News close to home and around the world is heavy. There are so many who are hurting and grieving tragedy. Your own mind is filled with responsibilities and thoughts of people who rely on you, even if only in prayer. While feeling heavy and giving so much of yourself to all the needs, it is common to experience burn out. Often, this is because you fall into a pattern of giving of yourself instead of the overflow of God through you. This is why it’s important to know if you’re guarding your heart or not. It doesn’t mean guarding yourself against any kind of bad news or ignoring it. In fact, you can more actively step into hard situations when you’re guarding your heart in the right ways. Let’s explore how to do this.

Do you think you’re creative? Why or why not? Whether you think you are or not, you’re creative. You were made to create. It might not be in the traditional artistic ways you might be inclined to think, but creativity flows into everything you do. It could be through your work, your hobbies, relationships, etc. Why? Because the God who made you is creative and you were made in His image. Therefore, you were given His attribute of creativity. When you realize you are creative, then you need to discover there’s value in everything you create, especially when you invite God into the process.

You’ve been hurt. It’s a bold statement but I can say it with 100% certainty because everyone has. You live in a sin-filled world where people hurt others, whether intentionally or unintentionally, all the time. It’s hard when this happens. Your trust of that person diminishes. If you break communication with him or her, that’s the last memory you’ll hold of that relationship, which shapes your understanding and image of him/her. How do you restore your heart in moments like this? Is it possible to redeem that last memory?

There’s a project at Michael’s family store that I quite enjoy getting involved with the last couple years. In one particular area, I had set a record of calendars bound within an hour. Unbeknownst to me though, a threat arose! My brother-in-law had been practicing to beat my record and was inching closer to take the champion title!

Do you have a hard time remaining consistent with things, especially exercise? You push yourself to do it for a time, but then things happen (ex. getting sick, busy schedule) that causes you to stop. You get out of routine and don’t pick it back up again. Let me help you grab hold of a deeper purpose to work towards when it comes to taking care of yourself that’s lasting.

Have you heard there is brutality and beauty in the cross of Christ? Because of His sacrifice for your sin and death, you understand the brutality, but the beauty part might not make sense. How can anything beautiful come from Christ’s suffering?

People ask you to join their community for your specific needs. “Community” is everywhere. You should feel satisfied in relationships, having people see your value. Yet, perhaps you’re among the high percentage that feel relationships are superficial. You don’t feel truly understood or have your needs met, which causes loneliness, depression, anxiety, etc. Let’s look at what’s happening and how to change your situation.

You’ve seen the title of our Bible study called, Warrior in Training. – Did your heart stir when you saw it, hoping this study will help you fulfill that desire for strength and higher calling? – Or did you feel awkward, almost like an imposter at the idea of being a “Warrior of Christ?” – Maybe you were even a little frustrated at the name, Warrior, because you are close to people who serve in the military and are afraid this will devalue what they do. Let’s break through the awkwardness of the title and dig a little into what this really means.

The war is being waged in the unseen realm and you’re enlisted in the battle, whether you realize it or not. Do you know which side you’re fighting for? If you’re on Jesus’, you have the key to set captives free. Will you choose to use it?

God the Father is all-powerful and all-knowing. He is the Creator of all things. No one can ever look upon God and live because He is completely holy. So, by His abundant grace, God the Father made part of Himself physically seen by His Son, Jesus Christ, who is mysteriously the same person as Him. Together, as Father and Son, He has one more aspect of Himself – the Holy Spirit, who submits to both. In this, who is the Holy Spirit?