July 20th -- A Life Distilled

Turn my eyes from looking at worthless things; and give me life through your word.  
Psalm 119:37

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Good Evening!

Once again, I apologize for such a last minute posting...

 

UPDATE::: Brunch, it's what's for dinner!

We will have a breakfast-themed potluck @6:30pm.

Please bring something to share (fruit, cheese, OJ, bagels, fake bacon, etc) & your bibles 'cuz...

Ryan will present his last FNF bible study for awhile so please come out and fellowship with us.

Hope you've had a wonderful week and to see you tomorrow!

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Wanted to share an excerpt on surrendering from a blog, "Beholding the Beloved" ...

For when we surrender, we are free. When we give up our own lives, we gain a new one. When we hand over our free-will, our independence, do we receive our true freedom. Your will, God, not mine. You are faithful. Surrendering is something i pray becomes a daily commitment. It is so necessary to constantly surrender - our own desires, our own intentions - so that the Lord may do what He wills and use us even more than we could ever imagine.

"We have been like bathers who want to keep their feet - or one foot - or one toe - on the bottom, when to lose that foothold would be to surrender themselves to a glorious tumble in the surf. The consequences of parting with our last claim to intrinsic freedom, power, or worth, are real freedom, power and worth, really ours just because God gives them and because we know them to be (in a sense) not "ours"." C.S. Lewis, The Four Loves

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July 13th -- Keeping it Real

To some who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everybody else, Jesus told this parable: “Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector.  The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, ‘God, I thank You that I am not like other men—extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this tax collector.  I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I possess.’  And the tax collector, standing afar off, would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me a sinner!’  

I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.” Luke 18:9-13

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Hello good people!

Hope you are all making the most of the summer and enjoying this 'cold snap' that we are having.

Chichi will host FNF this Friday.

We will have dinner ready by 6:30pm and start the study at 7:30pm.

Our speaker is the super cool Pastor DaMarrus Miller who has been working on something quite special for the group.

Please bring your bibles, a friend and, if you can, fruit or drinks to help out.

A few more things...

Thank you to everyone who helped with FNF last week! I was really worried when hardly anyone signed up to bring anything but we ended up with a veritable feast (still eating leftover beans), a huge crowd, a wonderful study and inspiring testimonies and praise reports. Special thanks to Ann who brought at least one of everything on the list of suggested items.

Umm, so I found the image below and thought to share it on the blog : "Steps to Real Repentance."

God bless & see you on Friday!

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Prayer Requests

... Simon's family

... Sandra - school, finances & major decision

... Geneva's brother - job & relationship with God

... Victor's mom's cousin who had a stroke

... An ability to witness, especially in science fields

... Many unspoken requests

Reports of Praise

... Geneva - God's direction & acceptance into nursing school

... Brian - God's direction with next steps

... Rose - For Geneva's awesome job placement skills

... Mikhail - wife's interview

... Adey - patience, God's guidance, success at GRE, acceptance into PhD program, faith, love

... Marcus - resolution of Sabbath conflicts, opportunity to share faith

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July 6th-- Oh Freedom!

For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.  Galatians 5:13 (ESV) 

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So, just now while looking for a pretty/tasty/semi-patriotic picture to use for the blog, I got tickled at the thought of Brother Hudson's presentation last week and only just resisted the urge to put up a photo of a wildebeest on land with Armageddon-like fireworks and an ominous post titled "God Bless Amerikkka." Sigh. It was funny in my mind, anyway.

Hello!  And Happy Fourth of July!

FNF this week will be led by our own Ryan and you don't want to miss one of his bible studies.

We will meet at Tanci's house.

If you could arrive by 6:30pm, that'd be great.

If you could contribute by bringing cookout-type foods, that would also be great.

If you could indicate what you're bringing in the chat box to the left, that would be wonderful!

By cookout foods, I mean chips, dips, fruit, drank, salad stuff, buns, popsicles, etc.

I'll supply veggie burgers (although you should feel free to bring more), condiments, potato salad, beans and more stuff along those lines.

We will start the study no later than 8pm.

Wishing you an awesome and safe holiday & see you on Friday!

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If you missed the study last week, here's a LINK! to download the podcasts.

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June 29th -- Beware the New Age Agenda

Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world.  By this you know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God,  and every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God.
And this is the spirit of the Antichrist, which you have heard was coming, and is now already in the world. 1 John 4:1-3

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Hello Friends!

Guess who's super excited about this week's FNF?!

This week's feast will be held at/hosted by Birmingham 1st SDA Church.

Dinner will be provided from 6-7:20pm.

The address is 3520 Lorna Road, Birmingham, AL 35216.

Christopher Hudson, also known as The ForeRunner777, will present an eye-opening study on the New Age Agenda. Many may be familiar with "The ForeRunner" as he has spoken to standing room only crowds at various colleges, has appeared on 3ABN and has a large, supportive following on YouTube for his videos that expose the satanic influences driving mainstream media and politics today.

