Can you imagine a better future?

Ephesians 3:20 says, "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."

This being the Year of Aggressive Faith, let's start asking and thinking of BIG things!

Sam Masteller showed us one way to get started on this on his website, freedomlife.tv.  He writes, "If you'll give me 10 minutes a day for the next 7 days, I will help you get started in planning the next 10 years of your life!" Read that first post, and I'm sure you'll be hooked! I'd like to challenge you all to go through the 10 for 10 challenge!  

Update from Pastor Gerry

The Year of Aggressive Faith is Heating up in every way!

For example, 10 new church are burgeoning out of our Padre Las Casa, Dominican Republic trips! This is a very exciting development. God is sending us 10 sponsors at $200 monthly to help get them started. You and your family still have time to get in if you want.

And our building project is once again ready to move! Today I got a verbal confirmation that our bond has been approved! As soon as we get it in writing, we go to the township to get the actual building permit!! Then we move dirt, add lumber and steel, and watch our Therapeutic Learning Center get built! This church has a sweet spirit for so enthusiastically bearing the burdens of those with mobility challenges, and we are getting new, world-renowned-quality-tools to do it.

And you will have opportunity to leave your own permanent mark on the parking lots, buildings, and exciting new greens areas of this church. Stay tuned for these exciting plans as well!

Most importantly, a LOT of you are regularly bringing friends to church, and sharing your faith! Our new Alpha class for new or pre-believers has over 50 people registered (the goal was 40!) and we are constantly being asked when the next baptism is! God is definitely teaching us how to connect our friends and neighbors to Jesus better than ever before, and we are growing! We are in great need of more children's ministry helpers, and more musicians because of all God is doing to expand us.

And there is more! This week we got our outstanding mortgage refinanced for 2% less interest, saving us $20,000 per year! We are just starting the process of negotiating with the man across the street for 22 acres over there. God willing, one day (5-10? years) we just might be able to move across the street with a much bigger, more functional campus.

Our new church (sites) are doing wonderfully and there are about 4 new ones being planned!

It's only February! This is going to be our most exciting year ever!

Gerry

It's "Show Your Love" weekend at Freedom Valley!
Don't miss all the fun ways you can show love!

May the Lord make your love increase and overflow for each other and for everyone else, just as ours does for you. (Thessalonians 3:12)

• Chocolate fountain! Bring some goodies to dip and share!
• Pictures in the lobby for couples, friends, or families.
• Kids Ministry party & Face Painting!
• Couples Date Night (Friday night - see Wendy Kadish for more details)

Come for any of our three services:

• Saturday 6:30pm (dinner starts at 5:30)
• Sunday 9:15am
• Sunday 11:15am

Most importantly, bring your friends! Give them an opportunity to experience the greatest love of all, the love of Jesus! There are invitations that you can pick up at Freedom Valley anytime.

Have you ever tried to talk to someone about God and they totally shut you down?  Or you poured and poured into someone, and then seem interested, but then never follow through?  It can be frustrating, especially if it's a family member or loved one.  Sometimes we just want to make the choice for someone, or force them to believe!

Jeff Deitrich shared with us in chapel this morning (which you-all are welcome to come to any Tuesday morning at 9am), John 1:19-23:


The Testimony of John the Baptist


19 This was John's testimony when the Jewish leaders sent priests and Temple assistants from Jerusalem to ask John, "Who are you?" 20 He came right out and said, "I am not the Messiah."
21 "Well then, who are you?" they asked. "Are you Elijah?"
"No," he replied.
"Are you the Prophet we are expecting?"
"No."
22 "Then who are you? We need an answer for those who sent us. What do you have to say about yourself?"
23 John replied in the words of the prophet Isaiah:
"I am a voice shouting in the wilderness,
    'Clear the way for the LORD's coming!"'


One thing he said that really connected with me was, John the Baptist recognized who he was. He knew he wasn't supposed to BE the Messiah, he was supposed to clear the way for the Messiah! Jeff said, "You are not here to do God's job. You are to prepare the way for him. God does the inside work." He quoted the old adage, "You can bring a horse to water, but you can't make him drink."


It is the job of each and every one of us to prepare the way for people to come to Jesus. We do the leg-work, Jesus does the heart-work! We need to remember to cover our efforts in prayer, that God would work through us and in the hearts of those we're trying to reach.  For each of us, our efforts could look very different! Each one of us has different gifts and talents, and we use them in very different ways, but with the same goal.  So what's your mission?  What's your passion? And how are you going to use it to prepare the way for Jesus?

If you're in need of some encouragement this week, go check out Jenn Vintigni's blog to read about her experience in the DR last week!   

Hello Freedom Valley!  I hope you are all doing well this week, and believing God for BIG things! Come share your stories with us on the Facebook page!

As you live out your Year of Aggressive Faith, keep these opportunities in mind! We'd love to have you come share your journey with us!

• This weekend, Saturday, February 4th after service and Sunday the 5th, after the 11:15, we're having Baptism at Freedom Valley! If you have recently committed your life to Jesus and haven't made that public declaration of faith yet, invite your family and friends out to service this week and come get baptized! We'd love to celebrate that step of faith with you! 
• Our Alpha Class starts Saturday, February 11th, during service!  We need 6-8 mature believers (if you've been a believer for 10 years or so) to be table hosts, and LOTS of people to attend the class!  If you would like to be encouraged in your faith, looking for a way to go deeper with God, or if you aren't sure if you believe yet, this is a great place for you to get plugged in! 
• February 11th & 12th is a BIG DAY at Freedom Valley! This is an opportunity for you to invite your friends and family! We'll be starting our series 5 Relationship Killers, and celebrating LOVE! All kinds of love! We're calling it "Show Your Love" weekend, and we'll be celebrating with photos in the lobby, a chocolate fountain (bring yummy stuff to dip in it!), and a Kids Ministry party! Like Pastor Gerry said in the video this weekend, if you'd like to "heal, grow in the Lord, and become the person with a powerful future you always wanted to be," nothing helps you do that faster, than sharing your faith with others!  And it is what the Year of Aggressive Faith is about after all!

Remember our theme verse for the year: "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." Ephesians 3:20