Parenting Resources

In light of our recent series at Timber Ridge called Parenthood, I thought I'd share some parenting resources here on the blog.  If you are looking for some parenting wisdom, advice, and guidance, check out the following resources.  They're well worth your time!

Online Resources:

• Let Me Be The One To Say It Out Loud (A short blog post which I personally feel is parenting gold for parents who deal with any kind of "parenting guilt).
• 11 Practical Ways For Men To Lead A Family by Mark Driscoll
• 10 Things I'd Do If I Were Raising A Daughter Today  by Ron Edmondson

Books:

• For All Parents:  The Ten Commandments of Parenting: The Do's and Don'ts for Raising Great Kids by Ed Young
• For Dad's of Sons: King Me: What Every Son Wants and Needs From His Father by Steve Farrar
• For Dad's of Daughters:  Strong Fathers, Strong Daughters: 10 Secrets Every Father Should Know by Meg Meeker

2 Things Storm Victims Need

Our neighbors in Granbury, TX and further north in Moore, OK have been hit hard in the last few days with devastating tornadoes. It's in times like these that we can feel helpless to aid those who are hurting.

There are two things that we can all do to love our neighbors during these tragic times.

1. PRAY.  Don't just say you'll pray.  Really pray. Ask God to heal the physical and emotional pain that people are going through. Pray that God would bring peace and comfort in a time of turmoil and pain.
2. GIVE. The victims of these storms need our prayers...but they also need our CASH. Give generously to those in need, remembering that every single dollar counts. Together, our small donations can make a big impact.

If you are looking for somewhere to give that is trusted, reliable, and where your money will go directly to meet immediate needs, I suggest two places.

• Convoy Of Hope - Convoy of Hope is a faith-based, disaster relief organization that has served more than 55 million people in need since 1994. They are nationally reputable, trusted, and on the ground now in Oklahoma.
• North American Mission Board - NAMB is one of the most trusted, recognized organizations providing disaster relief in our country. They make every dollar count and have teams in Oklahoma on the ground now.

I can speak from experience that when we give to these organizations, it makes the most of our money & directly goes to helping people on the ground in these affected areas.

If you live locally and would like to make a difference by PRAYING and GIVING, I invite you join me this Thursday, May 23rd at 12 Noon at Beans and Franks at 1296 W. Washington.  Timber Ridge Church and Beans & Franks are partnering together to host a PRAYER TIME at noon on Thursday.  In addition to the time of prayer, if you wish to dine at Beans & Franks, a portion of all proceeds will be donated directly to the Oklahoma tornado relief efforts through Convoy of Hope.  Timber Ridge Church will also match the donation dollar for dollar.

4 Steps To Making A Difficult Decision

One thing is true about every single one of us: We all have to make difficult decisions from time to time.  The simple decisions come easy for most of us.  Things like what we're going to wear for the day, how we'll spend our weekend, and if we want fries with that.

But what about the tough decisions? What about life's difficult situations? How to we move forward and choose between what seems to be two great options?

Here are four steps I believe can help bring wisdom into the decisions we make:

1. Pray About It. Seems like the total church answer, right?  But there really is power in prayer. Spend some time praying to God and asking for His guidance. Then do something totally radical:  Listen.

I took my troubles to the Lord; I cried out to Him, and He answered my prayer. Psalm 120:1

2. Search God's Word. What does the Bible say about the decision I am making? Is there clear instruction in the Scripture that would guide me to one choice or away from a certain option?

Your word is a lamp to guide my feet, and a light for my path. Psalm 119:105

3. Seek Wise Counsel. Get the advice of godly people whom you trust have your best in mind. Talk with them about the pros and cons of your decision and ask for their input and wisdom.

Plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisers they succeed. Proverbs 15:22

4. Pull The Trigger. Eventually you have to embrace the motto of Nike, the shoe company and JUST DO IT.  Go for it. Pray about it, consult God's Word, seek counsel from others and then trust God and go for it.  Make the decision.

Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek His will in all you do, and He will show you which path to take. Proverbs 3:5-6

Timber Ridge V.O.W.

