Link to a short video recapping our church’s recent short term mission trip to the Navajo Reservation in New Mexico:

Grace Bible, Navajo Reservation 2018

“Written by a slave whose name we’ll never know.” Y’all check this out. The story behind ‘He’s Got The World In His Hands’

https://www.ministrymatters.com/worship/entry/4358/hes-got-the-whole-world-in-his-hands

Thankful for the great privilege we have to live in a country where we are able to vote!!! Thankful for so many who have served and currently serve to preserve our freedoms.

Also, I cast my ballot with my ultimate trust in King Jesus, the God of the universe, the giver of all good things. He alone is sovereign, powerful, merciful, and good in every way!

Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the LORD our God. They collapse and fall, but we rise and stand upright. O LORD, save the king! May he answer us when we call. Psalm 20:7-9

Before you settle in to beating yourself over your failures and shortcomings, be reminded of this:

…he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ. Philippians 1:6

We serve a God of grace, and He’s not done with you, or any of us, yet! It’s good to admit when we’re wrong, confess it to God, ask forgiveness, and change direction. But beyond that, don’t trip over what is behind you, friend! Be encouraged!

#LookUp

Maybe a good proverb to encourage us to finish the rest if this week strong…

Go to the ant, O sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise. Without having any chief, officer, or ruler, she prepares her bread in summer and gathers her food in harvest. Proverbs 6:6-8

Like the ant, and by His grace, we keep working, keep building, keep sowing. Be encouraged, friends! Don’t let up!

#LookUp

Hey GBF Fam!

Yesterday we announced that we’re adding a second Sunday worship service beginning 10/21. We’ll now have services at 9am and 10:45am. Other than the times, the only difference between the two is that the 9am service will not have Grace Kids (K through 4th grade Children’s church). Both services will have childcare for nursery and pre-school.

In addition to making room for more people to come and worship, we also hope to make a way for folks who serve in Grace Kids, nursery, or preschool to be able to attend a “big church” worship service on Sundays as well.

Please join us in praying that God would continue to use our church family and this new service to glorify God and make disciples of Jesus Christ. Pray that God would grow us, not only numerically, but also deeper in our relationships with Him and our desire to love others.

If you would, let us know which service you feel like would work best for you by following the links in our newsletter.

Not to us, O Lord, not to us, but to your name give glory… Psalm 115:1

I often find myself asking God “Why?” And the longer I live the more I ask. Most of the time He doesn’t give me an immediate answer. Some may think pastors have all the answers, we don’t. Or at least this one doesn’t. Not even close. Something that’s helped me a lot—I’ve found that there are some important things I KNOW about God, that help me get through circumstances that I DON’T UNDERSTAND. For instance, I know that God is real. I know He’s powerful enough to do anything. I know that in Jesus I’ve found love and forgiveness that’s available to all. I know that He has a plan. I know one day He is going to fix all of this. And I know that I am not going to understand everything right now, but one day I will. When I can’t make sense of things, I have to ask myself if I’m willing to deny what I know because something I temporarily don’t understand? The answer is no. I won’t deny what I know to be true. I’ll trust the God I know, though the hard times I don’t understand, and wait for a day when He makes sense of it all.

There’s a newer take on an old hymn called ‘Farther Along’ that I absolutely love, by a super gifted artist named Josh Garrels. (Although I must admit, my favorite person to hear sing and play it is my son, Q Layman!) I seldom hear this song that I don’t tear up. It brings to mind the loss of loved ones, my own failures, the hatred and heartache that I see in the world—all of the things that I wish weren’t so, and that I don’t understand and don’t have answers for. Check out these lyrics:

“Tempted and tried, I wondered why

The good man died, the bad man thrives

And Jesus cries because he loves em’ both

We’re all cast-aways in need of ropes

Hangin’ on by the last threads of our hope

In a house of mirrors full of smoke

Confusing illusions I’ve seen

Where did I go wrong, I sang along

To every chorus of the song

That the devil wrote like a piper at the gates

Leading mice and men down to their fates…”

But this song also makes me smile and encourages me, because it also brings to mind so many awesome things I know to be true, even in the midst of darkness and difficulty:

“Cause I got changed by what I’ve been shown

More glory than the world has known

Keeps me ramblin’ on

Skipping like a calf loosed from it’s stall

I’m free to love once and for all

And even when I fall I’ll get back up

For the joy that overflows my cup

Heaven filled me with more than enough

Broke down my levee and my bluff

Let the flood wash me

And one day when the sky rolls back on us

Some rejoice and the others fuss

Cause every knee must bow and tongue confess

That the son of god is forever blessed

His is the kingdom, we’re the guests

So put your voice up to the test

Sing Lord, come soon”

