Duck The Halls: Week 1 - Choose JOY

Hey Timber Ridgers! We are totally bummed about having to cancel services today! We had planned and worked and prepped for an awesome day, but the weather just didn't cooperate. Our parking lot would have been a mess trying to get people in and out since it's one giant, slick sheet of ice.

And I had planned on preaching about choosing joy. It's a great lesson for the Christmas season. Happiness is good. But JOY is better. You see, happiness is dependent on our circumstances. Joy isn't. Happiness changes with our situations. Joy doesn't. 

For many of us, the holiday season means joy, fun, laughter and peace. But for many others it can mean hopelessness, stress, and despair. Maybe it's because of a recent loss of a loved one or the financial stress of the season or difficult family relationships. 

Whatever the reason, sometimes it feels like our happiness can be drained for the season.

But it doesn't have to be that way. Because we can choose joy. Happiness is the generic. Joy is the authentic, real deal. Think of it this way: Happiness is Dr. Thunder, but Joy is Dr. Pepper.

And the birth of Jesus into our world brought Joy. In Luke 2, (click here to read it), the shepherds were given a message from an angel of the Lord that said the birth of Jesus is good news that brings great joy for ALL people. Not just people who have it together. Not just people who have the right position or the right possessions. Not just for those who seem to have it easy. Joy is for us all.

In fact, in James 1 (click here to read), in the Bible, James says that we can have joy even in difficult times. You see, joy is a deep contentment that comes from knowing Jesus. And that isn't based on our circumstances or situations.

Paul, a follower of Jesus, said in the Bible (read it here) that he had learned to be content, to have this deep contentment in life, regardless of how much he had or didn't have in life. And here's what Paul said was the secret to joy and being content. He had strength through his relationship with Jesus.

Here's the truth that the Bible is clear on: An authentic, real relationship with Jesus brings an authentic, real joy into our lives.

In the Bible, Paul says this in Romans 15:13: I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in him. 

Paul nails it! We are filled with joy, not because of the right circumstances or the perfect life, but because we place our trust in Jesus. 

Our joy is not in possessions or position, but in a person: Jesus.

And the message of Christmas is a message of Joy To The ENTIRE World: When we couldn't get to God, God came to us through the gift of His Son, Jesus. 

And that's something to be more than happy about. That's something that can bring us JOY.

Daily Christmas Funny

Daily Christmas Funny

What does a fox have to do with Christmas? Check out this video to find out!

What Does The Fox Say Christmas Light Show

Daily Christmas Funny

Daily Christmas Funny

I'm starting a new series here on the blog, where each day I'll share a daily Christmas "funny" - a video, cartoon, picture, or story that I find funny. Hopefully, these "funnies" bring some Christmas cheer to your holiday season.

Be sure to check back on the blog each day between now & Christmas day for the Daily Christmas funny.

Timber Ridge V.O.W.

This week's Timber Ridge Volunteer of the Week is Jennifer Cozart. If you're looking for Jennifer on Sunday mornings, you can always find her in our nursery, loving on our babies. Jennifer faithfully serves our little ones each week, making sure they are loved and taken care of during the worship experiences.  Thanks for all you do Jennifer! We appreciate you. You ROCK!

Jennifer and Chris Gilley, our Guest Services Director

If you attend Timber Ridge and would like to get connected to serving on a ministry team, click here for more details.

Why Do We Do My Best Gift?

From time to time when we do something like the My Best Gift offering at Timber Ridge, people will ask me a question that goes like this: "Why is it that we do this?"

When it comes to the My Best Gift Christmas Offering, we have several reasons for doing this at Timber Ridge. Here are a few of them:

#1: It helps us remember the reason for the season. If Christmas really is about Jesus and our focus really is supposed to be on God's gift to us through sending the world His only Son, then giving our best, most generous Christmas gift to God's Kingdom just makes sense. If we believe that Jesus is the real reason for the season then that ought to be reflected in how we spend our time, our talent, and our finances during the holiday season.

#2: It helps us to think beyond ourselves. Christmas has become synonymous with consumerism in our current culture. One of the best ways to battle consumerism and selfishness is to think of others and use our resources to benefit causes outside of ourselves. Our My Best Gift offering allows us to put others first and think beyond selfishness during Christmas.

