Getting Up Early

Our son is running cross country this fall at school, and they’ve already started training.

So, our son…who does not naturally enjoy getting up early…has been getting up early. And now that he has a little more independence, he’s biking to practice, to friends’ houses, and to the beach.

He’s doing something beyond what feels comfortable.
Something he probably wouldn’t have chosen on his own.

This morning he woke up, looked outside, and it was sunny…and pouring rain.

The radar said the rain was over.

The rain apparently hadn’t gotten the memo…you know…Florida…

What we saw didn’t match what we had been told.

It reminded me that following Jesus often feels like that.

Jesus regularly invites us beyond what feels comfortable. We get up a little earlier to tend to our souls. We choose forgiveness instead of revenge. We put others before ourselves. We love our neighbors. We even love our enemies. We lay down our lives in countless small ways.

And sometimes what we experience doesn’t seem to match what we expected.

If we’re honest, we can sometimes get the impression that following Jesus means everything should be up and to the right. Smooth sailing. Fewer problems. Less pain. Maybe…

But Jesus never promised an easier life.

He promised abundant life.

There’s a difference.

We will still face storms.
We will still experience loss.
We will still have questions.

Yet somehow, in the middle of all of it, there is a freedom, a peace, and a joy that can’t be explained by our circumstances.

I once heard an illustration that I thought was brilliant. In Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, the Weasley family’s tent at the Quidditch World Cup looks tiny, old, and unimpressive from the outside. The place is bustling with the chaos of a massive sporting event…But once you step inside, it’s remarkably spacious…far bigger than anyone expects…calm and restorative.  It is the place they call home in the midst of the chaos.

Sometimes the life Jesus invites us into looks that way.

From the outside, it can seem restrictive. Limiting. Like you’re giving things up for an unimpressive life…

But once you step inside, you discover it isn’t smaller at all.

It’s bigger.

Richer.

More beautiful.

More free.

More calm.

More restorative in the midst of the chaos.

Not because life suddenly becomes easy, but because you begin experiencing the abundant life Jesus promised…right here, right now…even in the middle of the storm.

School is starting back. Fall rhythms are returning. Pumpkin spice will soon overwhelm every shelf in America.

Maybe this is the perfect season to take one more step into the life Jesus is inviting you to.

To allocate regular time to prayer and scripture reading.

To find a rhythm of fasting and taking a Sabbath.

To spend time building deep, meaningful, vibrant community and listening and waiting in silence and solitude.

All of these and more are things that Jesus did, the first followers of Jesus lived out, and the church has practiced since the ancient early days to now…and they help us continue to root ourselves in the non-anxious life Jesus has invited us into as we follow after him and experience his grace and mercy.

You can’t avoid every storm.

But you can trust the One who walks with you through them…and who still calms the wind and the waves.

The next few weeks, we have a lot of great things starting back up at The Chapel, and I hope you’ll join us if you’re in town.

I know it’s hard to get up early, step outside your comfort zone, and participate in things you wouldn’t necessarily choose on your own…but if my son can do it for cross country, I believe you can too!

Keep reading below to see ways you can get involved, get connected, and participate in what God is doing here at The Chapel.

A few quick things.

Back to School — This Sunday is our Back-to-School Sunday. At our 10:00 a.m. service, we will pray a special blessing over our children and students as they begin a new school year. We would love for your family to join us! We’ll also have our friends from Panama City Coffee slinging lattes…so getting caffeinated is always a good thing.

Worship — This Sunday we will also be wrapping up our journey through the book of Haggai. Last week we looked at how we often are pursuing other things, but the calling is to prioritize our faith and calling.  I think this Sunday’s message is incredibly vital for all of us. What happens when we start something and feel like it is going nowhere, will never amount to much or you simply feel like a fake, a phony, plagued by comparison or suffering from imposter syndrome?  Maybe Haggai has some words for us.

If you missed this past week, check out The Chapel at Seaside Podcast wherever you listen.

Next Sunday, August 16th, we’re excited to begin a journey through the Gospel of John. It is going to be a great fall!

Sunday Mornings for Next Gen — We are excited to offer Sunday morning programming for every age during the 10:00 a.m. service:

• Nursery Care for children ages 0–4. Email Sarah@thechapelatseaside.com for more information.
• Kids Church for children ages 5 through 4th grade. Check in at The Chapel when you arrive.  Email Chelsea@thechapelatseaside.com for more info.
• Bible Study for students in 5th grade and older, beginning August 16. Students should bring their Bibles and come ready to learn how to read Scripture and discover what it has to offer them. Our Chapel Youth will be walking through 1 Samuel, the same book we’ll study in our adult Bible studies. Parents can follow along through our weekly podcast, Chapel Study Notes, beginning August 22, or by attending Bible Study.

Youth Group — Youth Group begins Wednesday, August 19, and will meet each week from 6:30–7:30 p.m. at The Chapel. A great time of fun, worship, and learning and growing in faith with great leaders.  Whether you live here or simply happen to be in town, we hope your students will join us!

Prayer — Join us every Tuesday from noon–1:00 p.m. for our weekly Prayer Hour at The Chapel. We spend time praying through Scripture, worshiping, sitting in silence, and simply being in the presence of God. It really is a beautiful hour together. Come and go as your schedule allows.

Bible Study — We kick off our fall Bible studies on Wednesday, August 19, at The Chapel.

• Men: 8:00–9:15 a.m.
• Women: 9:30–11:00 a.m.

We’re excited to journey through 1 Samuel together this fall. If you can’t join us in person, be sure to check out our weekly podcast, Chapel Study Notes, where we recap each lesson.

Chapel Women’s Retreat — We’re excited to host our first official Chapel Women’s Retreat the weekend of October 15–17. To sign up and learn more, click here.

25th Anniversary — The Chapel will celebrate its 25th Anniversary on Sunday, October 18. We’ll share more details soon, but I hope you’ll plan to join us as we celebrate all God has done in and through this place.

Parking — As you know, parking is limited at The Chapel, so we encourage you to park by the school on Smolian and use the linked parking passes. These passes are valid for Sunday morning worship through noon. Just print out the pass and put the correct date in your dashboard.  You can also park in the county lot between Seaside and WaterColor. It’s a lovely short walk to The Chapel.

Let us know if you have any questions or need anything. We look forward to seeing you Sunday…for coffee, worship, blessing our students, and wrapping up the book of Haggai.

I mean…does it get any better?

Blessings,

Andrew