Highs and Lows
Our kids wrapped up their Christmas break today, so we spent part of the day reflecting on the highs.
And there were a lot of highs.
Slow mornings and fun-filled evenings.
Time with friends and loved ones.
Sunsets on the beach and really great movie nights.
Meaningful family Christmas traditions and a few new ones.
An unbelievable Christmas Eve service with more than 3,000 of our closest friends.
A simple, beautiful Christmas morning.
Great food, an amazing trip with family, jumping into crystal-clear waters, swimming in natural pools, and hiking in the forest.
It was a great break.
But there were also lows.
Honestly, ours really was great, but as followers of Jesus in this body of Christ, we rejoice with those who rejoice and we also mourn with those who mourn. We don’t do life or faith alone.
People who call The Chapel home said goodbye to family and loved ones far too soon.
Too many people are sick and struggling.
Too many people are hurting.
Too many people I know and love are feeling lost and alone.
Too many trips to the doctor and the pharmacy.
And personally speaking…we had sickness that made us miss our first Sunday of the new year. As a fun bonus, one of our kids got both an inner and outer ear infection. He’s really an overachiever.
Awesome, right?!
Here’s the truth: life is full of highs and lows.
Good and bad.
Pros and cons.
Blessings and curses.
That’s the reality of this life we live. It is a gift…but sometimes we wish it came with a gift receipt or exchange policy.
None of us get a smooth ride all the way through. Some experience an easier life. Some experience a harder one.
Following Jesus doesn’t remove the hurt and pain of this life, but it does give us hope in the midst of it.
There will be joys.
There will be sorrows.
We don’t need to pretend everything is perfect.
But we also don’t need to dwell on everything that is broken.
We don’t need to rewrite history or tell lies to make the hard things feel more palatable.
We need to let God breathe into and redeem every situation.
Let the love of God the Father be what we lean into in times of trouble.
Let the grace of Jesus teach us how to live and respond.
Let the comfort and communion of the Holy Spirit offer us a peace that passes all understanding.
Today, in the church calendar, we remember Epiphany, the day the men from the East reached baby Jesus.
It sounds like all celebration and wonder…but they were hiding from King Herod. They had journeyed for weeks and weeks, hoping to find this newborn King. And then they had to sneak home another way to avoid Herod and his narcissistic, power-hungry paranoia.
Seeking after Jesus has highs and lows.
Following Him will take us through mountains and valleys.
We can’t change that, but we can fix our eyes on Him above all else.
When our eyes are fixed on Jesus, we will still experience trouble, but it won’t carry the same weight. We may even face more opposition, but we will do so with peace, hope, and love.
As you begin this new year, I don’t know what it will hold for you.
But I do know there will be obstacles.
I also know that trusting in and following Jesus makes it so much better.
And there’s no better way to do that than in community.
Together.
With The Chapel.
I hope you’ll join us as we continue to journey through Scripture, prayer, and worship together.
Below are a few important highlights. Please keep reading for more details on each one:
Coming Up at The Chapel
- 21 Days of Bible, Prayer, and Fasting
- Three Wednesday Morning Prayer Gatherings — January 7th, 14th, & 21st at 9 a.m.
- Guest Worship Leaders this Sunday
- Tuesday Noon Prayer returns February 3rd
- Bible Study begins Wednesday, February 4th
- Two Sunday Services starting February 22nd
21 Days of Bible, Prayer, and Fasting
We kicked off our 21 Days on January 1. If you haven’t jumped in yet, it’s not too late. I hope you’ll start.
We’re reading through Romans 12, one verse per day, matched to the date. Each day also includes a supplemental passage that connects with the Romans verse.
My hope is that when you wake up, before your phone, the news, breakfast, Wordle, Connections, or checking the stocks, you’ll sit quietly for a few moments and:
- Thank God the Father for another day
- Invite the Spirit to guide your reading
- Ask Jesus to show you new ways to follow Him
Then read the passages for the day.
This Week’s Readings
- Monday, Jan 5 — Romans 12:5; Ephesians 4:1–6
- Tuesday, Jan 6 — Romans 12:6; 1 Peter 4:8–11
- Wednesday, Jan 7 — Romans 12:7; John 13:1–17
- Thursday, Jan 8 — Romans 12:8; 2 Corinthians 9:6–15
- Friday, Jan 9 — Romans 12:9; 1 Corinthians 13:1–13
- Saturday, Jan 10 — Romans 12:10; Colossians 3:1–17
- Sunday, Jan 11 — Romans 12:11; Psalm 119:137–144
Reflect on what stands out. Then reread the Romans verse and try committing it to memory, maybe even praying it, inserting yourself into the passage.
Ask God what He may be inviting you into… and close in prayer.
For those who want to take it further, consider fasting or abstaining in some way:
- Fast until your prayer time is complete (or until dinner, excluding Sundays)
- Abstain from social media or 24-hour news.
- Try the Daniel Fast.
- Add a daily prayer walk or run.
Choose something that fits your season of life and keeps turning your heart toward Jesus.
We handed out bookmarks the past couple of weeks, and they’re also linked in this email. We’ll have more on Sunday as well as at the Wednesday Prayer time.
For more on prayer, scripture, and fasting, check out the resource pages on Spiritual Disciplines and Practices, with great content from our friends at Practicing the Way.
Prayer Gatherings
We’ll gather for Wednesday morning prayer and worship at 9 a.m. on January 7th, 14th, and 21st. These are come-and-go gatherings, similar to our Tuesday Noon Prayer times.
Nate will lead us in reflective worship, with prayer prompts from Sarah. It’s a grounding, beautiful way to start the day.
Each Sunday during these 21 Days, our teaching will connect with the scriptures we’re reading together. By the end of the month, my prayer is that you’ll have formed life-giving rhythms that help set your heart and mind for the year ahead.
Note: There will be no Tuesday Noon Prayer or Wednesday Bible Study during January.
Guest Worship Leaders
This Sunday, I’m honored to welcome my college roommate Dave and his friends to help lead worship. Dave and I led worship together back in college before he headed to Nashville to work in the music industry. He’s incredibly gifted, and it will be a joy to have them with us.
Noon Prayer
Tuesday Noon Prayer returns on February 3rd. Until then, I hope you’ll join us for the Wednesday 9 a.m. prayer gatherings in January.
Bible Study
Men’s and Women’s Bible Study begins Wednesday, February 4th. Men at 8 a.m., Women at 9:30 a.m. We’ll be studying Ephesians together.
Two Sunday Services
As The Chapel continues to grow, we’re excited to launch two Sunday services starting February 22nd at 8:30 a.m. and 10 a.m.
Same service.
Two times.
Slightly shorter.
Not too bad, right?
We’ll continue sharing communion between services on the first Sunday of each month at 9:35 a.m.
Lots of exciting things ahead, and I hope you’ll join us in all that God is doing.
Let us know how we can walk with you in this journey of life and faith.
I hope to see you Wednesday morning for prayer—and Sunday for worship.
Blessings,
Andrew