Title: A Season of Stress (1)
Series: More To The Manger
Author: Jeff Geyer
Text: Luke 1:26-38
Big Idea:
Stress is something we all face, especially when things are and feel uncertain. Mary and Joseph faced the news of an unexpected pregnancy and had to travel away from home. Yet, in all the stress, God was working behind the scenes to bring peace into the world. What if the very situations that cause us stress are the places God is working the most in our lives?
Intro:
It's public knowledge that I'm not a strong gift-giver, especially when it comes to my family. I rely heavily on my wife, Jenny, to help me give meaningful gifts. Then when it comes to giving her gifts, which is her love language, I'm in a hole...deep dark hole of anxiety, fear, and lots of prayer.
Over the years, I've hit a home run when I have a list to go off of. When there's not a list to go off of, I strike out. I've never regretted spending my life with someone whose love language is gifts. I have regretted not being better at giving gifts to her.
The good thing about Christmas is it comes around every year so I can plan for it. I'm not taken by surprise that Christmas just so happens to pop up. It gives me a lot of time to prepare by asking questions, observing what she's in to, and even asking Brooke, our daughter, for some intel.
So Christmas brings more than normal stress into my life. It's not struggling to coordinate family gatherings, having enough money to purchase gifts, or even just feeling overwhelmed by the traffic, it's actually finding gifts for my wife.
Connection/Tension:
Have you ever been in a situation like that? A moment when you just couldn't see how things could work out? But what if... what if God was actually working behind the scenes, even in those times? Could it be that the very situations that cause us the most stress are the places He's working most?
Who here has felt the stress ramp up during the holidays?
- Financial stress: ...
Series: More To The Manger
Author: Jeff Geyer
Text: Luke 1:26-38
Big Idea:
Stress is something we all face, especially when things are and feel uncertain. Mary and Joseph faced the news of an unexpected pregnancy and had to travel away from home. Yet, in all the stress, God was working behind the scenes to bring peace into the world. What if the very situations that cause us stress are the places God is working the most in our lives?
Intro:
It's public knowledge that I'm not a strong gift-giver, especially when it comes to my family. I rely heavily on my wife, Jenny, to help me give meaningful gifts. Then when it comes to giving her gifts, which is her love language, I'm in a hole...deep dark hole of anxiety, fear, and lots of prayer.
Over the years, I've hit a home run when I have a list to go off of. When there's not a list to go off of, I strike out. I've never regretted spending my life with someone whose love language is gifts. I have regretted not being better at giving gifts to her.
The good thing about Christmas is it comes around every year so I can plan for it. I'm not taken by surprise that Christmas just so happens to pop up. It gives me a lot of time to prepare by asking questions, observing what she's in to, and even asking Brooke, our daughter, for some intel.
So Christmas brings more than normal stress into my life. It's not struggling to coordinate family gatherings, having enough money to purchase gifts, or even just feeling overwhelmed by the traffic, it's actually finding gifts for my wife.
Connection/Tension:
Have you ever been in a situation like that? A moment when you just couldn't see how things could work out? But what if... what if God was actually working behind the scenes, even in those times? Could it be that the very situations that cause us the most stress are the places He's working most?
Who here has felt the stress ramp up during the holidays?
- Financial stress: ...
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