Amazing Blessings, Amazing Generosity! By Tim Holt (Eastside Treasurer)
In the month of August, we sent out an urgent financial request. Even in spite of aggressive cost reduction efforts, our budget deficit was growing each month. By the end of July, our deficit had grown to about $20K! And even more alarming, our General Fund cash on-hand was only $2,100 - down from over $21K in January. Financially speaking, things looked grim!
But through God's amazing blessings and your amazing generosity, the deficit was essentially closed by the end of August! In only one month, income was over $34K! This is remarkable considering that we had been averaging only $16K/mo prior to August! Our General Fund cash position improved from only $2,100 to over $21K!
And, while we still have our financial challenges - we need a giving rate of about $19K/mo to meet the annual budget and are currently off that pace in September - we need to pause, praise and celebrate God's wonderful and amazing provision! You are greatly appreciated and God is greatly praised!
"Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up" (Galatians 6:9).
Wyldlife Off to a Great Start!
Last night, Wyldlife kicked off the fall season with a toasty campfire and lots of fun! We had the joy of hosting ten teens…including two new teens! Praise the Lord! The evening was spent fellowshipping, playing games, and feasting on s’mores. Fortunately, there was only one minor “flesh wound” that was quickly bandaged with silliness and laughter. We are so proud of our teens for coming out and inviting friends to join them. Let’s be praying for our precious teens as they begin a new school year. May they all know the love of Jesus we share at every Wyldlife gathering. Another way you can be supporting our teens is through donations of water bottles and snacks we can share with them throughout the year. And as always, if you have a heart to volunteer for any of our student ministries we would love to hear from you! Just let Pastor Kathryn know through an email to info@eastsideroc.com or on your Connection Card. You are needed and greatly appreciated!
Guard Your Heart By Pastor Jeremy
Schadenfreude. No, I didn’t sneeze! That’s a real word. Actually, it’s a real German word pronounced “sha-din-froy-da.” It comes from two German words, schaden which means “harm,” and freude which means “joy.” I have always been fascinated by the German language and their knack for creating words to describe the full spectrum and many nuances of our human experiences and emotions.
Schadenfreude describes a feeling or reaction I think all of us have experienced at some point in our lives. It’s a word used to describe the pleasure or joy we can sometimes feel at someone else’s suffering or misfortune. Maybe you felt it that time your competitive sibling didn’t get that job promotion they were so certain they were going to get. Or maybe you heard gossip about that coworker who had to take a leave of absence to try and save their marriage. “Serves them right,” you thought to yourself. “always bragging about their cruises around the world and their date nights.”
It’s a strange feeling, isn’t it? When we experience it we receive this rush of joy and pleasure. However, it can quickly turn into guilt and shame. And frankly, schadenfreude is just not healthy for us psychologically or spiritually. In fact, Proverbs 24:17 warns us against it. “Do not rejoice when your enemy falls, and let not your heart be glad when he stumbles.” Instead, we are encouraged to guard our hearts “for it is the wellspring of life” (Proverbs 4:23). That means, whatever is in our hearts will come out in our words, actions, and behaviors. If jealousy, envy, and malice is in our hearts, it will eventually seep out. But if the life-giving love and presence of God is in our hearts, well, that is going to pour out and flood our lives instead.
So then, how do we guard our hearts from something like schadenfreude? How do we practice true love and not rejoice in evil like Paul says (1 Corinthians 13:6)? I think there are at least three things we can start with. First, we can search our hearts every day. Is there something inside of us that is hoping for or rejoicing in the suffering or misfortune of someone else? If so, ask for forgiveness and give that to God. Also, pray for that person. Hate cannot survive the compassion of prayer.
Secondly, as hard as it may be, reach out to that person. Did you know that we were created to empathize and out of empathy flows mercy and compassion? You see, when we hear someone share their story of hurt, our brains are wired to mirror their experience of pain. Our brains paint a picture for us of what it must be like to be in their shoes. Hearing someone else’s story reminds us of their humanity, their dignity, and their need for love and support. Hate cannot survive connection.
Thirdly, learn to practice freudenfreude (pronounced froy-din-froy-da). It’s the action of rejoicing with another over their success or joy! Did you know our heavenly Father practices freudenfreude? We’re told that he “rejoices over us with singing” (Zephaniah 3:17). That is, he delights and takes pleasure with us! You see, sharing in the joy of others when good things happen in their lives makes us healthier people. It produces in us things like gratitude, contentment, and true joy! And when we grow in freudenfreude, schadenfreude will never be able to find a place in our hearts. Hate cannot survive joy!
