Hey, parents!

We made it! January 2022 is here, and God has something good planned for your family.

As you look forward to this year, we want you to know you’re not alone. We’re on this journey with you! God has called you (not the parent down the street who looks like they have it all together) to parent your children, and He has already provided everything you need to succeed in this role.

So this year, “…let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith,” Hebrews 12:1b-2a.

You. YES, YOU!

Whether it’s a friend, family member, or coworker, we all know someone who needs a relationship with Jesus. What if God wants to use YOU to reach them, right now?

Inviting someone to church can often feel intimidating, but it doesn’t have to be. Use the following tips to help you!

• Call a family member to check in with them and invite them to church. Plan to have lunch together after to catch up.
• Send a friend or co-worker an encouraging text or a link to a sermon and ask them to join you for church on Sunday.
• As a family, make cookies for a neighbor and have your kids decorate a card inviting them to church.

Let’s not miss an opportunity this year to share our faith with others. You never know the ripple effect a simple invite to church could have on the people in your life.

One of the best ways to see what God can do through you is to be brave enough to share what He’s done for you. Make a commitment to doing that this year, and watch God multiply your efforts.

Building Faith For Everyday Life

On January 23, our church will dive into Essentials, a six-week, video-based group study led by Pastor Holly. This study is meant to push us beyond simply knowing more about our faith to actually doing more through faith. And this isn’t just a word for the adults in our church — it’s a word for our teenagers, too. YTH eGroups will also be studying Essentials, so make sure both you and your teen are connected to a group so you can study the same thing at the same time. You can learn and grow in your faith together and have more to talk about around the dinner table. Win-win!

• To join a group today, visit EssentialsStudy.com.
• To keep the conversation going at home, check out our Family Conversation Cards! 

2022 Reading List

Leaders are readers, and you’re the leader of your home! 

Here are a few suggested books and devotionals to help you do things like make better decisions, create healthier mindsets, and feed your faith even in the middle of the fast-paced life of parenting.

• “Better Decisions, Fewer Regrets” (Andy Stanley) Make decisions that will help you live with fewer regrets in your finances, relationships, career, and more.
• “Called For A Purpose” (Tony Evans) In this book of daily devotions, discover the joy of living a life of purpose through Jesus.
• “Know Yourself, Know Your Money” (Rachel Cruze) Take control of your spending habits and manage your money better through a novel-based approach.
• “The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry” (John Mark Comer) Written like a casual conversation, this book will help you move beyond simply asking, “What am I doing?” and instead start asking, “Who am I becoming?”
• “Win The Day” (Mark Batterson) Set God-sized goals and create healthy habits by focusing on TODAY.
• “Beholding and Becoming: The Art of Everyday Worship” (Ruth Chou Simons) Do deliberate soul-work and see God’s love and faithfulness –– even in the midst of the mundane and messy parts of life.