that strengthen your marriage.

• Proverbs 5:18: “Let your fountain be blessed, and rejoice in the wife of your youth.”
  
• Ephesians 5:28: “So husbands ought also to love their own wives as their own bodies. He who loves his own wife loves himself.”

Basically, what God is telling us men is to hold on to what you have and treat her like a lady. Hope to see your name on the sign-up list - first on the list get first chance at a seat on the bus!

Until next month,
Danny Joe

Posted by arbc at 11:22 PM