Newsletter

For we are God's creative work, having been created in Christ Jesus for good works that God prepared beforehand so we can do them.

-Ephesians 2:10

It's that time of year again: Guilt Season.

The process starts with resolutions; those commitments we make to be a better version of ourselves in the year to come. For the past two months the cultural message has been buy all the presents even if you need to borrow, eat all the food, go to all the parties, and bake all the holiday cookies. But now the calendar has flipped, and the message has too. Now we need to eat better, lose weight, stop smoking and drinking, get a better job, get organized, get smart with money, floss, and learn another language. 

Studies show that most of these resolutions will be "broken" within 45 days of the New Year. I imagine that has something to do with the fact that many people resolve to give up chocolate, alcohol, eating out, and overspending, and the 45th day of the year is Valentine's Day. But whatever the reason, over the next month and a half many people will make resolutions, not follow through on them, then feel the guilt of having "failed."

There's nothing wrong with resolutions. Setting intentions for self care and self improvement is a positive thing, and sometimes our efforts bear fruit. The problem comes when we place negative moral value on the attempts which come up short, and the guilt which accompanies our perceived failures.

If you've fallen into the cycle of resolution, guilt, and feelings of failure, let me just offer this: Attempts at self-improvement may not always be successful, but they can never truly be called failures. You made an effort. Maybe it didn't get the results you wanted. Maybe you didn't follow through with the level of commitment and discipline you'd intended. But you gave it a try, and that should be a cause for celebration, not guilt. 

So go for it. Make resolutions. Make them big and bold and borderline impossible if that's what motivates you. Or make them simple and achievable if that's what works. If you accomplish your goal, celebrate the achievement. If you come up short, celebrate the experience. If you decide it's not for you,  give it up and celebrate the self-discovery. Don't let the season of guilt get in the way of your own journey of self care and personal growth.

Blessings,

Pastor Shea

It’s been a few years since I’ve had my hair cut. My hair is getting to the length that makes me frustrated. It’s too long for me to have cute up-dos, but not long enough for me to do anything creative with my hair. Not that I have the patience to do anything creative to my hair, but it’s always a nice thought in the back of my mind that maybe I’ll do something snazzy and surprise my husband, which he might not even notice anyways. So, in my eyes, I am extremely overdue for a haircut. My daughter has never gotten her haircut before, and surprisingly she has asked if we can cut her hair as well. She’s 9 years old and has never had her hair cut, so this is a big step for her. She has talked about donating her hair once it is cut, and I support her in this idea. When did my little girl start having such big people ideas? I am very proud of her decision. 

As a parent, there have been certain situations that my kids have been put into, where I have to sit on the sidelines and watch which path they are going to take. If it’s a wrong path, of course I am there to correct it, but mostly, I’m hoping that they continue to be good people in this world. I know God has watched over me with certain situations I’ve been put into, and when I’ve taken the wrong path, He's always found a way to get me back where I need to be. These past few months, I’ve felt like God has been watching me constantly. I’ve struggled to continue to do the right thing, but that’s when He goes to work. As I struggle, I’ve had people randomly call me to talk, I’ve been checked on while I try to submerse myself into work, and I’ve been hugged and shown love when I’ve been stand offish. I was given amazing advice and pointed in the direction of happiness and love. I knew that my struggle wasn’t just mine, because God was right there, proud of my decisions and making sure I had everyone’s support. I only hope that if someone is out there struggling with something in their life, to know, God will bring you love and support, and I’m proud of you too.

 Ted has arrived in North Carolina and delivered everything our community gathered to help provide relief to hurricane victims. Please watch the videos below to see the positive impact these gifts are already having on hurting communities. Thank you so much to everyone who made contributions toward this important relief effort - our town can accomplish great things when we work together toward a common cause!