Whenever we start a new relationship (romantic or otherwise), we never commit to it believing that we’ll one day reject it or those commitments. Instead, if they do fail, it’s because we tend to drift away from what truly captured us in those first moments. And the same is true of our faith, if we’re not careful.

#Seven #TheSleepyChurch #Sardis

Do you feel seen? It’s a question that can have huge impact on how we view ourselves and how we engage with our world. Are we seen when we do well? When we mess up? Does anyone care or does it even make a difference? Because justice is real, the answer is yes. And it can powerfully remake how we live.

#Seven #MarriedToCompromise #Thyatira

Though we all face troubles in this life, few of us in America face the kind of brutal persecution that early Jesus-followers did. They faced torture, imprisonment, and death. And yet so very many refused to deny Jesus. But even then, even for them, it was an easy sidestep into believing things that didn’t align with the Jesus who saved them and loved them. How much easier is it for us today, when we face comfort rather than calamity?

#Seven #Heresy #Pergamum

One of the biggest questions that humanity wrestles with is the notion of why there is suffering. And right along with it is the question of what to do when we suffer. But the reality underneath it is that we ALL do suffer. Engaging that reality can be weighty, but there is a hope that overshadows the darkest of shadows.

#Seven #Suffering #Smyrna

Most of us can remember a time when we were REALLY in love. And most of us can remember what it feels like to fall OUT of love, too. While this might be common in many relationships, it is never a good thing when we lose that love we first had with a person we’ve committed ourselves to … and that holds true for churches too.

#Seven #FirstLoveLost #Ephesus

There are countless movies, books, television shows, musicals, and about every other art form imaginable that deal with the idea of love, in one way or another. But when it comes down to it, what is love REALLY? Is it an emotion? A series of actions? A set of behaviors or commitments? The Bible talks about love from its beginning to its end. So how we answer the question, "What is love?" is one of the most important things we can discover.

#SummerLove #TheGreatestLove #LoveAlwaysCosts

Because loving our spouses can be difficult, it can be easy to, well … give up. And like we’ve talked about before, there are times when God allows for that because of the broken covenant of marriage. However, too often, we’re tempted to toss in the towel too early. Because here’s the truth: if love is love, then love does endure.*

#SummerLove #LovingAin’tEasy #LoveEndures #LoveDoesntGiveUpEasily

* It is very important to us as a church family to clarify - if you are in an abusive relationship of any kind, we’re not indicating in any way that you should simply ignore it and stay. Your safety and security (physical, emotional, relational, and spiritual) are of primary concern for us. If you are in a situation like this, please reach out to us so that we can support you and get you connected to the help that is available.

If someone were to say, “I hope my marriage will last,” you’d probably think that person was facing some relationship problems. But what if the idea had a different sense of hope in marriage - the sense that our love will paint a glorious future and create anticipation of unending good? That’s the kind of hope that’s worth hoping for!

#SummerLove #LovingAin’tEasy #LoveHopes #LoveCreatesGreatExpectations #LoveMotivatesUsForward

One of the things that virtually every wedding includes are vows - things promised to one another between the two people getting married that they agree to live by - to be faithful with. But what does it mean that love is faithful - that it BELIEVES. And what is supposed to be our response when someone behaves UNFAITHFULLY in a marriage?

#SummerLove #LovingAin’tEasy #LoveBelieves #LoveGivesTheBenefitOfTheDoubt

Marriage isn’t always easy. In fact, it’s often flat out hard. But it can be (and should be) both good and FUN. But for that to happen, to REALLY happen, we’ll need to keep in mind some very important truths. And the first one that we’re exploring together is the notion that true love always protects the other. Even if it means that we’ll get hit by those arrows ourselves.

#SummerLove #LovingAin’tEasy? #WhatLoveBears #LoveProtects

Love is many things. And many things are NOT love. But there is something that love always lifts up - truth. This doesn’t mean that love is unfiltered or unfeeling. So much more than that, love speaks truth in a way that lifts up and breathes life into others.

#SummerLove #WhatIsLove? #WhatLoveLifts

It is fairly intuitive that if someone is really being loving, then they will lean into patience and kindness. And the Bible affirms this notion. However, it may not be as intuitive to know that there are many things that love must leave behind if it truly is patient and kind. And one of the hardest is letting go of the evil that’s been done to us.

Love is a many faceted thing ... but there are also many things that love is NOT. If we're going to truly, really love, there are things we'll need to leave behind. And it might not be as easy as you think!

What are some of the core components of love? Is it affection or duty? How about inclination or obligation? There are many things that love is, but the Bible lets us know of two things that are indispensable: patience and kindness. So what about it? Are these things that you would use to describe yourself, or do you need to evaluate what it means to be a loving person?

Love is in the air. Love is all around us. Love is something we talk about all the time ... but love is also misunderstood. It is romanticized, and it is trivialized. But love - true love, real love - really does shed light on what it means that we are to be truly human.

In a world where things can so often go wrong, it can take a special kind of discipline to remember the good. But that’s exactly what we need to do to navigate those difficult times. And it’s something God has designed us for, something we’ll spend our eternities doing … so why not start now?

It has been said - even in the midst of more opportunities for connection than ever before - we face an epidemic of loneliness, something that gnaws away at us even if we’re surrounded by people. We all need the safety, nurture, and partnership of real, authentic community if we want to grow. And it’s quite frankly exactly how God designed us to function … none of us were intended to go it alone.

Prayer is that spiritual discipline that is practiced most widely (that is, most everyone has prayed or does pray at some point in their lives) and yet most widely misunderstood. Discover that it is both more than you think it is while being less intimidating than you thought. In fact, it can be said that there can really be no spiritual life without prayer.