SOMETHING DON’D ON ME…
“For our present troubles are small and won’t last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever!” 2 Corinthians 4:17

I read that verse last week at the Memorial Service for our beloved Buck Wilson. I had it in my notes and went to read it…but I hesitated. “Our present troubles are small…” That’s a heavy line right there. I doubt a widow feels that a funeral is a “small trouble.” Or his two daughters that were saying goodbye. But after the memorial, I kept thinking about that line…and I bet others have some trouble with it as well.

-People that deal with chronic pain: We have members that battle lupus, fibromyalgia, Parkinson’s, and other ailments that just don’t ever take a vacation.
-Anxiety and depression: We have people that battle these “mental wars” on a daily basis. Some days are ok…but some days, it’s hard for them to move.
-Loneliness: The death of a beloved spouse. The empty womb. The love that left. We look at things like this and say, “Shouldn’t they be over that by now?” Yet many deal with an emptiness we can’t imagine.
-Family struggles: Maybe it’s over money, maybe it’s custody, maybe it’s unforgiveness that has gone on for years. But it seems that “home” is not a happy place.

I have a hunch there are many people that struggle reading that verse, because our troubles don’t FEEL small, and it FEELS like they last forever! I don’t want to give a “religious” answer to those problems or a “pat” and empty cliché…because these things are HEAVY. And I do not-in any way-want to make light of the problems YOU are facing. But I just keep going back to Paul’s words: “they are small and won’t last very long.”

I think that being a Christ-FOLLOWER is best PROVED when we have our eyes focused on the end goal! The verse goes ON to say, “produces a glory that far outweighs the trouble!” Paul says in another place, “I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.” (Romans 8:18) Paul was one that dealt with sufferings…throughout all of his life! But he had a perspective that was focused on the ETERNAL…and not the “now.”

For those of you that suffer daily, let us PRAY FOR YOU…and with you! Let us be a people that hangs on to each other and lifts each other up…when life feels too heavy! Let us point EACH OTHER to the Eternal One and the encouragement we get from Him! And may we be a people that sees eternity with Jesus as “worth it!”

If you do NOT have to deal with chronic pain, loneliness, anxiety, or struggle…PRAISE GOD! May you pray even HARDER for those around you that DO deal with daily challenges!

It may be hard to imagine, but I believe that once we are in Heaven, walking with Almighty God, that our 70-80 years of pain in this world will not matter much anymore. Once we are with Him, we will not sorrow, our physical pains will be no more, and our relationships will not cause us that pain. Teresa of Avila once said, “In the light of heaven, the worst sufferings on this earth will be seen to be no more serious than one night in an inconvenient hotel.” May we ALL have eyes faced towards the eternal!

Shalom Alachiem…Don

Central Family- I want to thank all of the parents who sent their kiddos to camp with us this past week…WOW did we have a powerful and fun week spending time together in God’s word! We took 18 kiddos and 9 sponsors.
Thank you to all you volunteered their time to pour into all of the kids at camp and to those praying over our time there.  We definitely felt God’s presence on the mountain and saw Him working in big ways!!  Can’t wait for next year♥️

AMP, Sunday Nights!
JH and HS, 5 – 6:30 pm
(we meet at The Christian Campus House, 223 S Ave K)

COMING UP!
AMP BOY’S HANGOUT – Wed, July 26
AMP GIRL’S MOVIE NIGHT – Friday, July 28

NO AMP on July 30
Watch for more details or see Caitlin with questions.

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TEENS – Sod Poodles rescheduled for AUGUST 4TH!
We missed it earlier this summer…so we’re trying again for Friday August 4th! Yes, School will ALMOST be started…so let’s head to the Mall and the Ballpark for a last blast! Sign ups will go around this weekend! $10 gets you a great day-we meet at church at 12:30, and head to Amarillo’s Westgate Mall! After a couple of hours there, we go to HODGETOWN-Home of the Amarillo Sod Poodles! We have box seats and you get hot dog/chips/soda while you are there! Let’s have a GREAT GROUP go! Only 25 tickets available-first ones signed up get in the van!