Whatever weighs you down, remember that God cares for you. The Bible tells us that when are weary and worn, God will give us rest for our souls. It reminds us that even when we are downcast, we can exchange our mourning for dancing. These aren’t things we do ourselves, but what God does for us when we give Him room to meet us and minister to us.
It's October – that means it’s time to get your favorite sweaters out of storage and put them back in your regular rotation. There’s a crisp, cool breeze in the air. Football season is in full swing, the leaves are changing colors, and whether or not you’re a fan of it, pumpkin spice flavoring is everywhere. For many people, these things make Fall their favorite season.
And although we can look forward to some of our favorite cozy things that come with this season – it’s easy to feel exhausted. These past several seasons have been weighty, full of challenge, and complex. Maybe it’s getting back into the grind of school drop-offs and long hours in the office, or maybe it’s the never-ending pivots and adjustments – constantly adjusting to the changing world around us.
Whatever weighs you down, remember that God cares for you. The Bible tells us that when are weary and worn, God will give us rest for our souls. It reminds us that even when we are downcast, we can exchange our mourning for dancing. These aren't things we do ourselves, but what God does for us when we give Him room to meet us and minister to us.
Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.” (Matthew 11:28-30, MSG)
Especially if this resonates with you, I want to invite you to join us for our next sermon series, Recover Your Life, starting October 24th. In this 5-week series, we’ll focus on Matthew 11:28-30. This series will show us how to truly recover our lives by engaging in practices that will replenish and restore us.
Also – I’m very excited to invite you to be a part of our first ever conference designed to help us engage with the next generation – the Legacy Conference. This two-evening event is for you - no matter how old or young you are. Both nights start at 7 PM – get more details on our website (https://legacy.vineyardcolumbus.org/). On Wednesday, 10/13, we’ll have a night of worship together at our Cooper Road campus. It's important that we as the church take intentional time to draw away and spend time in the proximity of God. We'll be led by an amazing, multi-generational worship team - celebrating the faithfulness of God across generations!
On Thursday, we’re offering practical seminars across all of our campuses. Topics include: Anxiety, Sexuality, Resources for Single Parents, Multi-ethnic Families, Trauma-informed Mentoring, etc. These seminars are led by subject matter experts and hosted by our pastoral staff. Each seminar will help us think Christianly about a variety of questions or topics, will equip us by giving practical tools, and will leave some space for encouragement through prayer.
In this world, sometimes it can feel like you have to figure out things all by yourself... and it can be overwhelming enough to just manage your own life... let alone help the next generation flourish. But as the church, we have one another... we don't walk our journeys alone. Chose a seminar that connects with you, and join us for an enjoyable, practical evening out with others who are asking the same kinds of questions. You might even make a new friend or two.
I look forward to seeing you soon.
God Keep -
Julia