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The S T A F F H U B<br />
Monthly Staff <strong>Newsletter</strong> <strong>August</strong> <strong>2023</strong><br />
S.O.A.P.<br />
Devotionals
S.O.A.P. Devotional<br />
SCRIPTURE<br />
by Stephanie Rayborn<br />
HE WILL WORK IT OUT IF YOU LET HIM<br />
PSALM 37:17-20<br />
17 Is anyone crying for help? God is listening, ready to rescue you. 18 If your heart is broken,<br />
you’ll find God right there; if you’re kicked in the gut, he’ll help you catch your breath.19<br />
Disciples so often get into trouble; still, God is there every time. 20 He’s your bodyguard,<br />
shielding every bone; not even a finger gets broken.<br />
OBSERVATION<br />
No matter what I have done, there is always opportunity for redemption. As long as I seek God,<br />
he answers me. As long as I turn from evil, he guides me. As long as I cry out, he hears me. No<br />
matter what, he will rescue me. I will be forgiven, saved and will not be condemned. This is<br />
confirmation that I can be delivered and made whole and so can everyone who believes.<br />
APPLICATION<br />
If I always remember that no matter what I do or have done, there is redemption. However, at<br />
some point I have to realize that while God will give me many chances to course correct, He<br />
expects that at some point like David, once I know better, I should do better. It doesn’t mean<br />
that I’ll never make another mistake or that I will be perfect in all that I do. Based on my<br />
perception there is an expectation that my talk, my walk and my life will be changed. When I<br />
sought him, he delivered me from my fears. I know that there have been times that angels<br />
surrounded me when Satan tried to break me. Because I am forgiven; because I have been set<br />
free; because there is redemption; because there is a God that loves me, He allows me to course<br />
correct and shelters me from storms. As long as I put my trust in him, I know he will work it out.<br />
Even when I feel like I am on sinking sand he’s still the solid rock on which I stand.<br />
PRAYER<br />
God, I thank you for allowing me many opportunities to course correct and learn from my<br />
missteps. Thank you for having angels watch over me. Thank you for lessons learned and<br />
hearing my cry. If I can use my experiences to help others, then I know my trials and<br />
tribulations have not been in vain. I will never hoard my blessings. I will use them to help<br />
others. Thank you for walking beside me along the way and for guiding my footsteps every day.<br />
In Jesus' Name, Amen.
S.O.A.P.<br />
Devotional<br />
BY AARON FRAZIER<br />
SCRIPTURE<br />
When they had all had enough to eat, he<br />
said to his disciples, “Gather the pieces<br />
that are left over. Let nothing be wasted.”<br />
John 6:12 NIV<br />
APPLICATION<br />
There is nothing insignificant about what God is<br />
doing in our lives.<br />
Nothing should be wasted!<br />
For every miracle, sign, wonder, and blessing that<br />
God has performed in our lives, God touched and<br />
blessed every part. Even our lives' most minor,<br />
hurtful, and embarrassing details are not<br />
insignificant. There is NOTHING trivial about my<br />
life, pain, failures, or triumphs. If we have asked<br />
God to bless our lives, God can use these pieces<br />
to feed or bless someone else! The things that<br />
made me wail can bless someone else to dance.<br />
The things that caused sorrow can make<br />
someone feel joy.<br />
OBSERVATION<br />
Jesus instructs the disciples to gather up<br />
the "pieces." The fragments. The leftovers.<br />
He tells let nothing be wasted.<br />
Jesus intimates that there is value in<br />
the “pieces”<br />
These pieces were NOT to be wasted.<br />
Instead, they were to be collected (12<br />
baskets full!)<br />
PRAYER<br />
Father God, in the name of Jesus, thank<br />
You for giving me the ability to glean from<br />
You. Thank You for letting me pick up<br />
spiritually from the blessings You have<br />
provided. You speak and give revelation<br />
and insight, but I want to be more aware<br />
of what is happening and be obedient to<br />
collect what You have for me. In the name<br />
of Jesus, AMEN.<br />
Am I willing to give my little to Jesus so He can<br />
bless it?<br />
As a disciple of Christ, God created us to be a<br />
blessing. We collect an abundance of leftovers to<br />
feed our lives. We should glean from everything<br />
God has put before us. Your pain,<br />
embarrassment, and struggle may feed and<br />
bless me. So, thank you for your “scraps.”
S.O.A.P. DEVOTIONAL<br />
BY KENDRA BOLLING<br />
When You Don’t Know What to Pray<br />
Romans 8:26-28<br />
During my upbringing, I experienced a vibrant and joyful<br />
childhood. However, everything changed when my grandfather was<br />
diagnosed with cancer and passed away during my time in the 5th<br />
Grade. When I entered 6th grade, my grandmother died due to her<br />
grief over losing her husband. This had a significant impact on<br />
my family, and the concept of what I considered as "family"<br />
became somewhat distant. During that period, I felt unsure about<br />
what to pray for. Although I desired for my family to remain<br />
close, I couldn't fully articulate my prayers. According to<br />
Romans 8, we are assured that we're not alone, and the Holy<br />
Spirit acts as our helper, interceding on our behalf. This was an<br />
extremely challenging phase for my family and it seemed neverending.<br />
I started to believe that we would never regain the<br />
closeness we once had. Unfortunately, I allowed myself to<br />
constantly dwell on this false belief.<br />
Most of the time, our approach to challenges that go against what<br />
God's word says is to study the deception. The Department of<br />
Treasury has a division specifically dedicated to studying money.<br />
Within this division, there is a core group that focuses on<br />
understanding the characteristics of authentic money. Despite<br />
expectations, their primary focus is not on counterfeit money.<br />
The key to their expertise lies in studying the truth, so that<br />
when counterfeit money crosses their path, they are able to<br />
recognize its characteristics. Similarly, as believers, we should<br />
adopt a similar mindset. When faced with situations that<br />
contradict God's word, we should not entertain them, but instead<br />
hold firm to our understanding of what God's word says and what<br />
He is capable of. As I have grown and matured in my faith, I have<br />
dedicated my study to scriptures on faith and family, and now I<br />
serve alongside my family, engage in fellowship, and travel.
CELEBRATIONS<br />
Y E A R S O F S E R V I C E<br />
Monica Patton<br />
<strong>TWC</strong><br />
<strong>August</strong> 10<br />
(8 years)<br />
Erika Sealie<br />
<strong>TWC</strong><br />
<strong>August</strong> 15<br />
(1 year)<br />
LaMonte Austin<br />
<strong>TWC</strong><br />
<strong>August</strong> 28<br />
(6 years)<br />
B I R T H D A Y S<br />
Leslie Williams<br />
<strong>TWC</strong><br />
<strong>August</strong> 6<br />
Jamar Jones<br />
<strong>TWC</strong><br />
<strong>August</strong> 10<br />
Emerick Davis<br />
<strong>TWC</strong><br />
<strong>August</strong> 20
UPCOMING EVENTS<br />
Staff Prayer Meeting – 8/3<br />
Bessemer Campus @ 9:00am<br />
Prime Time Lunch ‘n Learn – 8/8<br />
CORE Team Meeting – 8/9<br />
Every 2nd Wednesday<br />
Emerge Family Night – 8/11<br />
Executive Staff Meeting – 8/17<br />
Staff Meeting – 8/24<br />
Family Gathering – 8/27<br />
Every 4th Sunday<br />
Baptism – 8/27<br />
Every 4th Sunday<br />
Small Group Semester begins – 8/13
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