One of the things that the pandemic taught me is that I NEED people. Don’t get me wrong. I didn’t mind the slower schedule of the pandemic. I enjoyed how we had to be creative in making our own fun at the Lowe house. But I longed to get together with extended family, to sit across the table from a good friend and especially to come to worship with my brothers and sisters. Whether you are a self-proclaimed introvert or a big-time extrovert – you need people. God created you that way. We are not made to do this life alone.
That being said, I struggle sometimes to fit in. It’s hard to find places where I can really be myself and be fully accepted. So often I find myself surrounded by people but feeling very alone. Satan seems to whisper lies to me that makes me think that I’d be more comfortable by myself. That life is easier solo. But that is a fib straight from the “Father of Lies” (John 8:44). The TRUTH is God created you to need people, to thrive in a community. In Genesis 2:18 it says, “It is not good for man to be alone…”. Part of your DESIGN is to work with, live with and love people – God’s people.
1 Peter 2:9 puts it this way: “But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God;”
Peter tells us that we were chosen (by God), that we are a royal priesthood (that means all of us are ministers of God – we have a job), we are a holy nation (united under one King), God’s special possession (we do not belong to ourselves) to do something – declare HIS praises. Peter also says:
“As you come to Him, the living Stone—rejected by humans but chosen by God and precious to him— you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.”
What does that mean? We were made with a purpose in mind. We MUST come together to be used by God to build something beautiful that points to our Creator. A building cannot be made with one brick! If we are not working and serving and sacrificing our lives with our brothers and sisters than we are NOT fulfilling our purpose!
Satan’s greatest work is to distract us and isolate us so that he can DEVOUR us. 1 Peter 5:8 says, “Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someONE to devour.”
We are not meant to be on our own. When bricks are put together there isn’t space between them. They are literally stuck together for a specific purpose. If some of the bricks are loose, the building is weak, unstable and not useful.
I’m so thankful that we are members of a family that offers so many opportunities to build something beautiful together. Our teens just started a new series where they are learning to “love their Church and community” and discussing the Great Commission. Anthony is organizing mini-mission trips every Wednesday night. This past week, they bagged groceries for this month’s giveaway. The Needles and Knots group gets together to sew walker bags for the local nursing homes and baby blankets for new moms. Our food and clothing giveaways remind our community that they are seen and that they have people who care. All of these ministries are building a beautiful temple that points to God! Don’t you want to be a part of that? It’s what you were made for! You were chosen. You have a people. You have a purpose! There is a place for YOU here.
Ministry Spotlight:
This past month…
· 90 seniors got food boxes
· 696 families received food at our giveaway, 130,000 pounds of food was given
· Teens met every Sunday for Bible study and fellowship and Wednesday for service work
· 76 backpacks of food were given to local schools each week this month
· 54 women attended our ladies Bible class on Wednesday
· Several Bible studies and small groups met each week at NCCOC
Your People, Your Purpose
One of the things that the pandemic taught me is that I NEED people. Don’t get me wrong. I didn’t mind the slower schedule of the pandemic. I enjoyed how we had to be creative in making our own fun at the Lowe house. But I longed to get together with extended family, to sit across the table from a good friend and especially to come to worship with my brothers and sisters. Whether you are a self-proclaimed introvert or a big-time extrovert – you need people. God created you that way. We are not made to do this life alone.
That being said, I struggle sometimes to fit in. It’s hard to find places where I can really be myself and be fully accepted. So often I find myself surrounded by people but feeling very alone. Satan seems to whisper lies to me that makes me think that I’d be more comfortable by myself. That life is easier solo. But that is a fib straight from the “Father of Lies” (John 8:44). The TRUTH is God created you to need people, to thrive in a community. In Genesis 2:18 it says, “It is not good for man to be alone…”. Part of your DESIGN is to work with, live with and love people – God’s people.
1 Peter 2:9 puts it this way: “But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God;”
Peter tells us that we were chosen (by God), that we are a royal priesthood (that means all of us are ministers of God – we have a job), we are a holy nation (united under one King), God’s special possession (we do not belong to ourselves) to do something – declare HIS praises. Peter also says:
“As you come to Him, the living Stone—rejected by humans but chosen by God and precious to him— you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.”
What does that mean? We were made with a purpose in mind. We MUST come together to be used by God to build something beautiful that points to our Creator. A building cannot be made with one brick! If we are not working and serving and sacrificing our lives with our brothers and sisters than we are NOT fulfilling our purpose!
Satan’s greatest work is to distract us and isolate us so that he can DEVOUR us. 1 Peter 5:8 says, “Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someONE to devour.”
We are not meant to be on our own. When bricks are put together there isn’t space between them. They are literally stuck together for a specific purpose. If some of the bricks are loose, the building is weak, unstable and not useful.
I’m so thankful that we are members of a family that offers so many opportunities to build something beautiful together. Our teens just started a new series where they are learning to “love their Church and community” and discussing the Great Commission. Anthony is organizing mini-mission trips every Wednesday night. This past week, they bagged groceries for this month’s giveaway. The Needles and Knots group gets together to sew walker bags for the local nursing homes and baby blankets for new moms. Our food and clothing giveaways remind our community that they are seen and that they have people who care. All of these ministries are building a beautiful temple that points to God! Don’t you want to be a part of that? It’s what you were made for! You were chosen. You have a people. You have a purpose! There is a place for YOU here.
Ministry Spotlight:
This past month…
· 90 seniors got food boxes
· 696 families received food at our giveaway, 130,000 pounds of food was given
· Teens met every Sunday for Bible study and fellowship and Wednesday for service work
· 76 backpacks of food were given to local schools each week this month
· 54 women attended our ladies Bible class on Wednesday
· Several Bible studies and small groups met each week at NCCOC
“Glorify God and Show Him to Others”