Blessed Mourning?

Blessed Mourners?

Have you ever lost something really important to you... a person... a dream... your integrity... sight... motivation... hope... years... how about your faith? Have you taken the time to grieve that loss?

Jesus has this to say about that "Blessed are those who mourn for they shall be comforted." Blessed mourning? Isn't that an oxymoron? A paradox? A bunch of bull-ogne?? The word blessed here means "possessing an inward contentedness and joy that is not affected by physical circumstances." When mourning a loss takes place in the awareness of God's presence, that blessing will come because honesty is there. When we stop trying to sugarcoat it, wax it over or give it a shiny veneer and give God the cold, hard, painful truth-- comfort will come-- again and again!

Take the time to tell God how you feel about the circumstance, yourself, others and Him! Tell Him how you are handling the truth you are facing, the fears associated with that truth. Take the time to pour out your heart like water and tell Him what has happened in the past, present and future because of your loss ... and then let Him comfort you like nobody else can.

We have lost many things in this life, including the most important commodity- people. The comfort of God has come each and every time. We have been brutally honest with God and He has been brutally honest with us. The blessing of mourning has awakened us to the presence and comfort of the God who blesses us and calls us blessed.

You have turned my mourning into dancing for me; You have put off my sackcloth and girded me with gladness. Psalm 30:11

Blessed Mourners,




Where and how to begin the process of mourning and being comforted...
Get alone or get with a trusted spiritual friend or counselor
Bring your Bible, journal, pen and kleenex (for liquid communication :)
Tell the truth and awaken to God's presence
Scriptures for meditation before during and after prayer...

Psalm 94:17-19, 22 Psalm 25:15-17 Psalm 23:4 Psalm 31:7 Psalm 30:11 Psalm 31:24 Psalm 34:18 Psalm 119:50 Matthew 5:4

A book that has truly helped us: A Grace Disguised by Jerry Sittser.

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of sympathy (pity and mercy) and the God [Who is the Source] of every comfort (consolation and encouragement), Who comforts (consoles and encourages) us in every trouble (calamity and affliction), so that we may also be able to comfort (console and encourage) those who are in any kind of trouble or distress, with the comfort (consolation and encouragement) with which we ourselves are comforted (consoled and encouraged) by God. 2 Corinthians 1:3-4

Don't miss this week! Just Be It continues...

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From Nursery through Adult, CCM has something for everyone in your family on Wednesday nights beginning September 30th.

At the end of your rope? Always!

You're blessed when you're at the end of your rope. With less of you there is more of God and his rule.

Matthew 5:3 MSG

"When you reach the end of your rope, tie a knot in it and hang on." Thomas Jefferson, Abe Lincoln and Franklin D. Roosevelt were all credited with this quotation. All 3 men were historical rope-hangers who didn't give up during important times. Then there were times that didn't seem historical or important. How did they hang on then?

The message Jesus gave with "You're blessed when you're at the end of your rope. With less of you there is more of God and His rule" should get our attention. There is something that trumps human tenacity... and that, my friends, is humility. When we are at the end of our human capacity to hang on and will allow our desperate need for God to come alive... we experience God's blessing-- His presence.

True humility recognizes that we are at the limit of our human capabilities every moment of every day. There is always more we need even if we are endurance professionals, tenacious award winners, unshakable, unyielding, insistent, stubborn heroes. We will always come to the end of our human strength and need God to do what only He can do. So why wait until your hands are rope burned and bloody? Be blessed-- humble yourself. Humbling ourselves lessens our self-centeredness and makes room for God's power. Humble yourself-- in the presence of God and be welcomed into His house-- His kingdom, and experience true blessing!

We pray this prayer...

God teach me to see myself as always at the end of my rope. I always need more than I am able to produce, achieve, become, fix, understand, heal... I always need You. I humble myself before You right now........................................(listen). Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed am I. Amen.

Humbling ourselves,

Scott and Clare

Don't miss the upcoming series"Just Be It". An experience and study in the Beatitudes.

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From Nursery through Adult, CCM has something for everyone in your family on Wednesday nights beginning September 30th.

Do or Done?

Ephesians 1:6 To the praise of the glory of his grace,where in he hath made us accepted in the beloved.

So, we've been talking... all world religions are all spelled the same way "d-o" -- do ...but Christianity is spelled "d-o-n-e" -- done. Religion teaches that your effort makes you good and your goodness gets you acceptance. Relationship with Christ made you accepted in the beloved... it's already done! Do you remember the words from Heaven when Jesus was baptized? "This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased." Then Paul tells us in the book of Ephesians that we have been accepted in Christ-the Beloved One.

Before you "do" a single thing today, you are accepted and loved. Our pop-culture has made it abundantly clear that you matter as a human-doing rather than a human-being. That mindset is why we can euthanize the old, abort the young, marginalize certain cultural groups, and disregard the poor... those that can't "do" anything for us (a topic for another eletter). Many of us have only had the experience of being accepted when we are able to "do" what's expected, impressive, or good enough, and yet the love of God has nothing to do with what you do!

This is so important. Our pastor (David Loveless) has coached us in the E3 process of living in a thriving life with Christ ... Evaluate, Embrace, and Engage... and we have been sharing that with you (click here to watch messages). Woven throughout these teachings is the profound mystery of being accepted in the beloved. This week we are going to teach you ways to Engage in your next steps to live in a growing, thriving, deeply satisfying relationship with God. Before we can even think about bringing our human effort to the journey, we have to get this: "you are already accepted and loved." Then, any effort you bring is brought out of love and desire for God and not duty or vain "doings".

Done,

Scott & Clare

*Things to do to grow and support what's already been done*

Nursery & Pre K

AWANA (K-4th)

Students (5th & 6th, 7th & 8th, 9th -12th)

Rick Warren's
Core Classes

James Bible Study

John Bible Study

Dave Ramsey's
Financial Peace University

Spiritual Direction Group

Women's Life Group

Happy, Fortunate, Envied!

Psalm 119:2 Blessed (happy, fortunate, to be envied) are they who keep His testimonies, and who seek, inquire for and of Him and CRAVE Him with the whole heart.

Blessed, happy, fortunate... to be envied? Are you blessed like that? How do you land a blessing like that? It's the crave factor! How is your appetite for God? Is He the leftovers you know you shouldn't waste... so you eat it? Or the meal you can't wait to experience every last bite and wish you could eat like that all the time? What are your cravings like? Ever notice pregnant women's cravings? They have to have what they're craving and somebody better help them get it! Do you think craving's have anything to do with a blessed new life coming? It might! One thing we know from this scripture, the blessed life has to do with your seeking, inquiring and craving... so let us help you. This Sunday: Baptism and Picnic! This Fall: Midweek Experience! ...ways to get you craving ...and ultimately blessed with new life.

Scott & Clare

All-Church Picnic & Baptism Service Don't miss this incredible celebration at Kenyon Lake. Register at the Information Booth or online. Bring meat to grill, a dish to pass, beverages, your own table service and lawn chairs.

Midweek Experience Begins September 30 Every Wednesday CCM has experiences for the entire family. From Nursery, AWANA (K-4), Route 56, Route 78, Cross+Culture (High School) through multiple adult classes, we're loaded with many opportunities for you to grow. Click for more details.

September 6 & 13 Drop by CCM on Sunday mornings for a compelling 2 week study on E3 - Evaluate, Embrace, Engage. Click here to view this week's message.