In the month of August, we sent out an urgent financial request. Even in spite of aggressive cost reduction efforts, our budget deficit was growing each month. By the end of July, our deficit had grown to about $20K! And even more alarming, our General Fund cash on-hand was only $2,100 - down from over $21K in January. Financially speaking, things looked grim!
But through God's amazing blessings and your amazing generosity, the deficit was essentially closed by the end of August! In only one month, income was over $34K! This is remarkable considering that we had been averaging only $16K/mo prior to August! Our General Fund cash position improved from only $2,100 to over $21K!
And, while we still have our financial challenges - we need a giving rate of about $19K/mo to meet the annual budget and are currently off that pace in September - we need to pause, praise and celebrate God's wonderful and amazing provision! You are greatly appreciated and God is greatly praised!
"Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up" (Galatians 6:9).
Wyldlife Off to a Great Start!
Last night, Wyldlife kicked off the fall season with a toasty campfire and lots of fun! We had the joy of hosting ten teens…including two new teens! Praise the Lord! The evening was spent fellowshipping, playing games, and feasting on s’mores. Fortunately, there was only one minor “flesh wound” that was quickly bandaged with silliness and laughter. We are so proud of our teens for coming out and inviting friends to join them. Let’s be praying for our precious teens as they begin a new school year. May they all know the love of Jesus we share at every Wyldlife gathering. Another way you can be supporting our teens is through donations of water bottles and snacks we can share with them throughout the year. And as always, if you have a heart to volunteer for any of our student ministries we would love to hear from you! Just let Pastor Kathryn know through an email to info@eastsideroc.com or on your Connection Card. You are needed and greatly appreciated!
Guard Your Heart By Pastor Jeremy
Schadenfreude. No, I didn’t sneeze! That’s a real word. Actually, it’s a real German word pronounced “sha-din-froy-da.” It comes from two German words, schaden which means “harm,” and freude which means “joy.” I have always been fascinated by the German language and their knack for creating words to describe the full spectrum and many nuances of our human experiences and emotions.
Schadenfreude describes a feeling or reaction I think all of us have experienced at some point in our lives. It’s a word used to describe the pleasure or joy we can sometimes feel at someone else’s suffering or misfortune. Maybe you felt it that time your competitive sibling didn’t get that job promotion they were so certain they were going to get. Or maybe you heard gossip about that coworker who had to take a leave of absence to try and save their marriage. “Serves them right,” you thought to yourself. “always bragging about their cruises around the world and their date nights.”
It’s a strange feeling, isn’t it? When we experience it we receive this rush of joy and pleasure. However, it can quickly turn into guilt and shame. And frankly, schadenfreude is just not healthy for us psychologically or spiritually. In fact, Proverbs 24:17 warns us against it. “Do not rejoice when your enemy falls, and let not your heart be glad when he stumbles.” Instead, we are encouraged to guard our hearts “for it is the wellspring of life” (Proverbs 4:23). That means, whatever is in our hearts will come out in our words, actions, and behaviors. If jealousy, envy, and malice is in our hearts, it will eventually seep out. But if the life-giving love and presence of God is in our hearts, well, that is going to pour out and flood our lives instead.
So then, how do we guard our hearts from something like schadenfreude? How do we practice true love and not rejoice in evil like Paul says (1 Corinthians 13:6)? I think there are at least three things we can start with. First, we can search our hearts every day. Is there something inside of us that is hoping for or rejoicing in the suffering or misfortune of someone else? If so, ask for forgiveness and give that to God. Also, pray for that person. Hate cannot survive the compassion of prayer.
Secondly, as hard as it may be, reach out to that person. Did you know that we were created to empathize and out of empathy flows mercy and compassion? You see, when we hear someone share their story of hurt, our brains are wired to mirror their experience of pain. Our brains paint a picture for us of what it must be like to be in their shoes. Hearing someone else’s story reminds us of their humanity, their dignity, and their need for love and support. Hate cannot survive connection.
Thirdly, learn to practice freudenfreude (pronounced froy-din-froy-da). It’s the action of rejoicing with another over their success or joy! Did you know our heavenly Father practices freudenfreude? We’re told that he “rejoices over us with singing” (Zephaniah 3:17). That is, he delights and takes pleasure with us! You see, sharing in the joy of others when good things happen in their lives makes us healthier people. It produces in us things like gratitude, contentment, and true joy! And when we grow in freudenfreude, schadenfreude will never be able to find a place in our hearts. Hate cannot survive joy!