GBC Community update: God is preparing us for eternity

Good morning!  It was great to spend some time in New Brunswick with Isaiah last week.  As a parent, it was so gratifying to see him in his element and doing what God has gifted him to do. I also had the opportunity to meet also with a young man I coached a number of years ago and is now an officer in an armored regiment there. I’ve had the chance to walk with him over the years in his spiritual journey so it was nice to meet again face-to-face. There are a lot of blessings to walking with someone in their experience with God.
 
 
Reminder: Fall Work Party coming up
The Property Committee is holding a fall work party this Saturday from 9am to noon. This should enable us to get the leaves to the curb, have some minor issues addressed in the building and do a BIG cleanup of what has being accumulated within the building. Many hands make light work so I hope you’ll come out and help. 
 
 
Fall information meeting
Thanks for all who stayed for our information meeting on Sunday.  We covered a lot of ground. It was great to hear from Jennifer and Andrea and all the amazing things God is doing in our Kid’s Ministry and Outreach Ministry as well.  As was mentioned, if you have questions, or would like to talk about anything discussed, you can talk to me or one of the other elders.
 
 
Thought for the Day: God is preparing us for eternity.
So, what have we learned about living with hope in times like this?  We know that God is preparing us for eternity but also helping us each day until that point.  When you really understand this truth, it’ll change everything about how you deal with difficulties. God is using everything in your life—the good, the bad, and the ugly—to prepare you for eternity.

Peter describes this so powerfully in his first letter: “So be truly glad. There is wonderful joy ahead, even though you must endure many trials for a little while. These trials will show that your faith is genuine. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold—though your faith is far more precious than mere gold”.

You will certainly have trials in the days and years ahead. You may even have a more difficult time ahead than Covid has been; not a happy thought! But wait for it, better days are ahead.  1 Peter 1 reminds us that our trials are temporary. They will pass one day.

In the meantime, these trials will help you grow. They’ll test your faith—and strengthen it. You’ll be better because of them and that can give us the hope we need to not only carry on, but let our light shine! I hope this truth encourages you today.
 
In His grip,
Pastor Chris