The presentation will begin promptly at 7:30pm.

Please invite friends and family-- especially young people!

Wanna hear more? Mr. Hudson will speak at Birmingham 1st SDA on Saturday, June 30th @ 10:45am and again @ 2pm following a potluck.

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I've so enjoyed all of the FNF meetings in June. Thanks so much to all of our study leaders who spoke on hard hitting issues-- prayer life, stewardship and forgiveness.  Each week's conversation was right on time and I love how God is growing the group and how mere acquaintances are slowly becoming true friends.

As friends, we care about and reach out to those of us who are going through. "Going through" has (depending on the day) meant financial stress, marital adjustments, school struggles, moving/relocation, child birth, job uncertainty, personal/family illness and death. Man, so much death.

In the past month, our family of FNFers have lost brothers, sisters, cousins and close friends. I dunno about you but I'm so glad to have blessed hope in God's ultimate plan of salvation and so thankful for Jesus's part in it. He lived in this world and He went through the same temptations, disappointments and bewildering, painful episodes of this short life, willingly, for us. He understands dreams and grief and hopes that we will seek comfort in Him. I don't have the prayer request list from last week but just ask that you remember ALL of our FNF group in prayer this week.

Love y'all and hope to see you this weekend.

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June 22nd -- In God We Trust

Charge those who are rich in this world that they be not haughty, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy;

 that they do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate, laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life. 1 Timothy 6:17-19

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After last week's promising prediction that 90% of the FNF-ers in the room would one day be financially well-to-do, I figured I'd better remind everyone of the closing text's instructions on how to handle God's financial blessings ☺

I hope you are having a great week-- Sabbath is just around the corner and FNF will be hosted by... Victor, Geneva and Zeke! 

According to Zeke, we will be feasting on... "the Word" and we are asked to bring bibles and dessert.

Our study leader for the evening will be another PK, Cara!

Please join us for dinner at 6:30pm and we'll start the study around 7:30pm.

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Please remember the prayer requests that were voiced:

The bible workers as they labor in the heat each day.

Randelle as she searches for housing and transportation.

Candyce & Cara's dad's recovery.

Andrew as he travels to PA for missions work.

Trudy as she travels to JA for school.

Eliel as he travels to PR.

Leah as she finishes her PhD requirements.

TJ & Kirstan as they begin year two of marriage-- happy anniversary!

The Thompsons as they start their own dental practice.

Cassi & Aaron as they marry this weekend!

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June 15th -- Our Father Cares

I will still be the same when you are old and gray,
and I will take care of you.
I created you. I will carry you and always keep you safe. Isaiah 46:4

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Good evening!

I apologize for the last minute posting but... here goes!

This week's FNF will once again be hosted by the most generous Chichi!

So excited to announce another brand-new study leader-- Eliel!

Bible study will start around 7:30pm; dinner will be served closer to 6:30pm.

Please bring a bible and a friend-- see you tomorrow!

Make sure you wish someone a Happy Father's Day this weekend!

Shout out to the new FNF baby daddies -- Allen, Javier & Jason!

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June 8th -- "...that which so easily besets us"

Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall. 1 Cor 10:12

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*In my best Goonies voice* Hey You Guyyyyssssss!!!

Hope you're having a swell week and are ready for some FNF fun!

Chichi is our host for FNF this week.

We will start with dinner at 6:30pm and our study should begin around 7:30pm.

So I don't actually watch the Family Guy but I can relate to the above cartoon with Peter. Have you ever felt spiritually strong, like you know everything is going well and you're actively trying to run the race and living for a God-ience (not an audience) of one and you just sense that... you were probably about to slip up big time?  Well, that's how I feel right now. 

Life has been awesome lately and I keep thinking when is the ball going to drop? Perhaps because I feel so secure in God, I keep trying to... push the envelope and I know it isn't cool but I do it anyway, entertaining old thoughts and familiar temptations just because it's a new season. (How's that for a fragmented, run-on sentence?)

Anyway, I just wanted to encourage you as I encourage myself to continue to strive for better, for excellence. Enjoy life but remember, "summer comes before the fall" and we should be careful not to fall for the devil's old tricks. I'll leave you with some verses that speak on that... God bless!

If you think you are strong, you should be careful not to fall. The only temptation that has come to you is that which everyone has. But you can trust God, who will not permit you to be tempted more than you can stand. But when you are tempted, he will also give you a way to escape so that you will be able to stand it. 1 Cor 10:12-13

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. Hebrews 12:1

If one person falls, the other can reach out and help. But someone who falls alone is in real trouble. Ecc 4:10

Offer praise to God our Savior because of our Lord Jesus Christ! Only God can keep you from falling and make you pure and joyful in his glorious presence. Before time began and now and forevermore, God is worthy of glory, honor, power, and authority. Amen. Jude 1:24

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