Coming September 11th!

In case you didn't get the email: 

First, we want to apologize for the very short notice last week when the youth group sang special music. Through a mistake, we were planning for the wrong Sunday. Second, thank you so much for being flexible! We were so impressed when we arrived on Sunday morning for practice to see all the teens ready and waiting. We feel privileged to serve such dedicated teens and parents! 

The recent time changes and adjustments to the services and programs at Southeast Valley Baptist have given us the opportunity to evaluate the current youth group schedule and implement some changes of our own.  

• ·         We have decided to keep youth group on Sunday nights since that time seems to work best for everyone.
• ·         But, we will move the time back to 6:30 pm to give everyone a chance to eat dinner and drive to the church.
• ·         We will combine the youth group midweek small group with the way Sunday nights were before into one Sunday night session. As a result, Sunday nights will run a little longer, until 8:30 pm.
• ·         We will start at 6:30 pm. with a game or activity, followed by a praise and worship, and ending with the teaching time. 

Attached to this email is a new calendar for youth group events for the rest of this year, September through December 2011. You'll see that the time changes for Sunday School and Youth Group have been incorporated, as well as a new schedule for activities. Our plan is to have one opportunity for outreach and one fun night every month. The outreach projects are on the first Saturday, and the fun nights are on the third Saturday of every month. 

In other news, during the month of September we will begin reading and discussing the book “Crazy Love” by Francis Chan. If you are unfamiliar with Francis Chan’s ministry or “Crazy Love,” check out the synopsis, introductory video, and even download the table of contents and chapter of the book on the crazy love book website. Please pray with us for God to use this study to change us for His glory.

Expect another email soon with details about the upcoming outreach opportunity for September!

In Christ,

Brian and Emily Conley

P.S. If Sunday night really isn’t going to work for you, talk to us about it. 

Three Insights From The Psalms

Today's post is from our very own Jeremy T. 

Over the past few months, I’ve read through the book of Psalms, and I’d like to share some of the BIG HUGE points that have really stuck out to me. 

I see 3 big chunks. The first is to focus on God as the one who is our refuge, strength, comfort and shelter, and who has unfailing love for His children. So, it gives us the info.

The second is the psalmist in trouble. His enemies surround him and are trying to kill him, or he doesn’t see how it can work out. But then he answers with a practical application of the info we got in the first chunk. So we know that God is our refuge, but we PRACTICALLY LEARN that He is our refuge when we go to Him in the time of trouble!

And then lastly, the psalmist praises God with every ounce of his being! Why? Well, God rescued him! He has learned that God means what he says, and will follow through with His promises. And so, He is worthy of ALL our praise and adoration!

So what I’ve taken out of this is that God deserves all of my attention, and I shouldn’t be so selfish as to give anything else the glory! If there is any victory in my life, it is because of God’s grace and mercy, and HE deserves the praise! 

Also, something that I did for the first chunk of Psalms is just get a piece of paper and write down all of who God says He is. It’s amazing to look at how great God is!

Here are some of my favorite verses: (taken from the NIV)

Psalm 40: 17- “But as for me, I am poor and needy; may the Lord think of me. You are my help and my deliverer; you are my God, do not delay” 

Psalm 50:9- “I will praise you forever for what you have done; in your name I will hope, for your name is good. I will praise you in the presence of your saints.” 

Psalm 55: 22- “Cast your cares on the Lord and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous fall.” 

Psalm 56:3- “When I am afraid, I will trust in you.” 

Psalm 57:5/11- “Be exalted, O God, above the heavens; let your glory be over all the earth” 

Psalm 59:16-17- “But I will sing of your strength, in the morning I will sing of your love; for you are my fortess, my refuge in times of trouble. (17) O my Strength, I sing praise to you; you, O God, are my fortress, my loving God.” 

Psalm 62:5- “Find rest, O my soul, in God alone; my hope comes from Him.” 

Psalm 65:3- “When we were overwhelmed by sins, you forgave our transgressions.” 

Psalm 90:14- “Satisfy us in the morning with your unfailing love, that we may sing for joy and be glad all our days.” 

Psalm 114:7- “Tremble, earth, at the presence if the Lord, at the presence if the God of Jacob.” 

Psalm 118:8- “It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in man.” 

Psalm 121:2- “My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth.” 

Psalm 143:8-“ Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love, fro I have put my trust in you. Show me the way I should go, for to you I lift up my soul.”

And these are just some of them. The Psalms are basically a big hymn book with rich text that incorporates everything you’ve learned about God in the OT, and these Psalmists put it to song. Now, we don’t have the tunes, but the part that matters is still here, and the Psalms are great to chew on and to really begin to understand how GREAT our God is! 

What have you learned in your personal Bible reading lately? Leave a comment and share it with us.