Thank You

I just want to take a minute to thank you all for the amazing Missions Weekend we had last weekend, it was a huge success and we could not have done it without you!

Thank you for being brave! We have heard so many great stories of people getting connected, saying yes, and stepping out to do the next thing Jesus is calling them to do. It’s so encouraging to hear about the new ways people are GO-ing in to their communities to love people well!

Thank you, Crossroads, for your hospitality. We have heard so many great things from our ministry partners about how welcoming and warm our community is here.  Here is a snip-it of what’s being said:

“I was so overwhelmed by the kindness, love and compassion that I experienced…. Words could never express the hope ignited in me that God’s people are interested in serving and being an answer to prayer!!” 

“The prayers, love, and support of churches like Crossroads are what enables our resident’s transformation into self-sufficient, abuse-free, God-centered women. Thanks for being with us, in this, and making a difference! ” 

Thank you for making our visitors feel welcome, for investing in their missions, and for allowing them a place to share with your their passion for God’s people.

Thank you for your help. Missions Weekend is something we plan all year for, and pulling it off is no small task. We couldn’t do with without the help of our amazing volunteers. You show up and do whatever needs to be done. I love working with you! Thank you for all you’ve done to make this weekend a success! We love and appreciate our volunteers so much!

I’m feeling especially grateful to be a part of this movement of Jesus-like people doing Jesus like stuff.

Lisa Adams
Director of Missions and Care 

Whining

We got a dog this summer. Watson. He’s super cute and well behaved. He rarely barks and he loves us, kids, and other dogs.  BUT (you knew there had to do be one) he whines.  Of all the things that are potential issues, this would be the one my dog has.  As I’m writing this, he is whining.  When he isn’t getting what he wants, he whines. He whines because he’s sad, when people leave, or he wants to go outside.  When he is playing with his toy, he whines because he’s happy.  For. The. Love.

Watson reminds me of how God must feel when we complain and whine. We live in the wealthiest country in the world.  We live in freedom.  We have 24/7 access to the Bible.  We have a public education system where we received an education and learned to read. 80% of the world lives on less than $10.00 per day.  My life should overflow with gratitude and joy, especially considering that I spend $70 a week in gas alone and I have 3 Bibles within eyesight of where I’m sitting right now.  There should not be a whine coming out of my mouth.  And yet, if I’m being honest with you, I have found myself whining these past couple of weeks; forgetting the abundance in my life and focusing on the areas where I feel like I’m missing out and things aren’t fair.  Do you ever find yourself whining when you should really be grateful?  For. The. Love.

Thankfully, God’s patient and forgiving and he’s given us people like Richard Stearns (President, World Vision U.S.) who can help us reset our posture from whining to thankfulness. Richard reminds us that we are needed to help build God’s kingdom. Our time, money and resources are the very things that can change someone’s world. Richard will be joining us live at our Woodbury Campus Saturday, October 18th at 4:15pm, and Sunday, October 19th at both 9:15am and 11:15am. He will be speaking about our response to those who live in the margins and World Vision’s work happening in the Congo alongside Covenant Kids Congo.

Don’t forget! We are offering a Health care Directive Seminar on Saturday, October 11, 9:00-11:00 am at the Woodbury Campus. A Health Care Directive, formally known a living will, is a written document allowing you to name who would be in charge of your health care in the event you’re not able to advocate for yourself.  At this seminar, we will help address your fears, beliefs and other important values in regards to your health. Child care is now closed, but you can still register by clicking HERE to attend without your kids.

Let’s find time this week to be thankful for all that we have and pray about ways that we can help in our community and/or abroad. Join us this weekend for the final week of The Starting Point: A Journey Through Genesis. It’ll going to be a great weekend!

Lisa Adams
Director of Missions and Care

Labor Day

For many of us, this weekend is the last hurrah before schedules tighten up, bedtimes get earlier, and we brace ourselves for the influx of papers and homework! I’ve always loved the back to school buzz and I still get excited to shop for school supplies and pick the first day outfit.  I love the excitement of change and something new getting started, which is why I also love our fall season in the church. People start attending more regularly and we kick off Small Groups, Youth Ministry, Family Faith Nights, and our Missions Catalog and Weekend!

But I would be remiss if I didn’t pause and spend some time in gratitude. Here are the top 3 things that I am thankful for this Labor Day weekend:

1. I’m thankful that my kids are able to go to school.  Around 125 million children do not get to go to school.  My children are able to not only get a great education, they do so without living in fear of violence.
2. I’m thankful that we have a home with running water and plumbing. 783 million people do not have access to clean water and almost 2.5 billion do not have access to adequate sanitation. We are able to shower, make food, clean dishes and wash clothes all within the comforts of our home and without fear of getting sick.
3. I’m thankful that this Labor Day, my husband and I are both employed and we really enjoy our jobs.   We get paid, we get benefits, and we get time off.   In the world, 29.8 million people are slaves; men, women and children are forced to work, sell their bodies, fight wars, and be sold as property.   We are free to choose our careers and the path we take to get there.

I don’t want to take these sort of things for granted when so much of the world doesn’t even begin to know what freedom looks like. I would encourage you to take some time to be grateful this weekend with your loved ones.  And if you have some school agers in the house, here’s a great conversation to have with them before Tuesday!

Lisa Adams,
Director of Missions and Care