GPS

I took a GPS or Spiritual Gifts Assessment and found my results surprisingly close to what I expected the results to be. Now that I know my strengths and weaknesses I am working on ways to fine tune each area. I started by ordering 3 new books off Amazon tonight. Here are my gifts from my strengths to weaknesses. Many of these fell into the same number category. 

Teaching: The God-given ability to serve and strengthen the body of Christ by teaching sound doctrine in relevant ways, empowering people to gain a sound and mature spiritual education. 
 
Exhortation: Serve and strengthen the body of Christ by helping others live God-centered lives through inspiration, encouragement, counsel- ing, and empowerment.

Healing: The God-given ability to serve and strengthen the body of Christ by healing and restoring to health, beyond traditional and natural means, those who are sick, hurting or suffering.

Hospitality: The God-given ability to serve and strengthen the body of Christ by providing others with a warm and welcoming environment for community.

Miracles: The God-given ability to serve and strengthen the body of Christ through supernatural acts that bring validity to God and his power.

Leadership: Serve and strengthen the body of Christ by casting vision, stimulating spiritual growth, applying strategies, and achieving success where God’s purposes are concerned.

Pastoring: The God-given ability to serve and strengthen the body of Christ by taking spiritual responsibility for a group of believers and equipping them to live Christ-centered lives.

Wisdom: The God-given ability to serve and strengthen the body of Christ by making wise decisions and counseling others with sound advice all in accordance with God’s will.

Giving: The God-given ability to serve and strengthen the body of Christ by joyfully supporting and funding various Kingdom initiatives through material contributions beyond a regular tithe.

Faith: The God-given ability to serve and strengthen the body of Christ by stepping out in faith in order to see God’s purposes accomplished, trusting him to handle any and all obstacles along the way.

Service: Offering others assistance in reaching goals that glorify God.

Knowledge: The God-given ability to serve and strengthen the body of Christ by communicating God’s truth to others in a way that promotes justice, honesty and understanding.

Discernment: The God-given ability to serve and strengthen the body of Christ by recognizing truth or error within a message, person or event.

Apostle: Serve and strengthen the body of Christ by launching and leading new ministry ventures that advance God’s purposes and expand his Kingdom.

Mercy: Serve and strengthen the body of Christ by ministering to those who suffer physically, emotionally, spiritually, or relationally. Their actions are characterized by love, care, compassion, and kindness toward others.

Administration: The God-given ability to serve and strengthen the body of Christ by effectively organizing resources and people in order to efficiently reach ministry goals.

Evangelism: The God-given ability to serve and strengthen the body of Christ by sharing the love of Christ with others in a way that draws them to respond by accepting God’s free gift of eternal life.

Prophecy: The God-given ability to serve and strengthen the body of Christ by offering messages from God that comfort, encourage, guide, warn, or reveal sin in a way that leads to repentance and spiritual growth.

Tongues/ Interpretation of Tongues: The God-given ability to serve and strengthen the body of Christ by communicating God’s message in a special language unknown to the speaker. / The God-given ability to serve and strengthen the body of Christ to interpret the special language that is unknown to the speaker of tongues.

Thank you EBC for the video and definitions of each category. To view more or find your Spiritual Gifts please visit: http://eaglebrookchurch.com/gps

1 Year at Eagle Brook Church

  Last year at this time I felt like I had no control over my life and everything was spiraling downward. I felt like something was missing. I started analyzing my life trying to figure out what was missing and what I needed back in order to make my life better. I came up with many answers, but one idea was church. I hadn't gone to church on a regular basis since 8th grade. I went on holidays here and there throughout high school and college, but it was not a priority in my life. I started praying again and as the days past I felt this push to go to church the upcoming weekend. I tried to ignore it, but it became stronger and stronger. 

      I decided to go to Eagle Brook Church where I had gone 4- 5 times on holidays over the past few years. I asked my family to come but they were busy or did not want to. I didn't have any Christain friends, but I put the offer out there anyway and they declined. I kept using excuses about not wanting to go alone, but that voice inside of me did not go away. 

     Saturday came and I went to church. The worship service was outstanding and the message could not have been more relevant to my life. After the service I went to Information Central to ask about volunteering. The man working told me there was a volunteer meeting upstairs in ten minutes. He walked me around the campus and brought me upstairs to the meeting. I signed up to volunteer in Kid- O- Deo and couldn't have been more excited about it. 

