Session Three: Forget Me Not
Bottom Line: When you memorize, it opens your eyes.
Memorizing just doesn’t sound like much fun, does it? Maybe you’ve had to memorize something for school and found yourself wondering why? In a world where you can Google the answer to just about anything, why would anyone bother to memorize? There must be a better use of our time. That may have been exactly how Joshua felt. He was just about to take over leading the nation of Israel from Moses. It was no easy task and there was a ton that needed to happen. At this pivotal moment in history, God tells Joshua that the key to his success hinges on him committing his time and attention to knowing and meditating on scripture. It probably seemed counterintuitive. He had work a lot of other work to do.  But through his story we find that keeping God’s word in us is the first step to dealing with anything that’s going on around us.

Alive - Week 3

Silver Lining Week 1: Every Family Has One – Your family may not act great, but you can still respond in a great way.  Do you ever look at your family and wonder, “How on Earth did I end up with these people?” You’ve seen normal families on TV. Maybe you even know some families who seem normal, but that just doesn’t look like the people who live at your house. This is especially frustrating since you’re kind of stuck when it comes to family. You didn’t choose them. And while you can “unfriend” someone you can’t “unfamily” them. So what are your options when it comes to a family that often feels “less than ideal”? In the Bible, Joseph was faced with the same question. And though he had every reason to walk away from his family forever, what he did instead gives us a clue how we can find the silver lining in our family story, even when circumstances aren’t perfect. 

Silver Lining - Week 1

Now & Later – Learning to deal with your family is as much about your future as it is about your now.  Family isn’t easy. And sometimes it’s really tempting to give up or check out because you know that in a few short years you’ll be out of the house, on your own, and surrounding yourself with people who don’t embarrass you in public. But what if your exit strategy is flawed? What if just surviving your family now doesn’t solve your problems but just brings them into the future with you? What if the things you do and say this week will actually matter years down the road and long after you stop having a curfew? Even after leaving his family’s home, Joseph found himself in a number of situations where he had to live with and listen to people who didn’t deserve his respect. In each relationship, as he practiced honoring God by honoring others, Joseph’s attitude toward authority made all the difference for him and eventually for his entire family.

Silver Lining - Week 2

Silver Lining Week 3:  Climate Change – You can change the mood in every room you walk into.  Have you ever walked into a room and been able to feel the tension? Or have you ever left a tense or awkward situation and felt yourself instantly relax? The truth is, every room and every situation has a climate—not just a temperature but also a feeling, a mood. But did you know that climate often depends on you? You know exactly how to crank up the awkwardness, the tension, the stress. But you also have the power to turn up the joy, the laughter, and make your house a better place to be. As we conclude the story of Joseph, we uncover two simple steps that forever changed the story of his family. And if we’re brave enough to follow his example, they may change the climate at our home too.

Silver Lining - Week 3

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