I'm sending you the blog earlier than I normally would. Today is my only day off of work till I don't even know when. So I'm taking advantage of the free time.
Lots of personal and behind the scenes stuff
This past Saturday we had a life group meeting for the leaders at church. Only current and potential leaders were there. I want to let you in on my personal side of this whole thing. I have been very discouraged lately and stressed out. So the week and a half before the meeting I was to the point of talking myself out of going. Marion and I had gotten invited to go to a concert with friends but work got in my way. Then Aaron sent out the info for the meeting and my first instinct when I saw the time we were supposed to be there was “I don’t even wake up that early for work.” My next thoughts were about being nervous in regards to talking to the people there. I don’t like talking to new people it is very hard for me. I will admit the meet and greet during services and for life group launches are completely nerve wracking. Being a writer I have the problem of over thinking things and playing out scenarios in my head. If you’ve ever read a fictional story of mine that’s where the fight scenes start. But anyway so I am by nature am as one person said “a profound social butterfly” meaning I don’t talk much but when I do the person implied it meant something. I’m also an introvert. I have a few close friends but I say hi but technically don’t talk a lot to people I’m not comfortable around. I nearly talked myself out of the meeting. I found myself thinking of what I would say to a discouraged life group leader because I’ve been there. All the advice I came up with I found myself having to say to myself. As a leader this is why I was discouraged doing an online group feedback is rare and I was having one of those weeks wondering why I even bothered. So I walked away from the meeting with a gift for you and me. Over the course of that Saturday and Sunday things happened. I was encouraged by Kori and Aaron and just being around other leaders. It was something we greatly needed. Then on Sunday, Noe Ortiz, David Hill, Dustin Merriman and Cathy Barfield encouraged me. Before the second service though something happened. This guy with a beard walks up to me and said “Your name’s Zac right. I’m Ruben Bautista.” He tells me for months he’s been reading the blog and how much it’s meant to him. He said he kept meaning to reply or say something but he figured he would walk up and talk to me in person. Part of the reason the Bible study blog works for me is I express stuff with written word better than face to face. Ruben however had my attention. Now I say all this because like me you need encouragement. In Acts 4:36 Barnabas is called Son of Encouragement. It’s a title all believers should have we should encourage others. See I told you I had a gift for you the reader that was given to me. We worked through a life group leader package and I asked Aaron if I could share this with all of you. It’s verses and situations to help you. It was intended for us as leaders to encourage you when problems are brought to us but I believe in putting the cookies on the bottom shelf and letting you help yourself to them. But first I need to tell you two other behind the scenes stories. Norma Cruz came up to me and asked the question I get often. She asked if I was going to start leading a life group or if I already had one. I told her for six years I had been doing an online life group. I learned that day she and one other friend thought that because it is called the Batcave blog online that all it was, was a blog about comics. So as I mowed that afternoon I thought and thought and I ended up going on Facebook and advertising the whole blog from the beginning to now, what it is and isn’t. And for the record any who decided not read it because it may have been about comics well you hurt yourself on that one because you didn’t take a chance and read it.
So my final story is about a lady named Caryn. I posted a blog about two and a half weeks ago about humility. It was one of those blogs that got so many responses it was crazy but this one lady’s email blew me away. She told me she had read the blog and she wished she had read it before a conversation she had because she would have reacted differently. Now I have said this multiple times and I had to tell her. I pray for the readers of the blog before and after posting something and I ask God to draw people closer to himself. The fact that she learned anything was all God at work. I can’t and don’t want to claim any credit for that. I showed up and said what God showed me to say.
Hebrews 10:23-25 “Let us hold tightly without wavering to the hope we affirm, for God can be trusted to keep his promise . Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works. And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near.”
Worry
Don’t worry about anything; instead pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank Him for all he has done. (Philippians 4:6-7)
Fear
Don’t be afraid, for I am with you. Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with my victorious right hand. (Isaiah 41:10)
Stress
The Lord is my shepherd; I have all that I need. He lets me rest in green meadows; He leads me beside peaceful streams. He renews my strength. He guides me along right paths, bringing honor to his name. (Psalm 23:1-3)
Weighed down
Give all your worries and cares to God, for He cares about you. (1 Peter 5:7)
Loss of a job
My God will supply all your needs from his glorious riches, which have been given to us in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:19)
Loss of a loved one
Jesus told her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Anyone who believes in me will live, even after dying.” (John 11:25)
Even when I walk through the darkest valley, I will not be afraid, for you are close beside me. Your rod and staff protect and comfort me. (Psalm 23:3-4)
Trust
Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you the path to take. (Proverbs 3:5-6)
Family
As for me and my family, we will serve the Lord. (Joshua 24:15)
God has a plan
“For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.” (Jeremiah 29:11)
God can do anything
Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think. Glory to Him in the church and in Christ Jesus through all generations forever and ever! Amen. (Ephesians 3:20-21)
God loves us
And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow- not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. (Romans 8:38)
God is with us
For God has said, “I will never fail you. I will never abandon you.” (Hebrews 13:5)
Don’t understand why
“My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts,” says the Lord. “And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine. (Isaiah 55:8)
And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them. (Romans 8:28)
Protection
The Lord keeps you from all harm and watches over your life. The Lord keeps watch over you as you come and go, both now and forever. (Psalm 127:7-8)
Hope
I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit. (Romans 15:13)
Joy
Be joyful. Grow to maturity. Encourage each other. Live in harmony and peace. Then the God of love and peace will be with you. (2 Corinthians 13:11)
Forgiveness
Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you. (Ephesians 4:32)
Conflict
What is causing the quarrels and fights among you? Don’t they come from the evil desires at war within you? You want what you don’t have, so you scheme and kill to get it. You are jealous of what others have, but you can’t get it so you fight and wage war to take it away from them. Yet you don’t have what you want because you don’t ask God for it. (James 4:1-2)
Relationships
Always be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other’s faults because of your love. (Ephesians 4:2)
Work
Work willingly at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people. (Colossians 3:23
Choices
Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good pleasing and perfect. (Romans 12:2)
Opportunities
So be careful how you live. Don’t live like fools, but like those who are wise. Make the most of every opportunity in these evil days. (Ephesians 5:15-16)
Overwhelmed
Be still in the presence of the Lord and wait patiently for him to act. (Psalm 37:7)
Success
Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the instructions Moses gave you. Do not deviate from them, turning either to the right or to the left. Then you will be successful in everything you do. Study this book of instruction continually. Meditate on it day and night so you will be sure to obey everything written in it. Only then will you prosper and succeed in all you do. (Joshua 1:7-8)
Words
Words kill, words give life; they’re either poison or fruit - you choose. (Proverbs 18:21)
Uncertainty
Commit everything you do to the Lord. Trust Him, and He will help you. (Psalm 37:5)
See now you have tools to encourage others. As teachers or life group leaders part of what we are to do is equip you.
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