Life in Relationship

ILMS24 – YA: Still Release Date: May 7 Psalm 46:10-11   Let's take a poll – How many of you want to live your best life? How many of you want to live a junky life, or even a so-so life?   What do people need for their best life? (Consider as a group or on your own.)   Maslow's Hierarchy of needs https://www.simplypsychology.org/maslow.html     We look at this list and can see some of our problems...

IMLS 23 - Ten Minutes of Compassion Ten Minute Truth #1 - Compassion assumes some discomfort Ten Minute Truth #2 - Compassion includes the "and" of truth and mercy What about discipline and truth? Psalm 119:77 -Let your mercy come to me, that I may live; for your law is my delight. Ten Minute Truth #3 - compassion includes a "but" Nehemiah 9:16-19a  Ten Minute Truth #4 – love them anyway We are go...

ILMS 22 – Altogether Beautiful: Middle Schoolers and Teens   Altogether Beautiful Identity Concept of the Sense of Self   They are asking: What are my personal values and beliefs? What are my goals? What are my ideas? Can I share them? Ask: What they think about a current event? A big topic?   Build trust by listening, with no judgement, freedom to disagree, gentle guidance/boundaries   Dealing wi...

ILMS 21 – YA: Brought The best way to make sense of God's work in destruction is to remember what He is done and Who He is.   Psalm 46:8-9 Come, behold the works of the Lord,     how he has brought desolations on the earth. He makes wars cease to the end of the earth;     he breaks the bow and shatters the spear;     he burns the chariots with fire.   Brought Desolations End to war The grey area o...

ILMS 20 – Ministry Talks: Friendship and Ministry 1 Samuel 14:1-7 - Jonathan and his armor bearer   Step One of Friendship: Prayer   Step Two: Admitting friendship isn't easy Friendship will continue to be a challenge as long as we walk the earth - God = relational, Genesis 2:25 - Satan likes isolation - dual relationships - Ministry and friendship are both personal   Step Three: Vulnerability = w...

ILMS 19 – Ten Minutes of Consolation Consolation – "…the comfort received by a person after a loss or disappointment; a person or thing providing comfort to a person who has suffered…" (google dictionary)   Ten minute truth #1 – There are many and various losses and griefs of life   Ten Minutes Truth #2 – There are two types of consolation we can offer people: The wrong way – Job 2 The Jesus way –...

ILMS 18 – YA: With   We often formulate our ideas of God based on our ideas of people. Psalm 46:7 7  The Lord of hosts is with us;     the God of Jacob is our fortress.  This is a refrain of Psalm 46 Refrain: something repeated   Question: Why might this be a useful chorus to repeat to ourselves or one another in our own lives? What kinds of things happen in the Psalm and in our lives that draw us...

ILMS 17 – Ten Minutes of Agape With Pastor Matt Schuler   What in the world is Agape?   Ten Minute Truth #1 - Agape = sacrificial love Sacrificial love v love for my pizza What do we do when relationships disappoint?   Ten Minute Truth #2 - Agape = love that isn't disrupted by anything Romans 8:38-39 – What can separate us from God's Agape Love?   Bethel Music – You Make Me Brave https://youtu.be/...

Show notes: The nations rage, the kingdoms totter;    he utters his voice, the earth melts. – Psalm 46:6 What images come to mind from this verse? How do people generally picture the end of the world?  Hebrews 1:1-3 Just like us, God speaks in different ways, speaking different messages at the different times we need them. Sometimes God speaks loud and sometimes God speaks soft. Examples of God's...

ILMS 15 – Ministry Talks: 6 Dynamics of Ministry and Marriage Vocation and amplification   Marriage Dynamic 1 – What's Love and Respect Got to Do with it? criticism and sensitivity questions and practical suggestions   Marriage Dynamic 2 –They appreciate me! Communicate early and often: Ministry is not less when done at home State what you need Assume the best Get very creative   Marriage Dynamic...

ILMS 14 – Ten Minutes of Joy With Matt Schuler   For the moment and eternally Psalms emphasis on Joy, worshipful   John 16:22 – Jesus's promise of Joy in Him, no one can take away   Grief transformed – looking to the Psalms   James 1:2-3 – joy in trials…for real?   Delight Biblically related to time with God, awareness of God working, time in God's Word   Matthew 28 – the resurrection of Joy   Par...

Show notes-  YA: Help Fun Question: What kinds of New Year's resolutions do people make? - Health - Money - Relationships - School/Work        Psalm 46:1-5, focus on v. 5   The sandwich of Help in Psalm 46, verse 1 and 5   Look at one example in the Bible of needing help and not asking for it, and one of wisely asking for help: Exodus 18:13-17 Acts 6:1-6    What do you need help with?   Challenge:...

