Small Group - Big Results

So last night was small group night and we wrapped up our study on James! 5 week study drawn out into 9 weeks due to vacations and holidays! As we were wrapping up one of the last questions was "why is it important to pray for others?" What an awesome question that allowed us to spark conversation into looking back in the past (2) years and see the awesome things that God has done within our group and how He has answered our prayers!!

It was so refreshing to see the journey that God has taken us on! To see how God has taken our prayers and answered them no matter how big or small they seemed. All we had to do was lift them up to Him and place them in His hands. And be faithful and see them come into fruition.

We have seen things like group members receive jobs, relationships with co-workers be transformed, sick family members healed, etc.....

But the most amazing thing was to see how God has transformed our lives through our small group. The relationships that we have with God has grown closer because of our relationships with each other growing closer. It's funny to put into perspective and truly see that God is a relational God, not interested in us living our lives separate from others but together with others and with HIM.

Excited to see what God has in store for us next in our small group, growing closer to God, and seeing Big results!

Relationships

The one thing that took me a long time to truly grasp the complete concept of is relationships. Sure, I have/ had plenty of relationships in my life that matter to me. Some relationships were just for a season and others have been for longer periods, and I know that there are some that will be for a lifetime.

 But one thing that I have been learning that there is one relationship that is the most important. And if I don't learn how to have a healthy relationship with that one, then I will never make it with any of the others. That is my relationship with God. His relationship characterizes how I treat every other person in my life. It's funny how I often put Him behind others, or downplay Him.

But one thing I know, the stronger my relationship is with Him, the stronger my relationships are with my wife, my sons, my mom & dad, my brother and sisters, my friends. If I continually make Him first the easier it is to communicate, the easier it is to love, the more patience I have. It is amazing how He is so powerful that my relationship with Him can have a positive affect on all of the other relationships in my life.

I am excited to make him priority #1 in my life. Without Him, I know that I wouldn't have as many positive relationships in my life.