#3: It makes a global impact for God's Kingdom. 100% of our Christmas Offering at Timber Ridge Church goes to support global engagement and church planting. This year, our offering will go toward construction projects at the impoverished elementary school that we have adopted in the rural area of Sapa, Vietnam and toward planting more churches in rural areas of Texas, in Toronto, Canada, and around the world. Each of these places are difficult places for God's work in our world & our My Best Gift offering allows us to spread the light of Jesus in some very dark places in our world.

At Timber Ridge, we believe in giving generously to God because He has given generously to us, through the life of His son Jesus. There's no better time to put this belief into action than during the Christmas season.

If you'd like to be a part of our My Best Gift offering, you can find out more info and even contribute online, safely and securely, by clicking here.

An Open Letter To My Timber Ridge Family

Dear Timber Ridge Family,

I love this time of year – holiday parties, Christmas trees, hot chocolate and the spirit of generosity that seems to swell up in our society. There’s something about peace on earth and goodwill towards men that makes me think about other people a little more than usual.

This month, I’m inviting everyone connected to Timber Ridge Church to participate in our annual Christmas Offering called My Best Gift. This is the time of year where we put feet to our faith – where we show our community and our world the love of Jesus. The idea here is that as we buy gifts for other people, we want our largest, most extravagant gift to go to Jesus. This year, we’ve set our BIGGEST GOAL EVER and we will only be able to reach it if we all join in together to accomplish this mission. 

Our goal for this special Christmas offering is $15,000.

Here’s how 100% of the funds will be used:

School Construction in Vietnam: We are partnering to serve and share God’s love in Vietnam. We’ll be sending a team to our adopted school, Hau Thao, in Sapa, Vietnam in March and these funds will cover the construction project they will work on.

Church Planting: We plan to continue to be aggressive in our church planting efforts, using our My Best Gift funds to continue to fund our plants in Toronto and in Marshall, TX and help more churches start in 2014.

On December 15, 2013, we will receive the My Best Gift Offering during our weekend services. If you’re going to be out of town on December 15, or if you’d like to go ahead and donate now, you can do that now online by clicking here. It’s safe, secure and simple to use. If you give online, please be sure to put “My Best Gift” in the note/memo section.

Please pray about participating and jump in with us. God has given us a great mission, and we’re blessed to be able to join Him in reaching our community for Christ and advancing the Gospel around the world.

Blessings,

Pastor Nic

A Christmas Gift Guide For Parents

Christmas is upon us. And I love it. I really do think it's the most wonderful time of the year. From celebrating God's gift to us through Jesus to spending time with friends and families to giving gifts to those we love...there's so much to love about the Christmas season. And as a parent, I've learned that my kids bring so much more joy into the holiday season.

But too many times being a parent means added stress as well. We feel like we have to find the perfect gift. We're pressured into spending more money than we have. At Christmas time, sometimes more than any other time of the year, we feel the need to keep up with the Jones's.

As parents, Johanna and I have felt those pressures. But we started doing something a few years ago that has revolutionized our Christmas experience. It helps us to focus on the real reason we celebrate and allows us to slow down the crazy consumerism that has engulfed the holiday.

Here's what we do: Our kids get four gifts. Yes, you read that right: four. And we have a system that we use. Here's how it goes:

Something you want,

Something you need,

Something to wear,

Something to read.

This system has allowed us to be less stressed, stay within a budget, and keep the real focus on Jesus at Christmas.

If you're a parent out there feeling the stress and struggle of Christmas consumerism, I hope this strategy might help your family as well.

Christmas Tips For Dads

Christmas time is here again.  Time for dad to get frustrated with house decorating, stress out over how much money is spent on gifts, and have his family overcome with a crazy, chaotic calendar.

But what if it doesn't have to be that way?  We have a unique opportunity at Christmas to create great family memories and lead our families in growing closer to Jesus.  And let's face it:  Our kids grow up way to fast.  

