The Journey Update

I have two tidbits to share with you today, and then a closing thought...

First, the bad news is that, as of this week, we no longer have a Young Women's Group on Tuesdays. The good news is that we are not leaving you hanging. We will be starting a new Twenty-Something Group on October 7. The group is open to anyone ages 21 to 29 and will meet at my place in Redlands on Tuesdays at 6:30pm. Cristina and I are excited to be able to open our home to you and to get to know you in a more relaxed setting as we grow in Christ together.

Second, I want to invite you to Fuel this month. We will be talking about "God's Gift," how we can become the difference in to each other's lives. We'll be discussing issues like why Christian fellowship is important and how we grow stronger spiritually. Fuel happens Fridays at 7pm in the Student Ministries Building at 495 N La Cadena Drive in Colton.

Just as a reminder: we no longer serve dinner beforehand. But you are welcome to come early to pray in the sanctuary on your own anytime between 6:30-7pm. This is a great time to praise God for His grace, to place the problems of your week in His hands, and/or just prepare your heart for our time of worship together.

Let me add just one more thing. It seems that there are a lot of us right now that are going through difficult times. You may be sick, in a tight spot financially, or in the middle of some sort of relational conflict. This being the case, it is not the time to resign ourselves to our situations but to God's grace. This is a time to examine our hearts and confess our sins. This is a time to seek godly wisdom and discipline in matters of study, sleep, diet, and budget. This is a time to stand firm in the face of temptation and pray against the schemes of the devil. This is a time to seek God in the midst of the trial and to give thanks for ALL He has done! It is time to pray and to press on!

Please keep your fellow journeyers in prayer this week and be open to letting God use you to help and encourage them.

Blessings!
Shawn

The Journey Update

Hey everyone,

Cristina and I are back from a very enjoyable week in Washington State. We are refreshed and ready to serve the Lord with you again here in the Inland Empire! With Labor Day upon us, the traditional end of summer, we are so thankful for what God has been doing in The Journey these last few months, in our Journey Groups, at Fuel, through Summer Sports Series IV, and through the Be the Difference campaign.

AT FUEL TONIGHT, we will be having our last dinner together for a while. Starting next week, dinner will no longer be served before Fuel, although we will still have dessert afterwards. Instead, we are asking you to come five, ten or fifteen minutes early, not to fellowship, but to pray. Let’s use that time before Fuel to prepare our hearts and pray for God’s presence and provision.

TOMORROW MORNING (8/30) IS YOUR LAST CHANCE to be the difference with The Journey this summer. We are once again going out to feed the homeless of our community. Meet us at Centerpoint at 8am to make sandwiches. Then go with us to show a little bit of God’s love as we talk, pray and pass out food together.

THIS SUNDAY is another important date because that’s the day we begin reading 1 Kings as part of this year’s Storyline Challenge. As we head into the autumn season this may be the perfect way for you to devote yourself afresh to reading the Bible. Just read one chapter a day. And don’t worry about reading ahead or skipping a day; that’s fine. The goal is to develop a regular habit of being in God’s Word and allowing Him to transform us by His truth. I hope you will commit to reading the Storyline Challenge with us.

May God bless your journey!
Shawn

The Journey Update

Ladies and Gentlemen of The Journey…

Congratulations to all our graduates out there on your excellent achievement! You did it! And to those of you who have yet to finish the race, you CAN do it. It IS worth the effort. Don’t lose heart; don’t give up. Press on toward the goal as you trust in the Lord at every step for the strength and guidance you need. But for now… Enjoy the summer! I have three suggestions on how you can.

First, get ready for THE JOURNEY’S SUMMER EXCURSION, Friday, July 4, 1pm, through Sunday, July 6, 1pm.

• 2 nights camping at Mt. San Jacinto State Park (showers & bathrooms available; bring your own tents).
• 5 meals, FUEL in the forest, Summer Sports Series IV—Mountain Olympics, hiking & more!
• All for only $30.
• Space is limited. Only payment in full secures your spot, so get your money to me as soon as possible.
• All money must be in on or before Sunday, June 29.
• To learn more email me (shawn@towardtruth.com).

In other news, there are no longer any Journey Groups on Mondays. The men’s group is taking a summer break. The YOUNG WOMEN’S JOURNEY GROUP has moved to Tuesdays at 6pm. Join them in Rialto for a time of encouragement and discussion through the Proverbs and Parables of the Bible. For more info email Ellie (ellie@towardtruth.com).

Finally, is abortion unthinkable to you? Are you not sure where you stand on abortion? Would you like to be better equipped to defend a pro-life position? Join us for a DVD series, MAKING ABORTION UNTHINKABLE, Sunday mornings in the Student Ministries Building at 10:30 AM beginning June 15th. If you plan to attend, contact the church office (connect@centerpointcolton.com) and let them know so there will be enough materials ready.

However you enjoy your summer this year, I hope The Journey will be part of it.

Blessings,
Shawn

The Journey Update

We have a few special things going on this week.

START READING JOSHUA TODAY. The STORYLINE CHALLENGE begins anew today as we begin the book of Joshua. If you have been reading with us since January you will have already finished Genesis, Exodus and Numbers. If you have not yet joined us, but you want to get into the habit of reading the Bible and you want to understand it better, now is the time! Just read one chapter a day. That’s it!

All that means is deciding right now to set aside about 5 minutes every day to read your Bible. Start with Joshua chapter one today. They read chapter two tomorrow, and so on. Also, join us for FUEL tonight (7pm) and we will be talking about the book of Joshua and what to expect as you read through it.

INDIANA JONES AND THE JOURNEY MARATHON. See all four Indiana Jones adventures this Memorial Monday, May 26. Raiders of the Lost Ark starts at 10am at the Candelaria residence in Redlands. Bring $3 for lunchtime pizza. After Temple of Doom and Last Crusade we’re having a BBQ dinner (on us) and then heading off to Krikorian in Redlands for the 7pm showing of Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. Get your tickets now through the box office or movietickets.com.

NOTE: This means NO SMALL GROUPS this MONDAY.

THE CASE FOR CHRIST—LIVE! See the author of The Case for Christ, Lee Strobel, in person at Biola University as he tells the story of how the evidence for the truth of the gospel led him to faith in Christ. Plus, everyone gets a FREE DVD of The Case for Christ—The Film. Also speaking will be Mike Erre and J. P. Moreland. Meet at Centerpoint to carpool at 5:45pm on Tuesday, May 27. We’ll be back by 11pm.