TD Fri. – “(Un)answering Life’s Big Questions: Conversations About …”

Hey TD!

“Each day we are becoming a creature of splendid glory or one of unthinkable horror.”

Being stuck in quarantine, it may feel that life is progressing at a snail’s pace. But the reality is that our souls are always in motion, ascending the stairway to glory or being sucked into a spiral of sin. The fleeting pleasures of this world provide a momentary distraction, but eventually they lose their luster, and we begin to see our lives with a brutal clarity.

As we lie staring up at the ceiling at night, certain questions begin to float in our minds: what am I meant to be doing? Does my life even matter? Where will I go when I die? We know the answers that we’ve been given, but is it really that simple? We know that Jesus is supposed to be the solution, but why is he not the one I desire?

If you have found yourself in this position, perhaps feeling lost and directionless, we invite you to join us this summer in dialoguing about some of life’s most difficult questions. Together we will explore how Christ addresses the search for truth throughout his ministry.

Based on your feedback, our summer’s theme is “(Un)answering Life’s Big Questions: Conversations About …” !

This Friday, join us in conversing with our very own Auntie Sandra about the many questions that Jesus asked and the few He answered. What questions did He ask and which did He answer? How are they pertinent to our life’s journey? We hope you come and venture with us in breaking down and “unanswering” some of life’s biggest questions!

 

TD Fri. – “Launching into Summer!”

“Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord and whose trust is the Lord. For he will be like a tree planted by the water, that extends its roots by a stream and will not fear when the heat comes; but its leaves will be green, and it will not be anxious in a year of drought nor cease to yield fruit.”  Jeremiah 17:7-8 (TD’s theme verse)

Hey TD!

Please pause right now to meditate on the verse above and consider the strong and faith-building promise that it makes to those whose trust is the Lord.

Last week was the first Friday off since quarantining started in March. Well, we’re ready to get together again and launch into what we pray will be a life-changing summer for each of us at TD! We were made for a purpose, and we are at our best (and our happiest) when we are fulfilling the reason for which God made us, yielding refreshing, healthy fruit.

This Friday, we’ll continue working towards trying to ground your lives and “grow your game,” as you head towards becoming the version of you that God had in mind when He dreamed you into existence.  But the power, sustainability, and effectiveness of your life “above ground” will only be as strong as your root system is “under the ground.”  That’s the realm of developing character.

We will be highlighting tangible life-impacting opportunities for you to be a part of, as well as provide inspiration to stir up your own creative juices for utilizing the gifts and abilities God has uniquely given you to love Him and others with.

We’ll meet at 8 p.m. at our normal Zoom link!  See you Friday!

 

TD Picnic at the Park!

Hey TD!

Looking for a great time this Friday evening, with food, drinks, games, great conversation, Ultimate Frisbee, and more?  Then come and join us at the TD picnic this Friday!

It’ll be from 5:30 p.m. to sundown.  If you want in on the action, just let one of your small group leaders know that you’d like to come and they will let you know where to meet!

See you at the picnic!

TD – Let’s Read! – “The Books We Love”

This Friday at TD, we’ll be hearing from Abigail, Robert, and Sandra, who will share about some books that they love. Don’t miss it!

Hey TD!

Good reading is on the decline in our nation, giving way to videos, social media, blogs, etc.  It’s not a coincidence that the decline in prolonged quality reading has resulted in a declining ability to stay with thoughts and ideas for any meaningful length of time.  The consequence of that is a declining capacity to stay in God’s Word for meaningful lengths of time.

Reading is a skill, a discipline, and … a necessity for thriving deep relationship with the Lord, for Jesus did not come as the video; He came as … the Word.  He is the Word made flesh (Jn. 1)

Many of you are admittedly not readers, but we would like to encourage you to work on it and learn, grow, be amazed, be held in suspense, go to new places, experience new worlds and cultures, learn from others’ lives.

Reading is a skill, a discipline, and … a necessity for thriving deep relationship with the Lord, for Jesus did not come as the video; He came as … the Word.  He is the Word made flesh (Jn. 1)

If I ask you to commit to reading 6 books a year, you’d be overwhelmed.  But broken down into daily bites, you’d see that it’s doable.  If you simply commit to reading 5 pages a day, you’ll read about 6 books a year!  That’s doable, right?  “But what should I read?” you may be asking.

Enter …

TD Summer Series: “The Books We Love”

We had a great start last month to our summer series, “The Books We Love.”  You can listen to Clara, Calvin, and Katherine share about books that have impacted them, with a Q & A at the end: The Books We Love – Clara, Calvin, Katherine.

Clara – Bonhoeffer (0:00 – 9:10)

Calvin – The Horse and His Boy – (9:50 – 29:22)

Katherine – Christ For Real – (29:38 – 35:52)

Q&A – (36:15 – 56:25)

Bonhoeffer: Pastor Martyr, Prophet, Spy by Eric Metaxas (2009)

The Horse and His Boy by CS Lewis (1954)

Christ For Real by Charles S. Price (1987)

 

 

Let’s get reading, TD!  We’ll see you Friday! – Arthur

TD – Help Bring Supplies for Orphans This Friday

Hey TD!

Your help is needed to bring supplies for the orphaned children in China that our team will be meeting up with next week during their trip with Bring Me Hope.  They are running low on supplies.  If you can help pick up a few of these items and bring them to TD THIS Friday (or on Sunday), that would be much appreciated.

Though you aren’t going on the trip to serve, you can still serve the Lord and these kids by contributing and sending these items with our team.

Please give your items to Megan, Calvin, Josh Chang, Elissa, or Melody Tang.  The others have already left and will meet them there next week.

– Swim diapers (especially larger sizes!)

– Lice shampoo

– Pool toys

– Pipe cleaners

– Rubber bands

– Craft sticks

– Big beads

– Brown paper bags

– Hot glue sticks

– Colorful plastic straws

 

Thanks for your help!

 

Summer’s Over! How Did God Take Care of You?

 

Hey TD,

For most of us, summer is officially over and a new school year has arrived.  But before you launch head first into the new activities, duties, and happenings of Fall, it would be a great thing for you to review your summer and give thanks to God for many of the specific ways in which He hand-crafted personal blessings for you – both large and small.

Last week, Sandra, Angela, and I walked our dog, Joy, around town and spent the time giving thanks to the Lord for specific ways He blessed us this Summer.  One by one, each taking turns, we were each able to name 25 specific Summer items of thanksgiving.

Now, I must admit, towards the end, the rate of sharing was a little slower than at the beginning, as we had to strain a little bit more to think of our summer thoroughly.  That’s when I realized, here we are, straining a little to think of 25 ways we were blessed this Summer; yet God thought of each of us personally and thoroughly, in our contexts, and hand-picked personalized blessings for each of us – lots and lots more than we even realize … or acknowledge and give thanks for.

Most of you will acknowledge how difficult it is to constantly think of and plan for others’ well being.  And that is what God is doing each and every day.  Amazing, isn’t it?

If God spends the time and energy to do that, I want to encourage you all to take the time to thank Him for it.  Try to personally give Him thanks for at least 25 specific ways He thought of you and blessed you this summer!

Count your blessings, name them one by one

Count your blessings, see what God has done

Count your blessings, name them one by one

Count your many blessings, see what God has done

– Arthur

The TD Summer Begins This Friday!

Hey TD’ers!

It was a blast to worship and celebrate with you all at the TD Banquet!  Now, we open up our TD summer this Friday! We look forward to seeing you all! – Arthur