From the desk of Pastor David

As I studied and reflected on Job last week, I was reminded how much God cherishes our prayers when they come from the heart. God wants our rage, discouragement, terror, gratitude, joy, anxiety, disappointment, and despair. No emotion is too raw, undignified, scary, or inappropriate. God already knows how we feel, so he’s never surprised. Instead, he longs that we bring our hearts to him so he can encourage, comfort, enjoy, defend, and protect us. Peter writes, “Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you” (1 Peter 5:7). You can substitute any emotion for “anxiety,” and it still works. Jesus loves you. He knows what you’re going through and he wants to walk with you every step. What are you waiting for?
 
As I mentioned last week, our next Potter’s Wheel 2 is January 24-28, 2022, and we have three spots remaining. If you’ve already been through Potter’s Wheel 1 and would like to learn how you can lead others along the path of wisdom, maturity, and dependence on God, join us by registering here. You'll learn how to help others identify disappointed longings, recognize their unhealthy and sinful relational patterns designed to avoid pain, invite them into repentance, and walk them toward dependence on God. Each morning we'll learn about the four stage/three shift model and each afternoon we'll practice what we learned during our lab. Use the code MEMBERRATE for singles or OASISCOUPLERATE for couples to enjoy the Oasis member-only discounts of 50% off.
 
On Sunday, we continued our new series, Job: How to Suffer Well, with a message from chapter three on Our Suffering and God’s Invitation. If you missed it, unfortunately it didn’t record. If you missed a previous message, you can go here to get it.
 
I hope you have a wonderful week. I love serving as your pastor!