     I have been at Eagle Brook for a year now. I believe God led me there and I am glad he did because going back to church changed my life. The Holy Spirit has been working through me this last year. I would have never talked so openly to nonbelievers about my faith, gone to church alone, or joined a small group. God is using me and he put me at Eagle Brook Church for a reason. I don't know what he has in store for me, but I am excited to find out. This has been the best year of my life; I have learned more about Jesus than I ever knew, I am closer to him than ever before, and I see him working in my life and how he is using me to work in others lives.

Yesterday's Facebook Status: "One year ago today I went to church for the first time in years. All it took was one service for me to call Eagle Brook Church "home." This year I attended every weekend, volunteered in Kid-O-Deo, and joined a small group. The best part is, I have loved every single minute of it!"

10 Favorite EBC Videos:

- EBC Lino Lakes iBAND http://vimeo.com/33978858

- Spring Break Weekend http://vimeo.com/38846985

- Don't Stop Believin' http://vimeo.com/29063125

- Born is the King (It's Christmas) http://vimeo.com/34258530

- Sync or Swim (Counterintuitve Series) http://vimeo.com/39424231

- Raising Amazing Kids Promo http://vimeo.com/36289826

- I've Had It http://vimeo.com/28525759

- A Year in Review http://vimeo.com/28927776

- EBC in 63 http://vimeo.com/28359253

10 Favorite Memories at EBC:

- Worship with my Small Group

- Global Leadership Summit

- What's the Difference Message Series

- Power Pack Backpack Drive

- Easter Service

- Volunteering in Kid- O- Deo (Large group/ Kid-O-Whampus!)

- Serving as a Baptism Volunteer

- Connect Groups

- Matt Berry singing Matt Kearney's songs during Worship

- Oshae and Mary interview- You can read their story here: http://www.fromdeathtolife.us/home.html

Here's to another terrific year at Eagle Brook Church!

When Life's Not Working Part 1

Today I watched a message from Bob Merritt at Eagle Brook Church. It is a two part message that has to do with his new (now year old) book, "When Life's Not Working."

Link you'll need to watch the message:

http://www.eaglebrookchurch.com/pages/page.asp?page_id=168220&programId=87607

Bible Verses:

Isaiah 61:3 "Beauty from ashes, gladness from despair." 

James 3:2 "We all stumble in many ways."

James 4:10 "Humble yourselves before the Lord and he will lift you up."

Ephesians 4:26 "In your anger, don't sin."

2 Thessalonians 3:11-13 "... I command you to get to work and never get tired of doing good." 

Proverbs 27:6 "Faithful are the wounds of a friend."

Colossians 3:13 Paul said, "Learn to overlook each others faults, and forgive the person who offends you." 

Signs your life is not working:

1. There's a PATTERN of RELATIONAL failure. 

2. There's a lack of PURPOSE or PROGRESS in your life.

3. There's a desire to ESCAPE your REALITY.

What do you need to do? 

Do what Jim Collins says, FACE the BRUTAL FACTS.

Question to think about: Is there anything you are trying to accomplish of worth or work towards that's worthwhile?

Challenge throughout the next week:

How honest are you being with the brutal facts? How would you grade yourself in these 4 areas? 

Eagle Brook Church

I'll elaborate more later, but here's the e-mail I just wrote to Eagle Brook Church:

I've been asking a friend to come to Eagle Brook Church with me for at least 9 months. Early Sunday morning we were texting and she said she didn't have to work. I debated asking her if she wanted to go to Eagle Brook. I already went Saturday night and she always says no, but I felt I really needed to ask her one more time. I did and much to my surprise she said yes. If we were going to make the 9 service I needed to get going, we have a 45 minute drive on a good day. She walked in and loved the atmosphere. She could not believe there was a bookstore and a cafe. "Are you serious? You can drink coffee in church?!" We sat up front and she thought the band was great. Then she heard the message and she's been struggling a lot the past five years- She had two miscarriages, got divorced, and basically started her life over with new friends, living on her own, and going back to school. She was in tears over the message and wants to go back next week! I'm glad I didn't stop asking her to come- God was preparing her heart this whole time! Thanks Eagle Brook for encouraging your regular attenders to keep inviting people, it's so easy to get discouraged I really needed that extra push. Thank you for creating an atmosphere where people who haven't been to church in almost 20 years will feel welcome and be able to relate to the message. I grew up Catholic, but fell away during college and finding Eagle Brook was the best thing that has even happened to me. Eagle Brook has changed my life for the better and I can't wait to see how God, Eagle Brook and their messages will work through her. Thanks for all you guys do, we truly appreciate it!!

