Saturday, September 23, 3-4:30 at Cedar Hills Community Church!
Join us for a block party – fun, games, prizes and large inflatables… something for all ages. Entrance fee is a non-perishable food item for our Open Hands Food Pantry. Please invite your neighbors, your friends, your family. This is for everybody and we would love to have you there!
Ever feel stuck in a rut? I have. When I get distracted, worn out, and weighted down God feels distant. I’m stuck. Guess what? Stuck happens. So relax, but also respond so you don’t stay stuck? Five suggestions to get unstuck:
1. Be honest about it.
Psalm 40:1-2 says, “I waited patiently for the Lord; he inclined to me and heard my cry. He drew me up from the pit of destruction, out of the miry bog.” Even King David got stuck. Let’s be honest about what we feel toward God— our distracted thoughts, our tired feet, our hurt feelings, our deadened passions, our disappointed expectations. Getting unstuck starts with honesty.
2. Complain out loud to God.
Now, speak your honesty. Psalm 6:6 says, “I am weary with my moaning; every night I flood my bed with tears; I drench my couch with my weeping.” Stuck? Tell God. Prayer is having an honest conversation with God.
3. Complain out loud to others.
Revival comes in community. This is not for the purpose of justifying our whining, it is for the purpose of letting others help us expect God to show up. When we can’t imagine our way out of a hard place, let other people imagine it for you. Psalm 7:7 says, “Let the assembly of the peoples be gathered about you; rule over them from on high.” We grow in faith better together.
4. Get into the Word.
God’s Word is living and active. God heals and revives us by turning our attention to His truths, which are found in God’s Word. Tune into God and seek God’s path out of your spiritual stuckness. Psalm 119:105 says, “Your Word is a lamp to my
feet and a light to my path.”
5. Dwell in God’s love.
Without this, all spiritual practices fail. Always remember, God loves you! Zephaniah 3:17 says, “The Lord your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; He will rejoice over you with gladness; He will quiet you by His love; He will exult over you with loud singing.” The beauty of God’s love is that it survives spiritual dry times. God is love and the Bible tells us that nothing can separate us from the love of God in Jesus. (See Romans 8) This can never be overstated: God loves you!
Everyone gets stuck. Don’t stay stuck.
Kent Landhuis
Pastor of Teaching & Leadership
Earlier this year there was a horrific school bus crash in Tanzania. There was a group of medical missionaries from Iowa following that bus, who were able to rescue three children. Tragically, 32 souls perished in that accident. One of the missionaries, Dr. Steven Meyer from Sioux City had arranged to treat the three survivors at his hospital in Sioux City, but had no way to get them to Iowa.
Congressman Steve King called Franklin Graham and immediately Samaritan’s Purse dispatched a DC-8 to transport the children, their mothers, and the medical attendants. They even got a waiver from the FAA to carry
two flight crews so they only had to stop for fuel. These children had multiple injuries, but Dr. Meyer is confident they will recover fully.
He stated that many Tanzanians, including Muslims, are amazed that American Christians would step in to care for these
children.
–Cedar Hills Missions Team
This Fall, we kick-off the start of a year long commitment to learning about the Bible. While dwelling in the Word, we know that Christ will indwell our hearts. When we dig into the Word, we cannot escape that God will reveal Himself in big ways and fill us with His presence. It will be so worth it!! So dwell in the Word and let the Word dwell in you. Simple, yes?
Any change of habit takes time, commitment and practice. If you’re not used to dwelling in the Word, it’s going to take some change. What do you need to give up to make regular time for the Word? How does your schedule need to be rearranged? And are you serious enough about taking on this new habit that you’re willing to actually make the changes?
I don’t know about you, but I’m HUNGRY. I see within myself the need to make reading and dwelling into the Word a greater priority in my life. I know I often feel spiritually empty because this one component is missing my from spiritual journey.
Even as mature Christians, there is so much more for us to learn in the Word and should not be neglected (preaching to myself!). Let’s do this! Will you join us in the journey? Are you ready to be amazed by what God has to say and what He will reveal to us in the next year? I am! August 20 begins this year long journey to Dwell.
Leah Carolan
Director of Media & Worship
In Alaska it isn’t always easy to drive your child to camp, many times they need to be flown. RCA missionary Brian Bruxvoort saw the need and as a pilot decided he could do something about it. He loads up his airplane with children and teenagers and flies them from the home villages to camp. Last summer, he flew 356 teenagers from 36 villages to 4 camps across Alaska. Of those 356, many of them professed faith in Christ. Through Brian’s ministry the lives of children and teenagers were changed.
Praise God!
–Cedar Hills Missions Team
That’s right, because of your generous support, we are able to help two ministries in Niger—Jeremy and Susan Beebout and
Words of Hope. Susan is a physician while Jeremy specializes in agriculture, both vital services. Currently, one of their main projects is building a much needed nursing school. Words of Hope is working with the Evangelical Church of Niger to plant 52 new churches within a span of 5 years! Radio programs are produced in local tribal languages of the people they are trying to reach. Contact phone numbers are provided at the broadcast.
— Cedar Hills Missions Team
Back in June we took 6 students and 2 adults to Lead the Cause in Chicago. During this week, our students learned to share their faith with anyone and everyone. Since returning, our students have brought others into the ministry with them as they
walked the malls and pools of Cedar Rapids with a focus of connecting others to Jesus. Please pray for this passion and boldness to continue and that God would start a revival in the hearts of this community. We need your help with prayer and
action. Join us as we follow the leading of God for His people!
We believe Journey Student Ministry is extremely valuable in the lives of each student and we need your help to keep reaching out to more students. If you are interested in joining the student ministry as a leader, please let me know. We are currently in need of 2 male leaders to round out our fall leadership team.
Jeremy Van Genderen
Director of Youth and Young Adults
Introducing “The Marriage Course”, a 7 week study designed to help couples learn practical ways to build a stronger foundation, communicate more effectively and resolve differences well. Some couples do the course to intentionally invest in their relationship while others are looking to address more specific challenges. Either way, the course offers essential tools and ideas to help you build a relationship that lasts a lifetime. Space is limited so register early.
Brief Description
Dates/Times
Cost
Childcare
Registration is full. Register now. After filling out the form, you’ll be given a link to complete payment. You may pay via this link or in the church office. Registration is not complete until payment has been made.
Newspapers needed for VBS! Please save and collect your Pennysavers, newspapers, and similar type print material. Deliver to the office by July 16 (the first day of VBS).
VBS at Cedar Hills is Sunday, July 16 to Thursday July 20. Children ages 3 yrs to 5th grade are invited! Register online today.
The Fall Kick-off is quickly approaching and the new t-shirts are ready to be ordered! Demo shirts will be on display in the Gathering Space in men’s and women’s sizes to try on and find the perfect fit. Final orders and payments must be received by Monday, July 31. Shirts are $15. Payments can be made by cash or check to the church office, or in the Cedar Hills App. If paying online or in the app, use the “give” button, and make sure you choose “Fall Kick-Off T-shirt” from the ‘fund’ menu. (See designs below). Order online or pay now for an existing order.
All classes and ministry teams that took a break for the summer will begin again that week. Join us for an open house on August 13 to find your new Cross Training classes, meet the teachers, and get oriented before the big day.
