Get Connected to God and to Each Other

Hi New Hope Family!

Last week during the during one of the lightning storms our air conditioning died. Naturally it happened on the weekend. Nivia (my wife) said it was the storm, but I disagreed. I checked the circuit breakers. They were all good. I could see no evidence of lightning damage. The inside unit was running and so was the outside unit, but the house was just getting hotter.

Finally, a technician came out and quickly agreed with my wife. Our AC could not cool the house because of a lightning strike. Some wire or circuit board was overwhelmed and burnt up so that it could no longer conduct electricity, causing a "dis-connection."

Feeling a Bit Burned Up?

Do you ever feel like that? A little burned up? Life’s storms have swept through and this time the lightning struck you. Now, even though you’re going as hard as you can (both units running), you know something’s not right. Some circuitry or wiring burned up somewhere. We all feel that way from time to time. That’s when we must slow down and get reconnected. We may even need some repair work (i.e., some healing from God’s hand).

I have an amazing place to slow down and get reconnected. It’s as refreshing to me as coming inside on a hot humid day when the AC is working. The place I have found is my Belong Group. The reconnecting comes as I gather with new friends and with God and His Word and practice the humbling work of being myself. And then, when other group members also express their joys, struggles and questions, and even tell stories of good things God is doing, we find ourselves connected — to God and to each other. It takes a little time and trust. But it’s worth it!

When People Get Together, God Is Present

Jesus made this amazing promise:
“For where two or three gather together as my followers, I am there among them” (Matthew 18:20).

When God’s people get together with a heart to seek Him and to love each other, He is present in an extraordinary way. They often find they can connect with Him and with each other. This connection is a type of healing and allows the flow of His Spirit to bring refreshment — to bring life.

Belong Groups meet every Sunday and during the week. New ones will be starting soon. Serve Teams are always open and ready for you join. Get connected. There are places at New Hope where you Belong – where you can Connect.

Join a Serve Team or Belong Group today!

 - Pastor Chuck