Celebration...

Growing up, I had the incredible blessing of watching two parents who loved Jesus, each other, were incredibly faithful and people of prayer.

As a pastor, my dad naturally served in a very visible role. People saw him preach, lead, pray and care for the church. My mom's ministry looked a bit different but has been really powerful. She faithfully supported our family, often served behind the scenes, and prayed for us every single day. She has selflessly invested into our family and has been a steady source of unity, encouragement, and faith for all of us.

To be fair, she had plenty to pray about. There were a few years when I was growing up that it probably took a full time partnership between my mom and my guardian angel just to keep me headed in the right direction. Looking back, I am convinced my guardian angel occasionally tapped out and said, "Mom, this one's all yours!" Thankfully, she never stopped praying and the older I get, the more I appreciate that kind of quiet faithfulness.

Prayer rarely draws attention to itself, but God often uses it to accomplish His greatest work. Prayer changes hearts. Prayer strengthens families. Prayer aligns our hearts with His. Over time, those quiet moments with God shape us in ways we often do not recognize until we look back.

That is why I am so excited about the next three weeks at New Life as we begin a new sermon series called Prayers in the Bible. This Sunday, Pastor Dave will launch the series from Matthew 6:5-13 with a message titled, “Prayer for relational alignment.” In one of the most familiar passages in Scripture, Jesus gives us far more than words to memorize. He gives us a pattern for approaching our Heavenly Father. Through six simple requests, Jesus teaches us that prayer is not a religious duty but an invitation into a relationship with God. As we seek Him, He transforms our hearts and empowers us to live out the truths of the Sermon on the Mount.

Whether prayer has been a steady rhythm in your life or something you have struggled to prioritize, I believe this series will encourage each of us to draw closer to the Lord and discover the joy of talking with our Heavenly Father.

I sure hope you can attend at 8:00, 9:15 (Full KidCity available), or 10:45 am (Full KidCity available)…OR a service in Spanish at 1:00 pm. Otherwise, you can watch the Livestream on YouTube (Like and Subscribe) or on our New Life website at 9:15 am. Also, we would LOVE for you to follow us on Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram. 

And have a safe and happy 4th of July,

Troy