So here are some tips for dads to make the most of the holiday season for their families:

1. Check your Cheer - Dad's, don't let the stress and spending of the holidays rob you of your Christmas cheer.  Be joyful.  Be hopeful.  You're family takes their cues from you.
2. Model Generosity - The holidays are a great time to teach your family about giving and generosity. Who are you planning to adopt, bless, and serve this holiday season?
3. Dive In To Decorations - We need to help our wives with decorating the house.  We need to make it a family affair.  We need to take time to drive around and look at Christmas lights with the family.  Embrace the sights and sounds of Christmas and be sure your family is having the complete holiday experience.
4. Make It About Jesus - It's easy for the message of Christmas to get lost in the hype.  Dads need to be leading their families to remember that Christmas is all about Jesus.  Dads need to be leading their families spiritually.  How are you doing with this dad? (For a great Christmas Bible reading plan click here.)
5. Plan A Christmas Calendar - I started planning a Christmas calendar a couple years ago and it made the holiday so much better for our family.  Here are 4 things you can do to be successful with this dads: 

• Make sure you're planning family time where memories will be made.
• Create time to build family traditions.
• Check out local events that can make the holidays fun for your family.
• Be wise about what you say yes to and what you say no to.

Dads, let's be intentional in making the most of Christmas for our families this year.  Let's lead well.  Let's model the Christmas spirit for our children & not miss out on a great opportunity to build memories that can last a lifetime!

Timber Ridge V.O.W.

This week's Volunteer of the Week at Timber Ridge Church is Carmon Rike. Carmon uses her time, talent, and abilities to serve in our Sprouts ministry as a part of our Timber Ridge Kids team. Each week she cares for our kids and helps them know that God loves them. Thanks Carmon for all that you do!

Carmon & Pastor Nic

If you'd like to volunteer on our Timber Ridge Kids team, or any other area in our church, you can get more info by clicking here.

Timber Ridge Volunteer of the Week

This week's Timber Ridge V.O.W. is John David Sursa. John David serves each Sunday on our Guest Services team. He's served as a greeter, an usher, a member of the parking lot team, and pretty much anything else he's been asked to do. It's not unusual to see him serving in multiple services on a Sunday too. THANK YOU John David for all that you do to serve others and make an impact here at Timber Ridge Church! YOU ROCK!

John David & Pastor Nic

If you're interested in getting connected and volunteering at Timber Ridge, click here for more details.

Timber Ridge V.O.W.

This week's Timber Ridge Volunteer of the Week is Sherah Mills. Sherah has invested countless hours serving at Timber Ridge Church. She's taken elementary children to Kidz Kamp, served as a sponsor for youth camp, and serves consistently and faithfully in our Kid Ridge area every Sunday morning. If you've got a K-6th grader, it's a good bet that Sherah has had a major impact on their lives.  THANK YOU Sherah for all you do! You ROCK!

Pastor Nic & Sherah

If you are interested in using your time, talent, and energy to make a difference by volunteering on a team at Timber Ridge, click here to get more info!

Timber Ridge V.O.W.

This week's Timber Ridge Volunteer of the Week is Cole Lindsey. As a junior high student, Cole is setting the example of serving and making a difference at a young age. Each Sunday morning Cole invests in the next generation by faithfully serving in our Kids Ridge children's ministry, loving on our kids and helping them connect with Jesus.

Pastor Nic & Cole

If you're interested in making an impact by volunteering at Timber Ridge, click here for more info!

The Equity of Leadership

When we hear the word economy, we usually think banks, business, government, and finances. As a leader there is another economy. It's the leadership economy. Similar to the banking world, you consistently make deposits and withdrawals with the people and the teams you lead. The decisions you make, the actions you take, and the words you speak can be used in a powerful way to build equity as a leader.

And if there is one word to describe how you build leadership equity it's this: TRUST.

Trust is the currency of leadership equity. If you build trust with the people you lead and the people who lead you, you'll quickly realize that you're building equity in your leadership.  And trust is a difficult currency to work with. Because it takes time and consistency to develop, but it can be destroyed in a single moment.

So how do we build trust? Here's four ways to build trust with the people you lead and with the people who lead you.