This week's Timber Ridge Volunteer of the Week is Vicki Jenkins.  Vicki serves in our guest services area, specifically on the cafe and hospitality team.  If you've ever been to a Timber Ridge service, you've probably seen Vicki's smiling face as you got a cup of coffee or a donut.  In fact, Vicki most likely made that coffee too!  Thank you Vicki for all your service and work to make the vision and mission of Timber Ridge a reality!  You rock!

Me, Vicki, & her husband Mike (who also serves a ton at Timber Ridge!)

Timber Ridge V.O.W.

This week's Timber Ridge Volunteer of The Week is Tim Arpin.  If you attend Timber Ridge, you can see Tim rockin' out on stage each week.  Whether it's lead guitar, bass guitar, or the ukulele, Tim faithfully serves by using his gifts and talents in music to help lead us in worship each week.  Tim also played a huge role in remodeling our current campus.

Thanks Tim for all you do to use your gifts, talents, & abilities to make a difference at Timber Ridge!  You ROCK!

From L to R: Tim's daughter Kristin, Tim and Pastor Micah

Let It Marinate

In the Gospel of John (John 15:5) Jesus says this:  I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.

That's a pretty powerful statement. Think about it: What Jesus is saying in this whole story of the vine & the branches (John 15:1-11) is that when we daily remain in Him, we'll be fruitful, effective, successful. But apart from that connection with Him, we can do nothing of real, eternal value: zero, zilch, nada.

Jesus is calling us to a connection with Him. And we do that through spending time in God's Word. Jesus isn't just calling us to simply skim through God's Word, but to truly connect with Him through it.

Jesus doesn't just want us to meditate on it...He wants us to marinate in it.  Jesus is calling us to immerse ourselves in God's Word, to let it soak into us & change us.

Think about it for a second: When you marinate a piece of meat to grill, that's exactly what you are doing.  You are allowing the marinade to soak into the food & change it. It gives it a new flavor!

Jesus is saying this to us:  Remain in me...daily, consistently, regularly...by marinating in God's Word so that I can give you a new outlook, a new heart, a new attitude...a new flavor!

I don't know about you, but I need that every day. If I'm going to be effective & fruitful, I can't do it on my own. I need to let it marinate!

(By the way, if you're looking for a simple plan to read & study the Bible, I'd encourage you to check out the REAP Plan by clicking here.)

Timber Ridge Volunteer of The Week

This past Sunday at Timber Ridge, we started a new tradition of recognizing one volunteer each week for their service & investment in helping accomplish the vision & mission God has given us. It's our way of saying thank you to an individual volunteer each week, as well as recognizing the importance and the investment that all our volunteers make!

Our first ever Timber Ridge Volunteer of The Week (VOW) is Jonna Vandiver!  Jonna serves weekly in our Timber Ridge Kids ministry with our preschool and nursery kids. She leads our kids with enthusiasm and tons of love. She's also one of the first people to step up and serve in other areas outside Sunday morning. She consistently invests and serves to make the vision God's given us at Timber Ridge become a reality.  THANK YOU Jonna! You're the Timber Ridge Volunteer of the Week!

Stay In The Loop

If you attend Timber Ridge, we want you to be connected, updated, and in the know to all the things God is doing in and through our church. We've got several ways you can stay connected and up to date on all things Timber Ridge!

5 Ways To Stay Connected & Up To Date

#1: Facebook: If you're on Facebook, be sure to go and "like" the Timber Ridge Facebook page found here.  It's a fantastic way to stay connected to all things Timber Ridge.

#2: The App: Yes, we have an app for that!  You can watch videos, connect with us on social media, read the blog, give and more with the Timber Ridge Church App.  Click here to get the app from the iTunes store for iPhone or iPad and click here to download the app in the android market for your phone or tablet.

#3: Twitter: Do you tweet? So do we! Click here to connect with us on twitter.

#4: Text Messaging: You can get updates, reminders, & announcements sent straight to your cell phone (2-3 per week), by texting "timberridge" to 33733 from your cell phone.

#5: Weekly Email Newsletter: We send out a weekly update that includes upcoming events, reminders, and a preview of our upcoming Sunday services each week. If you don't receive the weekly email, click here to sign up. It's a great way to stay connected and in the loop.

So what's keeping you from staying in the loop?  Be sure to take a few seconds now and connect with Timber Ridge via social media, texting, email, and the app so that you'll be able to connect with everything that God is doing at Timber Ridge Church!