Ministry Talks 12 – Wellness for the Church Work Student   Physical wellness   Intellectual wellness   Spiritual Wellness   Emotional Wellness   Relational Wellness   Vocational Wellness     Wisdom from students Wisdom from professors Wisdom from other church workers   Special thanks to: Julianna Shults, YA Corps - https://www.lcms.org/young-adult-corps Dave Rueter, author and ministry leader Deac...

ILMS 11 – YA: Glad YA series – ilovemyshepherd.com/ya   Psalm 46:4 4  There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God,     the holy habitation of the Most High.   What do you picture the place where God dwells? Where does God live?   We are His habitation! Why this matters… Sometimes life feels like a big ball of Christmas lights   What can God do with that giant ball of Christmas lights?...

ILMS9 - The Truth about Mental Health: Suicidality Suicide Prevention Hotline - https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/   Special guests: Brandon Hamilton, student, hiphop artist; Joshua Mertz, teacher   Podcast Outline Brandon's Song The Ocean of Social Media Body Image   John 10:10   Making faith your own   Just be the friend – be there for one person   One Last Breath on YouTube -  https://youtu...

The struggle and joy of church work and holidaysThe struggle and joy of church work and holidays Applying the ScripturesLoneliness factor:Psalm 68:4-6 Envy factor:1 Corinthians 3:3 1 Corinthians 13:4Proverbs 14:30  1) Keeping it in perspective- The weight of holidays in the US 64% effected by the Holiday blues - https://www.nami.org/Blogs/NAMI-Blog/November-2015/Tips-for-Managing-the-Holiday-Blues...

ILMS 8 - The Truth about Mental Health: Emotions + YA: Tremble Psalm 46:3   Internal and external turmoil   HCSB – "though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with its turmoil."   What in the world feels chaotic, or adds to the turmoil of life?   Goal: We want our emotions  to inform us, rather than lead us. How do you like to let your emotions out, rather than roiling inside?   6 com...

ILMS 7 – The Truth about Mental Health: Depression   Guest: Pastor Gabe Kasper   I Love My Shepherd Mental Health Core Value: Everyone has it. Connections of physical, relational, mental, and emotional health.   Gabe's story   Symptoms of depression – anxiety, insomnia, spiral thinking, panic attack, loss of focus, loss of motivation, frequent crying, desire to escape, suicidality and suicide idea...

ILMS 6  - YA: Moved Psalm 46:1-3 God is our refuge and strength,     a very present help in trouble. 2  Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way,     though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea, 3  though its waters roar and foam,     though the mountains tremble at its swelling.      Fun question: What mountains have you been to? Where? What did you think? What pictures h...

ILMS 5 – WII: Divorce, Forgiveness, and New Beginnings Guest: Donna Pyle Young, fresh, and finding Jesus   What does genuine warmth look like for visitors in the church?   Brokenness and Restoration             making some kind of peace with our past those who hurt to see us hurt God is not a puppeteer   Forgiveness anger has its place when life feels like a hurricane the place of counseling walki...

ILMS 4 - Ministry Talks: Calls, Callings, and the Ministry Family A calling on our lives – purposes, plans, and Jesus   God holds the power, we simply are stewards of that   Over emphasis of any one vocation is a problem.   Family Vocation, Veith and Moerbe - https://www.amazon.com/Family-Vocation-Marriage-Parenting-Childhood/dp/1433524066/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1535474057&sr=8-1&keywords=family+v...

ILMS 3 – Ministry Moments: Community Prayer Walk Guest – Pastor B.J. Fouts Connection and disconnection in communities   The Great Commission Matthew 28:16-20 Starting with our neighbors in our backyard Sometimes it's harder to start a conversation with our actual neighbors   One prayer walk in a small town community: Goal = visible ministry arm praying for our community   The who, what where, whe...

Show notes: What are your worries or concerns? Your highs and lows? What do you think your friends are going through or your family? When you look around you at school, work, your neighborhood, the world – what concerns do you see? Three segments to today's study: He is with us when things look bleak.  He is with us when things look better. He is with us when things look best.  Bleak: Is God disin...

Show notes: When was the last time you held a red party cup? Do we have a celebratory God?   What opportunities did Jesus take at parties? What opportunities do we have at parties or celebratory moments? What kind of grounding do we have or seek to prepare to be in difficult places and situations? Safety and the red party cup ilovemyshepherd.com YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCd0fe9Bba...