By Courtney Etzel

I love trying new restaurants and going to places I have never been to.  With that though comes the uncertainty of not knowing where things are and where you are going.  It can be intimidating to walk into an unfamiliar place, trying to find something.  At Life Church we have a group of volunteers called the Host Team that serve to make sure guests feel welcomed.

These volunteers play a very important role during the weekend services.  Often times people will make a decision whether or not they like the church before they ever hear the worship or the message.

The Host Team is made up of friendly men and women that serve as greeters or guest services.  Greeters are those that greet people as they walk into the building and hand out communication cards on the way into the auditorium.  Guest Services volunteers are equipped with iPad minis and are stationed throughout the foyer to help answer any questions people may have.

Our Host Team is looking for more men and women who would like to be apart of making guests feel welcomed.  If you are interested in serving on the Host Team please contact me at cetzel@lifechurchwi.com or 262.251.5050.

Check out our newest blog from Cassie Voisin as she talks about some fun Life Groups that we will be having this summer!

By Kevin Miller

There is nothing like getting to this point in the year when everything begins to bloom and turn green… and before you know it summer is here!  Summer is exciting for many different reasons, but I want to share two of my favorite things about the summer.  The 5k Amazing Race and the Life Church Charity Golf Outing.

The 5k this year is going to be an amazing time.  It will take place on May 19^th and there is still room to sign up or sponsor.  Some may get intimidated, but I promise it is for EVERYONE!  It works if you just want to take a nice bike ride or if you are a competitive runner and want some competition. This is what makes it so much fun, very family friendly!

The Golf Outing will have something for everyone as well.  We will be having signups this weekend and there are still plenty of open spots and sponsorships available. It’s a four person scramble tournament so you don’t have to be a good golfer, it’s more about your team and having fun.  On the other hand, if you think you can win it, we had some very good teams last year that will give you the competition that you want.

These are two great events coming up this summer that I really enjoy.  I hope that you will consider participating in one or both of these.  The best thing about both events is that all the money that we raise will be going to missions.  These events go towards reaching people around the corner and around the world. 

By Jim Sukup

We are all familiar with the 10 commandments found in Exodus chapter 20. For the most part I don’t have a problem with any of them, except for one…One I didn’t even realize I was struggling with until recently.  Verse 8 says “remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy”. OK, I do that. I don’t go on a sinning rampage on the Sabbath, so I’m good, right?

Well, verses 9, 10, and 11 go into detail on what God really intended the Sabbath to be like. It tells us that it is a Sabbath onto the Lord, and on that day we should cease from work and make it a day of rest. After I considered what this verse was really saying I started to squirm. Certainly this is not for us in the 21^st century! Maybe the original languages mean something different, or maybe there is a Pauline exception found in the New Testament! Now I don’t have anything against rest, but you have to understand I’m a busy man. I’ve got things to do, people to see, places to go, emails to answer, lawn to mow, a car to wash. Does it really mean what it says. Is it all right if I work like a madman and then rest when I’m done? Unfortunately, it does mean what it says. The word Sabbath comes from the Hebrew word Shabbat which implies to cease, desist, abstain and rest from all those things I try to cram into my Sabbath day.  

This lesson was taught early on when God rested on the seventh day after he created the world. It’s not just a good idea, God feels it is something that is vital to our life style, especially the 21^st century life style.

In the devotional book, “Springs in the Valley” written by missionary Lettie Cowman there is a story about a traveler in the dark jungles of Africa. He hired coolies to carry all of his luggage and supplies. On the first day they made great progress and the traveler was excited expecting to arrive at his destination earlier than anticipated.

But on the second morning the tribesmen refused to move. For some strange reason they just sat and rested. When the traveler asked about their strange behavior he was told that the natives had gone too fast on the first day and were now waiting for their souls to catch up with their bodies.

Lettie Cowman then writes, “this whirling, rushing life which so many of us live; does for us what that first days march did for those poor jungle tribesmen. The difference is: they knew what they needed to restore life’s balance; too often we do not.” Lettie wrote those words over 50 years ago.

