What Will Make Me Happy? Series

Well… welcome to Embrace…

at all of our campuses…

and wherever you’re joining us from…

we’re so excited that you’re here.

My name is Adam… I’m one of the pastors here…

and as always…we are truly thrilled…

that you are with us... today.

And I just have a few quick things to share… before getting started…

First off… if you haven’t done so yet… go to itunes…

and download the new Embrace Worship song… called You Hold It all.

It releases today… and it is seriously amazing…

I’ve been listening to it in my car for the last 2 weeks…

Air drumming to it… and it’s great…

so seriously… go… do that…

That’s first… and then secondly… this past summer…

our friend James Barnett filled in for me...

And James is the founder of a non-profit…

called Clothe Your Neighbor as Yourself.

And he’s been a friend of Embrace’s… for 7 years now.

And for those 7 years… we’ve always joked around with him…

about coming on staff here…

And well… starting this January… he will be.

James will be coming alongside of myself… as a teaching pastor here.

Preaching 12 times next year.

And I just have to say… that there are few people…

that I respect and trust more… than James.

And so James will be on staff… and also… hear this:

CY-NY… will actually become… Embrace’s.

James will be the director… of it.

but it will fully be a part of what we do.

And we just see this… as an amazing opportunity…

to be the hands and feet of Jesus… to the world…

in a more specific way…

and we’re so excited about it!

And how crazy is that?

And so that’s the second thing to share…

and then the last thing… is a simple challenge.

It’s hard to believe…

but starting next week… it is Christmas season.

And if you’ve already starting listening to Christmas music…

I forgive you… and Jesus… he might forgive you.

But on December 4th…

we’ll be starting up our new series… called Good News…

a series talking about the best news…

that’s ever been told.

And just between… ugly Christmas sweaters…

And camels and sheep…

and the kids singing…

and the candlelight services…

It’s truly… the best possible time…

to invite a friend or coworker to join us.

And I know… I don’t have to say this…

But there are so many people in our lives… right now…

who are broken and hurting…

and empty… and overwhelmed.

people who are just trying to survive…

And it’s crazy to think…

that God can use us… and a simple invite to change someone’s life.

But He can… and so I pray… that all of us…

would invite like never before the next few weeks.

And seriously… I pray… that we wouldn’t just think about it…

but instead that we’d actually do it…

just inviting people… like crazy…

and then we would watch God move.

But once more though…

we’re truly... thrilled and honored…

that each of you are with us today.

Now… last week…

I started out by talking about my kids…

and about how I love them…

and they’re great… and adorable…

And I love being their dad… some days…

I mean… most of the time…

But I also shared… that I never cease to be amazed…

by how much… they think… they know…

about pretty much… everything.

I mean… seriously…

my kids are self-proclaimed geniuses…

and they seem to know everything… about everything.

Like they think they know what’s best for them…

and what’s good for them…

and they wanna make all the decisions…

And they think they know… even about random stuff…

Like the other day…

after the Bengals lost… the football game.

One of my kids… said:

Dad, I don’t think the Bengals are very good… this season…

And all I could think back was…

get behind me Satan.

No but really… they truly think…

that they know what will make them happy…

when the truth is… they don’t have a clue.

Like they are clueless…

and at times… they don’t seem to know anything at all.

*This week… I decided to email…

some of the parents on our staff here…

And I just said… what are some things…

that you’ve said to your kids.

that you never… thought you’d ever have to say.

And the responses were great…

Listen to this… one parent said… don’t eat.

Don’t eat… your boogers…. your sister’s food

The dirt, grass, rocks, grasshoppers, worms, or ladybugs

And don’t touch… he said.

Don’t touch the stove…

Don’t touch your siblings eye… and don’t touch the inside of the toilet.

And one parent said…

Hey, hey, hey…. poop is not… body soap.

And another said…

I promise… if you go to school naked… you will regret it.