Pastor P

A Letter From Pastor P To NewSpring Church

Feb 21, 2012

Howdy NewSpring Church, EIGHT things I want to share with you today…

#1 - I’m STILL in awe of what God has done so far in our “Overwhelmed” series so far…and we’re only two weeks in.  This past Sunday, I believe, will be looked back on for years as a benchmark day in our church where people truly came to grips with, “It’s OK to not be OK…but it’s not OK to stay not OK…because in Christ I CAN overcome what has me overwhelmed!”

#2 - Depression is a very real issue…it has impacted every single one of us (either it has happened to us or someone we know.)  God took me through a three year period and I can honestly say that His mercy was made so obvious to me in that time.  My entire perspective on life changed when I stopped trying to get everything else around me to change and began asking God to change what was broken inside of me!!!  He humbled me!  Broke me!  AND…RESTORED ME!!!  Only God can use pain for progress!!!

#3 - Going to church should be WAY more than merely making an appearance and pretending to be perfect.  I’ve worked with people who know Christ now for over 20 years…and reality is that life IS messy on either side of the cross.  When we meet Christ the PENALTY of our sin is paid for…but the PRESENCE of sin and what we’ve done in our lives is still there, and it does take time to get the bad seed out and the good seed planted and producing a good crop (see Galatians 6:7-9!)

#4 - As I wrote about yesterday (right here), THANK YOU for the amazing amount of prayers and support you guys have poured out on me and my family!

#5 - I’m SO looking forward to the next couple of weeks as we are going to specifically deal with…

  • This coming Sunday - How to NOT worry (EVER) about the economy. I’ve seen more people freak out over the economy during the past few years than EVER before! Every single one of us have had some sort of economic worry or concern.  However, JESUS HIMSELF said that people who follow Him are not supposed to worry about it…and we are diving into His Word Sunday to find out how!!
  • The next Sunday (March 4) we are going to specifically deal with how to overcome fear and anxiety. Do you (or someone you know) have panic attacks and anxiety issues?  I’ve battled through them as well…and the Lord taught me a lot through it.  Depression and then fear/anxiety do not always go together.  I know people who are NOT depressed but really do struggle with fear and anxiety…and on that Sunday we will dive into Scripture to see what God’s Word says about it!!!  I’m believing A LOT OF PEOPLE are going to be set free!!!

#6 - If you are on Facebook then you need to connect with us at NewSpring on our facebook page right here!!

#7 - Gotta say it because I’m more excited about it than should be allowed…but Gauntlet sign ups are picking up speed/intensity, it’s going to be the BEST YEAR EVER!!! Go here for more info and to get registered.

#8 - There are less than 150 spots (make that 100 spots) left for the Real Marriage Event with Pastor Mark Driscoll here at NewSpring Church on March 23-24. If you are planning on attending you had better get registered ASAP.  It’s going to be amazing…seriously, this is one of THE BEST investments you could make into your marriage (OR your future marriage!)

That’s it for today…can’t wait for Sunday (and the KidSpring kids leading us in worship!!!)  I love my church!