Remember
There are two phrases that show up over and over again throughout Scripture. The first is “Do not fear.” Again and again, God reminds his people that with him, we do not have to live in fear. As it says in 1 John, perfect love casts out fear.
The second phrase is “Remember.”
The ancient Hebrew people were called to remember constantly. They built entire rhythms of life around it: holidays, altars, shared meals, songs, prayers, stones stacked beside rivers, so that they would never forget who God was, what God had done, and what it meant to live as the people of God.
And I actually think these two ideas belong together.
When we remember, we often find that we fear less.
But it depends on what we remember.
If we only remember the hardships, the frustrations, the moments when things went wrong, or the problems that piled up…we can unintentionally lead ourselves deeper into fear.
But when we remember the good, the true, the beautiful, the faithful ways God has moved in our lives, something shifts. We’re no longer paralyzed by fear; we’re freed by what we remember.
As G.K. Chesterton once wrote:
“An adventure is only an inconvenience rightly considered. An inconvenience is only an adventure wrongly considered.”
Which brings me to this week…because Spring Break has officially begun.
Lots of people are coming.
Which means crowds.
More traffic.
Limited parking.
Possibly a grocery store that is mysteriously out of peanut butter and other staples.
It would be easy to see all of this as frustration.
Or…as Chesterton suggests…this inconvenience, rightly considered, could be a great adventure.
Personally, I love people and crowds…I don’t particularly love traffic or limited parking…or no Peanut Butter at the store…but all in all, I love this time of year.
And I also remember something important: not that long ago, I was the person who was excited to be here on vacation, parking in all the spots and buying all the peanut butter.
So my hope for all of us this week is simple: that we show a little extra grace, kindness, and gentleness as our town fills up with people. What an opportunity we have to quietly demonstrate the love of God to the many people who will pass through our little corner of the world.
Dallas Willard once wrote,
“The most important thing in your life is not what you do; it’s who you become.”
Moments like these—busy seasons, crowded streets, long lines—are surprisingly good opportunities to practice becoming the kind of people shaped by the way of Jesus.
Because remembering has the power to change everything…especially the things we’re tempted to fear.
I recently heard someone say that we probably only have about 15% control over the things we think we control.
Which means the vast majority of life is outside our control.
So don’t spend your energy worrying about what you can’t control. Be attentive to what you can. And remember that God is with you.
When I remember that God is with me, I find I’m far less likely to worry about things I have little control over…which, it turns out, is most things.
A few other things I hope you remember this week:
Parking Passes
Parking passes for this Sunday, March 15, are attached. Please print them out and place them on your dashboard. They are good until noon on Sunday morning for worship to park in any of the paid parking around Seaside. Please do not park in people’s driveways, block roads, or park on grass or pine straw. We want to be good neighbors and be a blessing to our community. We’ll send out additional passes as they’re needed.
Two Worship Services
We now have two services at The Chapel: 8:30 a.m. and 10:00 a.m. Same service, just two options. With the Spring Break crowds, the 8:30 service can be a great option. Thus far, it has had less crowds.
Both services are also streamed on our website, Facebook page, and YouTube page. Sermons are posted on the podcast almost immediately after the second service if you miss one.
Prayer & Bible Study
We will not have Tuesday Noon Prayer or Wednesday Bible Study for the next two weeks.
- Tuesday Noon Prayer resumes March 31.
- Wednesday Bible Study resumes April 8.
Holy Week
We have a wonderful lineup of services planned for Holy Week. You can find the full schedule along with Lenten resources at:
I hope we can be people who remember.
Remember who God is.
Remember what God has done.
Remember what we are invited into.
Remember that you are created in the image of God…and so is everyone else you encounter this week.
Remember that we get to embody the way of Jesus.
Remember that God has chosen to partner with us.
Remember that the Spirit is present to guide and lead us.
As followers of Jesus, we will face moments that could easily overwhelm us with fear.
But sometimes the simplest response to combat fear is simply this:
Remember.
So today I’ll leave you with one question:
What are you remembering today?
I hope you’ll come and remember with us this Sunday in worship at 8:30 or 10 a.m. and throughout this Spring season in person or online.
Access this Sunday, March 15th, 2026 Parking Pass here.
Blessings,
Andrew