1. Honor your word. If you say you'll do something, do it. Plain and simple. 
2. Take care of business. If the people you lead can't trust you with simple tasks or a small amount of responsibility, you're not likely to be given more leadership and responsibility. Likewise, if the people you lead don't trust you to get the job done, they're likely not going to follow you for long.
3. Be present. Leadership, at the end of the day, is all about relationships. And you build trust in relationships by being present and investing in people's lives. When you show you care, people realize they can trust you.
4. Exhibit integrity. Always have integrity in your speech. Refuse to gossip. Refuse to complain Refuse to be negative. Remember this principle: If people will talk about someone else to you, they'll talk about you to someone else. And no one trusts that kind of person. 

Understand this: Building trust takes time, consistency, and hard work. But it's the most important investment you'll make as a leader. Why? Because building trust = building leadership equity.

Timber Ridge V.O.W. - August 25th

This week's Timber Ridge Volunteer of the week is Landon Salyer. Landon serves as our Parking Team leader and every Sunday you can find him helping guests find parking spots and welcoming them to our campus. Landon plays a big part in helping our guests feel welcomed and at home each week as they attend Timber Ridge. Thank you Landon for all that you do to serve and make a difference!

Pastor Nic & Landon

If you attend Timber Ridge and would like to get connected to serve on a ministry team, you can get more info and sign up to serve by clicking here.

The Leadership Ladder

Leading in an organization or within a group of people has its ups and downs. There are times when it is exhilarating and fun. There are times when it is difficult. And at times, leadership can be downright daunting.

But regardless of whether you are a part of a church, business, team, or other institution there are some ways you can increase your leadership skills. There are certain behaviors, attitudes, and skills you can adopt that will help you move up the leadership ladder.

If you'd like to improve your leadership, try one of these three things:

#1: Contribute more than you criticize. Move beyond being a problem spotter, to becoming a problem solver. Leadership math is very simple - it's basically this formula: Contribute > Complain. In the end, leaders are people who contribute more than they criticize.

#2: Increase your commitment and decrease your agenda. Leaders of an organization are people who are more concerned with the mission and vision of the organization than they are with their own personal agenda. If you want to lead, it means more commitment, more time, and more sacrifice for the mission...and more death to your own agenda.

#3: Realize relational equity trumps positional equity. It's been said that people don't care how much you know, until they know how much you care. That statement has never been more true than when it comes to leadership in our current culture. A position doesn't necessarily make people follow you anymore. And titles certainly won't magically make you a person worth following. People who are willing to invest in others and add value to a team build relational equity that allow them to lead in ways that no title or position ever could.

Regardless of where you find yourself today within your organization, you can move up the leadership ladder. You can make a difference. You can be a person worth following.

Timber Ridge V.O.W. - August 18th

This week's Timber Ridge Volunteer of the Week is Terrye Nickels. Terrye has served on our Guest Services team since the beginning of our church. Each week she serves as a greeter warmly welcoming people and helping them to feel comfortable and at home in our worship services. Thank you Terrye for all you do to consistently serve and help people connect with Jesus!

Terrye & Pastor Nic

If you attend Timber Ridge regularly and are interested in serving on a Ministry Team, click here for more details.

Timber Ridge V.O.W.

This week's Timber Ridge Volunteer of the Week (VOW) is Emily Miller. Emily is one of the student in our Student Ministry who consistently and faithfully uses her time, talent, and energy to make a difference here at Timber Ridge Church. Emily can be found each week loving on kids and helping to make our Timber Ridge Kids ministry an exciting and fun place for kids to learn about Jesus. She's also one of the first people to tackle an extra task, whether it's filling water balloons for a youth event or cleaning the bathrooms for Sunday services.  Emily, YOU ROCK!!! Thanks for all you do to help people connect with Jesus at Timber Ridge!

Pastor Nic & Emily

(If you attend Timber Ridge and are interested in serving on a ministry team, you can get more info here.)

Timber Ridge V.O.W. - July 28th

Congrats to Christy Jenkins as our Timber Ridge Volunteer of the Week for the week of July 28th! Christy serves double duty most Sunday's working in our Guest Services team in the cafe and also serving with our Timber Ridge Kids team as a nursery worker. Thank you Christy for keeping the coffee hot & the kids loved!  We appreciate all you do...YOU ROCK!

Pastor Nic & Christy 

If you would like more info about serving on a ministry team at Timber Ridge, click here.