I also want to add a classmate from my grade school checked out EBC this past weekend and she loved it! She's already talking about volunteering and joining a small group! I'm always amazed at what happens at EBC every weekend! I love watching and hear stories about how God works through people and his church. Keep doing what you're doing Eagle Brook!

Love you all and God bless,

Liz

Eagle Brook Church

If you are looking for a church and live in Minnesota I strongly suggest checking out Eagle Brook. The church has five locations: Lino Lakes, White Bear Lake, Spring Lake Park, Blaine, and Woodbury. Their motto is real and relevant and their messages hit home every weekend. It's a church where you want to go to church! Try church again, I can guarantee you won't be disappointed.

Family Matters

My Story featuring Vicki in Eagle Brook Church's Annual Magazine, CANVAS.
**Click to make picture bigger**

When Life's Not Working

The other night I started reading, "When Life's Not Working" by my pastor, Bob Merritt. I cannot put the book down, it's right on! Bob has a gift of being able to make all messages at church real and relevant and his book is just the same. I've been taking notes as I read and here's a few things I have written down:

- "If life's not working as you had hoped, take charge of your life, get on a different path, and watch how God puts the pieces back together." I love this quote, exactly what happened to me about 7 months ago.

- "Discipline is the basic set of tools we require to solve life's problems. Without discipline we can solve nothing. With only some discipline we can only solve some problems. With total discipline we can solve all problems."

- (Discipline) "It's having a goal, rolling up your sleeves, and doing what's necessary to achieve it, believing that all the handwork and sacrifice upfront will pay off somewhere down the road."

- "You want to measure how much you love God, look at how much you love, care about, and are considerate of others. If you couldn't care less about others- if you're not considerate and generous toward others- that's a sign that God's love has not fully penetrated your heart."

- "When we are disobedient, it's usually God's protective presence that we forfeit, and that makes us vulnerable to attacks, loss, and failure.

- "Setbacks and deficits are opportunities to display God's power and to build our faith."

- "God is wiser, more powerful, and more willing than any therapist, book, saying, or person, and he will do for you what you cannot do by yourself, if you'll just go to him and ask."

- "God waits for and responds to his children who come to him in prayer. It's not automatic. God's timing isn't always our timing."

- "Sometimes all you can do is get through one more day, then another, and another after that, believing that God is teaching you, strengthening you, and doing something in you that will make you more complete. It might take you 8 weeks or 8 years. But often the only difference between those who succeed and those who don't is flat out perseverance and giving it just one more day."

After wandering the bookstore at church I came up with a list of other books I'd like to read:

- Boundaries in Dating, Dr. Henry Cloud. Bob is always referring to Henry Cloud so I am interested in reading many of his books.

- Prayer Coach by James I. Nicodem

- Redefining My Life (Apparently didn't write down the author)

- To Save a Life by Britts

- They Like Jesus, but not the Church by Dan Kimball

- Letter's of a Skeptic by Dr. Gregory A. Boyd

Back in September I bought, Heaven is for Real by Todd Burpo. I haven't finished this book yet, but what I've read it great! It's about a 4 year old boy- Colton who told his parents he left his body during the emergency appendectomy- and authenticated that claim by describing exactly what his parents were doing in another part of the hospital while he was in surgery. He talks about visiting heaven and sharing events that happened before he was born.

2012

Instead of a New Year's Resolution, I wrote a list of things I would like to do in 2012. Most of these revolve around my faith and Eagle Brook Church. 2012 is the year I am going to grow in my faith with Christ. After the Christmas Eve service at church I started thinking about becoming an Early Childhood Pastor. I have wanted to be a pastor for years, but I was raised Catholic and my dad said only guys can do that. Not true at Eagle Brook! I've been praying about that, but well see where God leads me. So I digress, here's a part of the list: 

Holidazzle (Actually be in it)

Pass the MTLE basic skills test

Get involved with the 20's & 30's group at church 

Feed My Starving Children

Pass the two science classes I need with labs
Finish the MN Transfer Curriculum
Read the New Testament

Volunteer at Revolution as a small group leader

Be a Roller Girl at Jon's book signing

Join a Small Group

Be baptized at Eagle Brook

Mission Trip with Eagle Brook Church

3 Day Breast Cancer Walk