The following is a good example of God's Word at work in our congregation, and how we should hear the word preached on Sunday morning, encourage one another with its application during a Growth Group, and then personally make use of it. We count it a joy to hear, from our congregation, of those times when God uses His Word to instruct, exhort, and encourage you personally.  Please take the time to share those with us.  

Here's an encouraging testimony from a member of Mark Krystyniak's recent Growth Group:

The note below is from Francie Hays regarding our discussion at Growth Group last Sunday night. Francie originally shared this note with members of our Growth Group. With her permission, and because it was so encouraging to us, we wanted to share it with you. We were discussing the sermon point from Pastor Bret’s exposition of 2 Thessalonians 1:3 specifically regarding how easy it is for us to grumble about all matters of life as opposed to expressing a God-glorifying gratitude of thanksgiving in our lives. Here’s an account of an opportunity that God gave Francie to apply what we had been discussing only a few hours before:

Hi everyone, I wanted to share some musings about grumbling/gratitude from our growth group yesterday. Last night about 1:30 am when I awoke instead of being irritated about my insomnia I immediately recognized it as complaining. I thanked God for revealing that it was sinful grumbling, giving me the time to ponder the things I learned from our discussion and Bret’s preaching and also to reflect on the topic in general.

Understanding and properly identifying grumbling helps to spot it as sin and call a spade a spade. Grumbling doesn’t have to be verbalized, it can remain in the mind and still be dishonoring to God. Unfortunately it doesn't usually just remain in the mind it generally leaks out to generate hurt and mayhem in relationships. Grumbling can also be a critical spirit towards anything (situations, God & people), and also found in resentment, frustration and anger. I think it’s the same in principal but just different degrees and manifestations.

Mark H was dead on in order to slay grumbling it has to be replaced, we can’t just say I don’t want to be this negative grouch anymore. So I had a wonderful time last night thinking about all of the good that can come out of my times of insomnia and making a plan of slaying the grumble monster. One of the benefits of obeying God in this area is a joyful spirit and I have to say I am in a much better mood this morning. Even though my sleep was interrupted I feel good too! I'm making it a game now of being a grumbler cop in arresting those thoughts as soon as they enter the picture and replacing them with thoughts and actions that are full of gratitude and love.

My little exercise last night reminded me of the incredible power of thoughts both for good and for evil and how exquisitely wonderful it is to obey God.

Love In Christ, Francie