And then, the song gives me an anthem to live by as I trust God with what I don’t understand. The chorus of the song gives me strength, encouragement, and perspective:

“Farther along we’ll know all about it

Farther along we’ll understand why

Cheer up my brothers, live in the sunshine

We’ll understand this, all by and by”

One of my favorite passages in the Bible tells of a man born blind, healed by Jesus. When the man was pressed about how he regained his sight happened he said “…I do not know. One thing I do know, I was blind and now I see.” (John 9:25) Man, I can relate to that so much!!! I don’t have the answers to all the “why” questions, but I’m comforted by what I DO KNOW. And, farther along we’ll know all about it. We’ll understand this, all by and by.

This was a long one for a fb post 🙂 Sorry of the typos and bad grammar. Thanks for reading, roy

‪Identity? Called, loved and kept by God ‬

‪Motivation? Doing all for the glory of the God‬

‪Attitude? Humbled and thankful ‬

‪#LifeInChrist #LookUp

February of this year marked 10 yrs of FT ministry at Grace Bible Fellowship. And June marked 20 yrs of marriage for Casey and I. We are thankful to have shared over half our married life together, with y’all.

For 10 yrs y’all have been gracious and patient and God has been more than faithful. I look forward to many more years here with y’all, making disciples of Jesus Christ in a way that is gospel centered, relational, and fun.

But after 10 yrs of putting up with me as your pastor, the elders felt like y’all needed a break 🙂 So, starting today I’m going to take a monthlong sabbatical. It’s important to me for y’all to know that this extended time away is not something I asked for, but rather something that was offered. I love my church family, love what I do, and consider it a great privilege to serve as your pastor.

I also don’t want to throw our elders under the bus for the break. I accepted the time, when it was offered. I’ve heard from several wise people including some pastors who have pastored longer than me, that they highly recommend me doing something like this. One pastor said that after 10 yrs of service he was offered a sabbatical, he was hesitant to take it, but it ended up being a great thing for him and his entire church family. So, I’m not taking this sabbatical because I want to leave our church or because I’m tired of it. I’m taking it because I love our church and I want to stay. I think this will be good for me and my family, and good for us as a church, or I wouldn’t be doing it.

Our church is gonna be well taken care of while I’m out. Rhome Van Dyck is going to bless you with a series in Esther for the next few Sundays. Price will be here for day to day stuffm and Lara, Alicia, and Sydney will be available during the week too.

I’m gonna unplug and spend some time investing in my marriage, my family, and my personal relationship with God. When I say unplug, I mean it. I even invested in a flip phone to limit my access to email, internet, and social media. I hope to get some time to step back and take a look at the big picture of ministry. I look at this Sabbatical as a time to work on ministry, rather than working in ministry. I’ll see y’all back in August with a better perspective, and a better tan.

Love y’all,

Roy

My Grandma and Papa are both with the Lord Jesus now. But when I was a kid, if you walked into their house you could bet the farm that they’d be watching TNN (The Nashville Network). I mean ALL THE TIME. Well, in 1980 somethin’, I think it was the summer between 2nd and 3rd grade, my mom and the fam took Grandma and Papa to Nashville to witness firsthand all they’d watched 24/7 on TV for so long. The trip was an epic adventure to say the least. I remember visiting Graceland on the way there (I still love Elvis btw), eating breakfast at a bunch of Shoney’s restaurants, Grandma mispronouncing LaQuinta (LaKwinta), attending the Grand Ole Opry, going to Opryland amusement park and riding a roller coaster called “The Screaming Demon” with both Grandma and Papa…AND, I remember sitting outside at this big open area at Opryland with maybe a few hundred ppl. There was a cover band playing country music. They were good! I only remember one song that they performed though, “Proud To Be An American” and when they got to the part that says “I’ll gladly stand up…” EVERYONE stood up—all the adults, all the kids, and Grandma and Papa. We all stood up and sang together. I can’t tell you how big of an impression that made on me! Out of the hundreds of ppl there, I only knew my family, but we all sang loudly that we were “proud to be an American,” Y’all can think I’m a dork if you want, but I still remember that feeling, and the chills I got that day. It was one of my earliest understandings of what I now know to be patriotism. I still love my country, and Grandma and Papa. And still proud to be an American. Happy 4th of July, friends 🙂