We live in a time where more then ever we feel God like, in that we think we can do it all. We pride ourselves in our ability to create, manipulate and control the world around us. God is not impressed! Instead He invites us to cease, desist, and hand things back over to Him, allowing us to enter in His rest that will restore us physically, mentally and spiritually.

By Noel Miller

Here at Life Church, one of my favorite things I get the privilege of doing is training and developing the next generation of ministers through Life Leadership College. I wanted to take a minute and highlight one of our first year students.

Makenzie Muehler, from Sussex, WI,  is a first year student whose heart and desire is to become a full time missionary. This summer Makenzie will be interning with Convoy of Hope Europe in Belgium. She will learn first hand what it is like to work with a missions organization that is changing the world! To stay up to date with Makenzie as she embarks on this journey, check out her Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/kenziemuehler1) or follow her on twitter (@kenziemuehler)

If you are interested in more information about Life Leadership College, please visit our web site at www.thellc.org!

By Kevin Ganiere

Sometimes we can feel insignificant. We are in good company. Judges 6 & 7 tells us the story of how God wanted to use Gideon. The Angel of the Lord appeared to Gideon to tell him that he was going to save Israel from the oppression of the Midianites. He called him “Mighty Warrior”. Gideon replied “but how can I save Israel? My clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my family.”

Gideon felt like a nobody and a nothing. And frankly he should have because that’s what his culture and society told him. He was the lowest of the low. He was the youngest in his family. His birth photo album was only half filled out… He got all the hand-me-downs…

Nothing said he was going to be a Mighty Warrior or have anything to do with saving Israel. But… God had a purpose for Gideon to live a life of significance for His glory. The rest of the story amazing and the ending is unconventional to say the least.

If I can encourage you with one thing today: remember that you were wonderfully made and designed not just in your mother’s womb, but also for a life of purpose and significance. Even when the world, your family, your friends or even your spouse tell you otherwise, God has called you to live a life of purpose for HIS GLORY!

Be strong Mighty Warrior

God created you! You are a miracle! He created you for a purpose. He created you for his glory. He created you for significance. Don’t ever forget that.

By Philip Voisin

The winter wonderland can be a beautiful place. But as the snow melts, it turns into this ugly black stuff. Why? The explanation is in how a snowflake is made. Each snowflake is a unique crystal formed around supercooled aerosols, which, in most cases, is dirt. One tiny spec of dirt. Crystals grow around the dirt, transforming it into a pure white substance. A snowflake is white because, when light hits it, it scatters the light in so many directions that it appears white to our eyes. The crystals continue to grow until, finally, it is heavy enough to fall to the earth, covering the area in a white blanket. BEAUTIFUL!

Plows come, salt is scattered, and piles of snow are left on the sides of streets, driveways, and parking lots. Spring comes and starts to melt away that white stuff so many of us have grown tired of.  White turns into black, dirty mountains. GROSS.

I say all this to remind you: don’t let your environment change who you are. Beautiful change comes from above. Don’t let your earthly surroundings melt away what God has given you!

By Nando Herrera

Spring is coming! Or is she here? Quite frankly, I can’t tell. I am accustomed to 90-degree days around this time of year. That’s just the southern part of me talking. Regardless of what my preference of climate for the season is, the fact of the matter is: it is near. And with Spring’s arrival, comes change. The sun is up longer, the birds are starting to sing again, the grass is starting to reveal itself as the snow melts away. We’ll see how long that last one lasts. Anyway, it’s always amazing how fast things change as seasons shift. It is a great thing. And after enduring my first northern winter, I can honestly say, “thank God, Spring is here.” It’s a great feeling to be able to breathe easy and know that the worst is over — or so I think (this state is unpredictable.) The cold season may have been long and rough, but now it’s time to start new. Now it’s time to watch life reveal itself again.

I am reminded of a verse that God put in front of me when I had just graduated and got my first ministry job.

“Look, I am about to do something new; even now it is coming. Do you not see it?…” Isaiah 43:19

Spring reminds me that God’s promises are consistent and true. No matter what the situation; no matter how long or how rigid things have been, there is always a new season on the other side. Just like the spring speaks new life, so does God’s Word. Hold fast to His promises because Spring is coming… or is it here now?

“But examine everything carefully; hold fast to that which is good…”

1 Thessalonians 5:21