I hope each of you are enjoying this first weekend of 2025!

Winter has it’s own distinctive beauty and with snow in the forecast for Monday, we’ll surely get a good dose of the artistry God placed in His design for the seasons.

We invite you all to join us in the greeting and fellowship we enjoy so much in our Cafe Liberty gatherings. Anytime in the half hour prior to 10:15 AM worship, hot coffee and a warm welcome awaits you.

The Psalmist David wrote of a discovery he made about God in Psalm 16 :5-6. A passage that is both poetic and prophetic, Psalm 16 reflects an attitude of expectancy toward God that grows stronger when a believer goes through testing.

Reflecting on the ways God made even his toughest trials effective for shaping his character, David exclaimed:

I take this prayer as a reminder of how valuable it is to enjoy the current surroundings of our lives. Each of us has an inheritance. God gives us “boundary lines” of spiritual and practical responsibilities in life.

At times, we may feel our opportunities have been limited or our hopes dashed by some closed door or difficult setback. But when we yield to the Lord our uneasiness or lack of fulfillment, we discover something amazing about God. He offers each of us a “beautiful inheritance” in the path of following Jesus. 

A new view of fulfillment often comes from settling into the beauty of waiting on God. It’s a “leaning in” kind of attitude that we can adopt when we simply do NOT like our immediate circumstances.

David’s declaration is one that we can adopt in the presence of God, just as he did.

Trust in the guidance of our Good Shepherd enables us to say: “Lord it’s YOU that I truly need most.”

That’s essentially what “portion” and “cup of blessing” meant in David’s day. To say “You hold my future” is to acknowledge that there is always something brighter and better awaiting the child of God.

What a way to pray in the launching days of 2025!

Together we can bring the undesirable circumstances of life, from whatever source they arise, into the ark of His covenant love.

Along with David, we can find ourselves in boundary lines drawn out by the loving hand of God. We can dwell there. We can learn there. We can grow there and we can declare with trust and bold anticipation: “I have a beautiful inheritance.” 

We’ll pray together tomorrow for the goals that are in your hearts for the coming year. Would you do me a favor? Write a goal in your own words on an index card or a piece of paper. Bring it with you into the worship service and we’ll invite you to lift it to the Lord as we pray for the guidance of our Good Shepherd and the mighty power of the Holy Spirit to bring energy and ideas to each person for the goals that he or she holds close to the heart.

All are invited to join us in a weekly Small Group Bible Study on Monday evenings at 6:30 p.m. at the home of Brian and Laken Green. Monday, January 13th we will be starting a new study working through the Gospel of Mark. This would be a great time to join in if you have been wanting to participate in a Bible Study and have not joined us

yet. Those with children are welcome to bring them along with you as needed. If you are interested or would like more information, please see either Brian or Laken.

A Prayer Gathering in Zoom on Wednesday, January 15^th @ 7:00 PM. We’ll join in intercessory prayer via Zoom for the upcoming Inaugural of the President, for the 119^th Congress, the Maryland General Assembly and for many needs in and among church family and friends, co-workers and neighbors. Reply to this email or text me to be on the list for receiving the Zoom activation link for this online prayer gathering.