Central Connection

So, did you stay up to watch the “Ball Drop” in New York City?? I must confess…I did not. I preferred to ring in the new year with friends across the Pond! (Transparency: I did not GO to England or France…I just celebrated the new year when they did…about 8:00pm our time!) I’m not much of a “Night Owl” these days and Midnight just seems so far away!

I did however watch a news story on the famous gathering at Times Square in New York. Did you know that people start lining up at LEAST 24 hours before so they can have the front row when the countdown begins? And here’s a fun fact: You are not allowed to bring chairs, food, or blankets to mark out territory! That means you have to STAND up for all that time!! PLUS, you can’t bring food, so you have to have someone go get it, so you don’t lose your place…and where are the bathrooms for 250,000 people?? I’ve never really wanted to see that event…but after that news story, I have ZERO desire to go!

Why has this nonevent turned into a huge, money-making holiday? Most other holidays celebrate a reputable person, famous birthdays, document signings, or a noted event. But New Year’s Eve only celebrates the passage of time—something that most of us would rather not recognize. We make a huge deal out of it because it signals the end of an old era and the start of a new one. The old year’s problems, heartaches, and struggles seem to vanish and become a faded memory when we think of getting the chance of a new year and a new start. We make plans to head to the gym, to diet better, to read more, to fold that pile of laundry that never seems to get done!

I wonder if the Israelites had any similar feelings when they stood with Joshua looking forward to a new era ahead of them. They had wandered for 40 years in the desert, and finally they could see land flowing with milk and honey ahead. Better yet, they had God’s promise that He would never leave or forsake them. Did they make “resolutions”? They had PLENTY of problems and heartaches to leave behind…DID THEY? They had an opportunity to see the GREATNESS that was ahead of them…DID THEY?

As you stand with your back to the old year and look forward to the new one, you can have hope in the promises of God. But here’s the real question: WILL YOU? Now that the Ball has dropped, the Calendar has turned and it’s time to get on with the business of 2024, will you walk in the PROMISES of GOD?

We are starting a new season at Central with a theme: ANOTHERING! We are going to look at the “One Another” passages in the Bible (there’s 59 of them!!) and how they APPLY to the work of the Church in His Kingdom! Will you look into the “Land of Enchantment” with us and how we can see God’s Promises at Work??

Andy Stanley wrote, “The primary activity of the Church was one-anothering one another!” Let that be our mantra as we step into 2024! May we care SO MUCH for the neighbors around us that they HAVE to see God and glorify Him! May we “encourage one another daily” (Hebrews 10:24), may we “Carry each other’s burdens” (Galatians 6:2), may we “Live in harmony with one another” (I Peter 3:8), and may we truly “love one another” (I John 3:11)!

And may 2024 bring us a great awareness of EACH OTHER and how powerful the work of “Anothering” can be! “The Lord our God will be with us wherever we go!” (Joshua 1:9)

May Peace Be Upon Your Home and Your Heart in 2024 – Shalom Alachiem

New Ladies Class begins January 22

Join us for a 7-week study, The Gospel on the Ground by Kristi McLelland. 
Babysitting will be available!
Please order your book online:  Amazon, Lifeway, Christian Books, etc.
 

L1 – Love God

L2 – Love Others
Our mission – our action plan – our best hope.

We are Central and we’re in this together!

It’s the dawning of a new day!  It’s the beginning of a new year!  Opportunities abound and the promise of a reset fills our hearts with hope.  So, what sets this year apart from the rest?  What matters most?  Where should we start?

“Seek the Lord while He may be found.”  The Lord is not hard to find.  Ever present, He is both intensely powerful and intimately personal.  The King of Glory wants relationship with His people, but sometimes He takes a backseat to everything else in our lives.  God is still there, but we stop looking.  Other things come to try and fill the void in our hearts, but they won’t satisfy.

When the Lord begins to fade from our thoughts what are we to do?

• Daily Bible reading plan via YouVersion
• Worship playlists (I’m listening to a Jeremy Riddle album right now)
• Prayer requests, a gratitude journal, and specific times of prayer.  (Coffee with a friend will NOT happen if you don’t schedule it.  Scheduled prayer and quiet time creates routine and routine creates consistency.)
• Connection with others – Do you have people that really KNOW you?  Do they hold you accountable?  Do you ask for prayer, or do you try to handle it in your own?  We are NOT meant to live in isolation.  We need each other.

“Call on Him while He is near.”  This is more about Presence and less about proximity.  He is always near (proximity), but we may not always be aware of His Presence.  Life will threaten to numb our hearts to Holy Spirit.  We are overwhelmed with information situations.  Our hearts race as anxiety sets in.  There are triggers for all that, but one thing I have found to calm my spirit is take life slowly.

In “The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry” John Mark Comer writes, “To restate – love, joy, and peace are at the heart of all Jesus is trying to grow in the soil of your life. And all three are incompatible with hurry.”

What is God trying to grow in the soil of your life?  Here are some of the things I believe He is saying to me in this season.

Live life on purpose.  Be intentional with your time.  Be proactive, not reactive.  Think of others often.  Don’t take what you have for granted.  There will never be enough time.  Spend it wisely.

I encourage you to spend the month of January trying to answer this question…  What is God trying to grow in the soil of your life?

He is near.  May we be aware of His Presence.
Soli Deo Gloria!
F –