March 22, 2024, 2:00 PM
Greetings in Christ!
I hope and pray everyone is having a great week.
Across the United States during the month of March, exciting basketball tournaments get in full swing.
BTW: How are your NCAA Tournament bracket predictions doing? FYI: My bracket is pretty much shot after one day.
WHY? A big reason is my two favorite teams took losses yesterday. In the late afternoon, my alma mater - Morehead State - failed to pull off an upset over highly-favored Illinois.
In the evening, my Kentucky Wildcats stumbled to an underdog team - Oakland University of Michigan. It was not a fun day of hoops for me!
While I enjoy the tournaments as a fan, I am thankful that our REAL HOPE is not riding on these basketball games.
Basketball is not the only exciting thing that is taking place this March. God's work is on the move here at FCC!
Last week, many colleges were on Spring Break. I told some of the international students that we have been ministering to that I would try and do something with them during their week off from school.
Our worship leader Rafaelito Fraden and I took 7 students hiking at Natural Bridge on Thursday, March 14. It reached 70 degrees and it was a great day!
Here's something I found interesting: of the 7 students that went on the trip, 5 countries were represented: Ivory Coast, Ghana, South Africa, India and Indonesia.
I had a ton of "church" and "personal" things to do, but I am so glad I was able to spend some time with these wonderful young people.
I had just read an article that same week from Thom Rainer's group. In the article, a retired minister of over 40 years wrote about the things he'd do differently. In fact, one of the things he listed was, "INVEST more TIME in the LIVES of COLLEGE STUDENTS." Wow! Thank you, Lord, for this wonderful opportunity!
Most of these students came here last July as part of a 10-month leadership program through the Bluegrass Community and Technical College.
The kids will leave our nest here in Lexington in mid-May and go back home.
As I 've gotten to know the kids more, I've learned about their ambitions, goals, and dreams. I firmly believe these kids will most likely be people of influence back in their native countries.
Therefore, I pray that we can make a positive influence for Christ in their lives.
Let us all try and make the most of time with them before it's gone!
Another development with a missions angle involves our own Walker & Jessica Lowe.
After much prayer, Walker and Jessica have decided to pursue ministry with an organization called YWAM (Youth With A Mission) in Juarez, Mexico.
The Lowe family could be leaving us as early as May.
I hate to see them leave, but I want them to be able to serve the Lord as they see Him calling them.
Let us all keep them all (Walker, Jessica & little Uriah) in prayer as God continues to guide them in this next chapter of their lives.
Finally, I am super excited to be a part of a new men's group that started last Sunday (03.17.24) here at FCC.
This special elite group is known as The KING's MEN of VALOR.
Over the next few weeks, the group will be looking at CHARACTERISTICS and QUALITIES outlined and listed by the Apostle Paul in his letters to his younger male friends, Timothy and Titus.
A good portion of our study material comes from the New Testament books of 1 & 2 Timothy and Titus as well as from a book called "The Measure of a Man" by Gene A. Getz.
We had 10 men present for the first meeting. There is room for more. This is an open invitation to all men inside or outside of the church.
We'll be meeting again this Sunday at 5 pm in the FCC Fellowship Hall.
Hope to see you on Sunday at FCC! It will be Palm Sunday. That means we're only about a week away from Easter!
God Bless,
Greg H
