Spring is here in all of its glory! I love it! I love spring break, spring training, the beginning of baseball, the emergence of green grass, getting to use the deck or patio, the Easter season, all of it!
What I donāt love is having to take the time to remove the clutter that has accumulated over the winter. And let me tell youā¦this year was BAD! This past Saturday I spent four whole hours sorting through a massive pile of stuff that had accumulated since last November. There was dirt and grime, things I had been missing (like my sonās bike!) and stuff I didnāt even know weād collected (apparently we stored someoneās soccer ball all winter). Heck, I even found the wrapping paper from our Christmas gifts that never made its way into the recycling bin. After looking back at my weekend, Iāve come to this conclusion...
It was not the best way to spend a Saturday, but it needed to happen.
Men, as we round the final bend of the season of Lent and look to
Easter
, I have to believe God still has a little spring cleaning to do in all of us as well.
Where does life seem to feel most agonizing these days? If you could change something, what would it be?
Would it fall in the realm of your vertical connection with God? More trust in him? Or is it a horizontal one? Maybe anger is getting the best of you. Maybe itās time to get some things off your chest. Whatever it is, itās OK. We all share a need for Godās grace and the need to be reminded his work of restoration in us and our hearts is a marathon, not a sprint. Iām pretty sure the Christians living in Philippi struggled with this as well. Itās why Paul wrote to them saying heās confident that āā¦
he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.ā (
Philippians 1:6)
Take heart guys, you may be facing some tough challenges, but God is not done yet. I truly believe
the best is yet to come.
Itās why we keep moving forward doing the tough work of cleaning out the spiritual clutter with things like the
Men of Hope Retreat
and
Getting Started Groups
. Itās why we continue to come together and challenge each other to dive into whatever God has for us and get the tools we need to get the job done.
Two questions to wrap up:
- Whatās Godās dream for you these next few weeks?
- How can Men of Hope help you remove the clutter, discover what heās up to and taste Godās very best in your life?
Until every man is filled with hope,
Pastor Andy
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Friday, April 26 - Sunday, April 28
Riverside Bible Camp, 3001 Riverside Rd, Story City
Do you ever wonder if God is calling you to something bigger? Do you ever wonder if God might be inviting you into an adventure?
Join us for a weekend away to connect with God and other men. Speaker is Mitch Matthews on "Stepping In: Saying Yes to a Life of Adventure with God." Come solo or bring your friends! Optional activities include golf, a shooting range, horseback riding or camp work projects.
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Any Interest?
ļ»æIt has been suggested that we consider having a Men of Hope Retreat in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area (BWCA) in northern Minnesota. As you may know, this is a beautiful and undisturbed part of Godās creation. If there is sufficient interest, the retreat would be held at Wilderness Canoe Base, a Lutheran Bible camp located at the end of the Gunflint Trail on Seagull Lake.
If you have an interest in participating, please take a moment to answer 5 quick questions
HERE.
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Wednesdays, May 15 - June 19, 6:30-8:00 pm
ļ»æThere are so many voices out there telling you what it means to be a man. Discover Godās design for men with a clear definition and inspiring vision of authentic manhood.
>>
Registration coming soon!
Email us
with your interest.
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Let Prayer Change Your Life
Wednesdays, May 8 - June 5, 6:15-8:00 am
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A step-by-step approach for creating or enhancing daily one-on-one time with God. This course provides structure to daily devotions, prayers, sermon notes, Bible study and more so the time you spend with God is meaningful, inspiring and ultimately life-changing.
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Project Mother's Day
Friday, May 3, 5:30-7:30 pm
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Motherās Day is coming up soon! Dads and kids, come together for a kid-friendly meal and Motherās Day gift-making. Then weāll have time just for the dads while the kids are supervised.
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SAVE THE DATE!
Traveling Classic Car Show
Saturday, June 15
ļ»æ
Celebrate Father's Day at Hope's Traveling Classic Car Show, complete with food and activities at each campus. Have a classic car? You can enter it in the show. Watch for registration coming soon!
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Regular Men's Studies:
Join every week or anytime!
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